After the pandemic when travel is reopened and many tourists are eager to plan some journey to explore the world out there again, Vietnam is never out of their list. If you consider that country and also love simple and peaceful things in rural areas, Cồn Chim , Trà Vinh, the Mekong Delta is certainly a must-see destination. Accordingly, to get yourself into the Mekong Delta life that is supposed to remain idyllic as itself in the past, a trip to Cồn Chim is believed to be an excellent choice. The place is well known as an extremely valuable community tourist attraction, based on the daily life of local people.
Just spending one day there, you are able to collect enough meaningful and memorable experiences for your own about this serene area. The following is the Ultimate Travel Guide to Cồn Chim , Trà Vinh in more detail.
Where is Cồn Chim (Bird Islet)?
Cồn Chim Tourist Attraction is an islet on the River Cổ Chiên, located at Hoa Minh Commune, Chau Thanh District, Trà Vinh Province, the Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Perhaps, the Vietnamese word of Cồn Chim was named after its shape from above, which is like a bird swooping down to hunt for its prey.
15 km from the downtown center of Trà Vinh City, and 30 km from Cung Hầu and Cổ Chiên Harbors, Cồn Chim Tourist Attraction is easily reached by different means of transport. With an area of 62 ha, Cồn Chim has been inhabited by 54 households and 214 people (estimated in October, 2020).
What to know about Cồn Chim
Geologically, Cồn Chim is defined as the basin where alluvial soil is deposited and brought by the River Cổ Chiên, so Cồn Chim is low from the average river level and locals need to dig ditches and build up dikes for cultivation. Additionally, not far from the sea, the soil there is saline during the dry season, also very common in other parts of the Mekong Delta.
Local people said that the islet is often affected by salinity for up to 6 months of a year – from March to September. During this period of time, they manage to adapt themselves to the severe climate; instead of abandoning their field, they use it to breed shrimps and crabs, always bringing them high yields every year. And for the rest of the year, they cultivate wet rice and harvest shrimps and crabs.
To keep the natural environment clean and make sure fishing is always sustainable, locals never break strict rules of fishing, such as never using pesticides or the same things, never fishing during the breeding season, never catching baby fishes and sea creatures, and saying no to electrofishing equipment.
Best things to do in Con Chim (Bird Islet) – What to See and Experience
Feeling the friendliness and hospitality of locals
Right after arriving at Cồn Chim Harbor, you will be warmly welcomed by locals wearing conical hats – the traditional hat of Vietnam. The first perception of tourists there is always like being at home. You have probably ever traveled to a lot of places in the world and experienced various things out there, but the inhabitants at Cồn Chim never let you find you are in some remote region. They are actually humble and simple in their behavior and manner because the “rural” quality is deep in their mindset.
Soaking up the breezy vibe of the Mekong Delta
When you set foot in Cồn Chim , you are offered a bike for sightseeing. This is a means of transport to get around there. While cycling, you will gradually contemplate small pink flowers at two sides of paths, imposing green rice fields, and adorable tiny houses at times emerging. The houses there are made from coconut leaves, wooden dinghies, lush gardens and several details around, all which make up a comfortable picture about the countryside. To escape away from bustling cities and sink yourself in the tranquil atmosphere, you should pick Cồn Chim and it gives you things you have never got before.
Experiencing Vietnamese Traditional Folk Games
It’s not an exaggeration to say that traditional folk games are taken into account as an indispensable part of a trip to experience at Cồn Chim . To get insights into the culture of the Mekong Delta, you are advised to join traditional folk games, such as crab races, catching crabs, rope-skipping, and many others. Sometimes, when in Vietnam, you may find yourself difficult to know how to say something belonging to tradition and culture, so a lot of Vietnamese traditional folk games are not familiar to you, and you need more time to get to know and experience them.
What to Eat at Cồn Chim
Aunt Vân Restaurant (Bếp xưa Nam Bộ) is one of the best places to enjoy special snacks of Cồn Chim . The menu is a variety of attractive snacks and drinks, such as candied coconut ribbons (mứt dừa), tea of blue pea flowers (trà hoa đậu biếc), and grass jelly (sương sâm). Another alternative is Vảy Rồng House – a food stall specializing in sweet cakes and drinks made from pandan leaves. If you feel hot and thirsty, Be Thao Garden – the place of coconuts is not a bad choice.
Apart from the rustic ambience of Cồn Chim and the special snacks, when hungry, you should try out the following impressive food, like shrimp salad (gỏi tôm bông bần), sour and sweet fish soup, shrimps cooked in a coconut, steamed crabs, fish and mango salad, etc.
Where to Stay at Cồn Chim Tourist
There are only two main accommodations for those who are planning a trip to Cồn Chim Tourist Attraction and looking for where to stay there. The first one is the homestay of Aunt Vân (Bếp xưa Nam Bộ) and the other is that of Uncle Tư Pha – the place of catching crabs. The price is from VND 200,000 (pax) – VND 300,000 (2 pax), including one breakfast and one dinner.
How to Get to Cồn Chim Tourist Attraction
How to Get to Cồn Chim Tourist Attraction by bike
From Ho Chi Minh City or Cần Thơ City, you must arrive in Trà Vinh City first.
From Ho Chi Minh City to Trà Vinh City
Route 1: Follow Trung Lương Expressway from Ho Chi Minh City to Mỹ Tho City. Next, take National Route 60 to Bến Tre. Cross 3 bridges on the River Tien, comprising of Rạch Miễu Bridge, Hàm Luông Bridge and Cổ Chiên Bridge to Trà Vinh City. It’s around 130 km long.
Route 2: Get on Hàm Luông and Cổ Chiên Ferries. After that, cross Mỹ Thuận Bridge to Vĩnh Long City. Go along National Route 53 to Trà Vinh City. It’s approximately 200 km long.
From Cần Thơ City to Trà Vinh City
Route 1: follow National Route A1 to Vĩnh Long City, and then take National Route 53. It’s about 105 km long.
Route 2: Another way is crossing Cần Thơ Bridge and following National Route 53 and National Route 60 to Trà Vinh City. It’s around 80 km long.
Once you have landed in Trà Vinh City, just take National Route 53 to Ba Động Beach. After 10 km, you meet the T-junction area of Hoa Lợi Market. Turn right to Street HL14 and go 5km to Bà Trầm Ferry. From this ferry, there are two ways to Cồn Chim Tourist Attraction; one is getting on the ferry to Hòa Minh Islet and then to Cồn Chim , and the other is booking the whole ferryboat for a group of many of you, which will be flexible for your time.
How to Get to Cồn Chim by coach/bus
There are many bus lines of high quality from Miền Tây Bus Station to get to Trà Vinh City and Cồn Chim . Because it takes a long time to get to Cồn Chim, you are highly recommended to catch a sleeper bus/coach for relaxation .
Option 1: catch the coach/bus from Ho Chi Minh City to the downtown center of Trà Vinh City. It takes about 3 hours to get there. The price is from VND 110,000 – VND 120,000. From Trà Vinh City, take a taxi or a motorbike taxi, or a bus to Mỹ Long Town (Cầu Ngang District). From Trà Vinh Hospital, go to the T-junction of Hoa Lợi Market and take a motorbike taxi to Bà Trầm Ferry.
Option 2: take a coach/bus from Miền Tây Bus Station to Cầu Ngang District and to the T-junction of Hoa Lợi Market Cồn Chim Tourist Attraction, and then take a motorbike taxi to Bà Trầm Ferry. The bus fare is about VND 130,000.
A few reliable bus lines are Phương Trang, Tân Thanh Thủy, and Kim Hoàng.
Some suggested itineraries to Cồn Chim (Bird Islet)
A trip to Cồn Chim Tourist Attraction for either one day or two days is excellent to experience the best things there.
A one day trip to Cồn Chim
In the morning, upon arriving at the check-in of Cồn Chim Tourist Attraction, you can cycle around the village first. Take a rest after sightseeing and then learn how to make grass jelly by hand at the homestay of Aunt Vân (Bếp xưa Nam Bộ). There, you also have an opportunity to enjoy candied coconut ribbons and take a sip of blue pea flower tea.
Ramble around the coconut garden and drink coconut water picked right from the trees nearby. Get to Vảy Rồng House to know how to make sweet cakes from pandan leaves. Experience Vietnamese traditional folk games, like catching crabs and crab races. Take photos of people at the center for community meetings, especially where there is the outstanding picture of Cồn Chim.
A two day trip to Cồn Chim
On the first day, you will go on a sightseeing excursion around to get some insights into Khmer culture; some destinations embrace Ba Om Pond, ng Pogoda, and Khmer Culture Museum. Other activities are watching traditional dances, tasting Khmer specialties, like coconut nectar, green rice cakes, thot not sweet soup (chè thốt nốt), etc.
You can stay overnight at a couple of homestays at Cồn Chim Tourist Attraction, or accommodations in the downtown center.
The second day is for more exciting experiences, such as cycling to visit traditional villages, talking to locals for understanding of the valuable culture there, and putting yourself into fascinating Vietnamese traditional folk games you have never tried before.
While there is more than one tourist attraction to explore in the Mekong Delta, Cồn Chim Tourist Attraction is a hot spot not because of it being crowded, but because the locals always appreciate spiritual values and a trip there will help enlighten you about those things. Last but not least, the trip also lets you relax and takes you to the great rustic space after your hard work in cities.
