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Rowing boat at Chau Doc
Country: Vietnam
Province: An Giang
District: Chau Doc

Cho Dok Holiday Weather today


Date/time of update: March 19, 2024, 6:57 am, Timezone: GMT+7
Broken Clouds

Temperature: 38.89°C
Temperature feels like: 37.59°C
Minimum Temperature: 38.89°C
Maximum Temperature: 38.89°C
Atmospheric pressure: 1008hPa
Humidity:19%
Visibility: 10000m
Wind speed: 5.38m/sec
Wind Direction: 89 degrees
Cloudiness: 61%
Sunrise: 2024-03-18 11:04:17
Sunset: 2024-03-19 11:10:18

Chau Doc is an idyllic riverine town located close to the Cambodian border and inhabited by the communities of Kinh, Cham, Khmer and Chinese. There are numerous pagodas in Chau Doc which have Chinese and Hindu influence and which are colorfully painted.

Travel Guide to Chau Doc, An Giang, Vietnam

Chau Doc is at the leaping off point of the waterway between Vietnam and Cambodia. Some travellers may want to relax in Chau Doc for a couple of nights before continuing to Phnom Penh or Ho Chi Minh City.

Weather and Climate

The climate of Chau Doc includes two seasons: the dry season from December through April during which the temperatures are high in March and April; the rainy season from May through October with pleasant temperatures but with daily rains.

From late August through October it is the high water season in Chau Doc which offers amazing scene of wildlife but which may may your travel difficult in some areas.

Chau Doc Town, view from the Mekong River
Chau Doc City, view from the Mekong River

Chau Doc Travel Guide, What to See, Tourist Attractions in Chau Doc

1/ The Sam Mountain

The Sam Mountain which is close to the town offers stunning sunset vistas over Cambodia and the surrounding countryside. The top of the mountain is 284m above sea level.

2/ Thoai Ngoc Hau Temple

Thoai Ngoc Hau Temple dedicated to Thoai Ngoc Hau or Nguyen Van Thoai who was a mandarin of the Nguyen Dynasty and who ruled the region from Chau Doc to Ha Tien (approximately 1820-1829). He contributed to the formations of villages and the expansion of the Vinh Te Canal for convenient transport by the waterway. The Temple is at the base of the Sam Mountain.

3/ Mieu Ba Chua Su Temple

The temple is dedicated to Ba Chua Su, Mother of the land. Locals come here to pray for propitious rains and winds. The temple is at the base of the Sam Mountain.

4/ Hang Pagoda on the Sam Mountain

The pagoda built in the 19th century has more of a zen feel than most pagodas in Chau Doc.

5/ Tay An Co Tu

A good look into local Buddhist life. The pagoda is at the base of the Sam Mountain and the architecture has the influence of Islamic, Indian religions and Vietnamese style.

6/ Chau Phu Communal House

Chau Phu Communal House is located at the crossroad between Tran Hung Dao and Nguyen Van Thoai Street. The communal house is for common affairs of the community and for worshiping a mandarin – Nguyen Huu Can.

7/ Cham Floating Villages

Traveling in Chau Doc, do not miss the floating communities. You can take a boat trip just off the town center to visit the floating communities of the Cham who raise fish in cages underneath their houses.

People travel by boat at Chau Doc
Because of the criss-crossing Mekong River, local people travel mostly by boat at Chau Doc

 

A floating restaurant at Chau Doc Vietnam
A floating restaurant at Chau Doc Vietnam

8/ Cham Chau Giang Village

The Cham Chau Giang community is located on the Con Tien Island which takes a a short ferry ride from Chau Doc. The village offers an amazing mosque, Cham brocade, Cham cuisine and Cham houses on stitls.

9/ Tra Su Cajuput Forest

For the adventure travelers and the nature seeking travellers you can take an eco tour of the cajuput forests at Tra Su. The trip requires half a day or a full day. There are opportunities for birding.

10/ Ba Chuc Massacre Site

For those who interested in history, you can visit the site where 3,000 civilians at Ba Chuc were massacred by the Khmer Rouge in 1978. There you can also learn more about the war in the southwestern border of Vietnam back that time.

11/ Vinh Te Canal

Boat trip on the Vinh Te Canal built by locals and directed by Thoai Ngoc Hau from 1819-1824. The canal links Chau Doc and Ha Tien with the length of 90km.

Things to Do, Travel and Tours in Chau Doc

Chau Doc is a border town and it offers the travellers a relaxing experience. You drive to Sam mountain (preferably in late afternoon) and enjoy a stunning view of sunset over Cambodia. There's a Cham community who live on the water just off the town center. A visit to this community by boat is highly recommended.

Paradissa Travel has got a number of luxury tours, bike tours for our adventure travellers to discover the secrets of the Mekong Delta Please contact us for further details.

Where to Stay, Accommodation

Accommodation in Chau Doc ranges from standard hotels to luxurious 4 star hotels. It's best to book accommodation at a riverside hotel which offers you fabulous countryside experience.

Getting there and away

Chau Doc is 245 km from Ho Chi Minh City and 116km from Can Tho and 127km from Vinh Long. Between Can Tho, Ho Chi Minh City, Vinh Long, Chau Doc you can travel by road or by waterway. You can also travel directly to Phnom Penh, Cambodia from Chau Doc. The boat trip is 5 hours.

The Mekong River between Vietnam and Cambodia
The Mekong River between Vietnam and Cambodia - the trip via the Mekong River from Chau Doc to Phnom Penh is 5 hour (1 way) 

How to get around

Chau Doc is fairly small a city and most in-city attractions are withing walking distance. But if you want to travel to destinations beyond the city, then you’ll need to hire a car or a xe loi (pull rickshaw) or a motorbike.

Chau Doc Average Monthly Rainfall and Temperatures


Vietnam Travel Guide