Ha Tien is within the extreme south-west of the Vietnamese mainland as regards to the Gulf of Thailand and the Cambodian border. It’s a hectic, however remote, the city of approximately 42,000 people around 100km from Chau Doc and 340km from Ho Chi Minh City through road. There is also a canal to Chau Doc.  

As soon as part of Cambodia, the area was once matter to Thai incursions. The Kh’mer governor, an immigrant from the Chinese language ‘Mac’ extended family, turned to Vietnam for support in 178. On the end of the 18th century, the city and its surrounding area was taken over by the Nguyen Lords.  

All the way through the American Struggle, it was the first base for ‘speedy boat operations’ along the south Vietnamese rivers with reference to the Cambodian border. Eventually, operations prolonged the length of the Giang Thanh River and all the solution to the Bassac River. Ha Tien also changed into the western anchor for such operations, however was by no means an in reality major base. 

Within the late 1970’s, the area again got here underneath attack from the Kh’mer Rouge, who massacred thousands of other people and compelled many more to escape to safety’ prompting the Vietnamese Army to enter Cambodia to rid it of the evil regime. 

It’s an enchanting area of grassland, wetland and limestone ‘karst’ ecosystems, rich in biodiversity, specifically birds and cave animals. It’s also a good instance of the difficulties of conservation in a poor area. A World Financial institution funded cement works, and higher shrimp pond development and subsistence rice farming, are a considerable threat to the original environment. Then again, the predominantly Kh’mer population is without doubt one of the poorest in Vietnam. Encouraging crop diversification, woven craft production and sustainable harvesting of grasses from the grasslands might be a long-term solution.

Its climate is very similar to that of the rest of the Mekong, but the wet season happens quite sooner and ends later. It’s additionally wetter, averaging more than 2,000mm every year.  

Ha Tien and its hinterland is a popular destination for Vietnamese other folks, but few guests from abroad challenge into such an out-of-the-approach nook of Vietnam. Nevertheless, for travelers in the hunt for an authentic enjoy and prepared for fundamental accommodation and infrastructure, it has so much to offer. 

It’s a wonderful vacation spot - a French film company used it as an area for a romantic characteristic film in the 1990’s. The jagged limestone outcrops on land and within the water are striking, and contain many grottoes and caves. There are a few good seashores inside of reachable distance from the town.  

Ho Dong ‘lake’ is in reality an inlet of the sea. Nevertheless, it’s an image-postcard location. With the exception of its attractiveness, it’s known to have ecologically diverse marine creatures, together with uncommon species of fish and shrimp. Local legends say that when there's a complete moon, fairies come to Ho Dong to bop and bathe, hence the city’s title - ‘Tien’ in Vietnamese approach ‘fairy’. 

The imprint of the Mac on Ha Tien runs deep. On local Nui Lang Mountain are the tombs of Mac Cuu, Ha Tien's savior and different contributors of the extended family together with his 3-year-antique daughter, it sounds as if buried alive. Den Mac Cuu is a temple dedicated to the clan.  

Of the pagodas within the city, the Tam Bao Temple and the Phu Dung (Cotton Rose Hibiscus) Pagoda stand out. The latter comes to a long and sophisticated love tale, which, not like most of Vietnam’s legends, appears to be in accordance with fact. 

The Thach Dong Pagoda is underground, inside a limestone hill. Wind blowing through the mabig apple clefts and crevices creates strange noises - fanciful visitors liken them to the sound of a gong. 

Except wandering around and sampling the local cuisine (Ha Tien's strong point is 'mam chaos', a shrimp paste combining the sour taste from central

Vietnam with the sweetness of south Vietnam’s version), the area is good for snorkeling around the islets a couple of hundred metres offshore, and very good for cycling. 

For those who travel with Gia Linh Travel, we will be able to arrange both.