The land of ancient trees

The Mekong Delta province of An Giang is known for the Hau River as well as mountains and forests. However, few people know it is home to many ancient trees and five of them have been recognized as the Vietnam Heritage Trees by the national committee of nature and environmental protection.


          A 300-year-old banyan tree in Khanh An Commune in An Phu District in Chau Doc City.

The five trees include two 300-year-old lychee trees, two Dipterocarpaceae trees aged 300 and 700, and a spring tree which is over 500 years old.

Tourists should head to the Seven Mountain Range in Nui To Commune in Tri Ton District to admire a rare Dipterocarpaceae tree which is 30 meters high. The tree is big enough for eight to ten people to embrace around it. Local Khmer people call it a holy tree as it is 700 years old. Locals often come to worship it and pray for good harvest and weather.

Nui To Commune is also home to a 500-year-old spring tree which is 6 meters wide and 20 meters high. Local people usually gather here for entertainment during harvest breaks.


                                               An ancient Dipterocarpaceae tree.

Lychee grows well in northern Vietnam. However, Svay Ta Hon Pagoda in An Tuc Commune in Tinh Bien District has two lychee trees that are 300 years old and 50 meters high. They are big enough for three to four people to embrace.

Their fruits are sweet. The trees don’t have fruits annually, so when they produce fruits, local residents can expect a bumper harvest.

Tinh Bien is highly recommended for people who want to see a 300-year-old Dipterocarpaceae tree in An Cu Commune. The tree is 20 meters high.

After Tinh Bien, tourists should head to Tri Ton to visit Ba Chuc charnel-house where they can find a thin yet luxuriant Dipterocarpaceae tree which is 300 years old.

Kids can go play inside the hollow root of a Lagerstroemia speciosa tree – Photos: Cuc Tan

The next destination is the tranquil Bung Binh Thien area in Chau Doc City. Upon arrival in Cay Da area in Hamlet 1 in Khanh An Commune in An Phu District near the border with Cambodia, travelers can see an giant banyan tree. According to local people, it is around 300 years old and 24 meters high. It needs up to 18 adults to embrace.

The final destination is Vam Market in Phu Tan District in Chau Doc City. The location is known for Bang Lang Temple which covers 1,000 square meters. The place has several ancient banyan trees and three giant Lagerstroemia speciosa trees. Five to seven people can enter into the hollow root of one of the Lagerstroemia speciosa trees.

SGT