Thi Tuong Lagoon

Thi Tuong Lagoon, also known as Ba Tuong Lagoon, is a large natural brackish-water lagoon in Cà Mau Province. Known locally as a “sea in the middle of the plain,” the lagoon combines open water, tidal channels, aquaculture areas, and riverside communities, offering a quieter view of the water-based life that defines much of southern Cà Mau.

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Overview

• Location: https://maps.app.goo.gl/T942hW1h2gDfzNxU6
• Address: Thi Tuong Lagoon area, Cà Mau Province, Vietnam
• Province: Cà Mau
• Category: Natural Lagoon, Wetland, Eco-tourism
• Opening Hours: No fixed opening hours for the lagoon
• Entrance Fee: No general entrance fee confirmed
• Visit Duration: 1–3 hours
• Best For: Nature, boat trips, photography, local life, seafood

Pronunciation

Đầm Thị Tường

Why Visit

• A remarkable brackish-water landscape: The lagoon is one of the most distinctive natural water environments in Cà Mau, where tidal influence and freshwater systems meet.
• A living fishing and aquaculture landscape: Local communities have long depended on fish, shrimp, crabs, and other aquatic resources from the lagoon.
• A wide-open alternative to the mangrove forest: Instead of dense trees and narrow waterways, Thi Tuong offers broad views across open water and low-lying coastal land.
• A glimpse of everyday Cà Mau: The lagoon is not simply a scenic attraction; it is part of a working landscape where local residents live and make their livelihoods.
• A peaceful photography destination: Boats, aquaculture areas, open water, and changing light create a distinctly southern Mekong Delta atmosphere.
• Part of a developing eco-tourism area: Cà Mau has approved a master plan for an eco-tourism area around Thi Tuong Lagoon, covering about 1,985 hectares across four communes and combining ecological conservation, community experiences, and water-based tourism.

Things To Do

Take a Boat on the Lagoon

A boat trip is one of the most natural ways to experience Thi Tuong Lagoon. From the water, visitors can see the scale of the lagoon, aquaculture areas, small waterways, and the surrounding low-lying landscape.

See Local Aquaculture

Look for the fishing and aquaculture activities that remain an important part of life around the lagoon. Shrimp, crab, fish, and other brackish-water species are among the resources supporting local households.

Explore the Lagoon Shoreline

Travel around the surrounding communities and waterways to see a less commercial side of Cà Mau. The landscape is defined by small settlements, canals, boats, ponds, and working waterfronts rather than large tourist facilities.

Try Local Seafood

If your visit includes a meal with local residents or a community tourism service, try seafood sourced from the surrounding brackish-water environment. Shrimp, crab, and fish are particularly representative of the lagoon's food culture.

Visit Xẻo Đước Provincial Party Committee Base Relic

Combine Thi Tuong Lagoon with the nearby Xẻo Đước Provincial Party Committee Base Relic, a historical site associated with Cà Mau's wartime history. The combination provides a useful contrast between the region's natural landscape and its modern history.

History and Local Life

Thi Tuong Lagoon has long been closely connected with the communities living around it. Rather than being an isolated body of water, the lagoon forms part of a wider network of rivers, canals, tidal flows, fishing grounds, and aquaculture areas that support local livelihoods.

Local descriptions traditionally call Thi Tuong “the sea in the middle of the plain,” reflecting the unusually broad open-water landscape compared with the narrow rivers and canals more commonly associated with the Mekong Delta. The lagoon is particularly associated with brackish-water seafood and aquaculture.

In 2025, Cà Mau approved a general plan for developing an eco-tourism area around Thi Tuong Lagoon. The plan emphasizes maintaining the natural landscape while developing community experiences, water-based recreation, ecological conservation, and tourism services.

Nature and Landscape

Thi Tuong is a brackish-water lagoon influenced by tides and the surrounding river system. Its landscape includes open water, mudflats, waterways, aquaculture areas, and low-lying coastal vegetation.

The lagoon's ecological character is closely linked to the mixing of fresh and salt water. This creates conditions suitable for a variety of aquatic species and makes the area important for both biodiversity and local aquaculture.

Best Time To Visit

December to April is generally a convenient period for visiting Cà Mau because rainfall is lower. Early morning and late afternoon are particularly good for photography, when the open water can take on changing light and the temperatures are more comfortable.

How To Get There

Thi Tuong Lagoon lies in the northern part of Cà Mau's coastal region, within the area covered by the current eco-tourism plan. Access depends on which part of the lagoon you visit and whether you arrange a local boat or community-based experience.

From Cà Mau City, allow additional travel time compared with attractions in the city center. If you want to explore the lagoon by boat, arranging the service in advance is advisable because the area does not function like a conventional ticketed tourist attraction.

Travel Tips

• Arrange a local boat or community tourism service in advance if you want to explore the lagoon from the water.
• Do not expect a conventional theme-park style attraction; much of the area is a working landscape.
• Bring sun protection, drinking water, and insect repellent.
• Early morning and late afternoon are usually more comfortable for outdoor photography.
• Respect local aquaculture areas and private properties when exploring the shoreline.
• Thi Tuong Lagoon can be combined with Xẻo Đước and other attractions in northern Cà Mau for a longer day trip.

FAQ

Conclusion

Thi Tuong Lagoon offers a different perspective on Cà Mau: a broad brackish-water landscape where nature, aquaculture, seafood, and everyday local life are closely connected. For travelers who want to see more than the province's famous southernmost landmarks, the lagoon provides a quieter and more authentic water-based experience.

Nearby attractions

(Distances shown are straight-line estimates, not actual travel distance.)

• Hòn Đá Bạc Tourist Area - Islands, Rock Formations and CM12 History (about 22 km northwest)
• U Minh Hạ National Park - Vietnam's Peatland Melaleuca Forest (about 23 km north)
• Mũi Cà Mau National Park - Vietnam's Southern Mangrove Wilderness (about 48 km southwest)
• GPS 0001 and Mũi Cà Mau Flag Tower - Vietnam's Southernmost Point in 1995 (about 48 km southwest)
• Vietnam's Southernmost Point - Where the Country Ends (about 49 km south)
• Tac Say Church - The Pilgrimage Site of Blessed Trương Bửu Diệp (about 61 km northeast)

• Ca Mau Travel Guide