Story: Huynh Phuong
Photos: Thu Phan

Tan Lap Floating Village in Moc Hoa District, Long An Province, is a popular “green destination” in the Dong Thap Muoi wilderness, attracting tourists eager to explore the region’s culture and waterways.

An aerial view of Tan Lap’s melaleuca forest

A natural highlight

Tan Lap Floating Village, located along National Highway 62 in Tan Lap Commune, covers a core area of nearly 135 hectares with a 500-hectare buffer zone. Situated about 100 km from Ho Chi Minh City, the village’s history was shaped by seasonal floods. Long-time residents recall a time when the land remained submerged year-round, and people adapted by building homes on high mounds. As water levels rose, they raised their floors accordingly, earning the village its name—the “floating village.” Today, it has been developed into the Tan Lap Floating Village Eco-Tourism Zone.

One of Tan Lap’s main attractions is its vast melaleuca forests, offering visitors a chance to immerse themselves in refreshing nature. Well-maintained and rapidly growing, these forests feature vast green swathes of newly planted areas. Each season has its own charm. In the dry season, fallen melaleuca leaves blanket the concrete paths. As visitors wander through the forest, they can hear the rustling leaves, the crunch of footsteps on dried leaves, and the melodious chirping of wild birds.

Concrete paths crisscross the marshes

Forest trails

Visitors to Tan Lap Floating Village can explore the forest canals aboard a three-plank rowboat or opt for a motorboat tour. A cable car ride provides a different perspective. As the boat drifts along, a dreamy landscape unfolds – lotus flowers and water lilies bloom under the midday sun, with golden sunlight filtering through the trees’ leaves.

Upon reaching the shore, the journey continues along a scenic forest path, one of the most beautiful in the Mekong Delta. Stretching about five km and just one meter wide, the winding trail weaves through towering melaleuca trees, leading to an X-shaped bridge, Ban Nguyet (semicircle) Lake, and an 18-meter-high observation tower offering panoramic views of the Dong Thap Muoi region. Many visitors stay to witness the breathtaking sunset, when flocks of white storks fill the sky.

A variety of experiences

Tan Lap Floating Village recently launched a range of new tourism services such as kayaking, cycling, fishing, and overnight camping. As well as being an eco-tourism destination, Tan Lap preserves the cultural values and rural lifestyle of the Mekong Delta. Visitors can learn to trap fish, cast nets, and fish in ponds.

Visitors can explore the waterways by boat

Trapping fish is a traditional fishing method enjoyed by many visitors. Dressed in traditional ba ba shirts, tourists carefully monitor the fish traps, eagerly anticipating their catch. This activity is especially popular in groups, as more participants create a livelier and more exciting atmosphere.

After trying their hand at “being a farmer”, visitors can savor dishes made from fresh ingredients typical of the Mekong Delta. Specialties include grilled snakehead fish wrapped in young lotus leaves, sour soup with water lily, lẩu mắm (fermented fish hotpot), lẩu gà lá giang (chicken soup with giang leaves), sour snakehead fish hotpot, braised catfish, and turmeric-stirred eel.

“As a nature lover, I have visited Tan Lap many times. Being immersed in vast nature, each visit brings me fresh inspiration. My most memorable moment was witnessing the melaleuca forest in full bloom, with stunning white flowers. I was captivated, taking in the beauty and capturing the experience with my camera,” shared Thu Phan, a photographer living in Ho Chi Minh City.

Tan Lap is poised to become a leading tourist destination in the Dong Thap Muoi region, maximizing its eco-tourism potential while preserving the cultural heritage of the wetlands.