If you’re interested in new and different experiences in your journey to Vietnam, Dong Tam Snake Farm, Tien Giang Province, the Mekong Delta is indeed a great place to explore. At this farm, everything is totally different from what you have ever enjoyed in anywhere of the Mekong Delta. It’s not like feelings at lush fruit plantations, or hustling floating markets or narrow canals with shadows of green coconut leaves, but it’s a good chance to know about snake species with different characteristics in the Mekong Delta.
Address, opening hours, and entrance fee
Address: Binh Duc Commune, Chau Thanh District, Tien Giang Province
Opening hours: 7:00AM – 5:00PM every day
Entrance fee: VND30,000/adult & VND20,000/child
How to get to Dong Tam Snake Farm from Ho Chi Minh City
Because Dong Tam Snake Farm is in close proximity to Ho Chi Minh City, it’s easy to reach the destination. You need to hit My Tho City first. Dong Tam Snake Farm is just 9 kilometers from the city center of My Tho.
From My Tho, you travel along Le Thi Hong Gam Street to the Rach Mieu Bridge. At that point, there is a direction sign to Dong Tam Snake Farm. Follow the direction to your destination.
Contact for further information: (+84)(73) 3853.204 – (+84)3853.205
What to uncover at Dong Tam Snake Farm
With the area of 30ha, Dong Tam Snake Farm is known as a unique and impressive ecotourism destination. Setting foot in the farm, you can think that here is a mini horrible labyrinth full of dangerous snakes.
The purpose of the Dong Tam’s establishment is to breed snakes for antivenom, grow medicinal herbs & plants, and protect wild animals, such as crocodiles, bear, and wildcat. Because here’s the place to breed snakes for antivenom, from 1977 until now it has helped thousands of people with snakebites.
From 1997 to 2008, Dong Tam treated over 800 cases of snakebites.
From 2009 until now, around 10,000 cases of snakebites have been treated at this place.
Currently, Dong Tam Snake Farm is the habitat of thousands of snakes from non-venomous, venomous, to highly venomous snakes, inhabiting three environments:
+ Lake: this zone is designed like a small lake surrounded by walls. In the middle are green trees where different species of snake live. The number of snakes is so big that they look like ropes coiling themselves around tree branches. Frogs living in the wet area are the food for the snakes.
+ The zone for venomous snakes: cobras, krait and some highly venomous listed in the Vietnam’s Red Data Book are bred in special cages in the shape of holes or small shelters in the wild nature.
Those snakes are very dangerous even can kill people with their venom. When opening the cages’ doors to feed them, the keeper must be extremely careful so that the hungry snakes don’t dash out of the cages and attack him. Not only that, the keeper also takes good care of the snakes to ensure they are always healthy.
The cobras are one of the most dangerous snake species, and it’s difficult to take care of them. The keeper may feed them with up to 1.5 kg of food twice a week.
+ The zone for pythons: the pythons are also captured and bred in iron cages. They’re very big, fairly quiet and often coil themselves around big tree vases.
As for venom extraction, it is a complex and difficult job. In one year, experts just perform about over ten venom extractions on one snake, and each extraction just brings back 1-2 drops of venom. 10g of venom are used to make an amount of snakebites serum, enough for the demand of the whole country in one year.
Keep in mind that there will be a guide showing you the most fascinating things of Dong Tam Snake Farm and characteristics of some snake species when you visit there.
If you have had an idea that snakes are scary and extremely dangerous, Dong Tam Snake Farm will help change your thought and opinion. Actually, there are lots of snake species that are quite friendly and not venomous. You can play with them and know more about their wildlife.
Tips for a trip to Dong Tam Snake Farm
- If you are lucky enough, you can witness venom extraction from experts.
- There is a museum displaying over 50 specimens of rare snakes, 40 of which are from the Mekong Delta. Here is recognized as the first snake museum in Vietnam. One of the impressive exhibits is a king cobra 17 years-old, 18 kg heavy, and 4.2 meters long.
- A visit to Dong Tam Snake Farm means a chance to take photos of giant pythons with you. It’s possible a scary experience, but not dangerous at all.
