Tiền Giang lures tourists with its history, culture

TOURIST ATTRACTION – Aerial view of the Đông Hoà Hiệp ancient village in Cái Bè District, one of the most visited destinations in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Tiền Giang. File photo from https://dulich.tiengiang.gov.vn

TIỀN GIANG — Having a rich history and diverse culture, the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Tiền Giang targets to become a new favourite destination among tourists.

Võ Văn Chiến, deputy director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the province will host many more tours to visit historical and cultural sites to develop its sustainable tourism industry and meet the demands of tourists.

Tiền Giang now has more than 2,100 historical and cultural relics, including archaeological sites, revolutionary historical relic sites, religious sites, and ancient architectural buildings.

One of the most visited destinations among local and international visitors is the Đông Hoà Hiệp ancient village in Cái Bè District.

The village is well-known for its beautiful and peaceful landscape. It is surrounded by canals, ancient houses built in the 19th century, and orchards with different kinds of trees giving fruits all year round.

Along with Đường Lâm in Hà Nội and Phước Tích in Thừa Thiên – Huế Province, Đông Hoà Hiệp was one of three ancient villages chosen by the Việt Nam National Administration of Tourism and the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to launch the project “Promote Self-sustaining Community Development in Vietnam through Heritage Tourism” between 2011 and 2014.

Nguyễn Văn Nha, chairman of Cái Bè District’s People’s Committee, said Đông Hoà Hiệp attracts tourists to explore 100-year-old architects with signature elements of traditional garden houses in the South of Việt Nam such as an ancestral altar, horizontal panels carved with parallel sentences conveying the moral teachings and principles of ancestors, as well as wooden columns carved with decorative motifs of dragon, kylin, turtle and phoenix.

The district welcomed nearly 25,000 visitors, including 2,215 international tourists, in the first six months of 2024, an increase of 20 per cent compared to last year.

RICH HISTORY – Visitors listen to the history of an ancient house in Đông Hoà Hiệp village. The house was built in 1838. VNA/VNS Photo by Minh Hưng

Apart from the ancient village, Tiền Giang is popular for the Gò Thanh Archaeological Site in Chợ Gạo District.

The archaeological site is the remaining relic of Óc Eo culture, the foundation for the ancient kingdom of Phù Nam that existed from the first to seventh century AD.

Visitors can also explore the Royal Mausoleum in Gò Công District, which is a complex of tombs of the members of the Phạm Đặng Family, including Phạm Đặng Hưng, father of Queen Từ Dụ and grandfather of King Tự Đức of the Nguyễn Dynasty.

Chiến said most of the historical and cultural relics in Tiền Giang are related to religious and spiritual activities to honour the land’s rich history and cultural values, and contribute to attracting more tourists.

In the first six months of 2024, Tiền Giang served 850,000 visitors, including 300,000 international visitors, a year-on-year rise of 21.1 per cent. Its tourism revenue reached VNĐ600 billion (US$23.5 million).

The province targets to attract 800,000 visitors by the end of 2024. Tourism revenue is expected to reach VNĐ650 billion ($25.45 million). — VNS