Tan Loc is located adjacent to the three provinces of Dong Thap, An Giang, and Can Tho. When newly formed, the islet was all covered with reed. People came to reclaim mainly by raking mussels and catching rice snails, etc. The islet has many names associated with each development period. In the 1970s and 1980s, sugarcane and sugar cooking were popular, musician Pham Tuyen composed the song "My country has a sweet island". The name “Sweet Island” comes from there. Later, many people shifted to raise fish rafts, and the island was named “fishing village”.

Today, the fruit-laden gardens on Tan Los islet are growing more and more. You should drop by Tan Loc to feel the sweet love from this land, from the people on the islet.

From National Highway 91, you stop by Thot Not District Center and cross the river by Thot Not - Tan Loc ferry to reach Tan Loc islet. You can also come to Lai Vung - Dong Thap first and then cross the river by Thot Not - Tan Loc ferry to reach Tan Loc islet. Tan Loc islet has green color of gardens, peaceful countryside scenery, cool winds that bring a sense of relaxation. Moreover, there are several hundreds of years old houses on the islet which also pique the curiosity of tourists from afar.

Tan Loc isle’s map

There are more than 30 old wooden houses over a hundred years old on Tan Loc islet. In particular, your first stop is the ancient house of Tran Ba The, which is the residence of 7 generations of Mr. Pham Van Huan, a courtier of King Gia Long when he moved to the South. Mr. Pham Van Huan was the first to stop and explore this land. The current house follows French and Vietnamese fusion in architectural style. In particular, the interior is completely used in wood, the wooden ceiling is painted with gentle and delicate patterns, in harmony with the typical architectural style of Vietnam with the precious and luxurious set of hand-carved furniture. Within the 3-hectare area of the house, you can also go fishing, visit the orchard, and the front yard to enjoy the panoramic view of the old space of the ancient house.

The ancient house of Tran Ba The with unique architecture

Life on Tan Loc islet is changing drastically as the sugarcane fields are now replaced by fruitful gardens. Tan Loc islet is blessed by nature because it is located on an ancient land with rich alluvial soil. Therefore, the orchards on Tan Loc islet are extremely lush with clean, delicious fruits which can be eaten on-site. Particularly, Tan Loc islet is famous for its An Phuoc water apple which is considered the main variety of fruit trees bringing high economic efficiency to many households here. Although An Phuoc water apple gives a very high yield, its tree is easy to drop fruit. Moreover, in the right season, water apple does not have a high price. In order to take advantage of the water apple, Mr. Nguyen Phu Tia, an 80-year-old farmer from Tan Loc islet, researched and succeeded in the process of transforming this fruit into a new kind of wine. Mr. Sau Tia’s water apple wine has been known for years on the market. Coming to Tan Loc islet, you can learn the process of making water apple wine and try this delicious liquor.

According to Mr. Sau Tia, the wine of water apple is prepared manually, at 33 degrees without Aldehyde, without causing headaches, helping digestion and good for the health of consumers. The raw materials come from An Phuoc red water apple whose cultivation follows the organic procedure, meeting food safety criteria. The wine is ranked in the top 100 typical products of the Mekong Delta of 2014.

Mr. Sau Tia’s water apple wine has been recognized as an OCOP product

Tan Loc islet is also associated with the name “Fish islet”. Since Tan Loc Islet is located on the banks of the Hau River, it is very convenient for water treatment and pond improvement. Currently, Tan Loc islet has been selected by the People's Committee of Can Tho city as the city's aquaculture area specializing in pangasius farming. After nearly twenty years of working in the field of pangasius farming with many ups and downs, Mr. Chuong Van Khanh's family has created a new specialty associated with this type of fish. It is “Pangasius fish sauce” which has also been certified as an OCOP product.

In addition to the water apple gardens on Tan Loc islet, there is also a coconut garden of Mr. Le Tan Nhuong. His coconut garden has an area of nearly 10 hectares with more than 500 roots of Siamese coconut, fire coconut, pineapple coconut, etc. Most gardeners on the islet take care of the fruits very carefully. Moreover, the alluvial soil is rich in nutrients, so the fruits here are always delicious and sweet. After exploring the islet, you can lie in a hammock and enjoy sweet, fragrant coconuts in a peaceful, green coconut garden. This is truly an interesting experience for tourists near and far. Furthermore, coming to “Tan Loc Coconut Garden”, you can breathe very fresh air and enjoy the cool breeze. In small canals that are intertwined with coconut banks, you can relax, swim around, go sightseeing and take photos of beautiful sceneries.

Stopping by Tan Loc islet, especially in the fruit seasons, you can enjoy the specialty fruits such as water apple, guava, mango, rambutan, longan, and so on. The orchards here are very fruitful so you just need to reach out and pick whatever fruit you like and enjoy the peaceful atmosphere of the village.