An Giang - A Sacred Land Nestled in Majestic Natural Beauty
If you are looking for a trip that both calms the soul and satisfies your stomach, An Giang is definitely one of the perfect destinations.
My vehicle started rolling at 5:00 AM when the sky was just barely dawn. From the starting point, I planned to pass through Long Xuyen. I love the bustling and vibrant atmosphere of this place, along with its main highlight being a diverse food paradise - especially the Com Tam Long Xuyen with fine rice grains and fragrant grilled meat, simple but unforgettable once tasted.
However, to save time in the morning, I decided to take the Long Xuyen bypass route, running straight through Chau Thanh and driving along the windy banks of the Hau River to head straight to Chau Doc.
Chau Doc welcomed me with a fresh atmosphere. The first stop definitely had to be the Ba Chua Xu Temple, nestled peacefully at the foot of Sam Mountain. This is an extremely famous spiritual destination in the West (Mekong Delta), where millions of people visit every year to pray for fortune, peace, and luck.
The Temple features a distinctly ancient and solemn architecture with majestic, curved tile roofs. A fun fact for you: The Ba Chua Xu of Sam Mountain Festival was recognized as a national intangible cultural heritage in 2014, and this festival was officially inscribed by UNESCO on the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity on December 4, 2024. After paying your respects, you can sincerely ask for blessings from the Goddess to bring home.
After worshiping at the Temple, I treated myself to a quintessential Chau Doc breakfast with the specialty Bun Ca featuring a sweet, clear broth, and fragrant, soft, and spongy palmyra palm sugar honeycomb cake.
Continuing the journey, I drove about 20 minutes from the Temple to Hang Pagoda. Unlike the crowded atmosphere at Ba Chua Xu Temple, Hang Pagoda nestles on a cliff, offering a surprisingly quiet, clean, and beautiful vibe.
To reach the pagoda, you have to climb up the stairs. My experience is to climb very slowly. Walking leisurely not only saves your energy but is also a form of walking meditation, helping to lighten the soul and shake off all sorrows. Upon reaching the top, a large grand hall campus opens up before your eyes, with the wind blowing fiercely.
I took the opportunity to check-in, snap some commemorative photos, and rest for a bit before going inside to light incense and pray to Buddha. A small note is that before entering the main hall, you must leave your shoes outside and absolutely not bring food or drinks inside to maintain the purity of the place.
Coming here, it is impossible not to mention the mysterious legend of the pagoda. Legend has it that this place used to be the cave of a pair of giant snakes (Green Snake and White Snake). Since a monk came to practice, listening to Buddhist scriptures being chanted every day, the two large snakes were converted, became gentle, no longer harmed humans, and became the mascot guards at the pagoda's gate.
As noon approached, I moved to Tri Ton district, heading straight to O Thum Lake to rest. O Thum Lake is famous for its cool landscape and the "addictive upon first bite" specialty: chicken grilled with Kaffir lime leaves. I chose Kieu Tien restaurant, a quite famous spot here. The restaurant is designed with small huts located along the lake, offering extremely private dining with a cooling breeze. The menu is diverse, and the prices are affordable.
The grilled chicken here has a golden, crispy skin, while the meat inside is soft, sweet, and imbued with the signature strong aroma of Kaffir lime leaves. After finishing lunch, I didn't forget to drop by the stalls to buy some Bay Nui (Seven Mountains) specialties like palmyra palm sugar, tamarind, and snake fruit as souvenirs.
Fully fed and well-rested, I continued my afternoon at the place dubbed the "Amorous Valley" of the Mekong Delta, Ta Pa Lake.
The jade-green lake sits nestled amidst towering cliffs. I also visited Ta Pa Pagoda (a Khmer pagoda with magnificent architecture), then drove along the mountain road to check-in at the Elephant Head Rock, took photos with the giant Tri Ton sign, and admired a few more breathtakingly beautiful lakes nearby.
Ending a day of weaving through forests, mountains, and pagodas, on the way back, I looped back to Long Xuyen city.
By this time, Long Xuyen was already lit up and bustling. I stopped to eat a hot plate of Com Tam Long Xuyen and nibbled on some street snacks to close out a truly complete and emotional trip.
