An Giang’s floating season is more than just an annual natural phenomenon; it’s an integral part of the unique cultural and tourist tapestry of Vietnam’s Mekong Delta region. As the summer rains pour down, water from the upper Mekong River basin rushes in, An Giang dons a new guise – serene yet bountiful, and deeply imbued with distinctive cultural beauty. If you’re seeking a destination off the beaten path, where nature and humanity harmonize, An Giang’s floating season promises an unforgettable experience.
1. An Giang’s Floating Season: A Symphony of Nature and Life
1.1 Ideal Time to Discover An Giang’s Floating Season
The floating season in An Giang typically begins around August and lasts until November. This is when the Mekong River’s water level is at its peak, overflowing into fields and canals, creating a unique flooded ecosystem. Unlike the hardships floods bring elsewhere, the floating season in An Giang brings a new vitality, a rich source of aquatic life, and a special natural beauty.
As the local saying goes, “when the water rises, the fish return to the fields.” The floating season is the most crucial fishing and seafood harvesting period of the year. The image of small boats weaving through flooded fields and fishermen casting nets or setting traps becomes a familiar and poetic part of life here. Visitors to An Giang during this season will witness and experience this unique rhythm of life, feeling the locals’ adaptation and harmony with nature.
Fishermen in An Giang catching featherback fish during the floating season
1.2 Routes to Explore the Beauty of An Giang’s Floating Season
To fully appreciate the beauty of An Giang’s floating season, you can choose from various routes, depending on your preferences and mode of transport. Motorbikes and cars are ideal for freely exploring and stopping to admire the scenery along the way. Here are a few suggested routes for your consideration:
- Route 1 (For motorbikes and cars): Ho Chi Minh City – My Thuan Bridge – Sa Dec – Lai Vung – Vam Cong Ferry – Long Xuyen – Tri Ton. This route takes you through peaceful countryside, past lush fruit orchards and verdant rice paddies before reaching An Giang’s floating season.
- Route 2 (For motorbikes and cars): Ho Chi Minh City – National Route 1A – National Route 61 – Thanh Hoa – Cao Lanh Ferry – Vam Cong Ferry – Long Xuyen – Tri Ton. This route is slightly longer but offers the chance to explore more new lands, experiencing the characteristic river ferries of the Mekong Delta.
Whichever route you choose, take time to stop at roadside eateries, savor local specialties, and chat with locals. These invaluable experiences will enrich your journey.
Peaceful scenery of the floating season along the roads of An Giang
2. Must-Visit Destinations in An Giang’s Floating Season
2.1 Tra Su Cajuput Forest: Discovering the “Amazon” in An Giang
When mentioning An Giang’s floating season tourism, Tra Su Cajuput Forest is a must-mention. Dubbed the “Amazon of the Mekong Delta,” Tra Su Forest in the floating season appears like a vast watercolor painting, with green stretching to the horizon.
Located in Van Giao commune, Tinh Bien district, Tra Su Cajuput Forest is one of the largest mangrove forests in Vietnam. The floating season is the most beautiful time to explore the forest, when the entire area is submerged in water, leaving only the resilient cajuput trees rising above. Sitting in a small wooden boat, weaving through the intricate canals, you’ll feel the tranquility and serenity of nature.
Tra Su Cajuput Forest is not only beautiful for its scenery but also home to hundreds of species of birds, fish, and other wildlife. Here, you can engage in activities like scenic boat rides, recreational fishing, enjoying local cuisine, and learning about the unique cajuput forest ecosystem.
Boat weaving through Tra Su Cajuput Forest during the floating season
2.2 Chau Doc Floating Village: Unique Mekong Delta River Culture
Chau Doc Floating Village is another unique destination you shouldn’t miss when traveling to An Giang’s floating season. Located right in Chau Doc town, the floating village is home to hundreds of households living on floating fish farms on the Hau River.
Visiting Chau Doc Floating Village, you’ll discover a different world where people’s lives are intimately connected to the river. You can visit fish farms, learn about traditional fish farming, experience the floating market, and explore the culture of the Cham community living nearby.
Early morning is the best time to explore Chau Doc Floating Village, when the floating market is bustling with trading activities on the river. Laughter, hawking cries, and the sound of oars splashing water create a lively ambiance, characteristic of the Mekong Delta river region.
Floating market in Chau Doc floating village during the floating season
2.3 Bung Binh Thien: The Largest Natural Freshwater Lake in the Mekong Delta
Bung Binh Thien, the largest natural freshwater lake in the Mekong Delta, is also an attractive destination during An Giang’s floating season. Located in An Phu district, the lake boasts pristine, peaceful beauty with crystal-clear water mirroring the sky.
During the floating season, Bung Binh Thien becomes more vibrant with fishermen’s fishing activities. You can rent a boat to cruise around the lake, admire the sunset over the vast water, or visit ancient villages located along the lake shore.
Especially during the floating season, Sesbania sesban flowers bloom brightly yellow along the banks of Bung Binh Thien, creating a romantic and captivating scene. This is also the time you can savor the famous hotpot with featherback fish and sesban flowers, a must-try specialty of An Giang’s floating season.
3. An Giang Floating Season Cuisine: Unforgettable Distinctive Flavors
An Giang’s floating season is not only attractive for its natural landscapes but also for its unique and flavorful rustic cuisine. Floating season dishes are often prepared with fresh, local ingredients characteristic of the river region, such as featherback fish, sesban flowers, water lilies, snakehead fish, etc.
Here are some dishes you must try when visiting An Giang during the floating season:
- Hotpot with featherback fish and sesban flowers (Lẩu cá linh bông điên điển): The signature dish of the Mekong Delta’s floating season. The delicate sweetness of featherback fish blends with the mild sourness and distinctive aroma of sesban flowers, creating an irresistibly delicious hotpot.
- Water lilies with fermented fish sauce dip (Bông súng mắm kho): A rustic yet flavorful dish of the countryside. Fresh, crisp water lilies served with rich, fragrant fermented fish sauce dip is a wonderful combination.
- Snakehead fish porridge with bitter herbs (Cháo cá lóc rau đắng): A warm, nutritious porridge with the natural sweetness of snakehead fish and the characteristic slight bitterness of bitter herbs.
- Grilled snakehead fish (Cá lóc nướng trui): A simple dish that preserves the natural flavor of snakehead fish. The fish is grilled over straw fire until golden brown, the white meat is fragrant, and dipped in sweet and sour fish sauce, it’s simply unmatched.
Hotpot with featherback fish and sesban flowers, a specialty of An Giang's floating season
Fresh water lilies during the floating season
Traveling to An Giang’s floating season is a journey to explore pristine natural beauty, experience unique culture, and savor distinctive cuisine of the Mekong Delta. Come to An Giang during the floating season to fully feel the lush beauty and hospitality of the people here. Surely, memories of An Giang’s floating season will be unforgettable imprints in every visitor’s heart.