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    Chau Doc in 48 hours

    / Last updated 16 May 2014

    Introduction

    A gallery of 48 hours exploring the Mekong Delta town of Chau Doc. Chau Doc sits on Vietnam's Mekong River border with Cambodia and is a great spot for 2 days of exploration. You won't be bumping into too many other travellers either. We visit the floating market, the central market, a fish farm, Tra Su Bird Sanctuary and Sam Mountain.

    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • ©Photo: Mark Bowyer
    • An early start - out to Chau Doc's floating market on the Mekong River - not far from town. It may be smaller and less famous than Cai Rang at Can Tho, but there were no other tourists there during my visit.
    • Chau Doc floating market.
    • Chau Doc floating market
    • A family affair - Chau Doc's floating market
    • Colours of the floating market. Chau Doc
    • Chau Doc floating market.
    • Chau Doc floating market.
    • Chau Doc floating market.
    • A decade ago, basa floating fish farms were everywhere on the Mekong at Chau Doc. There are far fewer now. The locals tell me demand has fallen away.
    • Basa fish frenzy over lunch at a floating fish farm, Chau Doc.
    • From the floating fish farm, we headed to Chau Doc's central market - one of the friendliest and liveliest in the Mekong Delta.
    • Delicious fruit, Chau Doc market.
    • Hammock's never too far away. Chau Doc market.
    • Chau Doc market
    • Meat stall, Chau Doc market.
    • Veggie stand, Chau Doc market
    • Morning cuppa outside of Chau Doc's market.
    • Temple nearby Chau Doc market.
    • Floating houses, Chau Doc
    • It was the middle of summer so I took a break in the heat of the day. In the afternoon, I boarded this ferry for the short ride across the Mekong to the Cham and Khmer settlement at Chau Giang.
    • Mubarak Mosque, Chau Giang Chau Doc. The Mosque belongs to the Islamic Cham community of the area. The Cham once ruled over southern Vietnam before losing territory over centuries to the southward conquest of the Viet people. Chau Giang is one of several clusters of the Cham people in Vietnam.
    • Cham men in the Mubarak Mosque, Chau Giang, Chau Doc.
    • Chau Giang, Chau Doc
    • Architectural shifts -a colonial era structure a recent Islamic structure with Arabic inscription and a traditional Khmer house - Chau Giang, Chau Doc.
    • Khmer style house, Chau Giang
    • Memorial to communist fighters killed in Chau Giang during the 1968 Tet Offensive.
    • Chau Giang, Chau Doc
    • This Cham man told me of the old Cham Muslim cemetery in the background. There were no headstones and there was no information. He would only say it was very old.
    • Cham girls at Chau Giang, Chau Doc
    • Chau Doc style cyclo.
    • The Mekong at Chau Doc.
    • Chau Giang, Chau Doc
    • Chau Giang, Chau Doc
    • Sun goes down on Mekong River ferries.
    • Colonial era buildings on the riverfront, Chau Doc
    • Mekong Restaurant, the family home and Le Cong Bich's ancestral worship house on the left.
    • Ba Sa fish, a Chau Doc specialty, stewed in a bowl and served at Mekong Restaurant, Chau Doc.
    • The incredible 1912 ancestral altar for Chau Doc's former leading official, Le Cong Bich.
    • Mr Nghiep, a direct descendant of Le Cong Bich now owns the old house and Mekong Restaurant.
    • Le Cong Bich's worship house, Chau Doc.
    • Le Cong Bich's worship house, Chau Doc.
    • Le Cong Bich's worship house, Chau Doc.
    • Mr Nghiep believes this shot is of the dedication in 1912.
    • Out the back, another descendant of Le Cong Bich, in her late 70s, works into the night making party decorations.
    • Tra Su bird sanctuary, is a beautiful and serene spot about 25kms from Chau Doc
    • Tra Su bird sanctuary, Chau Doc.
    • Tra Su bird sanctuary, Chau Doc
    • Tra Su bird sanctuary, Chau Doc
    • Tra Su bird sanctuary, Chau Doc
    • Sunset - Victoria Nui Sam, Sam Mountain, Chau Doc
    • From the top of Sam Mountain. The mountain has long been a place of Buddhist pilgrimage. It was also of strategic importance during the Vietnam War. The late afternoon views during the wet season are glorious.
    • An old military bunker, Sam Mountain, Chau Doc
    • Delightful colonial era stone mansion on Sam Mountain. Unfortunately there's no information about it.
    • Old stone mansion on Sam Mountain, Chau Doc
    • Pagoda at the base of Sam Mountain. There are several and they can be very crowded at Tet and on other day in the Buddhist calendar.
    • Pagoda at the base of Sam Mountain, Chau Doc
    • Pagoda at the base of Sam Mountain, Chau Doc
    • Memorial to communist fighters who perished fighting around Sam Mountain.
    Quicklink - Introduction - Mekong Chau Doc