Đồng Tháp Province is famous for Đồng Tháp Mười – the place of biodiversity and ravishingly beautiful lotus ponds, captivating countless visitors. Also, the land is perfect for leisure excursions as it owns lush fruit plantations and flower gardens. In your journey to discover the hidden beauty of Vietnam, it’s possible to state that Đồng Tháp, full of delights, is a must-see spot as well as a contributing factor to your full experience. Before you go, take a look at the complete Đồng Tháp Travel Guide to make your plan better.
Where is Đồng Tháp Province?
Đồng Tháp is situated in the Mekong Delta, to the south of Vietnam, and borders other provinces, consisting of Long An, Vĩnh Long and An Giang. Additionally, the province also shares a border with Cambodia, so you probably realize plenty of tour operators offer Đồng Tháp Mekong Delta tours with exit to Cambodia. The land is divided into two areas; the north and the south of the river Tiền, and each of the places has its own charm. It’s about 160 km from Ho Chi Minh City to Cao Lãnh City – the center of Đồng Tháp Province.
When is the best time to visit Đồng Tháp?
Located in the zone of the tropical monsoon climate, Đồng Tháp has two seasons: dry season and rainy season. It’s known that you can make a trip to this place all year long. However, from March to May is supposed to be the best time to witness the most colorful and vibrant perspective of Đồng Tháp; one of the most amazing moments is watching red-crowned cranes (an endangered bird species listed in Red Data Book of Vietnam) walk on meadows. Tết Holiday is also an ideal time to visit Đồng Tháp as you can contemplate the most magnificent scenery of various flowers in bloom at Tân Quy Đông Flower Village.
How to get to Đồng Tháp from Ho Chi Minh City
There are two main routes to Đồng Tháp from Ho Chi Minh City by bike:
Route 1: Phan Văn Hớn Street – National Route 1A – Tân Thới Nhất Ward – Tân Tạo – Võ Trần Chí Street – National Route N2 – Nhị Mỹ – Đồng Tháp.
Route 2: Trường Chinh Street – Phan Huy Ích Street – National Route 22 – ĐT824 Street – National Route N2 – Nhị Mỹ – Đồng Tháp.
If you wish to experience a motorbike trip to Đồng Tháp from Ho Chi Minh City, the above routes can help. However, it’s advised that taking a bus/coach will be a better choice if you prefer convenience. Several prestigious bus/coach lines are Phương Trang, Huệ Nghĩa, Hoàng Minh, Tài Lợi, Hoàng Nga, Trọng Tín Limousine, Tam Nông, Quang Phát, Quốc Hoàng, and Minh Tâm.
An alternative is to pick out a Mekong Delta tour by which you not just find transport to Đồng Tháp easier, but you are taken to great travel destinations in this province. Everything will be prepared by some travel agent or tour operator. What you need to do is just choosing one prestigious for yourself.
Where to stay in Đồng Tháp?
One of the things you certainly worry about on a trip to Đồng Tháp Province is where to stay. Just think that Đồng Tháp is a remote province in Vietnam and it’s not easy to find comfortable accommodations. In fact, it’s not right at all. Instead, hotels and hostels are ubiquitous throughout Đồng Tháp, and many of them can be booked on various websites, e.g. traveloka, and agoda.
Huỳnh Đức Hotel
Address: 1 Ngô Thời Nhậm Street, Ward 1, Cao Lãnh City, Đồng Tháp Province
Tel: 0277. 3 526 52
B.O.B Đồng Tháp Hotel
Address: 105 Tôn Đức Thắng Street, Ward 5, Cao Lãnh City, Đồng Tháp Province
Tel: 0277 652 8989
Hương Sen Hotel
Address: 18 Võ Trường Toản Street, Cao Lãnh City, Đồng Tháp Province
Tel: 0919453128 – 0969552498
Sky Hotel Hotel
Address: Nguyễn Tất Thành Street, An Thạch Ward, Hồng Ngự District, Đồng Tháp Province
Tel: 02773 987 666
Bông Sen Xanh Hotel
Address: 217 Lê Lợi Street, Ward 2, Cao Lãnh City, Đồng Tháp Province
Tel: 0277 383 8888
Huỳnh Đức 2 Hotel
Address: 9 Ngô Thì Nhậm Street, Ward 1, Cao Lãnh City, Đồng Tháp Province
Tel: 0277. 3 526 526
Lan Thái Ngọc Hotel
Address: 8 Dương Văn Hòa Street, Ward 1, Cao Lãnh City, Đồng Tháp Province
Tel: 0277 3852 871
Sao Khuê Hotel
Address: 10, National Route 80, Sa Đéc, Cao Lãnh City, Đồng Tháp Province
Tel: 0225 6568 568
Thành Công Hotel
Address: ĐT 848 Street, An Hòa Ward, Sa Đéc City, Đồng Tháp Province
Tel: 0978 114 155
Vạn Kim Long Hotel
Address: ĐT 848 Street, Tân Phú Đông Ward, Sa Đéc City, Đồng Tháp Province
Tel: 0277 3863 888
What to eat in Đồng Tháp Province?
Enjoying culinary delights is what you never miss when exploring some land. For a trip to Đồng Tháp Province, you will be overwhelmed by delicious special food made from exotic indigenous ingredients, comprised of paddy crab paste hotpot, chạo tôm (sugar cane prawn), voles roasted in a clay pot, burned snakehead wrapped in lotus leaves, steamed rice wrapped in lotus leaves, Sa Đéc rice noodle soup, clam spring rolls, and edible snail paste in Cao Lãnh.
What to buy in Đồng Tháp?
The best specialties you should buy when you are on a visit to Đồng Tháp are Lai Vung fermented pork rolls, and Lai Vung mandarins. The others, followed by Lai Vung specialties, are Sa Giang shrimp crackers, Định Yên mats, lotus wine, dragon fruit jam, and banana candy. Don’t ignore those specialties if you wish to buy something for your family and friends after coming back from the trip.
Top places to visit in Đồng Tháp
The characteristic features in Đồng Tháp are orchard tourism, ecotourism and cultural tourism. Therefore, there is a diversity of travel destinations and things to experience when you make a visit to Đồng Tháp.
Ecotourism
To have a full experience of ecotourism in Đồng Tháp, you can come to Gáo Giồng Eco-tourist Site – the place of typical mangrove ecosystem, Tràm Chim National Park, inhabited by red-crowned cranes and many different biomes
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Gáo Giồng: covering 7 ha, Gáo Giồng belong to a cajuput forest of up to 1,700 ha. This place is indeed perfect for seeing phenomenal views of nature, camping, and soaking up the local life.
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Tràm Chim National Park: quite the same as Gáo Giồng, Tràm Chim is also a place where you can get closer to nature. The most interesting activity during the excursion is birdwatching as Tràm Chim is the home of more than 230 species of birds, some of which are listed as endangered ones. The only way to discover the wildlife is by boat, quite common in wet areas.
Orchard tourism
Among the best destination for orchard tourism in Đồng Tháp is Tân Quy Đông Flower Village in Sa Đéc. Lai Vung Mandarin Orchard is also considered as a don’t miss place.
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Tân Quy Đông Flower Village: there is no reason to ignore Tân Quy Đông Flower Village as it’s considered as the paradise of flowers. You can admire a lot of flower species especially during Tết Holidays. The special feature about the village is that flowers are cultivated above water, looking miraculous. That’s why youngsters often choose the village for their photos.
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Lai Vung Mandarin Orchard: a visit to Lai Vung Mandarin Orchard will stun you so much because of orange mandarin gardens. What could be more fascinating than rambling in the orchard, enjoying delicious mandarins, and taking photos of beautiful views around?
Cultural tourism
Tourists can visit the tomb of Mr. Nguyễn Sinh Sắc – the late president of Vietnam, located in Cao Lãnh City, Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House, Kiến An Cung Pagoda in Sa Đéc, Gò Tháp Relic Site.
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Huỳnh Thủy Lê Ancient House: this ancient house deserves your visit for many reasons. The architecture is striking because it’s a combination of Occidental and Oriental styles. What is actually regarded as a curious thing about the house is the love story revolving around it. The story depicted the beautiful love between Mr. Huỳnh Thủy Lê – the son of a rich Chinese merchant and a French novelist who put it in her novel afterwards. The visit there will open your mind as you learn more about the culture and life of merchants in Vietnam decades ago.
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Kiến An Cung Pagoda: this pagoda was in Chinese style since it’s built by Chinese immigrants. The pagoda is a place where you will get to know about the culture and spiritual life of locals as well as the Chinese community in Vietnam. Besides that, you can gain deep insights of the history and unique architecture of the pagoda.
This complete travel guide to Đồng Tháp Province, the Mekong Delta is a vital part of your research before you initiate your journey to explore the hidden charm of Vietnam. The information about how to get there, where to stay, and what to eat and do is definitely useful so that you can have perfect choices, beautiful memories, and wonderful experiences during the trip.
