What it is
Vuon Co Tan Long — literally "Tan Long Egret Garden" — is a bird sanctuary spread across roughly 3 hectares of dense longan and bamboo groves in Tan Long commune, Phung Hiep district. The site historically fell under Soc Trang province but now sits within the expanded boundaries of Can Tho following recent administrative mergers. Thousands of egrets, storks, and cormorants roost here, turning the canopy white at dusk. The sanctuary has been informally protected by local families since the early 1980s, when residents noticed birds returning in growing numbers to the fruit orchards and decided to leave them alone rather than hunt them. That decision turned a few family gardens into one of the Mekong Delta (메콩 델타 / 湄公河三角洲 / メコンデルタ)'s more impressive rookeries.
It's not a polished eco-park. There's no visitor center, no gift shop, no entrance plaza. You're walking along narrow dirt paths between fruit trees while birds wheel overhead. That's the appeal.
Why travelers go
Most visitors come for one thing: the spectacle of birds returning to roost. Between late afternoon and sunset, columns of white egrets funnel in from surrounding rice paddies and fish ponds, circling before dropping into the trees. At peak season you can see several thousand birds in a single evening. It's loud, chaotic, and genuinely impressive — the kind of thing that doesn't need a superlative adjective to sell it.
Beyond the birds, Vuon Co Tan Long offers a look at rural Mekong Delta life that the floating markets don't. The surrounding area is all fruit orchards, fish farms, and narrow canals. If you've spent a few days in Can Tho (껀터 / 芹苴 / カントー) doing the Cai Rang circuit, this is a good counterweight — quieter, less touristed, more agricultural.
Best time to visit
The birds are present year-round, but numbers peak during nesting season from roughly April through September. Within that window, May to July tends to be the densest — breeding pairs are settled, chicks are hatching, and the trees are packed. The rainy season (May–November) means afternoon showers, but these usually clear by 4 PM, right before the best bird-watching window.
Time of day matters more than month. Arrive by 4:30 PM. The main show — birds returning to the canopy — runs from about 5:00 to 6:15 PM. Morning visits (around 5:30–6:30 AM) catch the reverse: birds leaving the roost in waves. Midday is quiet and hot, with most birds out feeding.
How to get there
From central Can Tho (Ninh Kieu district), Vuon Co Tan Long is about 40 km southeast via National Road 1A and then smaller provincial roads toward Phung Hiep.
By motorbike: The most practical option. Rent a semi-automatic in Can Tho for 120,000–150,000 VND/day and ride about 1 hour. The route through Phung Hiep town is straightforward — follow QL1A south, then turn off toward Tan Long commune. Google Maps handles it fine.
By car/taxi: A return taxi trip from Can Tho runs roughly 500,000–700,000 VND depending on waiting time. Grab cars are available but drivers sometimes balk at the rural roads.
By tour: A few Can Tho-based operators bundle Vuon Co Tan Long with Phung Hiep floating market (the old "snake market") as a half-day trip. Expect 350,000–500,000 VND per person in a small group.
There's no public bus running directly to the sanctuary entrance.
Photo by Duy Nguyen on Pexels
What to do
Watch the evening return
This is the main event. Find a spot on the elevated observation platform (a basic wooden structure) or along the raised paths, and wait. Bring binoculars if you have them — you'll spot cattle egrets, great egrets, little cormorants, and painted storks at various levels of the canopy. The sound alone is something: thousands of birds calling, arguing over branches, settling chicks.
Walk the orchard paths
The sanctuary is threaded with narrow trails under longan, coconut, and bamboo. Even outside peak bird hours, these are pleasant to wander — shaded, green, with the occasional monitor lizard in the undergrowth. The paths can be muddy after rain, so skip the sandals.
Talk to the caretaker families
The families who maintain the sanctuary often sit near the entrance. If you speak some Vietnamese — or bring a friend who does — they'll tell you about how the bird population has changed over the decades, which species nest where, and what threats remain (habitat loss from surrounding development is the big one). These conversations are more informative than any signboard.
Photograph the canopy at golden hour
The 30 minutes before sunset, when low light hits the white birds against dark green foliage, is genuinely photogenic. A 200mm lens or better helps. Tripod is useful for the low light but hard to set up on narrow paths.
Combine with Phung Hiep market
Phung Hiep's morning market (about 10 km away) is worth a stop on the way. It's less famous than Cai Rang but more chaotic and local — produce, live fish, snakes, eels. Hit the market in the morning, explore Phung Hiep town, then head to the bird sanctuary for the evening show.
Where to eat nearby
The immediate area around Vuon Co Tan Long is rural — no restaurant row. In Phung Hiep town, look for "bun nuoc leo," a Khmer-influenced noodle soup with fermented fish broth, snakehead fish, and roasted pork. It's a Soc Trang-region specialty you won't find easily elsewhere. A bowl runs 25,000–35,000 VND. "[Banh xeo](/posts/banh-xeo-vietnam (베트남 / 越南 / ベトナム)-sizzling-pancake)" in the delta tends to be larger and crispier than what you'll find in Saigon — stuffed with shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts, eaten wrapped in herbs and lettuce.
Back in Can Tho, the Ninh Kieu waterfront area has plenty of options. "Bun rieu" stalls near the old market are reliable, and the city's "[com tam](/posts/com-tam-saigon (사이공 / 西贡 / サイゴン)-broken-rice)" spots along Hai Ba Trung Street are solid for a cheap rice plate after a long afternoon.
Where to stay
There's no accommodation at the sanctuary itself. Most travelers base in central Can Tho:
- Budget: Guesthouses around Ninh Kieu wharf run 200,000–350,000 VND/night for a clean air-con room.
- Mid-range: Newer hotels along Hai Ba Trung and Hoa Binh streets go for 500,000–900,000 VND, with pools and breakfast included.
- Splurge: The Azerai Can Tho (formerly Ecolodge) on the outskirts offers riverside bungalows from about 2,500,000 VND.
Photo by HONG SON on Pexels
Practical tips locals would tell you
- Wear long sleeves and pants. Mosquitoes are aggressive near the roost, especially at dusk.
- Bring a hat or umbrella — and not for rain. Bird droppings are a real hazard under the canopy.
- Keep your voice down near the nesting areas. Loud groups spook the birds and they'll relocate to higher, harder-to-see branches.
- The entrance fee is small — around 20,000–30,000 VND per person — and goes directly to the caretaker families. Don't try to negotiate it.
- Phone signal is patchy. Download offline maps before you leave Can Tho.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Arriving at midday. You'll see empty trees and wonder what the fuss was about. Time your visit for late afternoon or early morning.
- Wearing sandals. The paths are uneven, often muddy, and there are tree roots everywhere. Closed shoes save you a twisted ankle.
- Skipping insect repellent. The combination of standing water, dense vegetation, and dusk is mosquito paradise.
- Not bringing water. There are no vendors inside the sanctuary. Bring at least a liter.
Practical notes
Vuon Co Tan Long works best as a half-day side trip from Can Tho, paired with Phung Hiep market or a canal boat ride. It's not a full-day destination, but the evening bird return is one of those Mekong Delta experiences that stays with you — no entrance arch, no audio guide, just a lot of birds doing what they've done here for forty years.
Last updated · May 24, 2026 · independently researched, never sponsored.
