Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [121]
The Mekong Delta |
Rach Gia and around
About 100km southwest of Ha Tien, though also easily accessible from Long Xuyen, Can Tho or Ca Mau, the thriving port of RACH GIA teeters precariously over the Gulf of Thailand. The capital of Kien Giang Province, it’s home to a community of nearly 200,000 people, who eke out a living through rice cultivation in the surrounding fields, or by tapping the gulf’s rich vein of seafood. A small islet in the mouth of the Cai Lon River forms the hub of the town, but the urban sprawl spills over bridges to the north and south of it and onto the mainland. The town has little in the way of historical and cultural attractions, and for most foreign visitors it is simply a place to overnight en route to Phu Quoc Island.
The Mekong Delta | Rach Gia and around |
Arrival and information
Buses from points north pull up 500m above town, at Rach Gia’s local bus station on Nguyen Binh Kiem. Arrivals from Long Xuyen and Can Tho hit the coast at Rach Soi, 7km southeast of Rach Gia. Arriving at the airport (flights from Ho Chi Minh City or Phu Quoc), call a taxi (077/391 9191). Arriving boats dock at the same jetties used for departures (see "Moving on from Rach Gia"), where you can pick up a xe om into town.
Kien Giang Tourist at 137 Nguyen Hung Son (7.30–11.30am & 1–5pm; 077/386 2103) can arrange boat rental and tours around Kien Giang Province. You can exchange traveller’s cheques and cash at Vietcombank, which also has an ATM, north of the river on Mac Cuu. Just north of here on Mau Than is the post office (daily 6.30am–10pm), which also has internet access The hospital is at 46 Le Loi, and there’s a pharmacy, north of the centre, at 14a Tran Phu.
The Mekong Delta | Rach Gia and around |
Accommodation
As far as accommodation goes, there’s nowhere outstanding, nor any good budget options, but few people spend more than a night here, anyway, on their way to or from Phu Quoc Island. Probably the most convenient is the centrally-located Kim Co (077/387 9610, 077/387 9611; US$11–20) at 141 Nguyen Hung Son, where the good-sized rooms come with cable TV and wi-fi. Overlooking the northern branch of the Cai Lon River at 19 Tran Quang Dieu, the Wild Rose (Tam Xuan) (077/392 0325; US$11–20) is also worth considering for its well-equipped rooms. A short way north of the centre, the Hong Yen (077/387 9095; US$11–20) at 259–261 Mac Cuu is a reliable choice with all basic facilities, while, near the bus station, the Hong Nam (077/387 3090; US$11–20) at Block B1, Ly Thai To, has clean, tiled rooms with cable TV and wi-fi.
The Mekong Delta | Rach Gia and around |
The Town
Once you’ve seen the whale skeleton, wartime souvenirs and Oc Eo relics – shards of pottery, coins and bones – of the museum at 27 Nguyen Van Troi (Mon–Wed & Sat 7–11am & 1–5pm; free), housed in a restored colonial building, there are not many other sights in Rach Gia. However, it’s worth taking a walk along Bach Dang and Tran Hung Dao to watch the activity on the boats of all sizes that clutter the port. Men and women darn and fold nets, charcoal-sellers hawk their wares to ships’ captains and roadside cafés heave with fishermen – many of whom have seen the bottoms of a few beer bottles – awaiting the next tide.
The Mekong Delta | Rach Gia and around | The Town |
Nguyen Trung Truc Temple
Of Rach Gia’s handful of pagodas, only the Nguyen Trung Truc Temple, at 18 Nguyen Cong Tru, is really worth making an effort to see. It’s also conveniently located right next to the jetty from which hydrofoils leave to Phu Quoc, so if you arrive early, you can take a quick look before leaving town. From 1861 to 1868, Nguyen Trung Truc spearheaded anti-French guerrilla activities in the western region of the delta: a statue in the centre of Rach Gia depicts him preparing to unsheathe his sword and harvest a French head. In 1861, he masterminded the attack that culminated in the firing of the French warship