Vietnam: the gardens of Sa Dec seduce tourists

Its colorful gardens and thousands of different flowers have made it famous throughout Vietnam. More than 2,000 horticultural families live in the town of Her Decin the south of the country. Located on the Mekong Strait, the plantations occupy all the space until they extend above the water. On its submerged land, Thanh Tam Ho cultivates no less than 15,000 rosebushes. To water them, the horticulturist must travel in a simple boat in jail. “It’s easier to move around that way. It’s less tiringhe says.

A tourist attraction

The city of Her Dec has been using these floating plantations for more than half a century. “Initially, the flowers were raised to protect them from flooding. In the end, they behave better that way”explains Thanh Tam Ho. These thousands of flowers will be sold throughout the country. The long delivery begins on the banks of the Mekong. Trucks transport several hundred kilos of plants every day. The know-how of local horticulturists has become a tourist attraction. Parks have multiplied in the city. Other tourists follow in the footsteps of Marguerite Duras, the author of The Lover.