River tour to take in Ho Chi Minh City, Bien Hoa

A view of Ho Chi Minh City from Saigon River at night

Authorities in Ho Chi Minh City made a survey last Saturday to prepare for a new river tour linking up travel spots in Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring Bien Hoa Town, with the first tour expected to be organized late this year.

It will start at Bach Dang Quay on the Saigon River, go to artists’ village and Hoi Son Pagoda in HCMC before turning into the Dong Nai River to visit spots in Bien Hoa like Ba Xe Isle, Nguyen Huu Canh Temple on Cu Lao Pho Island, Tran Bien Literary Temple, Buu Long Mountain, and an old house.

The artists’ village in HCMC’s District 2 was established by 15 well-known Vietnamese painters, other artists, and architects a decade ago.

It has six large houses resembling garden houses built in Hue and Hoi An by the Muong and Stieng ethnic minorities.

Besides admiring its unique architectural features like ornamental pools and bell towers, visitors can also relax in its tranquil atmosphere.

Hoi Son Pagoda in District 9 was built by Zen Master Long Khanh in the late 18th century, and has been recognized as a national historic relic.

Fifteen minutes from there is Ba Xe Isle with its immense fruit orchards and crocodile farms. Visitors will then reach Nguyen Huu Canh Temple, where they can light incense for the Nguyen Dynasty’s highest ranking mandarins who are venerated there.

The journey will end at the house built in 1900 by Tran Ngoc Du, a Nguyen Dynasty mandarin.

In HCMC, some river tours are available now in the city starting from Ben Nghe, Nha Be, Bach Dang, and Binh Quoi as well as to places in the Mekong Delta like My Tho, Can Tho, Chau Doc, and Kien Giang.

Speaking during the survey trip, the city’s vice chairwoman Nguyen Thi Hong confirmed the city will step up waterway travel in the future to attract more tourists to the city.

Source: TuoiTre

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