Chau Doc is “one of the Mekong Delta's most interesting destinations,” according to Fodors. It’s a “religiously diverse and picturesque border town,” inhabited by Kinh (Vietnam's ethnic majority), Khmer, Cham, and Chinese communities. The town, on the banks of the Hau Giang River, has “a jaunty air, possibly from the xe loi (bicycle trailers) that ply the streets,” and its riverside promenade is a “pleasant spot to explore, watch the sunset, and catch the local ferry across the river to visit the city's biggest mosque.”
Chau Doc’s “relative isolation” has preserved the area from “excessive modernisation,” says Michelin Travel. “The town comprises a jumble of ill-assorted houses inhabited by Chams, Vietnamese, Chinese and Khmer, making it a good example of Vietnam's cultural and religious diversity and offering visitors a glimpse of Vietnam which is both unexpected and authentic.”