VietNamNet Bridge –I found my trip to the Mekong Delta province of Dong Thap and Tram Chim National Park such an amazing opportunity to discover fantastic landscapes and local people’s activities during the flooding season.

A bird is frightened after hearing a boat passing its hub.     Locals travel by boat across lua troi rice field to collect fish in traps.   Some buffalos graze in a group along the river bank.   Children on a floating house wave at tourists.   Travelers can hire a small boat to sail around the park.

The ideal time to visit the locality is from September to November annually when water from the upstream Mekong River flows to the delta and brings the wet season to the area. With a day tour in Dong Thap, tourists can take a boat trip which costs VND900,000 per boat for ten guests accompanied with a tour guide to cruise around the Tram Chim National Park located in Tam Nong District.

The trip will take visitors to discover diversified fauna and flora of the park which has been recognized as a world Ramsar site. The site is endowed with a natural history of collective ecology of geomorphology, hydrograph and underwater creatures. The park is also a good place to admire birds, especially storks coming to avoid the cold season from neighboring countries of Laos and Cambodia. February to April gives bird lovers their best chance to catch sight of Seu Dau Do (red head crane), which has been listed in the world’s Red Book of Threatened Species.

Especially, people can also admire immense rice fields called lua troi or lua ma (heaven’s rice/ghost rice or scientific name Oryza Rufipogon) which grows to the water level in an area of over 1,000 hectares. Locals harvest on a boat with a stick to beat rice off its body. A seed is bigger than edible rice seed. Lua troi is preserved to be the main food for birds at the park, not for commercial purposes.

Sometimes travelers will go ‘wow’ when they watch some birds flying above their heads or when seeing birds catching fish on the water surface right next to tourist boats. Or people can leisurely watch some herds of fat buffalos graze under bamboo shades along the river bank. Children living on boats cheer and smile whenever they see tourists’ boats passing by.

Your trip then moves to an observatory tower to admire a panoramic view of the park. Those who wish to enjoy local specialties can dine at a floating restaurant beneath the tower or at a food shop on the way back to the main entrance of the park at around VND800,000 for a meal of five courses for around ten people.

Those who are not too tired after the boat trip can hire a small junk to go fishing which is available from 5 p.m. until 6 a.m. the next day, the perfect time to catch fish. Or they can choose a small boat to practice their sailing.

For further information on the park check out www.tramchim.com.vn.

Source: SGT