At the Ben Do Con Son boat landing in Binh Thuy District, Can Tho City, a water buffalo bows its head on cue, welcoming travelers as white egrets settle onto its back. When the owner calls out, the buffalo shakes its head, and five egrets fly in to line up along its back. For families exploring the Mekong countryside by boat, it's become one more stop worth adding to a floating-market-and-orchard tour.<\/p>\n
The Vietnamese newspaper Dan Tri reported the story on August 6. The setting is an islet in Con Son, across the Hau River from central Can Tho. Weekend visitor numbers are said to spike especially high. Crossing to the island by boat to meet a talented buffalo and bird amid the rhythms of farm life \u2014 here's how to actually work this experience into a family itinerary.<\/p>\n
When the owner, Le Van Can, 51, gives the signal, two water buffalo bow their heads to greet guests. The black one is named Xe, the pinkish one Phao \u2014 both named after pieces in Vietnamese chess (co tuong). When Can calls again, five nearby white egrets fly in and land on the buffalo's backs. Visitors can watch the whole sequence unfold and take photos of it.<\/p>\n
The rapport between the buffalo and the birds comes from the accumulation of daily care. According to Can, each buffalo eats more than 30kg of grass a day and bathes five or six times on hot afternoons. Because these are animals raised with real care, they bow on cue, and the birds land on their backs without fear of people. Can says he wanted to preserve the look of an old-fashioned rural landscape. Visitors who see a buffalo greet them for the first time often say they're surprised.<\/p>\n
This one scene resonates because the water buffalo is the very image of rural Vietnam, having supported rice farming from north to south. As mechanization spreads, city children have fewer chances to touch a living buffalo. For families visiting from Japan too, getting close to a buffalo and birds amid a farming family's everyday life \u2014 unlike a petting zoo \u2014 leaves an impression that goes beyond a good photo. It's precisely because this is a scene drawn from everyday life, not a flashy attraction, that it tends to stick in a young child's memory.<\/p>\n
Con Son is an islet in the Hau River, reached from the opposite bank by ferry. Crossing by boat rather than a bridge gives you the sense of stepping into countryside set apart from the city's bustle. The islet already has the makings of community tourism, with farming families welcoming guests, and trips to visit orchards and riverside life are already well established there. This buffalo-and-egret scene is a new highlight you can add along the way. Rather than making it a destination on its own, it works best paired with Can Tho's classic waterside circuit. See the trade on the water at the early-morning Cai Rang Floating Market, then visit an orchard or a farming family on the islet during the day, slotting in the buffalo-and-egret scene in between.<\/p>\n
Can Tho's food scene is strong too \u2014 a night market in the city and a morning market on the river let you cover both ends of waterside life in a single overnight stay.a route covering Can Tho's night market and morning floating market in one overnight stay<\/a>\u2014 add a half day at Con Son, and you get a two-part trip covering both the city and the islet. If the timing lines up,All-you-can-eat durian in Can Tho<\/a>\u2014 you can pick up flavors like that, straight from the source, during the same stay.<\/p>\n