In Bac Lieu, there is an ancient longan garden that is over a hundred years old. This is the most special longan garden in the Mekong Delta, the pride of local people and also an attraction for tourists from far away to visit. Bac Lieu ancient longan garden is about 230ha wide, running over 1km long.

By Thomas Vietnam at vemekong.com | Official Bac Lieu Visitor Guide

1. Better to Know as a Tourist

Ticket: 

Spend-time: Half an hour (approx)

Hours: Dawn – dusk 

Food: Yes             

Shop: Yes

Parking lot: Yes

Blog: https://vemekong.com/ancient-longan-orchard-bac-lieu/

Address: Located in Vinh Trach Dong commune, in Bac Lieu town, Bac Lieu province

Added values: Visiting the longan garden, it will be interesting to lie down under the swaying ancient canopy of longan trees to welcome the cool breeze from the sea, feel the space filled with longan fragrance and release your soul for endless contemplations of life of people.

Nearby attractions and hidden gems: Looking for places to stop on your way to and from ancient longan orchards? Ghositaram pagoda (17 km), Xiem Can Pagoda (13 km), Cong Tu Bac Lieu House (13 km), Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary (9 km), Tac Say Church (49 km), Bac Lieu market (12 km)…

2. Travel Guide to Ancient longan orchards

Bac Lieu longan garden has long been famous everywhere, not only for its ethereal taste and seductive fragrance, but also for its longevity. The longan trees here are over a hundred years old, so the locals often call them ancient longan with a sinewy, curved style like works of art that one must turn out.

Bac Lieu longan has entered many poems and songs and has revived the lives of Bac Lieu people for hundreds of years.  For visitors from afar, having the opportunity to travel to Bac Lieu, everyone sometimes wants to witness with their own eyes the natural beauty of the ancient longan bodies over a hundred years old and the sweetness of the ancient longan.

According to the people here, Bac Lieu longan garden was planted over a hundred years ago. In the past, this area was a sandy land formed through the process of natural sedimentation and man-made dikes to encroach on the sea.  This is a soil with good drainage, deep water level, thick cultivation layer…which is considered quite suitable for growing fruit trees and crops. When the Chinese migrated here at the beginning of the 19th century, Mr. Truong Hung was the first to bring two varieties of longan, Subic and Tuhut, from China to plant on the sandy soil of Bac Lieu. Like Subic for large fruit, thin skin, thick rice, very fragrant and sweet.  As for the Tuhut variety, the fruit is small, the seeds are small, but the rice is thick and sweet. Both varieties of longan are well-adapted and grow well on sandy soils, especially the popular Subic variety. So many people multiply the area of ​​​​the Subic label. From Hiep Thanh to Vinh Trach Dong, where there is sandy soil, longan will grow.

Each ancient longan root in Bac Lieu contains many cultural elements that cannot be found anywhere else.  It proves the history of formation of Bac Lieu hilly land, the attachment of 3 ethnic groups Kinh, Hoa and Khmer in the development process. That long-term association has created a thick soil culture. Therefore, Bac Lieu’s ancient longan garden is not merely picking fruit and bringing it to the market to sell, but it also contains historical value.

In Chom Xoai hamlet, Hiep Thanh commune, there is a longan garden of Mr. Truong Kiet’s family (the third grandchild of Mr. Truong Hung) with an area of ​​3ha, the largest in the commune. The garden was planted by the ancestors of the past, so far the life expectancy is over 100 years.  There is a longan tree first planted by Mr. Truong Hung, now it has become an old longan tree with a big root. These ancient longan trees are still flowering and bearing fruit in season, albeit slightly. The ideal time to travel to Bac Lieu to visit Bac Lieu’s ancient longan garden is around May or September. May is when the longan garden is in full bloom, the whole longan garden is full of beautiful white flowers, attracting butterflies, bees, and bees.  September is the time to harvest longan, so guests can enjoy the delicious taste of Bac Lieu longan.

3. What to Do –See – Eat at Ancient longan orchards

Coming to the longan garden, visitors can rest under the shady trees, breathe in the fresh air of a quiet countryside with the songs and chants of Don Ca Tai Tu. Coming here in the ripe longan season, visitors can also enjoy delicious, garden-style longan, and join the people in harvesting ripe longan. The delicious taste of each longan makes the eater unforgettable.

In addition to enjoying and buying sweet and fragrant longan clusters as gifts, on the way to the ancient longan garden, there are many famous delicious pancake shops that you should remember to enjoy.

On the Bac Lieu longan field today, the hundred-year-old longan trees are still being nurtured and preserved as a cultural feature of a time when the land was reclaimed and opened. Besides, Bac Lieu province is constantly researching and breeding new varieties of longan that inherit the aroma and sweetness of the famous ancient longan. Up to now, the most successful in creating new flavor and new economic value for ancient longan is the Thanh longan Bac Lieu variety. Thanh longan is a mutant in the population of Bac Lieu longan, discovered by a gardener in Giong Nhan hamlet, Hiep Thanh commune, Bac Lieu city and has been granted a certificate of trademark registration by the National Office of Intellectual Property Brand. In addition to the advantage of large fruit, aroma, thick rice, small seeds, drained… Another outstanding feature of Thanh longan Bac Lieu is that it does not suffer from disease. Along with ancient longan, Thanh longan Bac Lieu has become a new flavor, one of the typical specialties of Bac Lieu province.

4. Free Itineraries from VeMekong

As a local travel expert, we have some ideas for you to think about.

From Bac Lieu city center:

Route 1:

Route 2:

Route 3:

If you do not have much time left, it is easy to check out spots in one full day by boat or with bike or with motorbike and car. But there are much more than tourist sites like these in Bac Lieu. Make sure you have more time to feel and explore more about the hidden gems and the culture, food, night life, wildlife and forest as well. Top tip: Stay in a homestay nearby, so you have more chances to visit it and surroundings. If you are looking for the package Bac Lieu daily tour with local, you can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com

5. Google Maps of Ancient longan orchards

Google Maps made a name for itself helping people travel from one place to another, avoid traffic (You probably know the route from your hotel to the gas station by heart, but what you can’t be sure about is gridlock), measure a distance, get back to the hotel on time, share the location… 

6. Visit Ancient longan orchards by yourself

Solo traveller? Travelling on your own means you will get out of any difficult situations by yourself. This, in turn, leads to more satisfying travel experiences and helps you improve your problem-solving skills. These days we rarely get the chance to sit with ourselves and simply be. That’s why you should consider the time you spend alone on your trip as a gift.

It is possible for solo travellers to use google maps and do it alone. But sometimes they need to update local maintained roads and bridges which close and lead you a longer road than the road from Google maps. It is just about the time. It takes more time to find the correct garden to come. Adventure is always fun. Wifi is strong in Bac Lieu village! The locals find it hard to speak English as well. Top tip: Sticking to one canal and keeping going along it which gives you more things to see and avoids getting lost. Contact vemekong.com to hire a car, scooter with English-speaking-guide or cycling tours in Bac Lieu.

7. Responsible Travel and Advice Ancient longan orchards

Don’t get us wrong. But we assure you that you totally agree with us. “Do not give candy and things to the children when you plan to visit any local villages”, the kids will leave the school and follow the sweets and later they find some things to give you or sell to you. The garden is a little forest, don’t pick and touch the flowers or fruits without the local’s smiles. We deal with traveling green and leaving green behind, not plastic. Top tip: Vemekong.com are some of the companies that care a lot about responsible travel and local respectation.

8. Amazing Video flycam/drone of Ancient longan orchards (4k) 

If a picture says a thousand words, it stands to reason that the video says many times more. 

9. Incredible Tips for Photography, Specialists, KOLs, Media and Influencers 

To get the best of the best for your unique writing, featuring, photo, video and insider’s stories. We do recommend you to have a local travel expert, the one who always gets more ground information and makes sure every single element is solved perfectly. The Vemekong (very exclusive Mekong) team is your priority choice. Email and have a private talk with them to customize your journey smoothly, personal and the most ultimately amazing. You can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com

10. Pro Tips 

You can stay in a homestay which is near the riverside, this will help you out the best option. Then you can hire a scooter, car or bike and explore it by yourself and I hope you have an amazing Mekong Delta river sunrise.

If you plan to extend your travel to Bac Lieu homestay, do not forget to bring mosquito repellent cream.

Visit Bac Lieu or do any customized tours, please choose reputable providers with boat trips equipped with lifebuoys, jackets, motorcycle and cycling tours with the helmets and. Safety is a priority! Choose Bac Lieu responsible tours which help you give back while traveling. It’s a cliché, but it’s true.

Bac Lieu food & drink guide ranges from street food, authentic, fancy to fusion foods. As a tropical land of many fresh vegetables and homegrown gardens, which always make Bac Lieu cuisines fresh, close to nature and very traditional. If you are a food lover, don’t hesitate to put other bites onto your food lists such as Bun bo cay (Spicy beef noodle soup), Three-striped crab (Freshwater crab in Bac Lieu), Banh cu cai (White radish pies), Banh tam bi Bac Lieu (Bac Lieu thick noodles & creamy coconut milk), Pho Ngheu, Bon Bon Pickles

Bring your hat, sunglasses, and sunblock, scarf to wear when visiting temples, pagodas, and the cathedral.

Bring the raincoat if you’re planning a trip to Bac Lieu in the rainy season, as Bac Lieu always looks fantastic in the full rain and full sun.

Bac Lieu tourist attractions are magnificent itself, but if you have enough time, don’t forget to put other places onto your bucket lists such as Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary, Bac Lieu Salt Farm, Buddha Temple Ba Nam Hai, Cong Tu Bac Lieu House, Ghositaram Pagoda in Bac Lieu, Bac Lieu Wind Farm, Ancient Longan Orchards, Vinh Hung Ancient Temple, Xiem Can Pagoda Bac Lieu, Cao Van Lau Theater (Conical Hat Non La Theater), Tac Say Church, Cao Van Lau Musician Memorial Site, Nha Mat amusement park, Bac Lieu Beach and mangrove forests, Phuoc Duc Ancient Temple and Dia Mau Cung (Ba Pagoda), Bac Lieu Market, Hung Vuong Square in Bac Lieu…

Hopefully, the above tips will help you to come up with a great plan for your adventure in Bac Lieu province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Have a safe trip!

“Sleep less, travel more, respect more” – Thomas Vietnam – Local travel expert.

Thank you