Tan Loc islet (Vietnamese: cù lao Tân Lộc, cù lao means islet) in Can Tho is a tourist attraction with unique tourism products, very different from other areas in the region. With the rustic beauty of a village, the islet is very suitable for developing of ecotourism in various forms such as excursions, fishing, sightseeing, enjoying specialties and learn about cultural features of the delta river region.
How to get to Tan Loc Islet in Can Tho?
The islet is located on Hau river, in Tân Loc ward, Thot Not district, has an area of about 32 km², shaped like a boat floating in the middle of Hau river. From Can Tho city, it quite easy to get here by land or water. By riding, you need to follow Highway 91 to Thot Not ward, then take a boat to Tan Loc.
If it is a waterway, you will depart from Can Tho pier, upstream of the Hau river toward Long Xuyen, down through O Mon land to reach Tan Loc islet.
What to do in Tan Loc islet?
Tan Loc islet attracts visitors with fruit orchards, green coconut gardens, ancient houses and rustic simple life of the people. Explore Tan Loc islet in Can Tho will bring you many interesting things, and below are some places that you should visit when coming here.
Fruit orchards: with the advantages of nature, fertile soil, Tan Loc is the land of immense orchards. Some of the attractions not to be missed such as Ms. Lê Hồng Điệp guava garden about 4,000 square meters wide which grow only psidium guajava. She has been using clean technology, without chemicals, to grow psidium guajava so you can just pick it and enjoy on the spot. Not too far from Ms. Điệp’s garden, Mr. Đỗ Trung Ngôn’s garden also served tourism. With an area of 3 ha. Mr. Ngôn’s garden has burmese grape, oranges, rambutans…, especially there are very large fish ponds served for fishing or rowing boat along the gardens.
The coconut garden in Tan Loc is also amazing place where you can hang a hammock to enjoy the fresh space and taste many kind of coconuts.
The islet of old houses: Tan Loc islet has 12 old houses, but not all of them still intact. The outstanding of this is the house of Mr. Trần Bá Thế, often called Mr. Sáu Thế. The house was built by Mr. Trần Thiên Thoại – Trần Bá Thế’s father, completed in 1935. The front of the house is built in the Western style, with rows of columns supporting the roof with sophisticated patterns. In particular, the interior decoration is entirely made of wood, the wooden ceiling is painted with a gentle, delicate pattern, in harmony with the architectural style of South Vietnam.
Especially, his family still keeps a lot of antiques such as ceilings with wooden lanterns around the end of the nineteenth century, cement lamps, kerosene lamps from American miners in the early twentieth century; a carved with two poems in the “Peaceful melody” of Li Bai, a brilliant poet in the Qin dynasty in China. Besides the old house of Mr. Sáu Thế, Tan Loc islet still has many other old houses such as the house of Mr. Nguyễn Văn Tí, Mr. Nguyễn Văn Thi, Mr. Huỳnh Quang Quế…. Each house is unique, only to certify you can feel all the ancient features; understand the culture and lifestyle of the ancient of local people.
Fishing islet: In Tan Loc, from May 5 to September of lunar calendar is the season of fishing. This fish lives on the Hau river around Tan Loc islet, the smallest one is 300 g, the big one weighs 4 kg. People release nets to catch fish when the water is cloudy (the season when the water flows from the upstream of the Hậu river, also called the wet season). From the full moon of the 10th lunar month, local people celebrate the spirit fishing season. From November of lunar calendar to after Lunar New Year is the season of “hunting” for catfish. Fish noodles are processed into many dishes: grilled, fried, steamed ginger, salt, lemongrass and chili, fried, sour soup … are very delicious.
There are some attractive spiritual religious relics such as Giác Thuyền Pagoda, Tân Lộc Đông temple, Long Sơn temple, created an attractive of relics of the isle.
After visiting the village, you can also rent a boat to reach the river rafting village. You will have the opportunity to participate in exciting activities such as river bathing, catching mussel…Tan Loc islet has become popular tourist attractions in Cần Thơ in recent time.
It not only a perfect place to relax with pure nature but also offer you a change to explore cultural feature reminding people of old memories on the island among the Hậu River in Mekong delta.
Useful information
- Best for: Family, couple, solo
- Other tourist spots nearby: Bình Thủy temple, Phong Điền floating market, Bằng Lăng stork sanctuary, Trúc Lâm Phương Nam Monastery, Ông Temple…
Source: collected
