An Thanh coir fiber village: the 'golden threads' of the Mekong Delta
Whole fields of golden threads drying in the sun, and boats laden with coconuts moving along the river: this is the An Thanh craft village in Ben Tre Province, where coconut husk is turned into valuable fibre. Here is how the trade works, where the nickname 'village of golden threads' comes from, and whether it's worth a stop on a Mekong Delta trip.
What the An Thanh village is
An Thanh is not a single village but a whole craft area where dozens of workshops process coconut fibre. It stretches along the banks of the Thom River and lives by one trade: turning coconut husk, usually treated as waste, into a valuable raw material. It is one of the two largest coconut-fibre production hubs in the entire Mekong Delta.
Where it is
The village lies in An Thanh commune, Mo Cay Nam district, Ben Tre Province, in south-western Vietnam. Ben Tre is the heart of the Mekong Delta, the 'land of coconuts'. The workshops line both banks of the Thom River, and the easiest way to get here is by water — like almost everything in these parts.
The 'village of golden threads'
The place earned its poetic nickname — 'village of golden threads' — from the colour of the dried fibre. After processing, coconut husk becomes long golden-red threads that are spread out to dry in the open sun. From afar, the workshop yards look like living fields of gold.
From waste coconut to raw material
The trade is based on coconut husk (the mesocarp), usually thrown away when coconut water and flesh are produced. Here it is cleaned, run through special machines that break the husk into fibre, separate it from the coconut dust (coco peat) and dry it in the sun. That is how 'rubbish' becomes a product.
History: from two workshops to hundreds
The trade began modestly — around 1980, with just two workshops. Over the years it grew: today the area has dozens of production sites, several companies and thousands of workers, and about two hundred workshops are counted along the Thom River. A small family craft became a whole industry.
The Thom River — a floating coconut market
The Thom River is the village's main 'road'. Day and night, boats laden with coconuts and finished fibre move along it, forming a kind of small floating market. The hum of engines, the work of the workshops and the smell of fresh coconut create that unmistakable atmosphere of southern Vietnam.
What is made from the fibre
Coconut fibre (coir) goes into ropes, mats, rugs and mattresses, brushes, and 'coir net' — netting to reinforce slopes and riverbanks. The by-product, coco peat, is used as a growing medium for plants. The output is sold across Vietnam and exported — to Korea, Malaysia and India.
Ben Tre — the 'coconut kingdom'
Ben Tre Province is rightly called Vietnam's 'coconut kingdom': here the coconut is the basis of life and the economy. Almost everything is made from it — from food and drinks to souvenirs, cosmetics and building materials. An Thanh village is a vivid example of how locals use every part of the fruit.
What a tourist will see
The village attracts visitors with more than fibre. Here you can see the whole traditional coconut-processing process, watch the artisans at work, walk among golden fields of drying threads and feel the everyday life of the delta. An Thanh is often included in boat tours around Ben Tre and the Mekong Delta.
Worth a stop for a Nha Trang visitor?
Ben Tre is the deep south, the Mekong Delta, nothing like coastal Nha Trang. The journey is long, but if you are planning a big trip around the country that includes the delta, the village of golden threads is a colourful and 'real' stop. And back in Nha Trang, it's nice to mark the trip with a beautiful bouquet.
We'll bring a fresh bouquet or helium balloons to a hotel, villa or office across Nha Trang and Cam Ranh the same day — a nice touch to your travel memories. Message us on WhatsApp, Telegram or KakaoTalk. Based on material by Focus Cruises.
