Bac Lieu is well-known as a land of luxurious Western buildings in the south of Mekong Delta’s main outflows. One of the famous buildings here is the mansion of “cong tu Bac Lieu”, a Vietnamese playboy during that time.
Nowadays, visitors coming to Bac Lieu are usually impressed by several elegant Western buildings. They’re usually availed for the provincial Library, the office for Bac Lieu Newspaper and the People’s Court of Investigation.
Bac Lieu at a glance
People think that Bac Lieu lies in the delta, but it’s ,in fact, lying a bit to the south of the region’s main outflows. This province also shares the border with Soc trang, Hau Giang, Kien Giang, Ca Mau, and the sea on the east and southeast.
Back to the old times (in the early 20th century), Bac Lieu used to be a land of debauchees and the most renowned character around that time is Tran Trinh huy. He was a famous, rich and generous playboy of his time.
Following the past anecdotes, no one around that time compared with him for financial capacity. He used to visit the fields in a plane while there were just two planes in Vietnam at that moment. King Bao Dai was another person owning the plane.
The best time to visit Bac Lieu
As you know, Bac Lieu is nestled within the tropical monsoon climate area with two various seasons. They’re the rainy season (May – November) and dry season (December – April) of the next year. So the dry season will be the best time for you to travel to Bac Lieu and organize a vacation.
The good news is that it’s not just in Bac Lieu but also when you plan traveling to Mekong Delta. Note that the land is sometimes affected by storms and flooding. But it’s intensely affected by the tides from the East Sea and those of the Western sea. If you hate traveling with rain, then avoid the rainy season.
You’re recommended to go to Bac Lieu from August to October since the heat won’t get too high and the rain hasn’t arrived yet.
Getting around Bac Lieu
Bac Lieu is not a big land with the highly-developed transportation system. However, if you’d like to spare time getting around it, there are still a few options for you as below:
By motorbike
Visitors are allowed to rent a motorbike right at the hotels, homestays, and then freely get around the province as much as they want. A lot of tourists prefer this in Vietnam, so it’s the most convenient way to discover this whole nation!
More importantly, ensure to bring along your vehicle documents, including insurances, driving license and more when hiring the bike.
By taxi
Two most famous taxi agencies in Bac Lieu are none other than Mai Linh and Bac Lieu taxi. And it won’t be too hard at all to catch a taxi right here.
Or you can ride around on a cheaper yet more popular vehicle, motorbike taxis. All of these vehicles come with a meter, so you can be so sure about the price. Or feel free to inquire and bargain the price before starting your journey on the track.
By bus
The handiest way to get around Bac Lieu for sightseeing will be catching a bus to this land. You tend to arrive at the place after five or six hours. In the morning, there are just four buses per day and then two buses in the afternoon.
The price per ticket is also cheap, around 150,000 – 200,000 VND ($6 – $9). A few reliable bus brands you can choose are Thanh Buoi Bus, Phuong Trang Bus, and more.
Besides, another bus option is taking two buses. The first one goes from Saigon to Can Tho before moving from Can Tho to Bac Lieu. Some tourists would choose this since there are a lot of buses to Can Tho as compared to those getting to Bac Lieu. It usually takes 30 minutes per trip.
Top things to do in Bac Lieu, Vietnam
As said, once arriving in Bac Lieu, you and other visitors get a lot of chances to view the spectacular natural landscape. You get to enjoy the fresh and peaceful air around the place and learn further about the province’s culture & history.
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Catch sight of the 100-year-old longan orchard
From Bac Lieu, visitors can pass Cao Van Lau Street 6 km to the South, then they can see the longan orchard instantly. It outstretches 11km from Hiep Thanh Commune to Vinh Trach Dong Commune. From the past till now, the Mekong Delta region is claimed to be the land of the fruit garden.
Placing the feet on the orchard, you’ll feel like getting into the conventional region of Mekong Delta locals. It’s all about the fresh and sweet bunches of longan here. So nothing is interesting than picking up and tasting fruits in the garden. Greater than that, you’re warmly welcomed by the meals made by locals living in this region.
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Visit the house of Bac Lieu Dandy
Here’s the address: 13 Dien Bien Phu Street, District 3, Bac Lieu City.
The entire building was built under the classic French architecture, not to mention all materials were also imported from France. In the early 20th century, the house of Bac Lieu Dandy is stated as the most influential one in the South of Vietnam.
Once visiting here, travelers do not only explore the charm of the architecture, the history of this building, but also the story behind the handsome owner.
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Indulge your eyes in Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary
No doubt, Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary is seen as one of the most appealing eco-tourist sites in Mekong Delta. And thanks to that diversity, this place was also recognized as the Nature Reserve since 1984. People often come here not only to view amazing and rare birds but also get to contemplate such rich flora and fauna.
The best time to visit Bac Lieu will be from May to October. This is when birds tend to migrate to the forest. And it’s more exciting when you can stand on the turret to catch the magnificent view of this sanctuary.
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Discover Vinh Hung Ancient Tower
As it comes to things to do in Bac Lieu, don’t forget about a visit to an ancient architecture that is well-preserved in Western Vietnam. Far from the city center 20 km, you’re about to find the tower in Vinh Hung A Commune, Vinh Loi District. It’s recognized as the national architecture site.
Getting inside, you will encounter many worshipping objects stored in the tower. Vinh Hung Tower holds a lot of amazing values in term of culture, art, architecture, religion, and history.
What to eat in Bac Lieu, Vietnam?
Reaching Bac Lieu, the land of incredible tales about “Bach Cong Tu” (White Prince) or the birthplace of the Southern-style folk songs. Besides that, it’s about the cuisines that are not just simple-looking but also having the mesmerizing taste. Here are the best foods you can enjoy in Bac Lieu, Vietnam.
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Banh cu cai (radish pies)
Address: You can find a lot of stalls selling radish pies along Hoang Van Thu street, Hoang Dieu Street, or 23/8 Street.
Coming to Bac Lieu, there’s no way that you can miss stopping by at some street stalls to try out this unique radish pie. It looks elegant and stuffing at the same time. The crust is made of flour and the ground white radish flour. Looking inside it, it’s the mixture of shrimp marinated with some local ingredients.
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Banh tam bi Bac Lieu (Bac Lieu thick noodles & creamy coconut milk)
Address:
- Ngan Dua market: 34 Nguyen Thi Minh Khai Street, Hong Dan, Bac Lieu
- Bac Lieu night market: Ngo Gia Tu Street, Ward 3, Bac Lieu
There’s a Vietnamese dish that makes you cannot stop slurping, and that’s “banh tam bi Bac Lieu”. The food is an elegant combination of the thick noodle, coconut milk, fish sauce and lettuce. Feel free to reduce the fat taste by reducing the amount of creamy coconut milk.
And don’t miss adding some slices of chili to the sauce if you want it to be spicier. Herbs can’t be lacked here, especially the leaves of lettuce, basil, and slices of cucumber.
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Lau mam (Vietnamese salted fish hot pot)
Address: Lau mam Hong Gam – 3/225b Tinh Lo 38 Street, Ward 5, Bac Lieu
This hot pot is made of several types of fish with the broth made of fresh coconut milk, lemongrass, and bacon. It’s up to you to order more catfish, snakehead, or Basa.
Vegetable plays a key role to this charming hot pot as well. What you need here are lotus, eggplants, parsley, broccoli, spinach…Sure enough, “lau mam” owns incredible fragrance, so you can go with rice vermicelli or rice for the best taste.
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Bun bo cay (Spicy beef noodle soup)
Address: Bun bo cay Nguyet Anh – 119 Cao Van Lau Street, Bac Lieu Town
The bowl of “bun bo cay” needs fried lemongrass and beef but won’t need shrimp sauce just like Hue beef noodle soup. Since it’s spicy, you must be a chili lover to enjoy this food. With a smoky dish and the thick broth, you won’t resist it any longer but try it immediately. The food is served with lemon, chili salt, and basil.
Where to stay in Bac Lieu?
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Dream Palace Hotel
- Address: 9, Cai Day Hamlet, Chau Hung, Vinh Loi, Bac Lieu
- Contact: 091 389 23 16
Find it in the city center of Bac Lieu, so this hotel’s address is quite convenient for your trips around this area.
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Nhu Binh 2 Hotel
Address: 370 National highway 1A, Tan Tao, Chau Hung, Vinh Loi, Bac Lieu
Contact: 094 59455 54
Nhu Binh 2 Hotel is assessed as a high-quality hotel in Bac Lieu at a price of only 230,000 VND per night. It lies in the city center, about 9km from the bird sanctuary.
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Bac Lieu Hotel
Address: Phan Ngoc Hien, Bac Lieu
With a price of 250,000VND per night, Bac Lieu Hotel is no wonder one of the best places for you to stay and relax in the city.
