VietNamNet Bridge - Ca Mau in the Khmer language means "black water," the color of fallen indigo leaves in the vast U Minh forest.

Ca Mau cape. Photo: dulichcamau

In the past, it took visitors more than two hours to travel from the city of Ca Mau to Dat Mui, by canoe. The distance has been shortened thanks to the new 50km road from Ca Mau to Nam Can District. As the last section of Highway 1, which starts from the northern mountainous province of Lang Son, the road that passes through the town of Nam Can make visitors feels like conquering a "new height."

Unlike the road to conquer the west-most or north-most points of Vietnam, the journey of discovery in the south-most point is somewhat easier with flat asphalted roads. It is still the untouched green along the roadside but this is the green of orchards, cajuputs, mangroves, not the virgin forests. Instead of majestic mountains, this vast land has hundreds of canals and swamps. Soil and water are mixed together.

The symbol of Ca Mau.

From the town of Nam Can, visitors get on canoes to cross the Cua Lon River to the cape of Ca Mau. The waves at the estuary are as ferocious as big offshore waves. Visitors will be a little scared, but just a few minutes later they will enjoy them.

The canals and ditches are interlaced here, so canoes do not go straight. After a short period of time, the canoes turn into the new creek. No signs, no indications but the canoes never lose their way.

After about an hour on canoe, visitors will set foot on the Ca Mau Cape, located in Mui hamlet, Dat Mui commune, Ngoc Hien district . While the North is in the cold weather, it is sunny here. In Vietnam, this land is to be the closest point to the equator and that character is enough to bring far different experience to tourists.

It may be the beautiful moments at dawn in Ca Mau. Apparently, no where in Vietnam – the S-shaped land – does the sun rises so close like in Ca Mau. At dawn the sun is shimmering. It may also be the brilliant moments of sunset, when the sun is red.

GPS 0001 Coordinates National. Photo: diemdenvietnam.

Everyone who comes here wants to take pictures with the statue featuring a ship - the symbol of Ca Mau.

This is also where the national coordinate GPS 0001 (0 kilometer) is placed. Built in January 1995, this is a big landmark in the shape of a six-petal star with a square hole in the center.

To have a broader view, visitors can climb to the 21m observatory station.

This is the only place in the whole country where one can see the sun rise on the East Sea and set in the West Sea.

Pha Le