My Tho (Mekong Delta, Vietnam)

My Tho is a Mekong River cruise port and capital city of Tien Giang province (Mekong Delta region, southern Vietnam). My Tho has population around 280,000. Its major ethnic group is Kinh, also Khmer and Chinese. Boat tours on My Tho River are popular as tourist attraction.

The town was established by Chinese refugees in the 1680s, when Vietnam became a colony of Qing Empire (1683). At that time, the region was part of former Khmer Empire. In the 18th century it was annexed by Vietnam.

Due to its proximity to Saigon, the city was the traditional gateway from the capital to Mekong Delta - major agricultural region producing over 1/2 of country's rice. The town is also known for its floating markets. This was also southern Vietnam's first city with high school - College de My Tho (opened 1879), now named Nguyen Dinh Chieu High School. City's economy is based on fishing, agriculture (rice, coconuts, bananas, longans) and tourism.