Tra Su Cajuput Forest

Plan Your Adventure:

Download PDF Brochure

Ask a Question

pics

info

map

faq

QUICK TAGS

Flooded ForestCajuput WetlandRowing BoatBirdwatchingBamboo WalkwayNature Photography

 An amazing journey to explore local culture awaits you

QUICK FACTS

Published Entry Fee120,000 VND

Official Hours07:00–18:00

Visit TimeAbout 2–3 Hours

Core ExperienceMotorboat + Rowing Boat

Forest AreaAbout 845 ha

Best Water SeasonSeptember–November

Rating Score: 4.4☆(7,564)GoogleMap

Book your holiday

What Makes Tra Su Worth the Detour from Chau Doc

• Two very different boat experiences: the motorboat covers distance, while the rowing boat slows down inside narrower cajuput channels.
• High-water wetland scenery: seasonal water and floating green vegetation create the visual experience most associated with Tra Su.
• Real conservation value: official An Giang information records 70 bird species, including the Painted Stork and Oriental Darter listed in Vietnam’s Red Book.
• Forest-level and canopy-level views: the rowing route shows the wetland at water level, while the observation tower gives context to the scale of the protected landscape.
• A long bamboo-walkway system: it adds a dry-land way to experience the forest, but the visitor route should not be confused with every “10 km bridge” claim repeated online.

Opening hours:

Entrance Ticket:

Tra Su Is a Restored Wetland Forest, Not an Untouched Ancient Jungle

Many travel pages describe Tra Su as if the present forest had existed in the same form for centuries. Current An Giang tourism information instead states that the forest was formed in 1983 on low-lying acidic land.

That history makes the place more interesting, not less. Cajuput planting and wetland management helped create a functioning habitat that now supports a large range of birds, fish, reptiles and wetland plants.

The site was later incorporated into Vietnam’s special-use forest system as a landscape-protection area. When visiting, think of Tra Su as a managed conservation landscape with ecotourism infrastructure rather than a wilderness reserve without human intervention.

The Visitor Area Is Only Part of the 845-Hectare Forest

The protected forest covers about 845 hectares. Current provincial tourism information says roughly 159 hectares are used for tourism, with an additional landscaped area outside the forest.

This explains an apparent contradiction in visitor reviews: the entrance area contains photo installations, food services and recreational additions, while the deeper wetland still feels much quieter and more ecological.

If nature is your priority, do not spend most of your time at the decorative entrance zone. Move toward the water routes and observation areas first.

Use the Motorboat for Access, Then Slow Down on the Rowing Boat

The two boat services are not interchangeable. The motorboat moves through larger channels and carries visitors deeper into the tourism route. The rowing boat is slower, quieter and better suited to narrow waterways where cajuput trunks, floating plants and bird sounds are much closer.

Recent visitors repeatedly describe the rowing segment as the more peaceful part of the experience. Some also report that the motorboat can feel rushed depending on the driver and traffic.

If you must choose only one paid boat add-on, decide by purpose: choose the motorboat for route coverage and transport; choose the rowing boat for the classic slow forest experience. For a first visit, doing both gives the clearest sense of how the site is organized.

Do Not Assume Every Channel Will Have a Perfect Green Carpet

The bright green water surface seen in promotional photographs comes from floating wetland vegetation, including duckweed and other aquatic plants. Its density changes with water level, rainfall, current, season and maintenance of individual channels.

September to November is the safest period for the classic high-water appearance, and provincial tourism guidance extends the broader beautiful period into December. Even then, one channel may be thickly green while another is more open water.

Visit for the wetland ecosystem as a whole, not for a guarantee that every metre of the boat route will match a single edited photograph.

Morning and Late Afternoon Serve Different Visitor Priorities

For a cooler, quieter visit, arrive close to opening. Local and operator guidance commonly points to roughly 07:00–09:00 as a useful period for bird activity and comfortable temperatures.

Late afternoon can be stronger for watching birds return toward roosting areas. Local guidance often points to around 16:00–17:00 for that behavior.

The trade-off is closing time. The current official listing closes at 18:00, and no reliable public last-boat time was found. If late-afternoon bird activity is your priority, arrive early enough to complete the boat route before the site begins winding down rather than turning up near 17:30.

The Flood Season Is Best for Water Scenery, Not Automatically for Every Traveler

September to November is the strongest default for the flooded-forest experience: water levels are higher, the wetland looks fuller and aquatic vegetation becomes more visually dominant.

That does not make the rest of the year a failed visit. The operator itself promotes green summer conditions, and recent visitors outside peak flood months still report enjoyable boat trips.

Outside high water, expect a different balance: less dramatic flooding but potentially easier weather on some days and fewer peak-season groups. For photographers who specifically want the classic emerald-channel image, season matters more than it does for a traveler mainly interested in the ecosystem.

Birdwatching Is Real, but Do Not Treat Wildlife as a Scheduled Show

An Giang’s current tourism information records 70 bird species in the forest, including the Painted Stork and Oriental Darter among the rarer species associated with the wetland.

Bird activity changes with season, water level, feeding patterns and time of day. Large flocks are possible, especially around active morning and late-afternoon periods, but they are not guaranteed on a particular boat ride.

Bring binoculars if birdwatching matters to you. The observation tower helps with landscape context, but distant birds are easier to appreciate with your own optics than by relying on a wildlife sighting from the boat alone.

The “10 km Bamboo Bridge” Needs Context

Tra Su is widely promoted for having Vietnam’s record-setting bamboo bridge through a cajuput forest. Current tourism material often refers to a wider bridge system or planned/record length of around 10 km.

However, the attraction’s own current tariff page describes the bamboo bridge included in the entrance experience as about 2.2 km. For itinerary planning, do not assume that a normal visitor must walk a continuous 10 km route.

This matters for families and anyone trying to estimate visit duration. The bamboo walkway can be a substantial part of the visit, but you can combine selected walking sections with boats rather than treating the entire published record length as mandatory.

Budget for Entry and Boats Separately

The current operator tariff page lists 120,000 VND for admission. It separately lists the motorboat and rowing boat at 60,000 VND each, which would make 240,000 VND for entry plus both standard boat services.

However, several current 2026 visitor sources and recent reviews report 70,000 VND for each boat service, while a current An Giang destination guide gives a 190,000 VND walk-in visitor price without clearly itemizing the package.

The practical approach is to budget about 240,000–260,000 VND per adult if you want admission plus both standard boat experiences, then confirm the day’s posted tariff and inclusions at the ticket office before paying.

Tra Su Works Best as a Chau Doc or An Giang Stop, Not a Standalone HCMC Day Trip

The forest is roughly 20–30 km from the Chau Doc area depending on the starting point and route, making Chau Doc the most practical base for international visitors.

From Chau Doc, a half-day outing is enough for transport plus a 2–3 hour visit. It also pairs naturally with the Sam Mountain area, but trying to squeeze a meaningful Tra Su visit into a same-day road trip from Ho Chi Minh City creates far more travel time than forest time.

If Tra Su is one of the reasons you are visiting An Giang, stay locally and choose your forest timing around water level and bird activity rather than around a long intercity transfer.

Explore more travel information about Mekong Delta.

September–November for High Water; Early Morning for a Balanced Visit

The strongest default season is September to November, when Mekong floodwater gives the forest its fullest wetland character and floating vegetation becomes more prominent. Provincial guidance sometimes extends the broader attractive high-water period into December.

For time of day, 07:00–09:00 works well for cooler temperatures, softer light and active birdlife. Late afternoon, particularly around 16:00–17:00, can be rewarding when birds return toward roosting areas, but it leaves less margin before the 18:00 closing time.

Tra Su remains visitable year-round. Outside high water, expect a different landscape rather than assuming the attraction is closed or not worth visiting.

From Acidic Wetland to Protected Cajuput Habitat

Tra Su’s present forest landscape began taking shape in 1983, when cajuput was established on low-lying acidic land in the Long Xuyen Quadrangle.

Over time, the planted cajuput and surrounding wetland habitats developed into a valuable ecosystem supporting aquatic plants, fish, reptiles, mammals and a diverse bird community.

Current An Giang tourism information records Tra Su as a special-use landscape-protection forest, with the protection status dated to 27 May 2003. The site later developed managed ecotourism routes alongside its conservation role.

In 2020, Tra Su received Vietnamese record recognition associated with its flooded-forest tourism landscape and bamboo bridge. These tourism records are separate from the forest’s ecological protection status.

Small Planning Choices That Improve the Visit

• Buy by experience, not by a vague “combo” label. Confirm whether your ticket includes entry, motorboat, rowing boat or all three.
• Prioritize the rowing boat for quiet scenery. It is the slower segment through the narrower channels.
• Go early for cooler conditions. Around 07:00–09:00 is a practical default if photography and bird activity both matter.
• Protect your phone from splashes. A small waterproof pouch is more useful than carrying a large bag during boat transfers.
• Wear stable footwear. Boarding small boats and walking bamboo surfaces are easier in flat shoes or secure sandals.
• Do not promise yourself a specific bird species or a completely green canal. Both wildlife and floating vegetation respond to natural conditions.

BOOKING