Destinations · North Tay Ninh

Lo Go–Xa Mat and Dau Tieng: forest, river and reservoir

North of Ba Den Mountain the province turns to border forest and open water: an ASEAN Heritage Park along the Vam Co Dong river, and a reservoir big enough to be called the sea of Tay Ninh. Both need a car and a full day, and neither is set up for casual visits.

By Tay Ninh Tourism editors · Published 2026-10-26 · Last reviewed 2026-10-26 · Corrections

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At a glance

Lo Go–Xa Mat: ASEAN Heritage Park since October 2019
Distance: About 30 km north-west of the former provincial town
Dau Tieng Lake: About 27,000 ha of water
From town to the lake: About 45 minutes by car
Time needed: A full day for both
Season: December to April for the lake shore

Sources: ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity — Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park; Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (rural tourism portal) — Lo Go-Xa Mat; VnExpress — Tay Ninh travel handbook (Vietnamese, September 2024) · last checked 2026-10-26.

Lo Go–Xa Mat National Park

The park lies on the Cambodian border in the former Tan Bien district, about 30 kilometres north-west of the former provincial town. It was named an ASEAN Heritage Park in October 2019, the only one in the south-east of Vietnam. Its habitats are evergreen and dipterocarp forest, riverine forest along the Vam Co Dong, seasonally flooded grassland and scrub.

Published area figures differ: the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity gives about 17,400 hectares, VnExpress about 19,000 hectares and the Vietnam News Agency 30,023 hectares across six communes, probably counting land around the core. Species counts are clearer: about 700 plant species and 203 bird species, with mammals including two endangered langurs and the critically endangered Sunda pangolin.

The park also holds historic sites from the war years, including the base of the Central Office for South Vietnam, listed as a special national historical site, and the former headquarters of the Provisional Revolutionary Government, the Liberation News Agency and the Liberation Radio Station.

Sources: ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity — Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park; Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (rural tourism portal) — Lo Go-Xa Mat; People's Army newspaper — Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park; VnExpress — Tay Ninh travel handbook (Vietnamese, September 2024) · last checked 2026-10-26.

What you can do there

Boat trips on the Vam Co Dong river, watching the banks for birds and wildlife, as described by VnExpress.
Forest cycling routes and walks on mostly flat ground.
A watchtower about 33 metres high, for a view over the forest canopy.
Overnight camping, which the park offers with forest meals.
Visits to the historic sites and to a border marker on the Vietnam–Cambodia line.
Birdwatching; sarus cranes are reported to stop over on migration.

Activities are organised through the park. We could not find published opening hours or fees, so contact the park before you go and confirm what is running that week. School groups and research visits are a large part of its programme, which means facilities are practical rather than polished.

Sources: VnExpress — Tay Ninh travel handbook (Vietnamese, September 2024); Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (rural tourism portal) — Lo Go-Xa Mat; People's Army newspaper — Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park; ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity — Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park · last checked 2026-10-26.

Dau Tieng Lake

Dau Tieng is an irrigation reservoir east of Ba Den Mountain, described by VnExpress as the largest artificial lake in Vietnam at about 27,000 hectares and nicknamed the sea of Tay Ninh. From the former provincial town it is about 45 minutes by car. It is not a resort lake: much of the shore is open grass, farmland and fishing landings.

The lake changes with the seasons. Water rises from August to November, when the shore retreats and fishing picks up. In the dry season the water drops and leaves grassy flats where people camp, and boats hired from local people run out to Nhim island. Stand-up paddleboarding has appeared in recent years. There is little shade, so morning and late afternoon are the times to be on the shore.

Sources: VnExpress — Tay Ninh travel handbook (Vietnamese, September 2024) · last checked 2026-10-26.

When to go

JFMAMJJASONDLo Go–Xa MatDau Tieng Lake shore

Planning sketch from the general southern climate: dry December to April, rainy May to November. ● ideal · ◐ good · ○ poor.

Southern Vietnam is dry from December to April and wet from May to November, with afternoon downpours that last a few hours. For the park, the dry season makes forest tracks easier and cycling more pleasant; the wet season makes the river and grassland greener but some tracks muddy. For the lake, the dry season shore is what most visitors come for; from August to November the water is high and camping flats disappear.

Sources: Vietnam National Authority of Tourism — weather and climate; VnExpress — Tay Ninh travel handbook (Vietnamese, September 2024); Sun Paradise Land news — Tay Ninh rainy season (September 2026) · last checked 2026-10-26.

Getting there and how long to stay

Neither place has convenient public transport. Plan on a car or a hired driver from the former provincial town, which coaches from Ho Chi Minh City reach in two to three hours. As a planning estimate, the park takes half a day with a boat trip or a cycle, the lake two to three hours, and the drive between them about an hour.

That makes a long day if you start in Ho Chi Minh City. The practical version is to sleep near Ba Den Mountain or in town, ride the cable car at dawn, and spend the rest of the day on one of these two. Trying to do the mountain, the Holy See, the park and the lake in one day means seeing each from a car window. See day trip or overnight.

Sources: VnExpress — Tay Ninh travel handbook (Vietnamese, September 2024); ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity — Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park · last checked 2026-10-26.

Costs we can source

Item	Cost	Note
Park entry, boat or cycle tours	Not published	Ask the park before you go
Boat to Nhim island	Not published	Hired from local people; agree price first
Motorbike rental in town	VND 100,000 to 180,000 a day	2024 range
Hotel in the former provincial town	VND 500,000 to 1,000,000 a night	2024 range

Ranges come from a 2024 national newspaper guide and are there to help you plan. Check before you go. UK travel advice requires an international driving permit, your national licence and a helmet to ride a motorbike, and warns that travel insurance may not cover you otherwise.

Sources: VnExpress — Tay Ninh travel handbook (Vietnamese, September 2024); UK Foreign Office — Vietnam safety and security · last checked 2026-10-26.

Pictures

Track through dry forest in Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park

A boatman waves while standing on his wooden engine boat on a muddy river in the Mekong Delta.

Watchtower above the forest canopy in Lo Go-Xa Mat National Park

Open grassy shore of Dau Tieng Lake in the dry season

Small fishing boats on Dau Tieng Lake in the evening

Who should skip them, and when not to go

Day trippers from Ho Chi Minh City who also want Ba Den and the Holy See. There is not enough daylight.
Visitors without a car or driver. Distances inside the province are long and buses do not serve these places.
Anyone expecting resort facilities at the lake. It is a working reservoir with basic services.
Wet-season visitors hoping to camp on the lake shore. From August to November the flats are under water.

If you have a second day in the province, these two are the most rewarding way to use it. If you have one day, stay with the mountain and the temple.

Common questions

Questions readers ask

Can I visit Lo Go–Xa Mat without a guide?

You can reach the park by car, but activities such as boat trips, cycling routes and camping are arranged through the park. Contact it before you go.

Is the park near the Cambodian border crossing?

It lies on the border in the former Tan Bien district. The park is not a crossing point; use an official border gate if you are travelling on to Cambodia.

Can I swim in Dau Tieng Lake?

The sources we checked mention camping, boats and paddleboarding, not swimming areas. It is a working reservoir; ask locally and do not swim alone.

Which is better for birds, Lo Go–Xa Mat or Lang Sen?

They are different. Lo Go–Xa Mat has forest birds and river banks; Lang Sen has large numbers of waterbirds in a wetland. Choose by habitat and by which end of the province you will be in.

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