Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [109]
To exchange traveller’s cheques or cash, Vietinbank is at 94 Ly Thuong Kiet (Mon–Fri 7.30–11am & 1.30–4.30pm); it also has an ATM. The main post office (daily 6am–10pm) is opposite Vietinbank, on Luu Tan Tai; internet is available here, as well as at 68 Nguyen Trai.
The Mekong Delta | Ca Mau and around |
Accommodation
Ca Mau’s hotel scene has improved in recent years and there are now plenty of options, including a cluster of long-standing places along Phan Ngoc Hien in the centre, and some smart new alternatives on the south side of town.
Anh Nguyet (Moonlight) 207 Phan Ngoc Hien 0780/356 7666, 0780/356 7547. The exterior may not look much, but the plush, carpeted rooms with stylish furnishings and excellent facilities make this Ca Mau’s most luxurious place to stay. US$21–75
Ca Mau 20 Phan Ngoc Hien 0780/383 1165. A recent renovation has smartened up the rooms at this conveniently located hotel, making it a reasonable choice. US$11–30
Cong Doan (Trade Union) 9 Luu Tan Tai 0780/383 3245. Top-priced rooms here are excellent value; big and bright with all facilities, though the cheaper rooms are smaller and gloomier. US$10 and under–20
Quoc Te (International) 179 Phan Ngoc Hien 0780/382 6745, quoctehotel@yahoo.com.vn. Top-end rooms here are big, clean and comfy with all facilities, while cheaper rooms are a bit smaller. US$21–50
Song Ngoc 2b Hung Vuong 0780/381 7303, 0780/381 7307. All rooms in this mini-hotel situated near the roundabout south of the canal have bathtubs as well as a/c, hot water, TVs and mini-bars. Rooms on the upper floors have a good view of the town. US$11–20
The Mekong Delta | Ca Mau and around |
The Town
The town is bordered by the Ganh Hao River, which snakes past as though trying to wriggle free before the encroaching stilthouses squeeze the life from it. Lurking along the north bank of the Phung Hiep Canal, which divides the town, is the rag-tag squall of the market, a shantytown of corrugated iron, canvas and sacking. There is little to see in town itself, though the Cao Dai Temple on Phan Ngoc Hien near the canal, is worth a look for its ornate towers, and a couple of parks opposite the temple offer shady areas to escape the bustle of town.
Just a couple of kilometres west of the centre (about 20,000đ for a xe om) lies the town’s most intriguing attraction, at least during the rainy season (July–Nov). The Cultural Park on Ly Van Lam (daily dawn–dusk; 4000đ) is something of a misnomer; it is, in fact, a bird sanctuary teeming with storks and many other birds that nest in the trees in easily observed fenced-off areas. The huge park also has a mini zoo featuring elephants, monkeys, deer and other animals, as well as lots of pavilions and picnic spots.
Owners of small boats at Boat Station B will take you a couple of kilometres downstream to see Ca Mau’s small floating markets for around 30,000đ a person. The two-kilometre journey gives a taste of riverine life, passing factories, a fish market and warehouses, plus lots of flotsam and jetsam, on the way to see a string of boats advertising their produce by suspending a sample from sticks above their bows. A definite risk on this trip is getting splashed by the wake of huge ferries speeding by. The round trip takes around thirty to forty minutes.
The Mekong Delta | Ca Mau and around |
Eating
The restaurant at the Anh Nguyet Hotel has tasty food and a relaxing ambience. On the north side of town, Pho Xua at 126d Phan Ngoc Hien is set in traditional pavilions with wooden pillars around a shady garden. It has a fairly extensive menu in English and plenty of seafood options. For basic and cheap rice and noodle dishes, it’s difficult to beat the central