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Top 12 Tourist destination in Soc Trang
Soc Trang Province is located in the Mekong River Delta. This is the place where exchanges and converges of many cultures of ethnic minorities such as Kinh, Chinese, Khmer, and Chams. Soc Trang is the ideal destination for a trip to explore the Mekong Delta. So what does Soc Trang have to attract tourists? What are the destinations in Soc Trang? Let’s go through the list of Top 12 tourist attractions in Soc Trang.
1. Nga Nam Floating Market
Talking to the floating market in the Mekong River Delta, it is impossible not to mention the famous floating markets like Cai Rang, Cai Be, Long Xuyen, Nga Bay, Phung Hiep or Ca Mau. However, when coming to Soc Trang, there is another floating market that is also famous as Nga Nam Floating Market. The Market is located in Ward 1, Nga Nam Town, Soc Trang Province.
The establishment of Nga Nam floating market was associated with the process of digging the canal of Phung Hiep. This channel is the meeting place of Ca Mau, Vinh Quoi, Long My, Thanh Tri, Phung Hiep. Therefore, people call the market is the floating market. Like other floating markets, Nga Nam Floating Market is the place where happens busy trade activity of the people in the neighborhood. The floating market of Nga Nam attracts due to the food is sold abundantly on many boats. This is the highlight of the market in the eyes of tourists.
2. Binh An ecotourism area
Binh An Tourist Area is located on Highway 1A, at 71, Ward 2, Soc Trang City. This is a place with many activities, entertainment services, restaurants, stage performances, accommodation … With an area of nearly 8 hectares, the layout of trees, flowers, swimming pools, fish ponds, swings, the sight is close to nature but still lively. The resort can meet the needs and preferences of many ages, many objects.
In addition to the above, the highlight of this resort is many eye-catching architectural, cultural eye-catching works. The main point is the artificial mountain about three or four meters high, on the top is the statue of a quite large Buddha Guan Yin. At the foot of the mountain is a fish pond, trees planted very naturally, the trails between rough small large rocks. In the heart of the mountain is a mini hotel. Beside the mountain is a two-story villa, architectural style combined Russian-Middle East style. This place can hold the wedding ceremonies, night parties, dances and so on.
3. Vinh Hung Pagoda
Vinh Hung Pagoda is located at 110 Tran Hung Dao Street, Ward 2, Soc Trang City. The pagoda was started constructing in 1912 on a total area of about 6,800 square meters. The whole area of this land is voluntarily donated by a Buddhist Dinh Thi Dinh. The highlight of this pagoda is that all items are built of monolithic stone. Each block has a size of 30 x 20 x 20cm, so in addition to the name Vinh Hung, the pagoda is also known as the Stone Pagoda.
Not only that, the pagoda makes its own distinction when it comes to the style of Japanese architecture, not Vietnamese tradition or integration. The pagoda was built by Thich Thanh Chuong Monk and Buddhists inside and outside the country. Thich Thanh Chuong Monk was born in 1965 in the hamlet of Tong Cang, Lieu Tu, Long Phu District (now Tran De district), Soc Trang province. He has a Buddhist Studies Ph.D. in India, then was elected to do many important positions in Buddhist in the administrative apparatus of Buddhism.
4. Doi Pagoda
Approximately 2.5 km southeast of Soc Trang, Doi Pagoda or Bat Pagoda (also known as Ma Toc Pagoda) is the only pagoda worshipping Shakyamuni Buddha of Khmer people in SocTrang Province. Especially, the pagoda is home of thousands of bat birds weighing from 1 to 1.5 kg with the wingspan to 1.5 meters wide. According to the ancient document was written on the leaves were still stored, Doi Pagoda was built in the 16th century (1569) with the name Khmer “Sera Tê Chah Mahatúp”, meaning “Temple Made By Virtue. Most of the items now were used from materials like bricks, wood, leaves, and earth. Gradually, the temple was restored, expanded the campus size and completed the traditional Angkor Cambodian style and Vietnamese architecture style as unique now.
Over a period of nearly 400 years, the pagoda still saves precious objects such as a stone statue of Buddha Sakyamuni on a lotus tower about 2 meters high; a statue depicting the Buddha riding on Muchalinda god snake; many precious oil lamps, traditional Khmer musical instruments and ancient law books written on thistle leaves. Along with the style of art, architecture and many ancient artifacts, the pagoda also displays the ancient maps affirming the sovereignty of the Spratly and Paracel Islands in the territory of Vietnam. A highlight that is very popular in and out of the province because it expresses the national spirit. In 1999, the pagoda was recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) as a national historical-cultural vestige.
*Address: Doi Pagoda – No.73B Le Hong Phong Street – Ward 3 – Soc Trang City – Soc Trang Province.
5. Dat set Pagoda
Dat set Pagoda or Clay Pagoda, Buu Son Tu is one of six the most beautiful pagodas in the Mekong River Delta due to it owns a great artwork that the Ngo Family made hard in the past hundred years. Specifically, in the early twentieth century, Ngo Kim Tong (1909 – 1970), the child of Ngo Kim Dinh ate vegetables when he was young, studied Buddhist scriptures and gradually followed ones. At 20 years of age, the disease was unbearable, his family brought him into the temple to pray to Heaven and Buddha. Miraculously, he then recovered from the disease quickly. To return to Heaven and Buddha, he stayed in the temple and intended to restore the temple. One night, Mr. Tong dreamed of someone taught him how to mold a statue out of clay, so Mr. Tong followed that to implement. Not attending any school but the day after day, the 42 years he diligently, patiently molded, sharpened, painted to create thousands of unique, lively statues. When the pagoda was restored completely, Mr.Tong died, aged 62.
The highlight of this pagoda is to be holding more than 208 statues molded out of clay; 156 meandering dragons lying around each tower and eight huge candles. Each candle is about 200kg heavy, 1.6m high (including 6 large ones unburned and 2 smaller ones burning, estimated to be used within 70 years). Not only that, in the space of idolatry, the pagoda expresses the harmonious thought of the “Three religion the same origin” (Buddhím, Confucianism, Taoism) through statues such as Amitabha, Maitreya, Confucius, Jade Emperor, Lao Tzu, Dieu Tri Kim Mau. On December 10, 2010, Soc Trang Province People’s Committee ranked the pagoda as a provincial architectural vestige. On 21/9/2017, the Vietnam Record Book Center has established a record of “The pagoda having the largest Da Bao Tower and Lotus Base molded out of clay”.
*Address: Dat Set Pagoda – No. 186 Ton Duc Thang Street – Ward 5 – Soc Trang City – Soc Trang Province.
6. Khleang Pagoda
In Khmer Pagoda system in the west, Khleang Pagoda is considered one of the oldest pagodas (nearly 500 years); and is associated with the legends of Soc Trang. Legend said that the Kh’leang temple was built under the command of Chan Lap king Ang Ang in a visit to the territory in the Hau River area. To the Srok Kh’leang region (Khmer language means “land has a warehouse”, today Soc Trang province), the king saw no Buddhist pagoda here, so ordered the officer (the keeper of the area) to have to build a pagoda so that people could practice.
Obey the king, in 1532, Mr.Tac convened the followers and the representatives of the sroks (srok meaning land) to contribute to building a Buddhist pagoda. After discussion, Khleang Pagoda (kleaning was name of land area here) was started constructing on 16 December 2076 of the Buddhist calendar (1532 of the solar calendar). Through the ups and downs of history, this pagoda is a unique architectural work in traditional Angkor Khmer style. Most of all, from the three-door entrance, the main hall, to the lecture hall, every item is splendid, prestige and ancient.
With the special artistic value in architecture and the meaning in the life and the culture of Buddhists, on April 27, 1990, the Ministry of Culture and Information (now the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) ranked Khleang Pagoda as the National Architectural Artistic Monument according to Decision No. 84 / QĐ-BVHTT.
*Address: Khleang Pagoda – 53 Ton Duc Thang Street – Ward 6 – Soc Trang City – Soc Trang Province.
7. Soc Trang Khmer Museum
Facing the Khleang Pagoda across the street, the Khmer Museum is home to many precious objects, reflecting the cultural and spiritual life of the Khmer ethnic people for generations, such as costumes, houses and pagoda architecture, musical instruments, especially many Khmer cultural objects in the Mekong Delta.
Like museums of the Khmer ethnic minority in the other southwestern provinces. The Khmer Soc Trang Museum is bold in the traditional Cambodian architecture style with the curved and pointed roof. Currently, the Museum owns more than 13,000 precious objects, of which over 50% of artifacts are donated by Khmer ethnic people, including collections of masks, musical instruments, costumes, books leaves, and other valuable objects of Khmer culture. The hand-held tools are exhibited systematically on the agricultural production of the Khmer people from the last century, reflecting the hard hard-working life. Or the stage model of ro-bam, du-ke are elaborately designed, expressing the Khmer artistry.
*Address: located at the intersection of Nguyen Chi Thanh and Ton Duc Thang – Ward 6 – Soc Trang City province.
8. La Han Pagoda
La Han Pagoda is located on Dien Bien Phu Street of Cau Den hamlet, Ward 8, Soc Trang City. The legend said that the Pagoda was originally built by Chinese people who came to live in Soc Trang. Because they wanted to pray for peace, good rain and wind to work effectively, so they set up a tent to worship Buddhas. Among these Buddhas were the images of the 18 Arhats drawn very eye-catching, so when finishing, people named the temple was Arhat.
In 1956, a large storm accidentally blew down the worshipping tent. Seeing this, Buddhists and people here contributed to reconstruct brick Buddhist pagoda. By 1990, the pagoda was expanded about the size and built spaciously with many architectural items.
Arhats, Thai Thuong Lao Quan and Bodhisattva; the lower floor worshipsThien Hau Nuong Nuong, Bach Hau Cong, On Than and Tien Co. The pagoda has a splendid two-storey main hall. The upper floor worships Buddha Shakyamuni, 18 , Tien Huu.
In front of the main hall is a spacious and cool campus worshipping Phuoc Duc Lao Ong and Quan Yin statues. Along with that is the natural scenery such as lotus pond, Pho Da mountain, octagonal lamp, dragon phoenix, unicorn statues and also turtle lake. Through these items, it can be said that the temple is one of Soc Trang’s beauty-spots. Not only that, the pagoda is also a place to let people off worries, sadness in life to be in harmony with the spiritual world.
*Address: La Han Pagoda – 131 Dien Bien Phu – Ward 8 – Soc Trang City – Soc Trang Province.
9. Ho Be Sea Ecotourism Area
Located in Vinh Hai Commune, Vinh Chau District, Ho Be Sea Ecotourism Area is newly opened in the middle of the coast protecting forest. The tourist area has a large space with many ecosystems, diverse flora and fauna. Especially there is a pristine beach, smooth sand and gentle wave nearly 5km very suitable for relaxing weekend.
The highlight of this eco-tourism area is the place where the first Party cell of Vinh Chau District was established. From here you can visit My Thanh 2 Bridge; the tomb of My Thanh Princess in Sam Pha Hamlet, Lac Hoa Commune; the memory stele of the founding of the Party cell at Huynh Ky hamlet – the place where the political prisoners led by Mr.Ton Duc Thang came back from Con Dao.
*Address: Ho Be Sea Ecological Tourist Area – Vinh Hai Commune – Vinh Chau Town – Vinh Chau District – Soc Trang Province.
10. My Phuoc Islet
Together with Binh An Islet, My Phuoc Islet is considered as a green tourist destination, which plays an important role in Soc Trang Province. With the advantage around the year alluvial of Hau River deposits on a large natural area of about 1,020ha, My Phuoc is the ideal environment for growing fruit trees such as Mango, Rambutan, Mangosteen, Orange, Pomelo to invest in the construction of eco-tourism gardens. Along with that is the honey bee to invest in building eco-tourism garden.
Soc Trang province has used a small area (about 110 hectares) to invest in building “My Phuoc traditional cultural festival” including outdoor square, outdoor stage, accommodation, lighting system, yard, gate, tourist pier, river cable car, … and services: yachting, windsurfing, bicycle tours, electric vehicles … cultural activities, community festivals.
*Address: My Phuoc Islet – Nhon My Commune – Ke Sach District – Soc Trang Province.
11. Chen Kieu Pagoda
Chen Kieu Pagoda is About 12km from Soc Trang City center toward Bac Lieu in Dai Tam Commune, My Xuyen District. Chen Kieu Pagoda was built in 1815. Originally, the pagoda was built of wood and leaves. During the war, the main hall was destroyed by bombs. The pagoda was rebuilt in 1969, completed in 1980. In fact, the Khmer name is Wath Sro Loun. Wath Sro Loun is derived from Chro Luong – the name of a canal that runs along the former village road near the Pagoda. Because the Khmer sound is difficult to read, the Vietnamese moved Sro Loun sound into Sa Lon.
In the constructing process, due to the lack of materials, the monks came up with the idea of donating cups and dishes from the people in the village to stick to the walls. The idea is to save money on construction and to create beautiful patterns. Since then, the pagoda is also known by the people as the second name “Chua Kieu Pagoda”. The beautiful patterns made of style bowls have created a very impressive private beauty of the pagoda. This creates a deep impression in the eyes of tourists. Along with this, what makes many people look to the pagoda is because the pagoda also preserves a collection of rare wood carvings, mosaics are very delicate. Especially the bed of the rich man of Bac Lieu Tran Trinh Huy worth tens of billions was bought by the pagoda from the French in 1947.
*Address: Chua Kieu Pagoda – Dai Tam commune, My Xuyen district – Soc Trang province.
12. Phat Hoc 2 Pagoda
Buddhist Pagoda 2 or Soc Trang Buddhist Charity Cultural Center is a structure in the largest campus in Soc Trang province up to the present time. The pagoda was built in 2011 with an initial area of 1.5 hectares. After it was expanded to 8.5 hectares including many monumental items such as a thousand-square-meter car garage, a living room row, each room of the 15 persons, which is equipped with air-conditioner and wooden doors, and hundreds of hammocks located under the cooling trees for guests resting.
Along with the works, the pagoda also built many natural scenes with many stories such as cause and effect, proverbial verse, poetry illustrated education about family love, loyalty; the fairy tales of the betel and areca, Bom and the rich man, the bamboo tree with 100 segments and Thach Sanh… all carry profound human meaning.
Particularly, in the area, there is a lake with the area of more than 6,000 square meters, having the image of the Bat Nha Boat without the bottom symbolic for wisdom, carrying eight Buddha staying in the middle of the sea, helping beings get rid of the cycle of reincarnation.
*Address: Buddhist Pagoda 2 – Ward 5 – Soc Trang City – Soc Trang Province.
