Mỹ Tho () is a former city in the Tiá»Ân Giang province (now is ÃÂá»Âng Tháp province) in the Mekong Delta region of Southern Vietnam. It has a population of approximately 169,000 in 2006 and 220,000 in 2012. It is the regional center of economics, education and technology. 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.
Mỹ Tho ceased to exist as a municipal city on 1 July 2025, following the elimination of district level units in Vietnam.
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 (literally, beautiful tree).
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 7 October 2005.
Mỹ Tho is divided to 11 wards (called Ward 1 - Ward 10, and Ward Tân Long) and 6 communes.
6 communes:
Mỹ Tho is connected to the rest of the country by National Route 1 and Tiá»Ân River. Here, people mainly use motorcycles, bicycles, and boats for transportation. Mỹ Tho has the first railway route (about 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.
By road, Mỹ Tho City is from the anonymous capital of Vénh Long province, from Ho Chi Minh City, regional center of Southern Vietnam, from Cần Thá, from Châu ÃÂá»Âc, from Rạch Giá, from Long Xuyên. Mỹ Tho and Bến Tre are connected by Rạch Miá» u Bridge.
By river, there are many short boat trips to various islands, Bến Tre, and floating markets in the surrounding areas. It also has overnight long boats to Châu ÃÂá»Âc and Long Xuyên.
In terms of air travel, the nearest domestic and international airport is Há» ChàMinh 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 CityâÂÂTrung Luong Expressway.
Vénh Tràng Temple, Cao Dai Temple, Dong Tam Snake Farm. 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.
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 ThuáºÂn market.
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 Nguyá» n ÃÂình Chiá»Âu High School.
Schools in Mỹ Tho are named after famous Vietnamese writers, poets, and national heroes such as Nguyá» n Trãi, Thu Khoa Huan is also known as Nguyen Huu Huan, Xuân Diá»Âu, Lê Ngá»Âc Hân, Nguyá» n ÃÂình Chiá»Âu, Trần Hðng ÃÂạo.
Tiá»Ân Giang College which was promoted to Tiá»Ân Giang University in 2005 is also located at Mỹ Tho.
Today the economy of Mỹ Tho is mainly based on tourism, fishing, and agricultural products such as coconuts, bananas, and longans.
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 Há» ChàMinh 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.
In 2010, there are total 17 markets located in wards and commune in Mỹ Tho.