Ben Tre is made up of seven districts with Chau Thanh being the main city, surrounded by many islands that are covered in coconut trees. Ben Tre is known throughout Vietnam for its masses of coconut palms, and during the war the coconut oil was used as a valuable substitute for kerosene. This are is relatively untouched by tourism, and this is evident in the fact that NOBODY speaks English in Ben Tre. Even the tourist office has trouble communicating. Communication problems aside, you will find the people of Ben Tre to be exceedingly friendly and the countryside is beautiful. There is also a daily fresh produce market that is extremely colorful and worth visiting. Due to the limited exposure to tourism, Ben Tre can leave you with a purely cultural experience.