Tra Vinh's very visible Khmer heritage makes it one of the Mekong Delta's most unique towns. It's here that the Khmer origins of the entire Mekong Delta come into focus.
Khmer civilisation flourished in Tra Vinh and throughout the Mekong Delta in the 11th and 12th centuries, reaching out from the Angkorian capital - the ruins of which are located at Siem Reap. Khmer culture has survived in the Mekong Delta since that time.
Tra Vinh's town centre is a carefree collision of colonial era shophouses, wide tree-lined streets and new, less attractive, multi-coloured modern structures that mark out most Mekong Delta towns. Its smaller more manageable scale gives it a special charm - and it's easy to get around here too.
Tra Vinh is largely ignored by travellers so it can be an enjoyable place to explore for a day or two. It's a good spot to break up time spent in the more popular delta towns like Vinh Long and Can Tho. You may find your Tra Vinh visit more rewarding too.
The surrounding countryside is perfect for cycling or motorcycling and the major sights are within comfortable distance of town.
Mark Bowyer is the founder and publisher of Rusty Compass.
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Twitter: @rustycompass
Rusty Compass is an independent travel guide. We’re focused on providing you with quality, unbiased, travel information. That means we don't receive payments in exchange for listings and mostly pay our own way. We’d like tourism to be a positive economic, environmental and cultural force and we believe travellers deserve disclosure from publishers. Spread the word about Rusty Compass, and if you're in Saigon, pop in to The Old Compass Cafe and say hi. It’s our home right downtown on Pasteur St. You can also check out our unique tours of Ho Chi Minh City and Sydney at www.oldcompasstravel.com Make a financial contribution using the link below. Even small amounts make a difference. Thanks and travel well!