Mischievous monkeys keep tourists
No cages, no fences separating, and no need for performances. In the green mangrove forest in Cu Lao Dung commune (Can Tho city), dozens of monkeys branch out every day, foraging and living naturally in the forest. This is what has created a special attraction for the land that many people call by the familiar name: "monkey island".
From the river wharf, stepping onto the bamboo bridge through the forest, visitors enjoy the green space of mangroves and the chirping of birds. Just a few minutes later, the shadows of monkeys began to faintly appear on the trees. Some sat quietly observing, some quickly passed branches, and a few moved closer to the path as if curious about the appearance of strangers.
Few people thought that, even in the land at the end of the Hau River, there was still an almost pristine ecosystem like that.
Cu Lao Dung is located between the two estuary of the Dinh An and Tran De rivers, and has long been considered one of the largest mangrove forest areas of the Mekong Delta. In the Southeast region alone, there are currently about 1,700 hectares of mangrove forest, creating the "green lung" of the estuary area. That environment has become an ideal habitat for many wild animals, including monkeys that have lived for many years.
Coming to Cu Lao Dung for the first time, Mr. Hoang Khang (29 years old, An Giang province) said he was really surprised to see monkeys appearing right in the middle of the forest. "The thing that impressed me the most was seeing monkeys living completely naturally, running and jumping right in front of my eyes, creating a very interesting feeling," Mr. Khang shared.
For many tourists, the most memorable experience is not walking on a bamboo bridge across the forest but the moment of unexpectedly encountering wild monkeys. Their mischievousness and boldness along with the green space of the mangrove forest bring a rare and authentic feeling of closeness.
Forest rangers and special "residents
Having been attached to the forest for more than 30 years, Mr. Truong Van Dung (50 years old) currently manages about 5ha of forest and takes care of the Cau Tre through-forest tourist area. According to Mr. Dung, this area currently has about 30-40 monkeys living.
Every morning, the monkeys often go to the bamboo bridge area to forage. Some are quite aggressive, even clinging to tourists to ask for food. "When I see them disturbing tourists, I have to shout trees to chase them into the forest. Monkeys usually forage themselves, only when they are hungry do they come out to ask for food and have never harmed anyone," Mr. Dung said.
Mr. Dung added that many forests in Cu Lao Dung all have monkeys living naturally. The thing that worries him the most is that they still occasionally encounter dead monkeys in the forest, possibly due to old age, illness or poisoning.
Monkeys are also part of this forest. I just hope everyone joins hands to protect them so that they continue to multiply in nature," Mr. Dung confided.
Coming to Cu Lao Dung today, visitors can both see a herd of monkeys in the forest and explore the typical ecosystem of the coastal area with snakehead fish, three-striped crabs, crabs, wild bees and many species of water birds...
Currently, the tourist attraction is still open for free. After a journey through the mangrove forest, visitors can enjoy rustic dishes imbued with the flavor of the Mekong Delta.
The combination of pristine nature, diverse ecosystems and the story of preserving the monkey herd for many years has helped "monkey island" Cu Lao Dung become a different destination in the Mekong Delta. Through this, visitors can clearly feel the value of nature conservation and preserving the special "residents" of the land at the end of the Hau River.
