Ben Tre Province is the well known as the coconut land, the province also known as the large fruit basket in southwest Vietnam. It is well known as the kingdom of bonsai and fruit.
Therefore, when visitor travel to Ben Tre should visit Cai Mon Orchard village where is one of the famous fruit villages of Ben Tre to discover many different fruits all year round.
Location of Cai Mon Orchard Village
Cai Mon Orchard village is in Vinh Thanh Commune, Cho Lach District, Ben Tre Province. When you are from My Tho City of Tien Giang Province, you can travel through Rach Mieu Bridge and travel along road 884 to reach Tien Thuy market of Chau Thanh District, Ben Tre Province. And the from here, you can take a high speed boat to Cai Mon Canal around one hour.
Second way is that you are from Ben Tre city centre, you pass through Ham Luong Bridge, after that travel along National Road No.60 about 11km to the Mo Cay town. You will then reach Cho Lach commune.
Meaning of the name Cai Mon Orchard Village
As for some research, two banks of the canals in Cai Mon was the gathering place of many honey bees in the past thanks for Cai Mon has many fruit gardens. So it has many flowers and blooms all year round. And the name of Cai Mon was originated from this. “Cai” means the “grand canal” and “Mon” is the slang of “Mum” which has the meaning of honey as Khmer language.
What are the special in Cai Mon fruit orchards?
Travel to Cai Mon Orchard Village, visitors will be attracted by the fresh air and green fruit gardens in different delicious fruits such as durian, rambutan, pomelo, mango, longan, plum, etc.
Furthermore, the village apart from the fruit and flower garden, Cai Mon canal has the floating market where is the lovely spot to see how local people in their trading products on waterway. Different from other rivers and canals that has only one direction of flowing, this canal has two streams and meet together at the “Ron Rong” or called the dragon’s navel.
And because the “Ron Rong” is wider than other places on the canal, so the floating market is crowded at one of the most beautiful spot on this Mekong Delta part. On the early morning, local people and boats follow the Co Chien River and Ham Luong River to enter the canal and make the crowded market. The activities will last till late every day when the canal starts to flow in the opposite direction.
Cai Mon Orchard Village is the busiest during Lunar New Year, especially before 01st day of Lunar New Year when a lot of people including adults and children sowing and pruning plants, making baskets, and taking care of daisies, marigolds and roses at this time. Apart from flowers, villagers grow ornamental trees and often breed plants to create new varieties, and some plants could be bought from overseas.
What to do in Cai Mon Orchard Village?
Cai Mon is famous for growing different flowers. Visitors can visit and see the areas of cultivating saplings, growing and manipulating bonsai. There are thousands of local houses in Cai Mon to grow the traditional flowers which are famous of this land such as marigold (cúc vạn thọ), dahlia (thược dược), carnation, (cẩm chướng), etc.
Especially, Cai Mon also preserves many rose species including velvety rose, yellow rose, Elizabeth rose, Korokit rose… Moreover, visitors can see many valuable hundreds of year ornamental trees such as fig (sung), carambola (khế), areca (cau), apricot (mai), etc. All of these bonsais become excellent art works thanks for the skilled hands of artisans.
Next you will visit the lush orchards in Cai Mon to taste delicious fruits such as langsat, mangosteen, durian, etc. Walking along winding paths round lush green gardens, visitors will feel as lost in royal gardens.
Where to stay in Cai Mon?
Visitors travel to Cai Mon is day trip only, so there are less hotels and guesthouses here for accommodation. Below are some accommodations for visitors reference and choose to overnight if wish to enjoy among the tranquil orchards.
- Gite Nam Hien Homestay: 558/10 Binh An, TT. Chợ Lách, Bến Tre.
- Coco Farmstay: Thanh Tân, Mỏ Cày Bắc, Bến Tre, Việt Nam.
- Bảy Thời Homestay: Bình Hoà Phước, Long Hồ, Vĩnh Long, Việt Nam.
- Phuongthao homestay: An Bình, Long Hồ, Vĩnh Long, Việt Nam.
- Ngoc Phuong Homestay: 118C/10 Binh Luong, An Binh, An Bình, Long Hồ, VL, Việt Nam
Source Photos: Internet
