Coming to An Giang during flood season, my heart feels like it's filled with joy.

It would be a pity if you missed the breathtakingly beautiful roads, the fields with rows of strong, vividly beautiful palm trees.

Palm trees in the field near my homestay - Photo: NGUYET PHAM

When mentioning An Giang, people immediately think of Chau Doc, famous for its spiritual tourism , and the whole country knows about Ba Chua Xu Temple. But An Giang has more than that. I have had several occasions to visit An Giang, and each time it has given me beautiful and new emotions. Coming back this time during the flood season, An Giang has a different beauty for me. Driving on the road, looking at the fields on both sides, it is all water. On the banks of the fields are fruit trees or sometimes trees that people plant to provide shade for those who come to rest during their lunch break... All the trees stand in the water, reflecting themselves on the water's surface, creating a melancholy scene.

Western tourist season for travel enthusiasts

People in the West always find joy in the flood. They row boats to catch fish, pick water lilies, water hyacinths, and sesbania flowers... - specialties of the flood season. In the afternoon, couples take their children with life jackets, then friends, neighbors, students... everyone excitedly pulls together to a gathering point to bathe in the fields. Native Westerners say that the flood season is the rainy season, starting from May to October of the lunar calendar. However, tourists always wait until the end of September to the end of November to go to the Western provinces, especially An Giang. This is the most beautiful time of the flood season. There are many delicious fish and shrimp, the season of linh fish and sesban flowers to enjoy. The weather is also cool at this time, although it is the rainy season, the rain stops quickly and usually starts in the afternoon and evening. This time we chose to go to Tri Ton - Tan Chau to both admire the beautiful scenery and have the opportunity to interact with Khmer culture. In Tan Chau, we chose to stay at Mai La Farm, with Linh as our tour guide, who is not a professional but is knowledgeable about the culture, people, architecture, cuisine , and beautiful scenery in An Giang. He is also the tour designer and guide during our stay in An Giang.

Ms. Rofiah, sponge cake maker - Photo: NGUYET PHAM

About 1km from Mai La Farm, at the foot of Chau Phong bridge, is Ms. Rofiah's grilled rice cake stall. She is a famous Cham rice cake maker who has participated in folk cake festivals. In the morning, she displays the pre-mixed dough along with a row of charcoal stoves, pans and clay pot lids. In the morning, the Cham people in the area often eat grilled rice cakes for breakfast, so she pours the cakes and picks up the charcoal quickly, but sometimes customers still have to wait. Although busy, Rofiah always smiles and talks very openly. If you want to try pouring cakes, don't hesitate to ask, she will show you how to do it.

Wooden houses, ancient temples and mosques

The grounds of Krăng Króch Pagoda in An Giang - Photo: NGUYỄT PHAM

Around this area, there are many beautiful old wooden houses of the Cham people. There is also a mosque. Spending part of the morning wandering around here is quite pleasant. Around noon, we headed towards Tri Ton and came across a large field dotted with tall palm trees. Arriving at An Hoa hamlet, Chau Lang commune, on road 955B, there is Krăng Króch pagoda (locally known as Hàng Cống pagoda). This place is especially impressive because the path leading to the pagoda is two rows of ancient cống trees that were planted in 1965. Since then, whenever there is an old and rotten tree, people have cut it down and replaced it with a young tree. The row of ancient cống trees and the pagoda have become destinations for many tourists who love to learn and explore . Coming here at noon, walking under the shady cống trees, the wind blowing from the field made me feel like I was lost in a fairy garden. Krăng is a Southern Buddhist temple, the main hall is painted bright pink combined with decorative reliefs painted in gold. On the left is a large lake, behind is the living and practicing area of ​​the monks. The temple grounds are quiet, tidy and have many trees, the temple gate is always open so that people can freely come and go, the main hall is also always slightly open.

Row of ancient trees at Krăng Króch Pagoda - Photo: NGUYỄT PHAM

Grilled chicken specialty by O Thum Lake

Grilled chicken enjoyed by O Thum Lake is wonderful - Photo: NGUYET PHAM

Leaving the temple, it was time for lunch, we continued about 25km to O Thum Lake to enjoy grilled chicken. The secret of this dish is that the chicken is raised naturally, through the processing and marinating with spices and leaves. When grilled, the chicken skin is crispy, the chicken meat is juicy and soaked in spices, fragrant, sweet and soft, and has the right amount of chewiness. Grilled chicken with sweet and sour green chili sauce and cabbage salad is simple but very delicious. A friend in the group exclaimed: I have never eaten such delicious chicken in my life! It is really worth the effort of driving dozens of kilometers. Around O Thum Lake, there are many shops selling grilled chicken with similar quality. You should choose shops with a lake view to have a clear seat and a wide view.

Joyful heart in Ta Pa field

Row of trees beside Ta Pa field - Photo: NGUYET PHAM

In the afternoon, according to the plan, we would go up the mountain to watch the sunset on Ta Pa field. But it was cloudy and rainy, so we changed our plan and drove towards Ta Pa field, through the field. The road to Ta Pa field is not far, with few vehicles passing by. Both sides of the road were only trees. At one point, passing through the field, I felt like I was lost in a strange land with low mountains on one side, rice fields on the other and rows of palm trees stretching out in many layers. Standing in front of this scene, I did not think I was in Vietnam. Right at this section, there is a very special small homestay called Th'not homestay - Khmer Food. Following a winding road with Linh as the guide, we arrived at Ta Pa field. We had already seen photos of the field taken from above, but when the car glided on the small road, with young green rice on both sides, I could not help but rejoice at this peaceful scene. The interesting thing is that in this field, besides rice, there are many tall trees growing wild or planted on the edge of the field for shade. The trees are mainly mango and myrtle. The trees are tall but the branches are low and wide. The road in the middle of the field is quite narrow, just enough for a car to pass through, but the road is very beautiful, winding and curving. Sitting in the car driving slowly, opening the window to welcome the wind of the fields, feels like floating in a dream. Going all the way through the small road across Ta Pa field, we reached the main road, heading towards the center of Chau Doc for dinner, taking a rickshaw and drinking palm juice in front of Chau Doc market, ending a day with many emotions in the extremely attractive land of An Giang.

Tien River in flood season - Photo: NGUYET PHAM

Tips for visiting An Giang

- Th'not homestay: Stay 79,000 VND/night with unlimited check-in and check-out time. 5-course Khmer dinner costs 150,000 VND/person. Homestay accepts tour design around the area. - Ga O Thum: In the O Thum lake area, there are many restaurants, stable quality restaurants with lake view, you can choose Ga flam Thao Nguyen. The dishes you should order are: chicken flam, mixed vegetables, papaya, a large chicken costs 350,000 VND for about 2-3kg. - Countryside gifts: Along the way to Tri Ton, people sell palm sugar, mango, rattan, myrtle, wild grapes, bamboo shoots and wild fruits, you can buy them as gifts. - Mai La Farm: Accepts guests to stay, design and guide tours depending on the needs of guests. The owner is knowledgeable, cheerful, enthusiastic and cooks well. However, traveling is just a hobby, not his main job. You should contact us about 2 weeks before your arrival. - Palm chopsticks: When coming to An Giang, in addition to buying fish sauce, you should buy palm chopsticks at tourist attractions or Chau Doc market, priced at about 60,000 VND/dozen.

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/ve-an-giang-mua-nuoc-noi-long-nhu-muon-reo-vui-20241028094859458.htm