Vinh Long: gradually turning Khmer cultural heritage into a resource for sustainable development

Investing in many cultural projects associated with the lives of Khmer people

Vinh Long province currently has over 373,000 ethnic minorities (accounting for 8.9%), of which Khmer people account for over 8.4%.

The province has 156 Khmer Theravada pagodas, dozens of which have been ranked as national and provincial relics. Pagodas such as Ang Pagoda, Hang Pagoda, Kom Pong Pagoda or Phno Don Pagoda – also known as Co Pagoda – are not only places for religious activities but also centers of culture, education and community solidarity, becoming attractive destinations for domestic and foreign tourists.

Investing in and developing eco -tourism - traditional culture, Khmer ethnic cultural identity is one of the goals set by the province in the period 2025 - 2030. To promote the potential and advantages of being a land converging many cultural and natural values, in recent years, Vinh Long has been investing in many cultural works associated with the lives of Khmer people.

In 2020, the province allocated 12 billion VND to renovate many relics, including Khmer pagodas. At the same time, the province also reported to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ministry of Finance to request funding to renovate Ba Si Pagoda, Kom Pong Pagoda, and Ang Pagoda with a total amount of more than 45 billion VND.

One of the highlights is O Chhuc Pagoda in Tap Ngai Commune - a provincial-level historical and cultural relic - which was completely rebuilt but still retains the traditional architectural features of the Khmer people.

In the 2021-2025 period, the province will continue to survey degraded relics and plan to restore 22 relics, including 8 national relics and 9 provincial relics, with a total estimated cost of nearly 77 billion VND.

Along with the restoration, the province also focuses on training human resources to "keep the fire" of Khmer culture. Many traditional crafts of the Khmer people such as making crowns, masks, and musical instruments are also being restored. Implementing Project No. 6 under the National Target Program for Socio-Economic Development of Ethnic Minority and Mountainous Areas, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vinh Long province has organized classes to teach the making of crowns, masks, and the fiddle for Khmer children.

The Khmer Tra Vinh Cultural Tourism Village, in Nguyet Hoa Ward, gathers many typical cultural values of the Khmer people such as Ba Om Pond, Khmer Ethnic Culture Museum, Ang Pagoda, etc. along with a series of experiential activities, art performances, and community activities.

Dance performance for tourists at the Khmer Cultural and Tourism Village in Tra Vinh. Photo: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism

Attracting tourists from near and far

With many cultural relics, ancient houses, and long-standing religious activities, Nguyet Hoa Ward, Tra Vinh, Chau Thanh Commune, have long become attractive destinations, rich in national cultural identity.

It is expected that from October 30 to November 5, the Culture and Tourism Week will take place to celebrate the Ok Om Bok Festival of the Khmer people of Vinh Long province in 2025, in Nguyet Hoa ward. Every year, the Ok Om Bok festival attracts tens of thousands of visitors from near and far to visit, participate in folk games, view exhibitions and worship the moon.

Global air quality monitoring agency IQAir assessed that Tra Vinh, Nguyet Hoa, and Long Duc wards have the best clean air quality in Vietnam, ranking in the top 3 of cities with the cleanest air quality in Southeast Asia.

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

According to Director of the Department of Ethnic Minorities and Religions of Vinh Long province Thach Thi Thu Ha, in the period of 2021-2025, the province's tourism industry has recovered impressively, attracting more than 28.3 million visitors; of which, there are 2.7 million international visitors, with estimated revenue of more than VND 23,600 billion.

With the advantage of being a land of many cultural and natural values, Vinh Long is gradually turning Khmer cultural heritage into a resource for sustainable development. In the future, along with eco-tourism and community tourism, Khmer cultural tourism will continue to be an important highlight, contributing to making Vinh Long a unique destination in the Mekong Delta.

Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn/vinh-long-tung-buoc-bien-di-san-van-hoa-khmer-thanh-nguon-luc-phat-trien-ben-vung.889561.html