Many domestic and foreign tourists have traveled to Tra Su Cajuput Forest in An Giang Province to enjoy beautiful landscapes and serenity of the must-see destination in the Mekong Delta.
A boat takes tourists through a beautiful lotus pond in Tra Su Cajuput Forest
Tour guides are of the opinion that the good period to visit Tra Su is from July to December when water covers the entire area of the cajuput forest in Van Giao Commune, Tinh Bien District, facilitating boat rides around there. But I opt for a visit in December and January after having been there for several times in different months because of little or no rain and cool weather and the national reserve turns peaceful and scenic when leaves of cajuputs fall and sway in breezes.
Warm sunshine illuminates Tra Su in December and January, turning the forest and still duckweed that blankets the surface of the flooding water an appealing watercolor painting. On top of that, birds flock to Tra Su in those months to build nests and their singing are a warm welcome to travelers.
As usual, a journey in Tra Su starts with a composite motor-boat which departs from a pier of the forest and moves along the cajuput forest for visitors to admire vast greenery including lotus and water lilies before they get off it and be transferred to a rowing small wooden boat, which makes its way through green duckweed and deep into the forest for less than 30 minutes. On the small wooden boat, they can see birds and storks perching in cajuput trees and hovering in the specialized forest, which covers nearly 1,500 hectares.
As part of the journey, visitors are taken to a bird-watching tower with a telescope to view some of the bird species and contemplate landscapes in Tra Su.
Tra Su is home to 140 flora species and more than 120 species of water birds, bats, reptiles, animals and fish with many species of them rare and endangered and a few listed in the Red Book.
Guides of Tra Su recommend that guests should come to the cajuput forest on weekdays on peak months as visitors do not have to wait for the boat tour in the forest.
Travel firms in HCMC and cities in the Mekong Delta offer organized tours to Tra Su Cajuput Forest and other attractive destinations in the region, including Cam Mountain and Tuc Dup Hill.