Soc Trang tourism – where there are the most beautiful pagodas in the south

The Mekong delta is an area where many Khmer communities are living. And Soc Trang is one of places where Khmer people concentrates their living most crowdedly. In their lives, Khmer people attach much importance to cultural belief spirit activities. Therefore, it is not strange for tourists to go everywhere in Soc Trang and see the presence of pagodas with different sizes. All pagodas in Soc Trang form a good-looking architectural complex with a supernatural power and honors the traditional cultural historical values in forming Soc Trang land in particular and the Mekong delta in general. Arriving in Soc Trang we can stop by such famous pagodas and tourist sites as:

Sa Lon Pagoda (small porcelain bowls pagoda)

Sa Lon pagoda is located on the national highway 1A, 12 kilometers from Soc Trang city in the direction from Soc Trang city to Bac Lieu. The special trait of the pagoda is to use pieces of broken porcelain bowls and dishes to veneer on the walls for decorating the pagoda, which is so called the Small Porcelain Bowls pagoda. The originally veneering technique form impressive specific beauty of the pagoda. The Sa Lon pagoda still preserves a valuable and rare finely-engraved woodworks collection which were bought from one of the properties of Bac Lieu mandarin’s son in 1947 (vnexplore.net)



Clay Pagoda

The pagoda is located at 163A, Luong Dinh Cua Street, Soc Trang city. Such works as Buddha statue, supernatural animals, Tram peak (Dinh tram), towers etc. are created from clay and seem to be made from real materials at first sight. Especially, there are 8 candles of which 6 big ones are not lighted yet and the 2 smaller ones are on fire. The weight of each candle is about 200 kilograms and its height is 1.6 m. Each big candle is estimated to be on constant fire for 70 years. There are also 3 scented incenses with 1.5 meter high each. The Clay pagoda is one of the most fascinating tourist sites in Soc Trang city.
(vnexplore.net)



Kh’leang Pagoda

It is located at No. 71, Mau Than street, hamlet 5, ward 6, Soc Trang city. The Kh’leang pagoda is the oldest one in Soc Trang with nearly 500 years of age and was built in 1533 connecting closely with legends about the geographic name of Soc Trang.
The Kh’leang pagoda which is built on high wide foundation with clear spaces is surrounded by a lot of verdures especially palm trees. This is the specific kind of trees of Khmer people. At the foot of each tree is a bench for rest, which brings tourists a cool and comfortable feel. The pagoda gate is decorated with sophisticated patterns in striking color, which manifests the style and culture of Cham people.
From the front view, the inside has 16 big black wooden poles which are gilded with gold representing images about the life of Buddha and Buddhist law. The ceiling and walls are drawn many images, patterns expressing harmony between Buddhist law and painting. The front view position is a big Buddha statue sitting on his splendid throne, which creates a purified grave look. There are also Khmer ancients’ items that shows the preservation and bring into play the old cultural living trait of their nation. The pagoda proof is decorated with reliefs of bird and animal images and others which represents Buddhism philosophy. It is possible to say that the whole proof of the pagoda is an unique structure manifesting conception and philosophy of harmony among Buddha, Human and God of Khmer people. (vnexplore.net)

Bat Pagoda

It is located at 73B, Le Hong Phong Street, ward 3, Soc Trang city, Soc Trang province, 2 kilometers from the city centre. The bat pagoda is a quiet beautiful pagoda with green nature and is also a living place for ten thousands of flying fox bats. The bat pagoda is also called Ma Toc or Mahatuc pagoda. It was built in the sixteenth century and has been restored many times. The pagoda is built in accordance with Khmer traditional architecture. Especially, the precinct of the pagoda has been home for thousands of flying fox bats for a long time. They suspend themselves from tree twigs in the pagoda precinct in daytime and start flying for fruits from 6 PM until 5 AM of next morning, they return home. Additional interesting thing is that the bats never eat and ravage the fruits in the living pagoda precinct. The pagoda has an old stone statue of Buddha with 1.5 meter long and buddhist’s laws written on the leaves of palm trees. (vnexplore.net)Soc Trang Khmer museum

Opposite to Kh’leang pagoda, Soc Trang Khmer Museum is a work in which its architecture is in accordance with pagoda style of Khmer people. In the museum, many precious objects on display, which reflects the mental and material cultural life of Khmer community through many generations such as clothing, house architecture, pagoda, musical instruments etc. Visiting the Soc Trang Khmer museum, tourists understand more about Khmer community, an important part of population in Soc Trang province. (vnexplore.net)





Besides ancient pagodas system representing the architecture features of the South Khmer community, Soc Trang still has other tourist attracting sites:

Nga Nam (five-way) floating market

Locating in the Nga Nam town, Thanh Tri district, Soc Trang province is the intersection of five rivers going 5 ways: Ca Mau, Vinh Quoi, Long My, Thanh Tri and Phung Hiep. This is one of markets existing for a long time and being the busiest market in the Mekong delta. Boats from everywhere come to buy, sell and exchange all kinds of goods. On lunar new year holidays, the sight of more bustling and animated market.
From the very early morning, the Nga Nam floating market is in operation. In the centre of Nga Nam floating market, there are hundred of junks and boats of many kinds berthing in close proximity to one another. Standing on a bank and look down the floating market sparkling in all colors of lights. The goods at Nga Nam floating market doesn’t want for anything.
Until now, the Nga Nam floating market still keeps the cultural specific living traits of the floating market in the South delta. The Nga Nam floating market is an address attracting domestic and foreign tourists. (vnexplore.net)

My Phuoc Dune

Belonging to Neon My commune, Ke Sach district, Soc Trang province and in the middle of Lower Mekong river, about 10 kilometer from Ke Sach, tourists can travel both by waterborne and land conveniently. With the cool immense space and poetic charming waterways, this is a site attracting a lot of tourists.
This dune land has been famous for such fruits as sapodilla plum, mango, durian, orange, tangerine, longan etc. and the main income of these dune people is based essentially on cultivating special fruit orchards with the area of over 300 ha. Besides, orchard owners in My Phuoc have built models of ecological orchard to attract tourists, especially the orchard site of Mr. Tu Viet’s family. With 4.5 ha of longan orchard, he could improve the orchard and reserve vacation resorts. A stand trading in hick special foods has been built together with spacious pier, toilets etc. attracting a large number of tourists. (vnexplore.net)


Binh An Tourism Area
Locating on the national highway No.1A, at No. 71, Ward 2, Soc Trang city, Soc Trang province. The area of hectares is the “copy” of Dam Sen park in HCMC but smaller in size. Going through the gate and being behind the stage, we can see an artificial mountain with 30 to 40 meters high. On the top is a big Bodhisattva Kwan Yin statue. Near mountain foot are a fish pond, trees and plants which are cultivated naturally; tracks are inserted among small and large artificial rocks reproducing the path in the mountain. Lianas cling to plants and trees densely. Inside the mountain is a mini hotel. On the left side is a two-storey villa with architectural model of Russia and Middle East where a wedding ceremony, feast and ball etc.
This is a place providing many activities and services: amusement, restaurant, stage performance and staying etc. A system of verdure, fruits, swimming pool, fishing bond, Ferris wheels which is arranged properly and harmoniously is close to the nature in both quiet and lively ways. The tourism area can meet the demand and interests of many people in different ages. The Binh An tourism area existence has broken the town’s inherent silence which bears the Khmer cultural hallmark in a province of the western South. (vietseek.vn)

Tan Long Stork Garden

Belonging to Long Binh commune, Nga Nam district, Soc Trang province, this place has become a bird garden for nearly 30 years with thousands of storks living in bamboo trees, coconut trees familiar to Mr. Huynh Van Muoi family. In recent years, Mr. Muoi has received tourist for visiting his garden. He erects a observing tower with more than 10 metres high for tourists to contemplate storks in his garden with an area of 1.5 hectares. The storks here includes such varieties as white heron, nga stork, lbis, cormorant etc. With a chance to view the real lives of storks, tourists can take occasion to rest, relax and camp in the green precinct or enjoy lot of specialities. (Congdulich - according to Vietnam tourism)