A trip in the mysterious land of An Giang, you can go to any place without thinking and thinking.  But no matter where you go, do not forget to visit Chau Giang Cham village, an indispensable place in the itinerary of discovering the cultural beauty of An Giang.  The life of the Cham ethnic community in An Giang has always had a strange attraction and this is also the inspiration of many musicians, writers and poets.

By Thomas Vietnam at vemekong.com | Official Chau Doc Visitor Guide

1. Better to Know as a Tourist

Ticket:  Free

Spend-time: One and a half hour (approx)

Hours: Dawn – dusk

Food: Yes

Shop: Yes

Parking lot: Yes 

Blog: https://vemekong.com/chau-giang-cham-village-chau-doc/

Address:  Chau Giang Cham Village is located in Chau Phong Commune, Tan Chau Town, An Giang Province.

Added values: Entering the Cham village, you are lost in another world.  Coming here, in the quiet countryside with the characteristics of Western rivers, you will feel the friendliness and hospitality of the locals.  With a large Muslim community of Cham people, An Giang has many mosques and minor churches.

Nearby attractions and hidden gems: Looking for places to stop on your way to and from Chau Giang Cham Village? Or maybe you found it too crowded here? We’ve got some ideas! Check out our list: Tra Su Cajuput Forest (80 km), Sam Mountain (91 Km), Cam Mountain – Forbidden Mountain (93 km), Chau Doc Floating Market (76 km), 30 Thang 4 Park in Chau Doc (86 km)…

2. Travel Guide to Chau Giang Cham Village

Chau Giang Cham Village is a hamlet with a large number of Cham ethnic groups living, just one river from Chau Doc.  With a distance of 5km by road (it takes more than 20 minutes to travel) and 3.5km by river (it takes more than 15 minutes to travel) if starting from Chau Doc city center.  Moving to Cham Chau Giang village will choose one of these two methods.  Specifically:

If traveling by road, you can use a car or motorbike to get to Chau Giang ferry station, about 3km from Chau Doc city center.  Here, you will wait for the ferry to cross the territory of Chau Phong commune of Tan Chau district.  Through the ferry, you go more than 1km to Chau Giang Cham village.

By river, you will come to Chau Doc junction (about 500m from Victoria hotel) or at Chau Giang wharf located across Chau Doc city to rent a boat.  Boat rental prices at each point will have different rates, depending on where your trip is and how many people you go.  However, one thing that you can be assured of is that the price is relatively cheap and very reasonable.  This is the most popular form of tourists.

Among the Cham villages in An Giang, it can be said that Chau Giang Cham village still preserves many unique cultural features in both material and spiritual life.  Prominent among them can be mentioned traditional brocade weaving, living custom on stilts and Muslim beliefs in the shadow of the mosque.  It is from this that Chau Giang Cham village is often sought by writers, poets and musicians for inspiration to compose many literary and artistic works.

The most prominent among them is the Mubarak mosque which is recognized as a national heritage.  From the Chau Giang ferry, you turn left to admire the beauty of this construction.  The magnificent Mubarak Cathedral – a sanctuary in beliefs and community cultural activities of the Muslim Cham people.  The cathedral has a unique architecture, a round tower, an arc-shaped main gate, very unique.  The roof of the mosque has a large two-story oval tower, the base of the tower has the shape of a crescent moon and a star, symbolizing Islam.  This is one of the works of high value, and is an attractive attraction in Chau Giang Cham village.

Every year they have three great festivals: Roja festival on December 10 of the lunar calendar;  The Ramadan festival (also known as the fasting ceremony) lasts from September 1 to the end of September 30 of the lunar calendar;  The birthday of Patriarch Muhammed is on the 12th day of the 3rd lunar month.  Every day, believers come to the mosque 5 times to pray, about 15 minutes each time.  Particularly on Friday, the devotees come almost fully at 12 noon and focus on listening to the teacher recite the scriptures for an hour.

Regarding the origin of the Cham people here, there are opinions shared: “The Cham people in Chau Giang do not come from the same origin.  Our community consists of many ethnic groups: Malaysia, Indonesia and Cambodia.  “We speak Malay, the other group speaks Cambodian.  If we don’t understand each other, we can use Vietnamese as a common language for communication.”  (according to Mr. Mouhamach, the Church of Mubarak in Chau Giang hamlet).

Another opinion, according to ancient books, is that the Cham people of An Giang originated from the kingdom of Champa – Ninh Thuan.  When the war broke out, they migrated to Cambodia’s Kampong Cham.  Later from there, he migrated to Vietnam and settled in present-day An Giang.  There is still a part of Cham people in Cambodia who are villages around Bien Ho.

Another person said that, with the title of “Victory Cham” the Cham from the central coast, (Ta Kieu – My Son) have been here since the war with Lord Nguyen Phuc Chu’s army in 1699.

Due to Islam (Islam), the Cham’s customs here are also associated with the rules of Islam.  Men wear sarongs – called blankets.  Women wear sarongs called skirts.  Men wear hats, old people have white hats, young people have black hats.  Women wear Mat’ra scarves.  Men here don’t drink.  Cham Muslim women here are often not allowed to go out, but just hang around the house doing housework and weaving.  They don’t eat pork.

Also here, you will be able to visit and learn about the traditional brocade weaving that has existed for hundreds of years.  Although the brocade here is not much different from the brocade of the Cham people in Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan.  But because of the acculturation, different religious beliefs, each pattern shown on each product has created a distinct impression.

Mixed with brocade products that are completely hand-woven, at the establishment, which is considered a tourist attraction, there are also jewelry items such as rings, necklaces, earrings, earrings, … also by the people.  Care here is very elaborate and eye-catching.  If you want to buy for use or as a gift for relatives and friends, these items are a reasonable choice.

But along with traditional brocade weaving and jewelry making, the highlight of Chau Giang Cham’s religious culture is the wooden stilt houses that are hundreds of years old.  These are really the things that many people care about when coming to Chau Giang Cham village in particular and other Cham villages in An Giang in general.

 Unlike the stilt houses of the ethnic minorities in the highlands, the stilt house in Cham Chau Giang village is built very high and completely uses solid precious woods such as rosewood, spokes, coffee…  In particular, there are many houses that use both cedarwood.

Through observation and study, it is known that the stilt house of the Cham people in Chau Giang village is very delicately designed according to a large and airy space with nature.  The house when built will be divided into two types, a small house with 4 rooms and a large house with 5 rooms.  According to feng shui, the facade always faces south and there must be a wooden ladder to go up and down.  The two doors are slightly lower than the head so that when strangers enter the house, they have to bow low to greet the owner.  Depending on the conditions of each family, the type of wood used to build the house will show the class of the owner.

There is a difference in the stilt house in Cham village, there are no tables and chairs inside, so when guests come to the house, the host often spreads a mat or carpet for the guests to sit cross-legged on the wooden floor.  Especially in the house, there is a door frame with a decorative curtain that is decorated with eye-catching decoration to separate it from the inner house.  According to custom, this is a living area completely reserved for women and girls, men are not allowed to enter.  Therefore, this area is very important when guests or people come to the house to play.

3. What to Do –See – Eat at Chau Giang Cham Village

In this Chau Giang Cham village, Com ni and ca pua are two famous traditional dishes of the ethnic minorities here.  These two dishes are a harmonious combination, complementing each other, the cooking method is relatively sophisticated, unique and quite strange for both Vietnamese and international tourists.

 Fried rice

 Fried rice is cooked rice with milk, and raisins are added depending on the individual preferences of each person, while ca pua uses beef to be processed very separately, using many ingredients such as wine, ginger, and water.  Coconut milk, curry, onions, peanuts… create a unique feature for the dish of the Cham ethnic people in Chau Giang.  Rice ni – ca pua carries the sweet and fatty smell of milk, the fleshy taste of peanuts, the salty and sweet taste of beef along with the spiciness of chili peppers and the sweetness of raisins, making diners bewildered.  All give people a delicious feeling, strange mouth, full stomach without feeling bored.

 In the afternoon, visitors can see street vendors with typical An Giang dishes.  These are rustic snacks such as silkworm cakes, steamed bananas, sticky rice with cassava.. You can buy a package of 3,000 – 5,000 VND to enjoy on the way to explore.

4. Free Itineraries from VeMekong

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

From Chau Doc 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 An Giang. 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 An Giang day tour with local, you can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com

5. Google Maps of Chau Giang Cham Village

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 Chau Giang Cham Village 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 An Giang 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 An Giang

7. Responsible Travel and Advice Chau Giang Cham Village

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 Chau Giang Cham Village (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

Best time to visit Chau Doc floating market, Long Xuyen floating market is from 5:30am-6:30am. I hope you have an amazing sunrise on the Mekong Delta river.

You can stay in a homestay which is near the floating market, this will help you out the best option. Then you can hire a scooter, car or bike and explore it by yourself, but you still need to hire a boat for the floating market tour.

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

Visit Chau Doc 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 Chau Doc responsible tours which help you give back while traveling. It’s a cliché, but it’s true.

Chau Doc 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 Chau Doc 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 Ca Chau Doc (the soft noodle is cooked with fish), Banh bo cake of Chau Doc, Sugar palm fruit, Caramelized and Braised Catfish, Grilled Rice-field Rat with Salt and Chili, Long Xuyen Broken Rice, Nui Cam Pancake, O Thum’s Chicken Grilled with Lime Leaves, Sour Soup with Siamese Mud Carp Soup & Sesbania Flower, Stir-fried Shrimp with Sesbania Flower, Phu Huong Beef Noodle Soup, Basa Fish Hotpot, Mam (Fermented Fish)…

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 Chau Doc in the rainy season, as Chau Doc always looks fantastic in the full rain and full sun.

Chau Doc tourist attractions are magnificent itself, but if you have enough time, don’t forget to put other places onto your bucket lists such as Tra Su Cajuput forest & Birdwatching, Chau Doc Floating Village, Fish Farm & Cham Minority Village, Chau Doc floating market & small canal, Sam mountain, Tuc Dup hill, Chau Doc river tour, Chau Doc cycling tour, Chau Doc photography tour, Ta Pa Rice Fields, Vinh Te Canal, Seven-Mountain Ox Racing Festival, Tay An Pagoda, Chau Doc Market, The Lady Temple – The Ba Chua Xu Temple, Phuoc Dien Pagoda – Hang Pagoda, Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb,

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

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

Thank you