Tien Giang is truly a “sanctuary” of spiritual tourist destinations. This small province in the Mekong Delta is not only fortunate to have a Truc Lam Chanh Giac Zen Monastery with the largest area in the West of the river but also has countless churches that have always been an ideal destination for many Catholics. And of course, My Tho Cathedral is one of them.
By Thomas Vietnam at vemekong.com | Official My Tho Visitor Guide
1. Better to Know as a Tourist
Ticket: Free
Spend-time: One hour (approx)
Hours: Dawn – Dusk
Food: Yes
Shop: Yes
Parking lot: Yes
Blog: https://vemekong.com/my-tho-cathedral/
Address: Hung Vuong Street, Ward 7, My Tho city.
Added values: My Tho Cathedral owns a peaceful beauty on Hung Vuong Boulevard and is also the third common house of the My Tho parish in this land. My Tho Cathedral was built more than 100 years ago according to the Greco-Roman architecture of the Renaissance period with many delicate lines. For many years, this place has been not only a place of religious activities for local religious people but also an attractive attraction for tourists near and far.
Nearby attractions and hidden gems: Looking for places to stop on your way to and from My Tho Cathedral? Or maybe you found it too long a drive here? We’ve got some ideas! Check out our list: Phoenix Islet (12 km), Dong Tam snake farm (10 km), Dieu Hoa Temple (6 minutes), My Tho Market (4 minutes), Vinh Trang Pagoda (4 minutes)…
2. Travel Guide to My Tho Cathedral
As an ancient cathedral with an age of up to a hundred years in the middle of the city all year round with a bustling scene of boats and boats, My Tho Cathedral attracts everyone’s attention with its Greco-Roman Renaissance architecture. The church is the third common house of the My Tho parish in this land, officially started construction in 1906 and completed in 1910.
My Tho Cathedral is located peacefully on the corner of Hung Vuong Avenue.
If you have been impressed with a peaceful Cai Be Church at the confluence of the poetic Tien River, then My Tho Cathedral is located in an equally favorable position: on Hung Vuong Boulevard with the busy scene of people passing by. Therefore, on the journey to the Mekong River, if you intend to visit this ancient cathedral, you will be able to choose motorbikes or cars as the main means of transportation.
If you are someone who wants to be more proactive in terms of time as well as be able to stop to admire the scenery, take photos with beautiful scenery on both sides of the road during the journey, the main motorbike is the most suitable means. You can follow the following route: Ap Bac fork – Nguyen Trai intersection – turn left onto Hung Vuong Avenue.
Around the city center today, there are also a variety of motorbike rental shops with prices ranging from 100,000 VND to 150,000 VND / day depending on the type of vehicle you choose, be it digital or scooter. You pay attention to traffic laws, wear a full helmet, prepare the necessary identification documents, and do not joke during the move to ensure the safety of yourself and everyone around.
Interesting things about My Tho Cathedral you may not know.
Going back in time, learn about the construction process of My Tho Cathedral
As the third common house of the My Tho parish, the Cathedral was officially laid the first stone and started construction on August 11, 1906, under the supervision of Father Régnier (the common people call it the closer name is Cha Gam) on Hung Vuong Boulevard which was formerly known as Bourdais Avenue.
Going back in history to look back at the past of the My Tho family, it turned out that the first church was the church of St. Francis Xavier by the priests of the Missionary Order. It was not until 1866 that Bishop Michael decided to start building a new church, named Vinh Tuong Church and dedicated to the Sacred Heart.
Later, Vinh Tuong Church was degraded and no longer usable, so the bishops decided to build a new cathedral, which is My Tho Cathedral. The church still retains the full Greek-Roman architecture of the old church, built on muddy ground with a main and two auxiliary compartments.
On November 24, 1960, Pope John XXIII officially issued the Decree “Venerabillium Nostrorum”, establishing the Vietnamese clergy, and at the same time reorganizing the old and new diocese. At this time, My Tho Diocese officially separated from Saigon Diocese. At the same time, since then, My Tho Church has officially become the cathedral with the title of “The Immaculate Conception”.
In the Holy Year 2000, the late Bishop Paul Bui Van Doc celebrated the Dedication Ceremony of My Tho Cathedral, choosing the Feast of the Assumption of Our Lady to Heaven as the second patron saint of the church. And in 2007, on the 100th anniversary of the church’s construction, priest James Ha Van Chung restored and expanded the church. He also repaired the tile roof, rebuilt the sacristy, renovated the bell tower, and set up a Station of the Cross on the church grounds.
Through many ups and downs, My Tho Cathedral has become one of the pilgrimage sites where a large number of parishioners from all over the country gather on major and important occasions of the year.
3. What to Do – See – Eat at My Tho Cathedral
Because it was built on the muddy ground, the height of My Tho Cathedral must be lowered to ensure safety. Currently, the church is 24m high, 53m long, and more than 17m wide, including the main compartment and two auxiliary compartments on both sides. The church was built according to the Greco-Roman architecture of the Renaissance period with a round column supporting the dome and decorated with meticulous, sophisticated, and elaborate patterns.
Continuing to go inside, you will surely be amazed at the airy space of the cathedral. Using the dominant white color tone, the space inside My Tho Cathedral gives people a feeling of airy, spacious, and luxurious with the floor completely lined with smooth ceramic tiles. Meanwhile, the ceiling area is dotted with splendid European chandeliers.
The arched door is adorned with delicate floral motifs in the style of Greek-Roman architecture during the Renaissance. The more you look at it, the more you will be surprised and impressed by the simplicity but without losing the splendor and ancient beauty of the house of God.
The sanctuary of My Tho Cathedral uses the main yellow color, white border, and red tile roof. This helps to exude the majesty and antiquity, and at the same time shows the solid beauty and development of the parish after its formation for more than 100 years.
As for the bell tower, now the old bell tower has been moved to the southern high tower by Reverend Paul Nguyen Minh Chieu. Later, Father Joseph Chuc rebuilt another bell tower separate from the church. This is also the current bell tower that the church uses to announce the time of mass or solemn occasions as well as ring the mourning bell when a family member in the parish has a loved one died.
Tien Giang is truly the perfect land for those who love spiritual attractions. Not only has Buu Lam Go Cong Pagoda with an ancient beauty of more than 200 years old, but this place is also home to many churches with ancient beauty that are loved by many people. And of course, My Tho Cathedral is one of them. If you have the opportunity to return to the Mekong River region, do not miss the opportunity to once attend Mass at the church and explore the ancient and majestic space of this church.
4. Free Itineraries from VeMekong
As a local travel expert, we have some ideas for you to think about.
From My Tho 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 My Tho. 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 My
Tho daily tour with local, you can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com
5. Google Maps of My Tho Cathedral
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 My Tho Cathedral 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 My Tho 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 My Tho.
7. Responsible Travel and Advice to Visit My Tho Cathedral
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 My Tho Cathedral (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. 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
You can stay in a homestay which is near the Mekong riverside, this will help you out. Then you can hire a scooter, car or bike and explore it by yourself.
If you plan to extend your travel to My Tho homestay, do not forget to bring mosquito repellent cream.
Visit My Tho 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 My Tho responsible tours which help you give back while traveling. It’s a cliché, but it’s true.
My Tho 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 My Tho 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 Hu Tieu My Tho (a kind of noodle soup but it is really yummy), elephant ear fish, Snakehead Fish Rice Porridge, snake wine, coconut candy, Fried Sticky Rice…
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 My Tho in the rainy season, as My Tho always looks fantastic in the full rain and full sun.
My Tho tourist attractions are magnificent itself, but if you have enough time, don’t forget to put other places onto your bucket lists such as Coconut Candy Traditional Village & Small Canals, mighty Mekong river cruise, educational tour and community tour in My Tho, My Tho homestay 2D1N, My Tho Cycling Tours, Dong Tam Snake Farm, Vinh Trang Pagoda, 4 Stunning islets (Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle and Phoenix), My Tho Market, My Tho Cathedral, Buu Lam Pagoda, Dieu Hoa Temple.
Hopefully, the above tips will help you to come up with a great plan for your adventure in My Tho, Tien Giang province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Have a safe trip!
“Sleep less, travel more, respect more” – Thomas Vietnam – Local travel expert.
Thank you
