LookAtVietnam – Amidst the poetic scenery of the countryside with the murmur of canals running under ancient trees, Can Tho City is an ideal place for fishing for pleasure; providing a chance to contemplate in a place of tranquility.

Tourists go fishing at Thanh Tung Restaurant’s fish pond.

Dinh Thi Xuan Mai, the owner of the restaurant, said that the restaurant offers fishing services at VND30,000 per hour, exclusive of rod and fish cooking. However, visitors can borrow rods and buy fish food at VND10,000 for 100 grams or VND500 a cricket.

Fishing here can be lucky, sometime ten kilograms of fish can be caught in just one hour, added Mai. Many visitors are from Tra Noc Ward, some of them come alone and others come with their family for a short holidays. They merrily gather under the cottages and make dishes from the fish they have caught, happily enjoying the meal together.

Meanwhile, nearer to the center of Can Tho City, two large fish ponds in Gia Trang Quan, located on Nguyen Chi Thanh Street, Tra Noc Ward, Binh Thuy District, are very popular with tourists. “I had a passion for fishing when I lived in HCMC twenty years ago. When I came back to my hometown, Can Tho City, I opened a restaurant and fishing service to satisfy myself as well as my customers.” said Phung Van Chau, owner of Gia Trang Quan.

The two ponds were set up in 2004 on an area of 12,000 square meters. One is 2,000 square meters and the other is 1,500 square meters. The restaurant features 18 cottages nestled in a large green orchard by the ponds, three floating houses and four long houses. Tourists pay VND40,000 per hour, inclusive of fishing rod. Fish food is available at the restaurant for VND10,000 per a kilogram of Cagrill agricultural food, VND10,000 for a pack of shrimp, VND500 per cricket and VND40,000 for a pack of worms.

Chau often allows the fish to get hungry so they are easy to catch and on festive days he releases a large amount of bird fish into the pond as this fish is easily caught. Children delightedly show off their unlucky fish to their parents and adults are elated to bring back a pack of fish to show off to their neighbors or relatives, shared Chau.

Late last year, Chau opened a shrimp pond to serve tourists at VND60,000 per hour. Along with the joy of catching shrimp, visitors also receive a small gift if they catch a shrimp with a piece of silver paper attached to its tail.

Visitors to Can Tho City can indulge in peaceful rivers and canals, the endless green of orchards as well as the tranquility at fishing ponds to show their talent as fishermen and to enjoy relaxing in the countryside.

VietNamNet/SGT