Rough Guide to Vietnam - Jan Dodd [97]
The tourist board-accredited Song Tra (067/385 2504; US$21–50), at 178 Nguyen Hué, is Cao Lanh’s poshest place to stay, and is where those on birding tours are accommodated; all rooms have air-conditioning, hot water and cable TV. A decent alternative is the Hoa Binh, or “Peace” Hotel, (067/385 1469; US$21–50) – symbolically situated across from the war memorial, east of the town centre on Highway 30. The Xuan Mai (067/385 2852; US$11–30), just west of the post office at 33 Le Qui Don, has been recently renovated: its larger rooms have bathtubs and breakfast is included in the price.
As for eating, there are several options along Nguyen Hué, of which the best is the Ngoc Lan, at no. 210, which is very popular with locals. The A Chau, at 42 Ly Thuong Kiet, also has a good range of dishes such as rice with fried pork and vegetables for around 30,000đ, or there’s the in-house restaurant at the Song Tra, though it’s a rather uncharismatic affair.
Boat trip on the River Mekong
The Mekong Delta |
Vinh Long
Ringed by water and besieged by boats and tumbledown stilthouses, the island that forms the heart of VINH LONG has the feel of a medieval fortress. However, if you find yourself yearning for a peaceful backwater, first impressions will be a let-down; central Vinh Long is hectic and noisy, its streets a blur of buses and motorbikes. Make for the waterfront, though, and it’s a different story, with hotels, restaurants and cafés conjuring up something of a riviera atmosphere. From here you can watch the Co Chien River roll by, dotted with sampans, houseboats and the odd raft of river-weed. Though there’s little to see or do in town, Vinh Long offers some of the most interesting boat trips in the delta – to the Cai Be floating market, coconut candy workshops, fruit orchards or even overnighting in home-stays.
The Mekong Delta | Vinh Long |
Arrival and information
State-run buses pull into the bus station on 3 Thang 2 in the centre of town, while private buses use another bus station a couple of kilometres southwest of town on Nguyen Hué; from here take a xe om (about 10,000đ) into the centre. For information about boat trips or home-stays, check the state-run Cuu Long Tourist (070/382 3616), whose main office is in the Cuu Long ‘B’ Hotel, or the private Mekong Travel 8, 1 Thang 5 (070/383 6252): both charge around $25–30 for a 4–5 hour tour of Cai Be floating market, fruit orchards and the narrow waterways of An Binh Island.
Vietinbank at 143 Le Thai To exchanges traveller’s cheques and cash and has an ATM. The post office is in the middle of town at 12C Hoang Thai Hieu, and internet access is available at the Cuu Long ‘B’ Hotel.
The Mekong Delta | Vinh Long |
Accommodation
Most of Vinh Long’s accommodation options are located near the boat jetty on the northern edge of town. Where boat trips operate in the Mekong Delta, notably around Vinh Long, the local tourist board can also arrange for visitors to stay with the owners of fruit orchards, allowing a close-up view of rural life (See "Home-stays in the delta").
Cuu Long ‘A’ 1, 1 Thang 5 070/382 2494. This ageing edifice offers great views of the river, and has a/c, hot water and the like, but its grimy rooms are long overdue a make-over. US$10 and under–20
Cuu Long ‘B’ Phan Boi Chau 070/382 3656. Much newer and better maintained than its older sister, with higher prices to match. Some rooms have fine views of the Vinh Long riviera and all include satellite TV, a/c, hot water and breakfast. US$21–50
Nam Phuong 11 Le Loi 070/382 2226. A smart mini-hotel near the town centre, where all rooms come with a/c, hot water and cable TV, and breakfast is included. US$11–30
Phung Hoang 2h Hung Vuong 070/382 5185. This mini-hotel represents some of the best value in town. It has a dozen or so rooms with varying sizes and facilities, all with chintzy furnishings, and