Exploring Bac Lieu - Mekong Delta

Exploring Bac Lieu - Mekong Delta

Exploring Bac Lieu the capital of southern Bac Lieu province, Bac Lieu is 280km from HCMQ Of the 800,000 people living in the province, about 8% are of Chinese or Cambodian origin.
The town has a few elegant but forlorn French colonial buildings, like the impressive Fop House (now used as a community sports centre), but not much else.
Farming is a difficult occupation in this region because of saltwater intrusion, and the province is better known for its healthy longan orchards. In addition to this, the enterprising locals eke out a living from fishing, oyster collection and shrimp farming, as well as salt production (obtained from evaporating saltwater ponds that form immense salt flats).
Most foreigners use Bac Lieu as a spring board to reach the outstanding bird sanctuary out of town.

Where to sleep in Bac Lieu
In addition to those listed below, there are numerous inexpensive guesthouses that dot the road into town (from Soc Trang), when rooms cost around US$10.
Bac Lieu Guest House (Tell: 823 815; 8 D Ly Tu Trong;r 130,000; One of the town's cheapies, this has small, worn rooms that lack natural light. There's a restaurant below.
Bac Lieu Hotel (Tell: 822 437; fax 823 655; 4 D Hoang Van Thu;r US$16-25; Near the river, this is a worn but serviceable option with polished tile floors and trim furnishings. Better rooms have bat conies and tubs. Next door, a newer Bac Lieu Hotel was under construction in 2006.
Cong Tu Hotel (Tell: 953 304; fax 953111; 13 D Dien Bien Phu; r US$16-30; Just west (50m) of the Bac Lieu Hotel, Cong Tu is a scruffy old colonial gem that's well worn but still popular with Vietnamese. The best rooms have a balcony and are spacious with tall ceilings (but sad carpeting).
Hoang Cung Hotel ( Tell: 823 362; 1B/5 D Tran Phu; r 80,000-200,000d; About 1km from the roundabout in the direction of Soc Trang (across from the Khmer pagoda gate), this hotel offers clean and comfortable rooms, the best with balconies overlooking a large palm in back.
Where to eat in Bac Lieu
Khai Ky (Tell: 820 312; 80 D Hai Ba Trung; mains 10,000d; breakfast, lunch & dinner) Across the road from the Bac Lieu Hotel, this tiny restaurant serves excellent bowls of noodle soup.
Bac Lieu 2 (Tell: 824 951; 89/3 D Tran Phu Lo 1; mains 30,000d; breakfast, lunch & dinner) About 700m north of the roundabout (en route to Soc Trang), this is a local favourite serving decent dishes in a clean environment.
Among hotel restaurants, the best is at the Cong Tu Hotel (D Dien Bien Phu; mains 20,000-60,000d; breakfast, lunch & dinner), with traditional mains and a pleasant outdoor setting.
Getting There & Around
The bus station is on the main road into town, 1 km west of the centre. From here you can catch regular buses to Ho Chi Minh City (80,000d), Ca Mau (25,000d) and Soc Trang (25,000d).
For trips to outlying areas (including the Bird Sanctuary), you can arrange a taxi through the Bac Lieu tourist office or by calling Tell: 922 922. Rates are 40,000d for the first 2 km, and 6500d for every kilometre thereafter.

What to see in Bac Lieu:
- Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary
Five kilometres south of town, Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary (Vuon Chim Bac Lieu; Tell: 835 991; admission 40,000d; 7.30am-5pm) is notable for its 50-odd species of bird, including a large population of graceful white herons. This is one of the most interesting sights in the Mekong Delta and is surprisingly popular with Vietnamese tourists. Foreign visitors are rare. probably because Bac Lieu is so out-of-the-way.
Whether or not you see any birds depends on what time of year you visit. Bird populations are at their peak in the rainy season -approximately May to October. The birds hang around to nest until about January, then fly off in search of greener pastures. There are basically no birds here from February until the rainy season begins again.
The drive is only 5km but the road is in bad shape. The rest of the trek is through dense (and often muddy) jungle. Bring plenty of repellent, good shoes, water and binoculars.
Pay the admission fee when you reach the entrance of the bird sanctuary. You can (and should) hire a guide here - you'll probably get lost without one. The guides aren't supposed to take any money, so tip them (US$2 is enough) discreetly; most guides do not speak English. Transport and guides can also be arranged at the Bac Lieu tourist office (see opposite), but hiring a guide there will cost you around US$10 for the day.
Bac Lieu Beach
The same road leading to the Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary terminates 10km from Bac Lieu at this beach (Bai Bien Bac Lieu). Don't expect white sand - it's all hard-packed Mekong Delta mud. Quite a few shellfish and other slimy things crawl around where the muck meets the sea. Tide pool enthusiasts might be impressed. Locals may be willing to take you for a walk on the tidal flats where they harvest oysters. There's a simple restaurant on the beach for local seafood dishes; another restaurant is scheduled to open there in 2007.
Moi Hoa Binh Pagoda
This Khmer pagoda (Chua Moi Hoa Binh or Se Rey Vongsa) is 13km south of Bac Lieu along Hwy 1 (look to your left while driving to Ca Mau).
The pagoda is uniquely designed and chances are good that the monastery's enormous tower will catch your eye even if you're not looking for it. As pagodas in Vietnam go, it's relatively new, having first been built in 1952. The tower was added in 1990 and is used to store the bones of the deceased. There is a large and impressive meeting hall in front of the tower.
Most Khmer people in the area head for monastery schools in Soc Trang in order to receive a Khmer education. Apart from the small contingent of student monks, very few students study at the Moi Hoa Binh Pagoda.

source : the internet

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