The Mangosteen Garden eco-tourism area is located in Xeo Cao hamlet, Thanh Xuan commune (Can Tho city) with an area of more than 2.3ha, currently preserving two ancient mangosteen trees that are more than a century old. This is also the pride of the family of Mr. Nguyen Van Tan (commonly known as Mr. Tam Tan), who is continuing to preserve and promote the value of the garden through many generations.
Mr. Tam Tan said that around 1920, his maternal grandfather, Mr. Nguyen Van Hue, bought mangosteen seedlings from boats selling seedlings from Tien Giang (old) and brought them back to plant in his home garden. In the early days, the tree was cared for very carefully, shielded from the sun and wind with banana leaves, fertilized with manure and rotten grass to adapt to the new land. After nearly 10 years of cultivation, the tree began to bear its first fruit crops.
Having existed for more than a century, the two mangosteen trees have witnessed countless ups and downs of the land of Tam Vu. During the years of resistance against France and the US, the garden was repeatedly affected by war, at times abandoned. However, amidst bombs and natural disasters, the two mangosteen trees still thrive. To this day, traces of a fierce wartime are still preserved on the trunks of the trees.
From these two leading mangosteen trees, my father realized that the trees are very suitable for the local soil and climate conditions and have very strong vitality, so he continued to propagate them throughout the garden," Mr. Tam Tan recounted.
From the initial seedlings, his family has now developed more than 200 mangosteen trees aged 40 to 50 years and nearly 300 young mangosteen trees about 5 years old. Each year, the garden yields about 15 tons of fruit. Two ancient mangosteen trees over a hundred years old still yield over 300kg of fruit per tree, contributing to bringing a stable income for the family.
Not only bringing a stable income for the family, the garden has also become an attractive and favorite destination for many tourists. Under the lush green mangosteen trees, laden with fruit all year round, the story of two ancient trees over 100 years old is still passed down, creating a unique attraction for this place.
Recognizing that potential, in mid-2023, Mr. Tam Tan boldly developed a garden eco-tourism model, combining agricultural experience and learning about local culture and history.
In the peaceful space of Tam Vu countryside, visitors not only admire ancient mangosteen trees over a hundred years old, but also have the opportunity to experience true garden life with fruit picking, rowing boats, fishing and enjoying typical dishes of the Mekong Delta made from local ingredients.
Not only taking care of the garden, Mr. Tam Tan is also a person who preserves memories of the land of Tam Vu. With nearly 30 years of working as a guide at the Tam Vu Victory historical and cultural relic, he enthusiastically tells tourists stories about a heroic struggle period, contributing to making the visit more meaningful and emotional.
Currently, Thanh Xuan commune (Can Tho City) is orienting the development of garden ecotourism associated with the unique historical and cultural values of the locality. In the coming time, the local government will continue to mobilize people to link up to develop community tourism, connect agricultural product consumption, and gradually build unique destinations, contributing to promoting the image of the land of Tam Vu, rich in revolutionary traditions, to tourists inside and outside the city.
