Tra Su cajuput forest

Chau Doc is a relatively small relaxed town (150,000 inhabitants) on the Cambodian border. About 20km west of the town is the Tra Su forest, the last remnants of what the whole wetland area would have looked like thousands of years ago. It is a firmly managed National Park, and a watery wonderland in the current high water season.

The forest is predominantly full of mangroves and cajeput trees (which I have never heard of, but which must be related to eucalyptus, as they have similar leaves and barks). Their roots are completely immersed in water though, during this wet season.

The 850ha area has amazing biodiversity and bird life. There was a velvety carpet of green, a blanket of “bao” or type of duckweed which we glided through in our rowing boat. Idyllic and dreamlike floating, watching storks, kingfisher, “kitz”(?) which seem to walk on water, but are so light they tread on the duckweed”…….. amongst others I couldn’t identify.

There were also stretches of endless flowering lotus plants, and an array of reptiles and frogs, which we didn’t see, but heard. The smells ranged from delicate dank decay to sweet perfume from the flowering trees.