Tiếng Việt
During a trip to explore the lakes in An Giang that I took at the end of February 2023, I was quite surprised that the famous lakes, sought after by young people, looked so different in reality compared to the photos online. Of course, there are still some lakes with beautiful locations and scenery. Below, I will give you a detailed review of each lake in An Giang that I personally saw!
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Detailed review of the lakes in An Giang
The following are my personal observations based on what I actually saw when exploring the lakes in An Giang. I want to share this so that those who love the That Son Bay Nui region and are planning to check in at the lakes in Tri Ton, An Giang, will have suitable suggestions. This will help them choose an ideal place to avoid wasting time and getting disheartened during their trip.
Soai So Lake – The most beautiful and worthwhile lake in An Giang
When you come to Tri Ton, An Giang, you’ve probably heard of To Mountain (the second highest mountain in the That Son range, only lower than Cam Mountain). Soai So Lake has a prime location right next to the foot of Co To Mountain. Therefore, in my opinion, this lake is the most worthwhile to visit.
Soai So Lake is an artificial lake, intended to store and supply water for hundreds of hectares of fields, gardens, and the daily lives of people in the area. The lake has a wide area of clear blue water and a spot for young people to check in. The view behind the lake is Co To Mountain, so your photos are guaranteed to be beautiful!
Precisely because it’s located next to Co To Mountain, besides checking in at Soai So Lake, you and your group can also embark on a mountain trek to explore famous spiritual destinations on To Mountain such as: Fairy Footprint on Co To Mountain, Vo Hoi, the giant Tri Ton word symbol, San Tien, etc. Additionally, you can also camp on the mountaintop as the experience of cloud hunting, watching the sunset, and sunrise here is also fantastic.
The path to Soai So Lake is quite easy. You just need to follow Tran Hung Dao Street, drive a short distance past the Tri Ton Commune People’s Committee, and you’ll see the entrance arch to the Suoi Vang Soai So Tourist Area. The large lake right next to the foot of To Mountain is Soai So Lake.
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O Thum Lake
O Thum Lake – an An Giang lake associated with the famous grilled chicken dish known far and wide. This lake belongs to O Lam Commune, Tri Ton District. It’s located to the west of Co To Mountain and to the east of Tuc Dup Hill, which gives it a very picturesque surrounding view.
However, this lake in Tri Ton, An Giang, left me a bit disappointed. When I visited, the lake didn’t have much water, it was very murky, and the toddy palm trees on the surface were broken and bare. If I hadn’t located it using Google Maps, I wouldn’t have believed it was O Thum Lake as depicted in the photos shared by young people online. Moreover, the road from the main street to O Thum Lake requires you to drive through a dirt road. This section has a lot of trucks frequently carrying sand from the exploitation site further inside, so it’s very dusty.
Despite this, once you get deeper into the lake area, you’ll be compensated by the famous O Thum grilled chicken, a renowned dish of the Tri Ton, An Giang region. Furthermore, for young people who love to take “virtual living” photos, the restaurants and eateries here each have models like “stairways to heaven” and heart symbols for you to freely take pictures.
Soai Chek Lake
Soai Chek Lake is also an artificial lake in An Giang, built to serve agricultural purposes. The road to the lake is very winding, with many dusty dirt sections that are even worse than the road to O Thum Lake. There’s even a section that passes by a sand and rock exploitation site, so construction vehicles are constantly entering and exiting (perhaps because we followed Google Maps directions from O Thum Lake, so this route wasn’t ideal).
When I finally reached Soai Chek Lake, I was even more shocked to find another sand mining site right next to it. On the other side of the lake was a dense area of trees, while on this side, a dry, sunny, and windy barrier had been built. What’s more, the lake water here was extremely murky, there was no path to get to the other side of the lake, and construction power lines were strung across and even lying on the water, looking very dangerous.
Because of these negative experiences at Soai Chek Lake, I don’t think I’ll visit this lake again.
O Ta Soc Lake – An Giang’s Lake with a Pretty Chill Camping View
O Ta Soc Lake is a recently popular lake in An Giang, considered quite suitable for young people who enjoy camping to set up their tents. This lake has a large area and is located below Ngoa Long Mountain in Luong Phi Commune, about 12 km from the center of Tri Ton District via Provincial Road 955B.
Due to its special location, the scenery around the lake is incredibly lush. Recently, there hasn’t been any sand and rock mining nearby, so the air is quite fresh, it’s windy and cool, the lake water is clear blue, and there are even toddy palm trees—a characteristic plant of the region—in the middle of the lake.
There are also many well-invested restaurants and drink stalls around here, offering photo opportunities for young people exploring this lake in An Giang.
Another big plus for O Ta Soc Lake is that the road leading here features a picturesque bamboo forest path. Young people who love to check in can wear traditional costumes to take photos here; it’s incredibly scenic. I have a rather good impression of O Ta Soc Lake; besides Soai So Lake, this is also a worthwhile lake to experience in An Giang.
Otuksa Lake (O Tuc Sa Lake)
Otuksa Lake (O Tuc Sa Lake) is located in An Cu Commune, Tinh Bien District, An Giang Province, bordering An Hao Commune. The lake is near the foot of Cam Mountain and has clear directional signs, making it quite easy to find. However, when I visited, the lake water was almost completely drained, and the lake was also being utilized for a regional planning project, so the entire area was fenced off. There were also signs prohibiting entry, photography, and videography in the lake area.
It’s quite a shame, as this was once a very large lake in the region, where countless unique check-in photos were taken by backpackers and Tri Ton, An Giang travel enthusiasts.
Famous Bay Nui Regional Specialties You Absolutely Must Try!
When you visit the sacred That Son Bay Nui region, besides exploring the beautiful scenery of An Giang, you definitely should try the specialty dishes that have made the region famous and appealing. These include:
- Toddy Palm Steamed Cake (Banh Bo Thot Not): The toddy palm fruit not only offers refreshing drinks but can also be processed into soft, spongy, and fragrant cakes. This snack, costing only 20k for 5 pieces, is of excellent quality and can be found anywhere in Tri Ton.
- O Thum Grilled Chicken (Ga Dot O Thum): This dish originated from Cambodia. Hill chicken is marinated with spices, wrapped in lemongrass and kaffir lime leaves, then grilled. The result is a fragrant, golden, juicy chicken served with a special dipping sauce. Address: On the road leading to O Thum Lake, as mentioned above.
- Beef Porridge (Chao Bo): A bowl of porridge full of beef toppings like blood pudding, offal, blanched beef, etc., for only 25k? Believe it! Come to An Giang and try it! This dish is served with kaffir lime, which is the special ingredient that creates the unique flavor for this famous specialty. Address: Thuy Den Beef Porridge, An Loi Commune, Tri Ton District.
- Grilled Beef and Papaya Salad (Bo Nuong va Du Du Dam): Food lovers absolutely must try these two traditional dishes of the Khmer people. The beef is marinated and grilled, eaten with a papaya salad mixed with fish sauce, creating a very addictive flavor. Address: Rina Papaya Salad restaurant (you can find this place on Google Maps) because its popularity is directly proportional to the quality of the food.
My trip exploring the lakes in An Giang was filled with many emotions. I hope my practical insights about my experience at the lakes in Tri Ton, An Giang, will be helpful for those planning to discover this mysterious and beautiful That Son region. An Giang still has many beautiful landmarks, unique culture, and appealing specialties waiting for you to explore. So, make a plan to visit this enchanting borderland!
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