The Ngo's Family Renunion - Cao Lanh /Dong Thap , Chau Doc /An Giang - March 2026

For years, we often talked about having a Ngo family reunion. However, it wasn't until our get-together in Hawaii for Tammy's wedding in late 2024 that we seriously discussed making it happen. A year later, we agreed on travel date and tentative itinerary, and the planning started taking shape. We decided on a 10-day trip touring the Mekong Delta with main stops in Cao Lanh/Dong Thap, our mother's birthdplace, and Rach Gia/Kien Giang where our father came from. We realize the Delta has changed a lot over the last several decades, especially with recent province mergers, name and boundary changes. We might no longer be familiar with parts of it, but we are still so excited for our upcoming journey in 2026.

There are 19 of us from six siblings and our families at last count: Tien & Paul; Phuong; Hoang; Tan & Lieu + Kim, Steven, Lynn, Claudia (friend); Oanh & Chin; Dien & Kim; Minh & Hiep; Amy & Peter + Angeline. Fortunately, we managed to recruite Dien's brother-in-law, Bao, who lives nearby in Saigon to be our tour leader. Bao organized everything, from transportation and lodging to meals on the road. What a great job he did!

Our logistics included two transport vans and a 10 day itinerary with hotel stays in Ha Tien, Phu Quoc, Rach Gia, Can Tho, Saigon and Mui Ne.

Map of Vietnam's Mekong Delta, located in Southwestern area, also known as the "Western Region". 

Cao Lanh / Dong Thap Province:

 At 5:00 am, on March 10, van #1 (aka English speaking van) picked up everyone in Saigon. We went to Hoc Mon to meet the second van before hitting the road. It was a long first day, covering over 325km to our hotel in Ha Tien.

Our first stop was the Mekong Restaurant, a popular local dining and rest stop for breakfast. The restaurant is located on the border of Long An and Tien Giang provinces in the Mekong Delta. 

Our first group picture.

A picturesque landscape surround the Mekong Restaurant.

Our main stop on the first day is Cao Lanh. This is where our mother's family comes from, and many of her relatives still live in the area.

On the way to relatives' houses.

The road to visiting our relatives


Our cousin, chi Hai Be's tiem tap hoa (shophouse) .

With our relatives in Cao Lanh, the Mekong Delta on March 10, 2026. Picture taken in front of our cousin's tiem tap hoa (shophouse).

Old picture of our first trip to Cao Lanh and the Mekong Delta in 1995.

Having a snack at a relative's house. Phung (in the yellow blouse) was the youngest, pictured in the front-left middle of this 1995 photo.

Minh, Dien, Tan, Hoang, Phuong, Tien, Amy with Chi Hai Be (in middle), the oldest cousin living in Cao Lanh.

Before saying goodbye, Tan was offered some "jackfruit" for the road.

Lunch stop at Dong Thap, famous for its rice fields. Dong Thap Province ranks among the top in Vietnam for both rice cultivation and production . 

Rice fields of Dong Thap.

Winding through the coconut groves and rice fields of Dong Thap.

Chau Doc / An Giang Province :

After Cao Lanh, we headed to our next stop, Chau Doc. Although we have relatives living there, we didn't have time to visit them this trip. Pressed for time, we only made one quick stop at "Ba Chua Xu" Temple at the foot of Sam Mountain, about 10 km from the Cambodian border.

Fruit stands near the temple.

Steps leading to the temple entrance.

Back stairs to the temple.

"Ba Chua Xu" Temple.

Ba Chua Xu Temple - corner view.

The altar and offerings. 

The temple ground.

Thoai Ngoc Hau Mausoleum, across from the temple.

"Thoai Ngoc Hau" Mausoleum

Sunset drive to Ha Tien.

It took about 2 hours to reach Ha Tien, a coastal city on the Gulf of Thailand. We arrived at our hotel quite late in the evening. Although it was a long day, we accomplished a lot. Our visit with relatives in Cao Lanh was undoubltedly the highlight. 
 

                                                                 *****

   

The Ngo's Family Reunion - Vietnam, March 2026

 We left Taiwan for Vietnam on March 5, 2026. It was a short flight with ony 3.5 hours with Vietnam Airlines. Bao and Dien met us at Tan Son Nhut airport to take us to Bong Sen Hotel where we will be staying until the reunion starts on March 10. Tan and Lieu stayed with Lieu's family in a nearby district. Other family members started arriving in Saigon.

Staying at Bong Sen with us were Phuong, Peter, Amy and Angeline's. Phuong arrived  two days after us. Peter, Amy and Angeline arrived two days later.  We had a good time shopping along Nguyen Hue, Le Loi street, Ben Thanh market, visiting the spa and, last but not least, dining in style at Bong Sen and Ngon Restaurant.

Bong Sen Hotel on Dong Khoi street, walking distance to many tourist attractions in the city center and popular restaurants including Ben Thanh market, City Hall, Opera House, Notre Dame Cathedral and Central Post Office.

Bitexco Financial Towel with Saigon Skydeck, a glass-enclosed observation deck on the 49th floor.

                                                         Saigon City Hall.

New Year's decoration on Nguyen Hue street, near the Opera House.

Opera House - a short walk from Bong Sen Hotel.

Opera House Square at night.

Taking a break at Haagen-Dazz.
.

A park on Pasteur street.

                                                            

On our walk to Ham Nghi Street from Bong Sen Hotel.

Nguyen Hue Street.

Sticky rice (xoi) with striking colors, one of my favorite breakfast or snack.

One of many Vietnamese favorite dishes offered at Bong Sen dinner buffet.

A delicious diner at Ngon Restaurant on Pasteur Street.

Our three sisters and family had a wonderful time in Saigon before our reunion trip began on March 10. 
                                                        

                                                              *****

Beitou Geothermal Valley, North Taipei - Taiwan, March 2026

 It was a rainy day when we headed north to visit Beitou Hot Springs, a geothermal valley in North of Taipei. The valley is in the foothills of Yangmingshan National Park. Most resorts were not open and the village was in a quiet side. We had a nice walk around town, had lunch and back to the MRT station to go back to Taipei. 

Beitou Thermal Valley.

Walking path around the thermal valley.








City center of Beitou.

MRT Station in Beitou.

We  also visited some other city attractions near our hotel such as the Botanical Garden, and the 228 Peace Memorial Park with National Taiwan Museum at the park's north entrance.

The beautiful Taipei Botanical Garden.

228 Peace Memorial Park Monument.

Delicious dinner: pizza and pasta at an Italian restaurant across the street from our hotel.

The week in Taipei went by quickly. We had a great time and would like to come back again to see other parts of the country such as Taichung City in the central and Kaohsiung City in the south.