With 28% of their population Khmer, Soc Trang is somewhere you can visit to experience both Vietnamese and Khmer cultures at the same time. The township it self is very basic and offers little for the traveler, however hope a motor bike taxi or a bicycle and you’ll be wow’d by the temples and pagoda’s just a short drive away.
Kh’leng Pagoda (Chua kh’leng)
Rebuilt in 1905 using concrete, Chua Kh’leng was originally built using bamboo way back in 1533.
This amazing pagoda is home to some 20 monks who accommodate several hundred students who arrive from around the Mekong to study at the nearby Soc Trang Buddhism School.
The monks and students are all very welcoming and love to practice their English with travelers passing through. They will normally also give you a tour of the pagoda. Donations are welcome, donation boxes are normally found near the main alter.
Clay Pagoda
Chua Dat Set in Vietnamese, the Clay Pagoda was built some 200 years ago by a Chinese family.
When you enter this amazing pagoda, you will see hundreds of brightly colored sculptures’ and statues, all of which have been made by hand using clay. The pagoda is very popular with Vietnamese and is actively used for worship.
Located at 68 Mau Than Street, you can easily walk to the Pagoda from the town centre.
Khmer Museum
Sitting opposite the Kh’leng Pagoda, the Khmer Museum has been put together to show the history of the Khmer Minority in Vietnam. Small but worth a visit, this museums opening hours vary greatly.
Ask at your hotel or a local about the opening hours.
Bat Pagoda
Just 4km outside of Soc Trang Town, the Bat Pagoda (Chua Doi) has become a must see for both Vietnamese and western travelers.
Whilst the Pagoda itself is large and beautiful, many come to see the thousands, or hundreds of thousands, of fat bats that have made their home in the surrounding trees. The bats, many of them HUGE, are extremely noisy thanks largely to the locals consistently shaking the trees!
Due to its popularity, the front gate is often guarded by an army of young children who beg and ask for money and food. A few are also not shy in putting their hands into someone else pockets, so watch the wallets!!
The pagoda can be reached by bicycle or motor bike in 10 minutes. Monks living in pagoda are friendly and very helpful, some speak a little English. Again, donations are welcome.
So are ear plugs!!
Note: If you visit a pagoda during your travelers, please pay due respect by dressing correctly (shoulders covered/long pants), removing shoes/hats when you enter the pagoda, doesn’t use camera flashes and always remain quiet.
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