Can Gio: A peaceful green space

(Vietnam Logistics Review) 20 kilometers Southeast of HCMC, Can Gio is the only coastal district of the city. Coming to Can Gio, you will experience a peaceful green space with no horns, no dirt and smoke. Only fresh air and untamed nature are with you.

The journey to Can Gio island district is interesting. Tourists have to cross Saigon River by ferry, and going through Sac forest. Dense trees fence both sides of the road. Lights going through dense trees and fresh air will give you unforgettable feelings. The road going through the forest is named “the road that woke Can Gio up”: when there was the road, it is easy to access to Can Gio from the city, which has given the island district changes day by day.

Coming to Can Gio, tourists should not miss Vam Sat Ecology Tourism Zone (Ly Nhon, Can Gio). It has been recognized as Vietnam’s first Biosphere Reserve in the world biosphere reserve network (UNESCO, 2000) by the UNESCO’s program of Men and Biosphere (AB). The biosphere, located between two large rivers of Xoai Rap and Long Tau and far from roads, has a rich plant - animal system. Over half of the area of 700km2 is mangrove forest. After 30 years of recovery and development, the area has expanded to 12,000ha with typical trees and plants of the mangrove forest. Together with 20,000ha of planted forest, the area becomes the green lungs of the city in terms of equability and protection, and raises the prospect of ecology tourism in Can Gio.

Tourists can have a chance to visit Bird Yare, where there are 34% of total bird species in Vietnam, 9 of them have been recorded in the World’s Red Book. They can visit Monkey Island, visit Dam Doi, or take a boat trip to the mangrove forest for crocodile angling… impressive experiences. And do not forget to conquer paths crossing the forest. Although it has a length of around 6 kilometers, they can have a feeling of being mingle themselves with surrounding nature. Just image you are with trees all around and with the feeling of solitary: only with sounds of wind whispering and birds singing…

After tiring travel through the forest, tourist can have a rest on the beach. Different from other beaches, the sand here is black. However, it gives a place a distinguished feature. Can Gio is famous for its fresh seafood at reasonable price.

Another new tourist attraction of Can Gio is Thanh An island, an island where you can feel the untamed nature and peaceful atmosphere right in busy Saigon. Thanh An is over 70km East of the downtown of Saigon with only 5,000 residents. Anchoring sampans here give you a feeling of being in an untamed beach somewhere else, not in the country’s busiest city. Coming to Thanh An; hearing the laughter of villagers; watching either dusk or dawn, you feel yourself completely refreshed. Thanh An- a simple island- will give you unforgettably peaceful feelings.