Seven Mountains Pilgrimage Season

With its picturesque landscapes, majestic mountains, and legendary stories, the Bay Nui region is becoming an attractive destination for tourists.

The destination of faith

At over 9 a.m., Mr. Tran Cung's family car – tourists from Ho Chi Minh City – was still lined up along the Chau Doc bypass road. With a large volume of traffic, his family had to move slowly towards Thoi Son ward. “After our pilgrimage to the Ba Chua Xu Temple on Sam Mountain in Vinh Te ward, my family will visit the Ba Chua Xu Temple in Bau Muop, Thoi Son ward. Every year I come to An Giang to visit these famous religious sites,” Mr. Cung said.

Sitting and resting at a roadside tea stall, Mr. Cung seemed quite happy with his pilgrimage. He expressed that his family's business had been quite good this past year, so he wanted to come to An Giang to "pay his respects" to the supernatural beings. In this businessman's mind, An Giang is a sacred land where prayers are answered, so he never misses his pilgrimage. "With faith, everything will go smoothly. The scenery here is beautiful, and the temples are sacred, so everyone wants to come at least once a year. Not only my family, but also my relatives often come to An Giang for pilgrimage, although at different times," Mr. Cung shared.

Chau Ngoc My, a tourist from Ca Mau, also visited the Bay Nui region during the pilgrimage season, but she found it particularly interesting because, besides the pilgrimage sites, the area is very picturesque. “Here, there are majestic mountains, and at their foot are vast rice paddies, like a natural painting created by nature. Just admiring the scenery in An Giang is delightful and impressive,” said Ms. Ngoc My.

Ms. Ngoc My said this is her fourth time returning to An Giang. After her first visit in 2018, this young tourist has been captivated by this enchanting land. Since then, every one or two years, Ms. My and her group of friends return to this region. For this young woman from the salt-producing region of Long Dien (now part of Ca Mau province), An Giang always holds something to cherish, something to remember, something to return to again and again.

Love for the land, love for the people.

It's not just the scenery in the Bay Nui region that attracts tourists; the people here are also very special to them. The people of An Giang are always hospitable to visitors from afar. At famous pilgrimage sites like the Ba Chua Xu Temple on Sam Mountain, the Ba Chua Xu Temple at Bau Muop, Lau Pagoda, and Banh Xeo Pagoda, visitors are always warmed by the word "free" here. "Every year when I come to An Giang for pilgrimage, I'm impressed by the free vegetarian meals at the pilgrimage sites. Tourists don't expect free food and drink, but the way the people of An Giang welcome guests makes me very happy," said Mr. Nguyen Van Son, a tourist from Tra Con commune, Vinh Long province, happily.

After enjoying a free vegetarian meal, Mr. Son often supports pilgrimage sites with "a small token of his appreciation" to serve subsequent visitors. Mr. Son believes this is a way to "cultivate a connection" with the hospitable land of An Giang.

For the people of An Giang, the more tourists and pilgrims come, the happier they are. Ms. Dang Ngoc Hoa, a resident of Mount Cam, cheerfully said: “Pilgrims coming here bring us a livelihood, so we must wholeheartedly serve them. I am ready to take visitors to the pilgrimage sites on the mountain so they can fulfill their faith. While transporting them, I try to explain things to them so they understand more about the pilgrimage sites.”

Like Ms. Hoa, most people on Mount Cam are friendly and hospitable, partly because they are involved in tourism, and partly because they want to introduce the beauty of their hometown mountain to visitors.

As the unit managing tourism activities at Cam Mountain, the Cam Mountain Tourist Area Management Board is organizing many attractive activities for tourists visiting before, during, and after the Lunar New Year in 2026. Mr. Dinh Van Chac, Director of the Cam Mountain Tourist Area Management Board, said: “We are decorating the area with miniature landscapes, cleaning up, and planting flowers to create a clean and beautiful environment for tourists. We are also standardizing the operations of the passenger transport team within the tourist area, creating a civilized and courteous image.”

The highlight of this year's pilgrimage season at the Cam Mountain Tourist Area is the second Thien Cam Son Lantern Festival in 2026, with approximately 3,000 to 5,000 lanterns lit on the night of March 7th, 2026 (corresponding to the 19th day of the first lunar month). This is an opportunity for visitors to light these shimmering lanterns, carrying with them wishes for national peace and prosperity, and all good things in the new year. “With experience from previous events, we expect the second Thien Cam Son Lantern Festival in 2026 to meet the religious needs of visitors from near and far. We hope that every year, visitors will come to An Giang, to Cam Mountain, and together light up their faith in a peaceful and tranquil life for all people,” Mr. Dinh Van Chac expressed his hope.

THANH TIEN

Source: https://baoangiang.com.vn/mua-hanh-huong-bay-nui-a478256.html