Developing tourism associated with heritage conservation

The pagoda is a place for community activities of the Khmer people in Nguyet Hoa ward, Vinh Long province.

The pagoda is a place for community activities of the Khmer people in Nguyet Hoa ward, Vinh Long province.

During the 2021-2025 period, the province's tourism industry recovered impressively, attracting nearly 28.3 million visitors; including 2.7 million international visitors, with estimated revenue of more than VND 23,600 billion.

New and attractive tourism products

Vinh Long is a long-standing land of the Kinh, Khmer, Chinese, and other ethnic groups, with a diverse culture, many unique architectural and artistic works, and traditional festivals such as Chol Chnam Thmay, Ok Om Bok, Vu Lan Thang Hoi Cau Ke, and My Long Sea Offering.

The communes of Cau Ke, Tam Ngai, and An Phu Tan with their cultural relics, ancient houses, and many long-standing religious activities have become attractive tourist destinations, bearing strong cultural imprints.

In August 2024, Vinh Long province organized the Festival "100 years of Tra Vinh wax coconut" associated with the Vu Lan Thang Hoi festival in Cau Ke commune, introducing and promoting wax coconut specialties, promoting the value of national intangible cultural heritage, attracting 43,540 visitors.

The festival was truly impressive with a special art program broadcast live on television, helping the audience understand the formation, development and economic value of the specialty “Tra Vinh Wax Coconut”. The trade fair associated with the Vu Lan Thang Hoi festival attracted 200 booths of businesses from Tay Ninh, An Giang, Dong Thap provinces and Ho Chi Minh City.

The Ok Om Bok festival of the Khmer people in the South takes place in Nguyet Hoa ward, Vinh Long province.

Accordingly, the main product categories on display include agricultural products, seafood, clothing, footwear, cosmetics, food, beverages and other services. In particular, the booths displaying “Tra Vinh Wax Coconut” products and dishes made from wax coconut attracted many visitors to visit and shop.

Vu Lan Thang Hoi is a religious activity to worship Ong Bon, the guardian deity of the Chinese community at Van Nien Phong Cung in Cau Ke commune. The festival's activities have contributed to preserving the extremely valuable intangible cultural heritage of the land and people of Vinh Long.

Every year, on the full moon day of the 10th lunar month, at Ba Om pond, Nguyet Hoa ward, a cultural and tourism week takes place associated with the Ok Om Bok festival of the Khmer people in the South with many cultural, artistic and sports activities attracting visitors to visit, have fun and entertain.

In April 2025, the province organized the Aikya Cross Country Marathon Tra Vinh, a sports and cultural event, bringing people and tourists wonderful experiences about health and nature.

Tourists enjoy the Sa-dam drum dance performance of the Chau Thanh commune community dance team, Vinh Long province.

Community cultural tourism routes such as “Tra Vinh Ward - Khmer Cultural Tourism Village - Con Chim”; eco-tourism routes such as “Tra Vinh Ward - Khmer Cultural Tourism Village - Con Ho”; “Tra Vinh Ward - Cau Ngang - Ba Dong Beach” bring visitors interesting experiences about nature and culture.

Mr. Vu Thanh Trung, a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City, shared: "Coming to the Khmer cultural tourism village, Nguyet Hoa ward, I enjoyed learning about the Khmer people's life, enjoying the national cultural heritage and immersing myself in the fresh nature."

Preserve and spread heritage values

Composer Thach Mu Ni, Deputy Director of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions of Vinh Long province, said that Du Ke theater art has been formed and developed for more than 100 years and has left many impressions in the hearts of audiences. In 2014, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism included Du Ke theater art of the Khmer people in Can Tho city in the list of national intangible cultural heritage.

Every year, during holidays, Tet and dry months, people in Vinh Long, An Giang, Ca Mau provinces and Can Tho city contribute money to welcome the Du Ke art troupe to perform nightly at Khmer pagodas and villages, attracting thousands of viewers.

Established during the resistance war, to meet the political mission and people's enjoyment of art, up to now, the Khmer art troupe Anh Binh Minh, Vinh Long province has performed thousands of unique art programs at events, festivals, and Tet of the Khmer people in the South.

In addition, the Southern Khmer Du Ke Theatre Arts Festival in Vinh Long and Can Tho City has also attracted hundreds of actors, artisans, and musicians from provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta region. This is an opportunity for artisans and actors to exchange, learn experiences, and improve their skills, in order to preserve the traditional cultural values of the nation and enrich the spiritual and cultural life of the people.

Every year on the 10th to 12th of the 5th lunar month, fishermen in coastal communes of My Long, Dong Hai, Dai An, Long Vinh, Vinh Long province, bustle with the My Long sea worshiping festival. The sea worshiping festival is meant to express the fishermen's gratitude to the sea, praying for favorable weather, good wind, catching lots of shrimp and fish, and a prosperous and comfortable life.

Ngo boat racing activity on Long Binh river, Tra Vinh ward of Khmer people in Vinh Long province.

The My Long sea worshiping festival includes many important rituals such as: Pre-lecture; worshiping soldiers and worshiping the God of Agriculture; Nghinh Ong; sending off ships;... The ritual of worshiping the ancestors is a ritual to show gratitude to the ancestors who reclaimed land, established villages, and founded the offshore fishing profession.

In addition to the ceremony, the My Long sea worship festival is also bustling with cultural activities, sports, and folk games such as tug of war, sack jumping, Southern amateur music, dragon dance, and lion dance.

In 2013, the My Long sea worship festival was included in the list of national intangible cultural heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Vinh Long province plans to raise the festival to the regional level, enhancing the introduction and promotion of the traditional cultural beauty of the nation to domestic and foreign tourists.

According to Mr. Duong Hoang Sum, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vinh Long province, the province focuses on developing eco-tourism, community tourism and cultural tourism. Therefore, the province has implemented many conservation solutions, promoted propaganda and promoted heritage values through events and festival activities. At the same time, it continues to strengthen training skills for tour guides, tourism management staff and cultural heritage conservation.