Long An

Long An

Area: 4.491,87 km2

Population: 1.436.914 people

Long An is located on 10021’-12019’ North and 105030’-106059’ East, is bordered with Tay Ninh and Cambodia on the North, Tien Giang on the South, Dong Thap on the West and Ho Chi Minh city on the East. Although it is belong to the Mekong delta,Long An is in the transition area between the South East and South West, the terrain tends to be lower gradually from Northeast to Southwest. North and Northeast have some hills, the center of the province is plains and Dong Thap Muoi marsh with a large mangrove forest is in the southwest.

Long An comprises 1 city (Tan An) and 13 district (Ben Luc, Can Duoc, Can Giuoc, Chau Thanh, Duc Hoa, Duc Hue, Moc Hoa, Tan Hung, Tan Thanh, Tan Tru, Thanh Hoa, Thu Thua, Vinh Hung).

The most attraction of Long An travel is the humane value of Oc-Eo culture, Dong Thap Muoi melaleuca forest. This is the advantages of Long An to develop the historic and eco-tourism.

Monuments - landscapes

• Binh Ta archaeological vestige: In Duc Hoa Ha commune, Duc Hoa district, Long An province, it is 40 km from Tan An to the northeast of Tan An town. The vestiges are remnants of the Oc Eo-Phu Nam culture from the first to seventh centuries AD. On a collection of 26 gold objects discovered in Go Xoai, there are thin gold leaves with 646 words of Buddhist sutra written in the ancient Sanskrit language. Other valuable objects were also excavated here. There are pieces of Oc Eo pottery, metal, precious stones, sandstone and a series of other relics from primitive man discovered around the temple. Architectural works discovered in Binh Ta's vestiges are a temple dedicating to the Siva deity of Brahmanism which appeared in India around the first century BC and was introduced to southern Indochina at the beginning of the Christian era.

• Monument of the one hundred column house: belongs to Long Huu Dong commune, Can Duoc district, which is 50km from Tan An city. The whole house was built of wood (including barian kingwood, red Go wood, honey Go wood) 100 years ago with a very special and unique architecture, the interior was delicately carved by 15 skillful and talent artists. Standing in this house, the visitors feel like standing in a garden with flowers, trees and birds. This house is known as a national historic cultural monument. One hundred column houses is a destination for tourist and many carving artists.

• Long An museum: Locating in the center of Tan An town, ward 4, many valuable and rare antiques of cultural and artistic significance are displayed here, in which there are many exhibits excavated from the local cultural remains, which is very exciting for sightseeing and researching.

• Dong Thap Muoi ecologic tourist area: about 50km from Tan An, belonging to Moc Hoa, Vinh Hung, Thanh Hoa and Tan Thanh districts. Coming here, tourists will see thick and interminable forests by your own eyes, and there are also large lotus fields with a great many lotus flowers showing their color under sunlight. Many valuable and rare animal species have been protected in Dong Thap Muoi such as storks, red head cranes, turtles, snakes, etc; which makes the ecologic region more beautiful.

• Dragon fruit garden: locating in Chau Thanh District, which is 5km form Tan An city. This is an interesting destination with many dragon fruit trees and friendly owners.

• Dong Thap Muoi Research Center: locating in Binh Phong Thanh commune, Moc Hoa district. There is area of 1041ha, of which more than 800 ha is melaleuca forest. There are more than 100 higher plant species (vascular), 100 aquatic plant species, 200 fauna and aquatic animals. This center do research on medicine from plant in Dong Thap Muoi area such as melaleuca oil, honey…

Festivals

• Lam chay festival (a festival for deliverance of dead's souls): Taking place in Tam Vu commune, Chau Thanh district, on the 15th of the first month of Luna calendar. This is a big festival supported by Long An province.

• Tong phong festival is held annually on the 6th of the third month (lunar) in Tan Phuoc Tay commune, Tan Tru district, and Binh Lap – Tan An city. This celebration is to chase bad wind out of the village for villagers a better and healthier life. There are many ways to celebrate this festival: release banana canoe with foods and gifts, greeting Te Thien to chase goblin…

• Cau mua festival (a festival held to pray for good season): held in Can Duoc, Can Giuoc, Vam Co, as a boat racing competition. In the past, this festival is held when the weather is not good. Nowadays, this festival is held annually to say thanks to God. Besides, people also do the Dragon greeting ceremony to ask for more water form the heaven.

Specialties

Long An is famous with Nang Huong rice, Long Tri watermelon, Ben Luc pineapple, Duc Hoa peanut, Thu Thua sugarcane, Go Den rice alcohol, dragonfruit…

(Mekong Delta Tourist Portal)