The annual Oóc om bóc Festival - Ngo boat race attracts a large number of tourists.
Nghinh Ong Festival - a unique cultural feature
The Nghinh Ong Nam Hai Festival (Tran De district), held annually from March 21st to 23rd (lunar calendar), has become a series of cultural and sporting events that attract the community and develop tourism in the coastal area of Tran De, Soc Trang province. The festival consists of two parts: the procession of the deity and traditional rituals, a flower arrangement and fruit platter display competition, a painting competition, folk games, and sports competitions... attracting both domestic and international tourists.
Mr. Pham Van Dau, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Soc Trang province, informed: The Nghinh Ong Nam Hai Festival (Tran De district) was included in the list of National Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in 2019; in 2024, the Nam Hai Mausoleum was classified as a provincial-level historical relic. As a folk belief, the festival has been popularized and passed down through generations of fishermen with the hope of praying for national peace and prosperity, calm seas, gentle winds, and abundant catches of shrimp and fish, bringing a prosperous and happy life.
According to Mr. Pham Van Dau, the festival is organized to preserve and promote the traditional cultural values of the people of the coastal region. Through this, it aims to promote the image, people, and products of Tran De district in particular, and Soc Trang province in general, to people nationwide, contributing to the development of local tourism.
Ms. Tran Thi Hong Tham (a tourist from Ben Tre province) said that her family makes a living from fishing at sea, and she participated in the festival hoping for safe fishing trips, abundant catches of shrimp and fish, and a prosperous life. The festival attracted a large number of tourists, creating a joyful and warm atmosphere, so everyone was excited and enthusiastic, promising a bountiful fishing season.
According to Ms. Tran Cam Tu, Head of the Culture, Science and Information Department of Tran De District, the Provincial People's Committee has approved the Project for the Preservation and Promotion of the Value of the National Intangible Cultural Heritage of the Nghinh Ong Festival until 2028. The project aims to strengthen propaganda and raise public awareness in the preservation and promotion of this intangible cultural heritage; elevate the Nghinh Ong Festival in conjunction with the preservation and promotion of ritual values; and implement various solutions to promote tourism in the locality.
Promoting cultural and spiritual tourism.
Tourists experience wearing traditional Khmer clothing at Bo Tum Vong Sa Som Rong Pagoda (Ward 5, Soc Trang City).
Soc Trang province has 93 Khmer Theravada Buddhist temples, which are considered one of the advantages and potentials for exploiting cultural and spiritual tourism in the locality. Notable examples include Chen Kieu Pagoda (Dai Tam commune, My Xuyen district), Mahatup Pagoda (Bat Pagoda), Bo Tum Vong Sa Som Rong Pagoda (Soc Trang city), and Bon Mat Pagoda (Chau Thanh district).
According to Tran Minh Ly, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Soc Trang, many Khmer Theravada Buddhist temples in Soc Trang have become popular tourist destinations attracting a large number of visitors from all over the country.
According to Mr. Tran Minh Ly, thanks to favorable transportation conditions, spiritual tourism destinations in the area can easily connect with other destinations in the Mekong Delta region.
Ms. Tran Diep Mo (a tourist from Thap Muoi district - Dong Thap province) shared that when visiting Bo Tum Vong Sa Som Rong Pagoda (Ward 5, Soc Trang city), she was very impressed with the highlight: the longest reclining Buddha statue in Vietnam (approximately 73m).
The Buddha statue, with its benevolent face, brings peace and a sense of tranquility to those who admire it. She also mentioned that the temple's architecture is deeply rooted in Khmer culture, featuring many famous symbols such as the mythical bird Krud and the serpent Nagar. According to Ms. Tran Diep Mo, visitors are quite fond of renting traditional Khmer clothing to take souvenir photos and immerse themselves in the vibrant costumes of the local people.
In addition, cultural activities and traditional festivals characteristic of the Khmer people attract a large number of participants. Notable examples include the traditional Chôl Chnăm Thmây New Year, the Oóc om bóc Festival - Ngo boat racing, etc.
According to Nguyen Van Khoi, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Soc Trang province, every year, the Ooc om boc festival - Ngo boat race - attracts nearly 60 Ngo boat teams from within and outside the province competing on the Mapero River (Soc Trang city).
Each festival leaves a positive impression on the people, tourists, especially the Khmer community. The Oóc om bóc - Ngo boat race festival alone, with its many attractive activities, attracts approximately 620,000 delegates and tourists, including over 19,000 overnight visitors, generating tourism revenue of around 80 billion VND.
According to Mr. Nguyen Van Khoi, in the first quarter of 2025, the total number of tourists visiting the province reached 903,850, including 16,796 international tourists, with 147,800 overnight stays, and total tourism revenue exceeding 585 billion VND.
Soc Trang is implementing a tourism development cooperation program with Ho Chi Minh City and other localities in the Mekong Delta by 2025. Accordingly, several programs are being implemented, such as: announcing the "Project for the Development of Tourism Products Linking Ho Chi Minh City and 13 Provinces and Cities in the Mekong Delta"; developing tourism programs focusing on historical values in border regions; promoting tourism in Ho Chi Minh City and the 13 provinces and cities of the Mekong Delta in the central provinces; and promoting tourist destinations on Ho Chi Minh City's 3D smart map application platform.
The program for tourism cooperation and linkage between Soc Trang and Ho Chi Minh City and other localities in the Mekong Delta in 2025 aims to exploit potential advantages and develop the tourism industry into a key sector. The program serves as an important foundation for localities to promote and market tourism, with Soc Trang continuing to showcase spiritual tourism, linked to traditional products of ethnic minority communities.
Soc Trang is developing many key tourism products including: spiritual and cultural tourism, festival and culinary tourism, river and garden tourism in My Phuoc islet, and eco-tourism in the melaleuca forest combined with historical visits to the Provincial Party Committee's base area (My Tu district)... These are characteristic tourism products of the province that promise to attract many visitors in the future.
According to VNA
Source: https://baohoabinh.com.vn/16/200401/Suc-hut-tu-cac-le-hoi-vung-dan-toc-thieu-so.htm
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