Vinh Te Canal is 87km long, 30m wide, dug by hand in 5 years with more than 80,000 workers, considered the largest canal in Vietnam nearly 200 years ago. The canal starts from Chau Doc River in Vinh Nguon Ward, Chau Doc City, An Giang Province, connecting to Giang Thanh River in Ha Tien City, Kien Giang Province.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Vu Quang Dao, former Director of the Vietnam Military History Institute, Vinh Te Canal built 200 years ago played a role as a project to mark, establish and affirm the sovereignty of the Vietnamese people in the Southern region.

According to history books, in 1819, the year of Ky Mao, after careful research, King Gia Long issued an edict, assigning the Governor of Vinh Thanh, Nguyen Van Thoai (Thoai Ngoc Hau), to command the digging of Vinh Te canal.

The edict read: "Digging this river is very hard work. The state's policies and border plans are all very important. Even though you are working hard today, it will be beneficial for all generations."

The canal was under construction when King Gia Long died. King Minh Mang continued to work on it until it was completed in the fifth lunar month of 1824. Vinh Te was considered the canal with the greatest strategic significance at that time.

Vinh Te Canal runs parallel to the Vietnam-Cambodia border, in the territory of An Giang and Kien Giang provinces. In the past, this was the place where the Siamese army often had to pass through when wanting to attack the Southwest region.

According to Associate Professor Dr. Vu Quang Dao, former Director of the Vietnam Military History Institute, the construction of a canal parallel to the border demonstrated a strategic mindset of proactive defense. Along with the border sovereignty marker, Vinh Te canal plays the role of a project to mark, establish and affirm the sovereignty of the Vietnamese people in the Southern region.

Historical documents about the digging of Vinh Te Canal (Gia Dinh Thanh Thong Chi, Quoc Trieu Chanh Bien Toat Yeu, Dai Nam Nhat Thong Chi, Dai Nam Thuc Luc...) all record that the person with outstanding contributions to this great project was Thoai Ngoc Hau Nguyen Van Thoai.

During that process, some documents recorded that Mrs. Chau Thi Vinh Te had made many contributions to help her husband. Because of the important meaning of the project, King Minh Mang granted Thoai Ngoc Hau Nguyen Van Thoai the privilege of naming the canal after his wife.

Nga Bay in Hau Giang province is the meeting place of 7 canals: Cai Con, Quan Lo - Phung Hiep, Lai Hieu, Mang Ca, Muong Lo, Xeo Dong, Xeo Mon. This city has an area of ​​nearly 80km2, is the administrative unit with the highest population density in Hau Giang province.

Nga Bay is located on National Highway 1A, between the center of Can Tho City and Soc Trang City (each city is about 30 km from Nga Bay). This place is considered an important waterway traffic hub for the Mekong Delta region.