Dong Tam Snake Farm – What to Do in My Tho, Tien Giang
Table of Contents
Dong Tam snake farm is considered the largest snake farm in Vietnam. Today, traveling to the Mekong Delta with the floating markets and fruit-laden orchards has become popular. However, if you want to find something new and different when traveling to the South, the Dong Tam snake farm is a place you should not miss.
By Thomas Vietnam at vemekong.com | Official My Tho Visitor Guide
Ticket: 30,000 VND (adult) - 20,000 VND (child)
Spend-time: One hour (approx)
Hours: Dawn - Dusk
Food: Yes
Shop: Yes
Parking lot: Yes
Blog: /dong-tam-snake-farm-my-tho/
Address: Belongs to Binh Duc commune, Chau Thanh district, Tien Giang province. Located about 9km west of My Tho city center.
Added values: Whether you are a snake lover, a person who is afraid of snakes, or even if you hate snakes, come to this kingdom once to admire the wonderful world of this legless reptile.
Nearby attractions and hidden gems: Looking for places to stop on your way to and from Dong Tam snake farm? Or maybe you found it too long a drive here? We’ve got some ideas! Check out our list: Phoenix Islet (14 km), Dieu Hoa Temple (10 km), My Tho Cathedral (8 km), My Tho Market (10 km)…
If you are in Ho Chi Minh City or neighboring provinces, you can go by bus to buy tickets to Tien Giang. If you want to have a more enjoyable experience, you can ride a motorbike by yourself in the following ways:
- If starting from the center of Ho Chi Minh City, you follow Highway 1A and drive in the direction of the West. Then go through Long An and continue straight for about 20km, you will come to Trung Luong junction. Here, you turn left to come to My Tho.
- Next, from My Tho city, you follow Le Thi Hong Gam street towards Rach Mieu bridge, you will see a specific signboard to Dong Tam snake farm.
The purpose of establishing Dong Tam snake farm is to take snake venom to produce serum, along with growing medicinal plants. Coming to Dong Tam Snake Farm, you can not only witness with your own eyes all kinds of Vietnamese snakes; but also an opportunity for visitors to learn more about medicinal plants that are extremely valuable sources of medicinal herbs; being stored and bred for medical purposes.
If you come on the right occasion, you also have the opportunity to witness the natural reproduction of snakes. In addition, this place also has the only snake museum in Vietnam that has set a Guinness Vietnam record. The museum is home to more than 50 samples of snakes of all kinds with many rare species.
Development history of Dong Tam snake farm
From 1977 to 1998, the snake farm was built as a place of emergency and treatment for venomous snake bites
In 2008, on average, this place treated 800 cases of venomous snakebites annually
From 2009 up to now, the average treatment is 1,000 cases/year.
Because it is the largest snake farm in Vietnam, Dong Tam snake farm is divided into 3 areas: the area of snakes living in lakes; venomous snake farming area, and python farming area:
Lake area: This area has a lake with a depth of about 30 -40 cm; The walls in this area are built as high as an adult's chest and have a door. In the middle of the lake is an islet planted with some low canopy trees. This area raises typical snake species.
Venomous snake breeding area: Because it is a place to raise extremely poisonous snakes, this area is carefully shielded. So you don't need to worry too much when visiting this place. This area raises mainly snakes such as scorpions, cobras...
Python breeding area: This area includes large iron cages. Each cage is a python. Coming here, you will have the opportunity to witness first-hand the giant pythons.
In addition to the above areas, there is also the Dong Tam snake farm museum. This is a place to display unique and rare snakes in Vietnam. So don't miss this place!
How does the staff take care of the snakes here?
To raise poisonous snakes, the staff here when opening the cage must be very careful and gentle so that the hungry snakes do not jump out or bite people. In particular, the snakes here are meticulously cared for. Each snake is observed to monitor its health situation and receive timely treatment. Dong Tam Snake Farm has more than hundreds of king cobras. Each one eats 1.5kg of trash snakes/time; feed 2 times per week. The cobra only eats toads, frogs, and mice.
A few notes when visiting Dong Tam snake farm
For a safe and enjoyable experience at the snake farm, you should observe and follow the instructions of the instructor.
If you come on the right occasion, visitors will be able to see first-hand how experts take snake venom to produce medicine
The snake farm also has a museum, where more than 50 specimens of rare snakes are displayed.
Coming to Dong Tam snake farm, visitors have the opportunity to take pictures with a few "terrible" pythons wrapped around their bodies.
As a local travel expert, we have some ideas for you to think about.
From My Tho city center:
Route 1:
Route 2:
Route 3:
If you do not have much time left, it is easy to check out spots in one full day by boat or with bike or with motorbike and car. But there are much more than tourist sites like these in My Tho. Make sure you have more time to feel and explore more about the hidden gems and the culture, food, night life, wildlife and forest as well. Top tip: Stay in a homestay nearby, so you have more chances to visit it and surroundings. If you are looking for the package My
Tho daily tour with local, you can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com
Google Maps made a name for itself helping people travel from one place to another, avoid traffic (You probably know the route from your hotel to the gas station by heart, but what you can’t be sure about is gridlock), measure a distance, get back to the hotel on time, share the location…
Solo traveller? Travelling on your own means you will get out of any difficult situations by yourself. This, in turn, leads to more satisfying travel experiences and helps you improve your problem-solving skills. These days we rarely get the chance to sit with ourselves and simply be. That’s why you should consider the time you spend alone on your trip as a gift.
It is possible for solo travellers to use google maps and do it alone. But sometimes they need to update local maintained roads and bridges which close and lead you a longer road than the road from google maps. It is just about the time. It takes more time to find the correct garden to come. Adventure is always fun. Wifi is strong in My Tho village! The locals find it hard to speak English as well. Top tip: Sticking to one canal and keeping going along it which gives you more things to see and avoids getting lost. Contact vemekong.com to hire a car, scooter with English-speaking-guide or cycling tours in My Tho.
Don’t get us wrong. But we assure you that you totally agree with us. “Do not give candy and things to the children when you plan to visit any local villages”, the kids will leave the school and follow the sweets and later they find some things to give you or sell to you. The garden is a little forest, don’t pick and touch the flowers or fruits without the local’s smiles. We deal with traveling green and leaving green behind, not plastic. Top tip: Vemekong.com are some of the companies that care a lot about responsible travel and local respectation.
If a picture says a thousand words, it stands to reason that the video says many times more.
To get the best of the best for your unique writing, featuring, photo, video and insider’s stories. We do recommend you to have a local travel expert, the one who always gets more ground information and makes sure every single element is solved perfectly. Vemekong (very exclusive Mekong) team is your priority choice. Email and have a private talk with them to customize your journey smoothly, personal and the most ultimately amazing. You can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com
You can stay in a homestay which is near the Mekong riverside, this will help you out. Then you can hire a scooter, car or bike and explore it by yourself.
If you plan to extend your travel to My Tho homestay, do not forget to bring mosquito repellent cream.
Visit My Tho or do any customized tours, please choose reputable providers with boat trips equipped with lifebuoys, jackets, motorcycle and cycling tours with the helmets and. Safety is a priority! Choose My Tho responsible tours which help you give back while traveling. It’s a cliché, but it’s true.
My Tho food & drink guide ranges from street food, authentic, fancy to fusion foods. As a tropical land of many fresh vegetables and homegrown gardens, which always make My Tho cuisines fresh, close to nature and very traditional. If you are a food lover, don’t hesitate to put other bites onto your food lists such as Hu Tieu My Tho (a kind of noodle soup but it is really yummy), elephant ear fish, Snakehead Fish Rice Porridge, snake wine, coconut candy, Fried Sticky Rice…
Bring your hat, sunglasses, and sunblock, scarf to wear when visiting temples, pagodas, and the cathedral.
Bring the raincoat if you’re planning a trip to My Tho in the rainy season, as My Tho always looks fantastic in the full rain and full sun.
My Tho tourist attractions are magnificent itself, but if you have enough time, don’t forget to put other places onto your bucket lists such as Coconut Candy Traditional Village & Small Canals, mighty Mekong river cruise, educational tour and community tour in My Tho, My Tho homestay 2D1N, My Tho Cycling Tours, Dong Tam Snake Farm, Vinh Trang Pagoda, 4 Stunning islets (Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle and Phoenix), My Tho Market, My Tho Cathedral, Buu Lam Pagoda, Dieu Hoa Temple.
Hopefully, the above tips will help you to come up with a great plan for your adventure in My Tho, Tien Giang province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Have a safe trip!
“Sleep less, travel more, respect more” – Thomas Vietnam – Local travel expert.
Thank you
