Mỹ Tho - Wikipedia

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Provincial city in Vietnam

Mỹ Tho
Provincial city (Class-1)
Mỹ Tho CityThành phố Mỹ Tho
Mỹ Tho riverfront with cruise port in downtownVĩnh Tràng TempleCathedral Mỹ ThoMỹ Tho well in downtownThủ Khoa Huân statueRạch Miễu Bridge
Seal
Nickname: The first town of Southern Vietnam (Đô thị đầu tiên của vùng Nam Bộ)
Interactive map of Mỹ Tho
Mỹ ThoLocation in VietnamShow map of VietnamMỹ ThoMỹ Tho (Southeast Asia)Show map of Southeast AsiaMỹ ThoMỹ Tho (Asia)Show map of Asia
Coordinates: 10°21′N 106°21′E / 10.350°N 106.350°E / 10.350; 106.350
Country	Vietnam
Province	Đồng Tháp (since 2025) Tiền Giang (formerly)
Region	Mekong Delta
Metro	Ho Chi Minh City metropolitan area
Area
• Total	31.49 sq mi (81.55 km2)
Population (2019)
• Total	270,700
• Density	8,597/sq mi (3,319/km2)
Area codes	073, 074 (nation) and +8473,+8474 (international)
Climate	Aw
Website	mytho.tiengiang.gov.vn

Mỹ Tho (listenⓘ) is a former city in the Tiền Giang province (now is Đồng Tháp province) in the Mekong Delta region of Southern Vietnam. It has a population of approximately 169,000 in 2006[1] and 220,000 in 2012.[2] It is the regional center of economics, education and technology.[3] The majority ethnic group is the Kinh; minority groups include the Hoa, the Cham and the Khmer people. Boat rides on the Mỹ Tho River are popular with tourists, and the city is known for hủ tiếu Mỹ Tho, a type of rice noodles soup.[4]

Mỹ Tho ceased to exist as a municipal city on 1 July 2025, following the elimination of district level units in Vietnam.[5]

History

[edit]

Mỹ Tho was founded in the 1680s by Chinese refugees fleeing China after the fall of remnants of the Southern Ming to the Qing dynasty in 1683. The city is named after the Mỹ Tho River. In chữ Hán, the name is given as 美萩 (literally, beautiful tree).[6]

Due to its proximity to Saigon, Mỹ Tho was the traditional gateway to the Mekong Delta. In the 17th century, the city had become one of the biggest commercial hubs in today's Southern Vietnam.

In the 1860s, Mỹ Tho, along with Saigon, was a major strategic city during the French colonial campaign towards Vietnam. In 1862, France's capture of Mỹ Tho is regarded as the conclusion to the establishment of the French colony of Cochinchina, a development that inaugurated nearly a century of French colonial dominance in Vietnam. During the colonization period, the economy continued to prosper, attracting more immigrants, mainly from Teochew and Minnan of mainland China.

Mỹ Tho City is recognized as a grade II on October 7, 2005.[7]

Administrative divisions

[edit]

Mỹ Tho is divided to 11 wards (called Ward 1 - Ward 10, and Ward Tân Long) and 6 communes.[8]

6 communes:

• Đạo Thạnh
• Mỹ Phong
• Phước Thạnh
• Tân Mỹ Chánh
• Thới Sơn
• Trung An
• Phước Thạnh

Transportation

[edit]

Mỹ Tho is connected to the rest of the country by National Route 1 and Tiền River. Here, people mainly use motorcycles, bicycles, and boats for transportation. Mỹ Tho has the first railway route (about 70 kilometres (43 mi) long) in Vietnam which was one of the most modern transport means in the world linking Saigon and Mỹ Tho, put into use in 1885. However, it was destroyed in the 1960s during Vietnam War.[9]

By road, Mỹ Tho City is 70 kilometres (43 mi) from the anonymous capital of Vĩnh Long province, 70 kilometres (43 mi) from Ho Chi Minh City, regional center of Southern Vietnam, 103 kilometres (64 mi) from Cần Thơ, 179 kilometres (111 mi) from Châu Đốc, 182 kilometres (113 mi) from Rạch Giá,[10] 132 kilometres (82 mi) from Long Xuyên.[11] Mỹ Tho and Bến Tre are connected by Rạch Miễu Bridge.

By river, there are many short boat trips to various islands, Bến Tre, and floating markets[12] in the surrounding areas. It also has overnight long boats to Châu Đốc and Long Xuyên.

In terms of air travel, the nearest domestic and international airport is Hồ Chí Minh City's Tan Son Nhat International Airport which is located 71 km north east of Mỹ Tho via National Route 1 or Ho Chi Minh City–Trung Luong Expressway, an other domestic and international airport is Long Thanh International Airport in Đồng Nai province which is 105 km north east via routes of Ho Chi Minh City–Trung Luong Expressway with Ben Luc – Long Thanh Expressway.

Climate

[edit]

Climate data for Mỹ Tho
Month	Jan	Feb	Mar	Apr	May	Jun	Jul	Aug	Sep	Oct	Nov	Dec	Year
Record high °C (°F)	34.8(94.6)	35.1(95.2)	36.8(98.2)	38.2(100.8)	38.9(102.0)	36.6(97.9)	36.5(97.7)	35.8(96.4)	36.8(98.2)	35.5(95.9)	36.2(97.2)	34.5(94.1)	38.9(102.0)
Mean daily maximum °C (°F)	30.2(86.4)	30.9(87.6)	32.2(90.0)	33.6(92.5)	33.3(91.9)	32.2(90.0)	31.7(89.1)	31.5(88.7)	31.3(88.3)	30.9(87.6)	30.8(87.4)	30.2(86.4)	31.6(88.9)
Daily mean °C (°F)	25.5(77.9)	26.1(79.0)	27.3(81.1)	28.6(83.5)	28.4(83.1)	27.7(81.9)	27.3(81.1)	27.1(80.8)	27.0(80.6)	26.8(80.2)	26.7(80.1)	25.8(78.4)	27.1(80.8)
Mean daily minimum °C (°F)	22.2(72.0)	22.8(73.0)	24.2(75.6)	25.4(77.7)	25.6(78.1)	25.0(77.0)	24.6(76.3)	24.6(76.3)	24.6(76.3)	24.3(75.7)	23.8(74.8)	22.6(72.7)	24.1(75.4)
Record low °C (°F)	14.9(58.8)	15.9(60.6)	15.7(60.3)	19.4(66.9)	21.5(70.7)	21.2(70.2)	19.6(67.3)	21.2(70.2)	21.2(70.2)	19.9(67.8)	17.6(63.7)	16.1(61.0)	14.9(58.8)
Average rainfall mm (inches)	8.1(0.32)	1.8(0.07)	6.6(0.26)	41.3(1.63)	149.7(5.89)	203.2(8.00)	189.2(7.45)	192.6(7.58)	231.3(9.11)	263.7(10.38)	95.4(3.76)	35.6(1.40)	1,419.7(55.89)
Average rainy days	1.6	0.6	1.3	4.4	14.9	18.7	20.0	20.2	20.3	19.6	10.5	5.8	137.5
Average relative humidity (%)	79.2	78.4	78.4	78.0	81.4	83.1	83.7	84.3	85.0	85.3	83.2	81.4	82.2
Mean monthly sunshine hours	244.1	249.3	284.9	261.5	209.8	180.7	188.5	187.9	165.4	170.5	198.5	198.0	2,531.1
Source: Vietnam Institute for Building Science and Technology[13]

Tourism

[edit]

Vĩnh Tràng Temple,[14] Cao Dai Temple,[8] Dong Tam Snake Farm.[15] There are four islands in the Tien River between Mỹ Tho and Bến Tre: Dragon (Con Rong), Tortoise (Con Qui), Phoenix (Con Phung) and Unicorn (Con Lan) Islands.[16]

The Mekong Delta is considered to be the "rice basket of Vietnam", contributing more than half of the nation's rice production. Mỹ Tho is well known as floating markets, where people sell and buy things on the river, as well as Ben Tam Ngua and Mỹ Thuận market.

Education

[edit]

Mỹ Tho was the first town in southern Vietnam to have a high school. The Collège de Mỹ Tho, opened in March 1879, is now called Nguyễn Đình Chiểu High School. It was one of the first schools Vietnam had, and even now is still known for its education quality among Southern schools.

Later, another school called "School for Gifted Students of Tien Giang" opened in Mỹ Tho city. Though the total area is very limited compared to other schools in the province, the quality of education there is usually considered one of the best. The curriculum they use is modified so that students usually learn more of their core subjects than in other schools. For instance, students from a Math class do all the required materials like any other classes, but more of Chemistry, Biology, and Physics because they are in the Natural Science block, and a lot more of Math. Preparation for national exams and entrance examination to the university are prioritized there.

Schools in Mỹ Tho are named after famous Vietnamese writers, poets, and national heroes such as Nguyễn Trãi, Thu Khoa Huan is also known as Nguyen Huu Huan, Xuân Diệu, Lê Ngọc Hân, Nguyễn Đình Chiểu, Trần Hưng Đạo.

Tiền Giang College which was promoted to Tiền Giang University in 2005[17] is also located at Mỹ Tho.

Economy

[edit]

Today the economy of Mỹ Tho is mainly based on tourism, fishing, and agricultural products such as coconuts, bananas, and longans.[18]

During World War II the French Vichy government interned foreign nationals in Mỹ Tho. In May 1945, the Japanese seized control of the camps fearing an allied attack. Foreign nationals were confined throughout the war. As the regional capital, Mỹ Tho is the main market dealing in all the produce from the region as well as fish and other seafood from Mỹ Tho's large ocean-going fishing fleet. The very large and exuberant market is one of South Vietnam's biggest sources for dried fish and other dried seafood products such as Kho Muc (dried squid). At night the market is dedicated to the dealing and sorting of Mekong River fish, particularly catfish for Hồ Chí Minh City's wholesale markets. Produce, especially fruit and vegetables, is delivered by boat directly to markets. It is a popular starting point for tourists to take a boat trip on the Mekong River.

Mỹ Tho was the subject of "The Lesson", a chapter in a memoir by Tobias Wolff, In Pharaoh's Army: Memories of the Lost War, describing the events of the 1968 Tet Offensive there.[19]

In 2010, there are total 17 markets located in wards and commune in Mỹ Tho.[2]

Neighbouring cities

[edit]

• West and North: Chợ Gạo District
• East: Châu Thành District, Tiền Giang
• South: Tiền River and Bến Tre province

Notable people

[edit]

• Nguyễn Thị Thập - Chairman of the Women's Federation of Vietnam (Hội liên hiệp phụ nữ Việt Nam) from 1956 to 1974
• General Nguyễn Khánh - former Prime Minister, General, and Ambassador of South Vietnam
• General Nguyễn Hữu Hạnh - served in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam
• Madame Thiệu, the last serving First Lady of South Vietnam from 1967 to 1975 and wife of the President of South Vietnam Nguyễn Văn Thiệu
• Trần Anh Hùng – film director and screenwriter

Gallery

[edit]

• House on Bank of Mekong
• The downtown of Mỹ Tho
• The center of Mỹ Tho with Nguyen Huu Huan statue
• The waterfront houses in Mỹ Tho
• The waterfront shops.
• Rach Mieu Ferry in 2002, now expired.

References

[edit]

1. ^ Hoskin, John; Howland, Carol (2006). Vietnam. New Holland. p. 114. ISBN 9781845375515.
2. ^ a b mrdanial (2012-08-09). "Get to Know the Door of Mekong Region – My Tho City". The Vietnam Guide. Archived from the original on 2017-03-15. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
3. ^ "Thành phố Mỹ Tho". Mythocity.gov.vn. Archived from the original on 2013-09-01. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
4. ^ Writer), Nick Ray (Travel (2009). Lonely Planet Vietnam. Lonely Planet Publications. p. 418. ISBN 9781742203898.
5. ^ "From July 1, 87 cities across Vietnam will no longer exist". Vietnamnet. Retrieved 2 July 2025.
6. ^ "Vietnamese Nôm Preservation Foundation". Nomfoundation.org. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
7. ^ "My Tho grade II". Thevietnamguide.com. Archived from the original on 2017-03-15. Retrieved 2013-02-05.
8. ^ a b "My Tho". Amitourist.com. Archived from the original on 2018-01-11. Retrieved 2013-02-21.
9. ^ "The First Railway Route in Vietnam". tuoitrenews.vn.
10. ^ "Provinces and cities". Vietnamtourism.com. Archived from the original on 2010-02-10. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
11. ^ "My Tho - Long Xuyen". Google Maps.
12. ^ "Floating Markets, Mekong River, Mekong delta, Mekong travel guide, Mekong river travel guide". Luxury Mekong River Cruise. Retrieved 2013-08-22.
13. ^ "Vietnam Institute for Building Science and Technology" (PDF).
14. ^ Vo Van Tuon & Huynh Nhu Phuong "VIETNAMESE'S FAMOUS PAGODAS". Art Publisher. 1995. Archived from the original on February 27, 2001. Retrieved February 4, 2013.
15. ^ Trea, Tuoi (February 10, 2013). "A visit to the Dong Tam Snake Farm". Archived from the original on February 14, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
16. ^ "My Tho". www.footprinttravelguides.com. Archived from the original on 14 February 2014. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
17. ^ Raby, Rosalind Latiner; Valeau, Edward J. (2009-03-22). Vietnam community colleges. Springer. ISBN 9781402094774.
18. ^ "MY THO - VIETNAM - MEKONG RIVER". www.luxurymekongrivercruise.com. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
19. ^ Wolff, Tobias (1995). In Pharaoh's Army: Memories of the Lost War. Knopf. ISBN 9780307763754.

External links

[edit] Wikimedia Commons has media related to My Tho.

• Official website

10°21′N 106°21′E / 10.350°N 106.350°E / 10.350; 106.350

v t e Cities in Vietnam
Municipalities	Special Hanoi Ho Chi Minh City Class-1 Cần Thơ Da Nang Haiphong Huế
Municipal cities	Class-1 Thủ Đức Class-3 Thủy Nguyên
Provincial cities	Class-1 Bắc Ninh Biên Hòa Buôn Ma Thuột Da Lat Hạ Long Hải Dương Hoa Lư Long Xuyên Mỹ Tho Nha Trang Phú Quốc Pleiku Quy Nhon Rạch Giá Thái Nguyên Thanh Hóa Thủ Dầu Một Việt Trì Vinh Vũng Tàu Class-2 Bà Rịa Bạc Liêu Bắc Giang Bến Tre Cà Mau Cao Lãnh Cẩm Phả Châu Đốc Đồng Hới Hà Tĩnh Lào Cai Lạng Sơn Móng Cái Nam Định Phan Rang–Tháp Chàm Phan Thiết Phủ Lý Quảng Ngãi Sa Đéc Sơn La Tam Kỳ Tân An Thái Bình Trà Vinh Tuy Hòa Uông Bí Vị Thanh Vĩnh Long Vĩnh Yên Class-3 Bắc Kạn Bảo Lộc Bến Cát Cam Ranh Cao Bằng Chí Linh Dĩ An Điện Biên Phủ Đông Hà Đông Triều Đồng Xoài Gia Nghĩa Gò Công Hà Giang Hà Tiên Hòa Bình Hội An Hưng Yên Hồng Ngự Kon Tum Lai Châu Long Khánh Ngã Bảy Phổ Yên Phú Mỹ Phúc Yên Sầm Sơn Sóc Trăng Sông Công Tân Uyên Tam Điệp Tây Ninh Thuận An Tuyên Quang Từ Sơn Yên Bái
District-level towns	Class-3 An Nhơn Bỉm Sơn Bình Minh Cai Lậy Kỳ Anh La Gi Long Mỹ Phú Thọ Quảng Yên Sông Cầu Sơn Tây Tân Châu Class-4 An Khê Ayun Pa Ba Đồn Bình Long Buôn Hồ Chơn Thành Chũ Duy Tiên Duyên Hải Điện Bàn Đức Phổ Đông Hòa Giá Rai Hòa Thành Hoài Nhơn Hoàng Mai Hồng Lĩnh Hương Thủy Hương Trà Kiến Tường Kinh Môn Mường Lay Mỹ Hào Ngã Năm Nghi Sơn Nghĩa Lộ Ninh Hòa Phước Long Quảng Trị Quế Võ Sa Pa Thái Hòa Thuận Thành Tịnh Biên Trảng Bàng Việt Yên Vĩnh Châu

v t e Former districts of the Mekong Delta
Cần Thơ city	Urban districts Bình Thủy Cái Răng Ninh Kiều※ Ô Môn Thốt Nốt Cờ Đỏ Phong Điền Thới Lai Vĩnh Thạnh
An Giang province	Châu Đốc city Long Xuyên city※ Tân Châu town An Phú Châu Phú Châu Thành Chợ Mới Phú Tân Thoại Sơn Tịnh Biên Tri Tôn
Bạc Liêu province	Bạc Liêu city※ Giá Rai town Đông Hải Hòa Bình Hồng Dân Phước Long Vĩnh Lợi
Bến Tre province	Bến Tre city※ Ba Tri Bình Đại Châu Thành Chợ Lách Giồng Trôm Mỏ Cày Bắc Mỏ Cày Nam Thạnh Phú
Cà Mau province	Cà Mau city※ Cái Nước Đầm Dơi Năm Căn Ngọc Hiển Phú Tân Thới Bình Trần Văn Thời U Minh
Đồng Tháp province	Cao Lãnh city※ Hồng Ngự city Sa Đéc city Cao Lãnh Châu Thành Hồng Ngự Lai Vung Lấp Vò Tân Hồng Tam Nông Thanh Bình Tháp Mười
Hậu Giang province	Ngã Bảy city Vị Thanh city※ Long Mỹ town Châu Thành Châu Thành A Long Mỹ Phụng Hiệp Vị Thủy
Kiên Giang province	Hà Tiên city Rạch Giá city※ Phú Quốc city An Biên An Minh Châu Thành Giang Thành Giồng Riềng Gò Quao Hòn Đất Kiên Hải Kiên Lương Tân Hiệp Thổ Châu U Minh Thượng Vĩnh Thuận
Long An province	Tân An city※ Kiến Tường town Bến Lức Cần Đước Cần Giuộc Châu Thành Đức Hòa Đức Huệ Mộc Hóa Tân Hưng Tân Thạnh Tân Trụ Thạnh Hóa Thủ Thừa Vĩnh Hưng
Sóc Trăng province	Sóc Trăng city※ Ngã Năm town Vĩnh Châu town Châu Thành Cù Lao Dung Kế Sách Long Phú Mỹ Tú Mỹ Xuyên Thạnh Trị Trần Đề
Tiền Giang province	Mỹ Tho city※ Cai Lậy town Gò Công town Cái Bè Cai Lậy Châu Thành Chợ Gạo Gò Công Đông Gò Công Tây Tân Phú Đông Tân Phước
Trà Vinh province	Trà Vinh city※ Duyên Hải town Càng Long Cầu Kè Cầu Ngang Châu Thành Duyên Hải Tiểu Cần Trà Cú
Vĩnh Long province	Vĩnh Long city※ Bình Minh town Bình Tân Long Hồ Mang Thít Tam Bình Trà Ôn Vũng Liêm
※ denotes provincial seat.

v t e Vietnam cities with a 200,000+ population
2,000,000 and more	Ho Chi Minh City Hanoi (capital) Haiphong
1,000,000–1,999,999	Cần Thơ Da Nang Biên Hòa Thủ Đức Huế
500,000–999,999	Hải Dương Thuận An Vinh
200,000–499,999	Nha Trang Dĩ An Buôn Ma Thuột Thanh Hóa Vũng Tàu Thái Nguyên Thủ Dầu Một Hạ Long Quy Nhon Long Xuyên Quảng Ngãi Pleiku Bắc Ninh Nam Định Mỹ Tho Rạch Giá Phan Thiết Da Lat Cà Mau Chí Linh Việt Trì Thái Bình

Authority control databases
International	VIAF WorldCat
National	United States Israel
Geographic	MusicBrainz area
Other	NARA