Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [122]
The temple roof, with its red and green tiles stalked by dragons made of porcelain shards, is plainly visible from a distance. In front of the temple is a statue of the hero drawing his sword. Inside, a portrait of Nguyen in black robe and hat provides the main chamber with its centrepiece. Up at the main altar, a brass urn labelled “Anh hung dan toc Nguyen Trung Truc” and flanked by slender storks standing on turtles, is said to hold the ashes of Nguyen Trung Truc himself.
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The Mekong Delta | Rach Gia and around | The Town | Nguyen Trung Truc Temple |
Moving on from Rach Gia
Most buses leave from Rach Soi though some destinations, such as Hon Chong and Ha Tien, are served by buses from Nguyen Binh Khiem: a taxi or xe om from the town centre to Rach Soi costs about 50,000–80,000đ, and about 10,000–20,000đ to Nguyen Binh Khiem.
Boats out of Rach Gia depart from one of two sites. Several companies operate express boats to Phu Quoc Island (see "Phu Quoc Island"), at around 8am and 1pm (2hr 30min; $13-15) from Phu Quoc quay, 200m west of the Nguyen Trung Truc Temple. It’s better to buy a ticket for the speedboat in advance; the Superdong office at 14 Tu Do (077/387 7742, 077/387 7741) is just round the corner from the pier. From Rach Meo quay, 5km south of town on Ngo Quyen, express boats and regular boats leave for Ca Mau and other destinations in the delta.
If you’re heading to Phu Quoc, it’s worth considering the daily flight (9.30am; about $36), which saves the journey from Vong Beach to Duong Dong on the island, as well as a bumpy trip when the weather is rough. The same flight continues to Ho Chi Minh City ($36). For tickets or information, contact Vietnam Airlines at 16 Nguyen Trung Truc (077/392 4320). A taxi or xe om to the airport costs 50,000–80,000đ.
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The Mekong Delta | Rach Gia and around |
Eating
When it’s time to eat, seafood is the obvious choice in this bustling port. However, there are no outstanding restaurants. The best of the bunch is probably the Hai Au, 2 Nguyen Trung Truc, which serves steamboat and fish specialities in a prime open-terraced riverside location, just across the bridge to the southeast of town. Also facing the river, at 31 Tran Hung Dao, is the Vinh Hong, where the staples of its seafood dishes eye you warily from tanks mounted on the walls. In the town centre, a couple of reasonable places stand opposite each other on Nguyen Du: the Tay Ho, at no. 6, and the Hung Phat, no. 7, both have English menus and are popular with locals, though the surroundings are none too inspiring. The Ao Dai Moi, 26 Ly Tu Trong, has a few cheap and tasty dishes, but closes at 1pm, while the stylish bar/café Valentine, at 35–39 Hung Vuong, serves a good range of food, as well as coffee and beer, and the staff speak some English.
The Mekong Delta |
Phu Quoc Island
Located just 15km off the coast of Cambodia in the Gulf of Thailand, PHU QUOC ISLAND rises from its slender southern tip like a genie released from a bottle. Virtually unknown by outsiders a decade ago, it has now cast a spell on enough visitors, with its soft-sand beaches, swaying palms and limpid waters, to challenge Nha Trang as Vietnam’s top beach destination. Spanning 46km from north to south, it’s Vietnam’s largest offshore island (593 square kilometres), though Cambodia also claims Phu Quoc, calling it Ko Tral. Phu Quoc is just 45km from Ha Tien, and a little under 120km from Rach Gia.
The topography and vegetation are quite unlike the rest of the delta, and give the place a totally different feel. Phu Quoc’s isolation made it