Free date palm garden draws visitors to Vietnam’s Dong Thap

The garden, located about five kilometers from central Hong Ngu Ward toward the border area, covers around 7,000 square meters and features 110 red and yellow date palm trees currently in peak fruiting season.

The garden is owned by Dinh Nhut Hoa’s family, who have invested in the date palm farm for more than six years. 

However, it has only been open to visitors for about a year, when the trees began bearing ripe fruit.

Visitors entering Chala Farm can relax amid a cool, green space lined with rows of date palms.

Many families have brought their children to the garden during the summer holidays, allowing them to experience the countryside landscape with trees, flowers, ponds, and wooden bridges.

Clusters of dates hang heavily, resembling dazzling chandeliers and drawing admiration from visitors.

Nguyen Thi Le Thu, a local resident, said she visited the eco-tourism garden with her family and was impressed by the abundance of ripe dates.

Her grandchildren were very excited to explore the date palm garden.

“As far as I know, very few people grow these trees, and it is rare to find a place where visitors can explore them for free. After taking photos, my family had a meal here, with a variety of dishes typical of the Mekong Delta,” Thu said.

Dinh Nhut Hoa, owner of Chala Farm, said the date palms are in their third year of fruit production, with an expected yield of more than five metric tons.

Dong Thap’s climate and soil are favorable for growing the trees, although they require considerable care and cultivation expertise.

On average, the tourist site welcomes more than 500 visitors a week, including around 300 visitors who come for sightseeing and dining on weekends.

Local authorities also helped with the initial procedures for developing the garden-based ecotourism model.

The farm sells yellow dates for VND350,000 (US$13.3) per kilogram and red dates for VND400,000 ($15.2) per kilogram, Hoa said.

Visitors to the border area of Dong Thap can combine a trip to the date palm garden with visits to nearby attractions, such as a riverside market in Thuong Phuoc Commune and the Long Khanh scarf-weaving craft village, as well as activities including swimming at a sandbar, visiting border markers, and experiencing the floating season.