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paulsM570UZ
Probably did this the week before one of the other reviewers and I don't disagree. You wouldn't trek to Chau Doc just for Sam Mountain but it's a laugh to go up on the back of a couple of bikes and lying in a hammock drinking beer watching the sun go down is really good. The beer's more expensive than even Saigon but then it's still cheap compared to Britain and which pub you go to has a hammock and a sundown like that? Check out the incredible temple on the way back to Chau Doc - like Disneyland for Buddhists or something. Utterly amazing after having been in the sombre splendour of Angkor the previous week. Anyway, do this. It's a laugh.
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sherylpaul
We set out from the Market Chau Doc and walked the '91 to Sam Mountain. It was an great walk - 6km+ along the straight, flat road. We saw all of Vietnamese life on the way - enjoying the 'Hello's from children and adults alike. We reached the main Pagoda at the '91 side of Sam Mt. and explored it - a great treat! We walked through then followed signs (or daubed arrows marked 'LEN NUI') It was a steep climb passing through small communities, temples and food/drinks vendors. We eventually made it and the views were great if a little hazy! There was a small temple at the top - plus vendors and moto riders - but little else. We breezed back down and came out around 60m to the right of the Pagoda at the bottom (see photo) as it was a quicker walk that way! We picked up a Bus around 600m along the '91 for Chau Doc for 10,000 each - great exercise! Took 3hrs 30minutes all in all.
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egbertm2013
I travelled from Long Xuyen on a motorbike through An Giang province. A nice day trip is Long Xuyen - Tri Ton - Sam mountain - Chau Doc - Long Xuyen. This gives you a nice impression of the different cultures in this part of Vietnam; the Kinh (Vietnamese), the Khmer and the Cham. Tri Ton is the 'heartland' of the Khmer in An Giang and had a large Khmer pagoda. Driving in the direction of Chau Doc, you can pass the place where the Cambodian Khmer Rouge regime killed more than 3000 villagers in 1978. One of the reasons for Vietnam to oust the regime of Pol Pot. Sm mountain gives a beautiful view over Cambodia and An Giang province. Chau Doc is a nice, small town where you can take the boat to Phnom Phen. If you've got time on this roundtrip, don't forget to visit the "Flooded Forrest" which is a heaven for several bird species.
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MikeA361
This is a great place from which to observe thousands of acres of rice fields in the Mekong Delta. There's not much at the top (the odd food or souvenir stall) but the views over the flat, flat land around are spectacular. You can see how villages are built on raised lands to (mostly) avoid the floods and the scale of rice production there comes into view.If you can, do visit - especially if you are on a tight schedule - you don't get up close and personal with the delta, but you do get a "helicopter" view of what it is all about.
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BettinaS93
Temple grounds are special. The walk to the top is a waste of time as the area is touristy and not pretty. We couldn't see far because of field burning.
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Kiwi1963
Stay at the base of Sam Mountain! Only 5 km from dock or bus station. More modern shops and restaurants. Chau Doc is pretty basic.
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Scentedlotus
Sam Mountain (Nui Sam)sits bathed in purple hues out on the grassy horizon ,six kilometres from the far western border town of Chau Doc.Rising out of the Fields of green to take its place as the tallest peak in the Mekong Delta,Sam Mountain became a destination that I had to reach.... Passing through the stone arched gateway, climbing ever upwards over stony steps,shiny from countless pilgrims shoes, to at last turn and gaze backwards from the temples entrance and scan the endless distances..all this before even going into the heart of Nui Sam!Within were Limestone dripping caverns ,adorned with bronze and gold statues from the Buddhist Pantheon marking our path through the core to the pinnacle of the mountain shrine. Many such pagodas beg to be explored on this most wonderous of Mountains ... Chau Doc is so much more than the crossing point to Cambodia from Vietnam... It is the home of Nui Sam.
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MikeN617
Some 60km west of Long Xuyen city along the national highway No.91 is the mountain on wich the South locals wish to set foot. In a height of 284m, Mount Sam is situated in Vinh Te commune, 5km from Chau Doc municipality.Its shape looks like a king-crab (= Sam in Vietnamese language). Mount Sam is a harmonious combination between the nature's elegant beauty and the originality of local architectural landmarks suc as Ba Chua Xu temple, Tay An pagoda, Thoai Ngoc Hau tomb, etc.Ba Chua Xu (Local Tutelary Goddess) temple Mount Sam is considered as the heart of overall An Giang area because of its Ba Chua Xu temple. Built in 1820 - 1825, the temple had gone through several renovations. The present enlarged temple complex was finished in 1972. The festival called Via Ba ceremony is a national festival held annually on lunar April 20 - 27, attracting more than 2 million of tourists and pilgrims. Should book your trip in advance if planning to visit on this occasion. Hard to find accommodation and full of people everywhere.Some researchers think the sacred statue was a man wearing a loin-cloth in Khmer style in 6 - 7th century. However, in the folklore legend, the statue was original on the summit of Mount Sam. 9 virgin girls brought it down. When they were at the current temple's location, the statute became heavily and no way to bring it up. So the locals built the temple there.With those distinctions, the complex has been recorded in Vietnam's Guinness Record as the biggest temple in Vietnam and the sacred monument as its biggest and oldest sandstone construction.
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giddy2g
Just spent 2 nights in Chau Doc and really enjoyed it. Agree with other two reviewers that it's not worth stopping just to go up the mountain, but we enjoyed the walk up from the base, and really enjoyed the town itself. If you decide to stay in Chau Doc more than one night like we did, I'd recommend a boat tour of the floating houses, floating market, and Cham village with Mr Long from the English Bookstore on the southern side of the square with the pagoda - he's a sweet man and very keen to practise his English and share what he can about life in Chau Doc!
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Bigso
Sam Mountain is about five kilometres outside of Chau Doc. We negotiated a ride from Chau Doc with two local motobike riders, who were trolling for tourists outside a café. They wanted four dollars each for taking us there, waiting and then bringing us back to town. We didn't bother with the price, but if you want to haggle there's certainly room for it, as they seemed rather surprised we accepted their price. The mountain itself is not that much to talk about. Of course there's a great view, you can see for miles I'm sure, weather permitting. The thing is, the view is just flat, flat, green, green land as far as you can see. Nothing else. On top of the mountain there's a number of viewing balconies, a few shops selling tacky trinkets, a few places where you can buy local food, and a very small temple. We spent maybe twenty minutes on the top at the most. About half way up the mountain however, there's a a much more interesting temple, which is currently undergoing or just finishing some sort of construction, as it's not painted but otherwise looks finished. There's a nice pond or well inside of it, and the view is magnificent. Well worth a look I'd say, if your in Chau Doc anyway. Overall, I'd say Sam Mountain wouldn't make me recommend staying a day in Chau Doc, just to see it, but if you're passing through (probably coming from Cambodia or going there) spend two hours going there, have a look around and go back. If you want the exercise, you can easily walk there from Chau Doc, as it's only five kilometers but there's nothing to see on the way except highway and fields...
