Sam Mountain is a place to save stories from the open land of the South with a fresh climate, windy on all sides, and the convergence of 5 clusters of significant historical and cultural relics to become an attractive destination of Chau Doc. Typically, there is Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb, one of the most beautiful landscapes in Sam mountain.
By Thomas Vietnam at vemekong.com | Official Chau Doc Visitor Guide
1. Better to Know as a Tourist
Ticket: Free
Spend-time: One and a half hour (approx)
Hours: Dawn – dusk
Food: No
Shop: No
Parking lot: Yes
Blog: https://vemekong.com/thoai-ngoc-hau-tomb-chau-doc/
Address: Vinh Tay cluster, Nui sam ward, Chau Doc city, An Giang province.
Added values: Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb, also known as Son Lang, is a rare intact architectural work typical of the Nguyen Dynasty remaining in the South. This is a great and beautiful work, very valuable in terms of culture, history and architecture.
Nearby attractions and hidden gems: Looking for places to stop on your way to and from Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb? Or maybe you found it too crowded here? We’ve got some ideas! Check out our list: Tra Su Cajuput Forest (24km), Sam Mountain (3Km), Cam Mountain – Forbidden Mountain (37 km), Chau Doc Floating Market (11 km), 30 Thang 4 Park in Chau Doc (9km)…
2. Travel Guide to Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb
Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb, also known as Son Lang, is a rare intact architectural work typical of the Nguyen Dynasty remaining in the South. This is a great and beautiful work, very valuable in terms of culture, history and architecture.
Look at overall from a far, on the slopes of Sam mountain next to the Vinh Te canal, the majestic tomb area, green with the remnants of great trees. Son Lang is located at the foot of Sam mountain, next to countless other monuments, but strangely, it is never noisy like other temples here but always has a quiet, dignified and respectful atmosphere. The mausoleum is both a mausoleum and a temple, worshiping Nguyen Van Thoai, i.e Thoai Ngoc Hau, an official of the Nguyen Dynasty, sent by the court to explore and guard An Giang.
According to historical records, he was born on November 25, 1761 in Dien Phuoc district – Quang Nam province, and died on June 6, 1829. He is a mandarin that the Chau Doc and An Giang people are extremely grateful for for his great contributions to the people and the country during these years as a mandarin.
Talking about the merits of Thoai Ngoc Hau to the An Giang region as well as to the whole Southern region, it is enormous and indescribable. He gathered exiles, reclaimed land, and developed agriculture. Under his rule, the deserted areas, uninhabited forests became lush lands, people focused on living peacefully and affluently. In particular, his greatest contribution to the South was the organization of digging two strategic canals, Thoai Ha and Vinh Te canal, which were extremely important in traffic and trade at that time.
It is because of the extreme gratitude of the people of Chau Doc for him that Son Lang is always cared for by the people here with a rare beauty. The trees are meticulously trimmed, the large yard is always clear and beautiful. The entrance to the mausoleum passes through nine very majestic laterite steps.
3. What to Do –See – Eat at Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb
Thoai Ngoc Hau’s mausoleum was built on a green stone foundation, located adjacent to Highway 91, facing the north facing Ba Chua Xu temple, leaning against the cliff of Sam mountain, built by Thoai Ngoc Hau himself at the end of the 20s of the 19th century.
The whole painting mausoleum is a harmonious architectural block. Surrounding the mausoleum is surrounded by thick, solid cast walls higher than a person’s head, in front are two large semicircular doors in the architectural style of the old mausoleum, two opposite rows on both sides.
To enter the mausoleum, you have to go through 9 laterite steps transported from the East. In front of the mausoleum is a prominent courtyard with a long communal house, inside there is a copy of Thoai Son stele. The middle area is the tomb and the temple, the two sides are two rows of anonymous tombs.
In the middle of the mausoleum is the tomb of Mr. Thoai Ngoc Hau, on the right is the grave of the first lady, First Lady Chau Thi Te, on the left is the more modest tomb of the seventh lady, Lady Truong Thi Miet. In front of each tomb, there is a screen, the foot of the grave is an inscription.
In addition, on both sides of the mausoleum, there are tombs of different shapes: oval, elephant-shaped, peach-shaped, hat… These are all anonymous tombs of courtiers, bodies. Ethnicity and the men and militiamen died while participating in the Vinh Te canal digging. Legend has it that the peach-shaped grave and the hat were the main double peaches in the choir that performed for him while he was still alive.
Next is his temple, which was built extremely majestically and splendidly, with its back leaning against the rolling cliff, creating an extremely majestic and majestic temple shape, ancient. The temple is very sophisticatedly decorated, in the middle of the temple is a bust of Thoai Ngoc Hau, 2m high with enough weight to wear a crown like at the time of the tide, eyes overlooking Vinh Te canal, creating a very dignified atmosphere.
In the temple, there are also countless other valuable treasures such as monuments, paintings, epitaphs, literature, epic poems, praising the merits of ancestors, evoking a glorious time. of our forefathers, the years of reclamation and expansion of the land, leaving them for posterity for generations to come.
4. Free Itineraries from VeMekong
As a local travel expert, we have some ideas for you to think about.
From Chau Doc city center:
Route 1:
Route 2:
Route 3:
If you do not have much time left, it is easy to check out spots in one full day by boat or with bike or with motorbike and car. But there are much more than tourist sites like these in An Giang. Make sure you have more time to feel and explore more about the hidden gems and the culture, food, night life, wildlife and forest as well. Top tip: Stay in a homestay nearby, so you have more chances to visit it and surroundings. If you are looking for the package An Giang daily tour with local, you can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com
5. Google Maps of Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb
Google Maps made a name for itself helping people travel from one place to another, avoid traffic (You probably know the route from your hotel to the gas station by heart, but what you can’t be sure about is gridlock), measure a distance, get back to the hotel on time, share the location…
6. Visit Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb by yourself
Solo traveller? Travelling on your own means you will get out of any difficult situations by yourself. This, in turn, leads to more satisfying travel experiences and helps you improve your problem-solving skills.These days we rarely get the chance to sit with ourselves and simply be. That’s why you should consider the time you spend alone on your trip as a gift.
It is possible for solo travellers to use google maps and do it alone. But sometimes they need to update local maintained roads and bridges which close and lead you a longer road than the road from google maps. It is just about the time. It takes more time to find the correct garden to come. Adventure is always fun. Wifi is strong in An Giang village! The locals find it hard to speak English as well. Top tip: Sticking to one canal and keeping going along it which gives you more things to see and avoids getting lost. Contact vemekong.com to hire a car, scooter with English-speaking-guide or cycling tours in An Giang
7. Responsible Travel and Advice Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb
Don’t get us wrong. But we assure you that you totally agree with us. “Do not give candy and things to the children when you plan to visit any local villages”, the kids will leave the school and follow the sweets and later they find some things to give you or sell to you. The garden is a little forest, don’t pick and touch the flowers or fruits without the local’s smiles. We deal with traveling green and leaving green behind, not plastic. Top tip: Vemekong.com are some of the companies that care a lot about responsible travel and local respectation.
8. Amazing Video flycam/drone of Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb (4k)
If a picture says a thousand words, it stands to reason that the video says many times more.
9. Incredible Tips for Photography, Specialists, KOLs, Media and Influencers
To get the best of the best for your unique writing, featuring, photo, video and insider’s stories. We do recommend you to have a local travel expert, the one who always gets more ground information and makes sure every single element is solved perfectly. The Vemekong (very exclusive Mekong) team is your priority choice. Email and have a private talk with them to customize your journey smoothly, personal and the most ultimately amazing. You can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com
10. Pro Tips
Best time to visit Chau Doc floating market, Long Xuyen floating market is from 5:30am-6:30am. I hope you have an amazing sunrise on the Mekong Delta river.
You can stay in a homestay which is near the floating market, this will help you out the best option. Then you can hire a scooter, car or bike and explore it by yourself, but you still need to hire a boat for the floating market tour.
If you plan to extend your travel to Chau Doc homestay, do not forget to bring mosquito repellent cream.
Visit Chau Doc or do any customized tours, please choose reputable providers with boat trips equipped with lifebuoys, jackets, motorcycle and cycling tours with the helmets and. Safety is a priority! Choose Chau Doc responsible tours which help you give back while traveling. It’s a cliché, but it’s true.
Chau Doc food & drink guide ranges from street food, authentic, fancy to fusion foods. As a tropical land of many fresh vegetables and homegrown gardens, which always make Chau Doc cuisines fresh, close to nature and very traditional. If you are a food lover, don’t hesitate to put other bites onto your food lists such as Bun Ca Chau Doc (the soft noodle is cooked with fish), Banh bo cake of Chau Doc, Sugar palm fruit, Caramelized and Braised Catfish, Grilled Rice-field Rat with Salt and Chili, Long Xuyen Broken Rice, Nui Cam Pancake, O Thum’s Chicken Grilled with Lime Leaves, Sour Soup with Siamese Mud Carp Soup & Sesbania Flower, Stir-fried Shrimp with Sesbania Flower, Phu Huong Beef Noodle Soup, Basa Fish Hotpot, Mam (Fermented Fish)…
Bring your hat, sunglasses, and sunblock, scarf to wear when visiting temples, pagodas, and the cathedral.
Bring the raincoat if you’re planning a trip to Chau Doc in the rainy season, as Chau Doc always looks fantastic in the full rain and full sun.
Chau Doc tourist attractions are magnificent itself, but if you have enough time, don’t forget to put other places onto your bucket lists such as Tra Su Cajuput forest & Birdwatching, Chau Doc Floating Village, Fish Farm & Cham Minority Village, Chau Doc floating market & small canal, Sam mountain, Tuc Dup hill, Chau Doc river tour, Chau Doc cycling tour, Chau Doc photography tour, Ta Pa Rice Fields, Vinh Te Canal, Seven-Mountain Ox Racing Festival, Tay An Pagoda, Chau Doc Market, The Lady Temple – The Ba Chua Xu Temple, Phuoc Dien Pagoda – Hang Pagoda, Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb,
Hopefully, the above tips will help you to come up with a great plan for your adventure in Chau Doc, An Giang province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Have a safe trip!
“Sleep less, travel more, respect more” – Thomas Vietnam – Local travel expert.
Thank you