Tra Vinh is one of the provinces in the Mekong Delta where many Khmer ethnic people live. Khmer people are very Buddhist with rich and diverse festivals, creating a unique identity for Khmer culture. There are pagodas and temples all over the villages and hamlets in Tra Vinh; Every Khmer temple is a work of art, in which it is impossible not to mention the Stork Pagoda. Nodol Pagoda – Co Pagoda is one of the outstanding Tra Vinh tourist attractions that visitors should not miss.
By Thomas Vietnam at vemekong.com | Official Tra Vinh 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/nodol-pagoda-stork-temple-tra-vinh/
Address: Located at Cay Da hamlet – Dai An commune – Tra Cu district, Tra Vinh province.
Added values: Visiting Co Pagoda, you will feel that your soul is relaxed, quiet, and lighter than all the hardships, difficulties, and pressures of life.
Nearby attractions and hidden gems: Looking for places to stop on your way to and from Nôdol Pagoda (Stork temple)? Or maybe you found it too crowded here? We’ve got some ideas! Check out our list: Ba Dong Beach (39 km), Ba Om Pond (39 km), Vam Ray Pagoda (5 km), Truc Lam Zen Monastery Tra Vinh (37 km), Con Chim Islet (48 km), Tra Vinh Market (38 km)…
2. Travel Guide to Nôdol Pagoda (Stork temple)
The Stork Pagoda’s real name is Nodal Pagoda or Going Pagoda, but the Khmer call it Wat Phnom Don because there are many coconut trees around (in Khmer, Wat means pagoda, Phon means dune, Don means coconut tree). People used to call it Co Pagoda because for more than a hundred years this place has become the residence of thousands of storks of all kinds such as storks, cormorants, pigeons… of which the largest is the stork family with many types: white stork, red-headed stork, yellow-headed stork, yellow-billed stork, black-billed stork…
Co Pagoda is located about 40km south of Tra Vinh City. To come to Co Pagoda, from the center of Tra Vinh City, you follow QL.54 to Tra Cu district, move on to Dinh An port (a tributary of Hau river) to Dai An commune greeting gate, turn On the left side, you will see the majestic Co Pagoda gate with colorful patterns and motifs.
The history of Co pagoda is recorded, that the pagoda was built in 1677. Over 300 years of existence and development, Co Pagoda has been restored countless times, large and small. The temple gate was restored in 1968 and the main hall was restored in 1944. After the last restoration in 2009 and 2012, the pagoda was completed and put into use until today.
Like other Buddhist temples in Tra Vinh province, Co Pagoda has an architectural complex with characteristics of Southern Khmer pagodas. Including works such as the temple gate, the main hall, the cremation tower, the monk house, and the synagogue … are arranged harmoniously on a large campus.
3. What to Do – See – Eat at Nôdol Pagoda (Stork temple)
The gate of the temple is decorated with many unique and outstanding decorative patterns, attracting the eyes from the first visit.
The main hall of the pagoda has a rather unique design with curved roofs in the pattern of a dragon’s tail, there are pointed peaks shaped like Mount Some and familiar images to the Khmer such as god: the four-faced god Mohabrom, the god bird Kýno, Rieju (Rahu), Mahaknot…
The space inside the main hall is decorated very dignifiedly, the highest place is a large statue of Shakyamuni Buddha, and below are smaller statues.
The walls in the hall are decorated with many splendid, colorful paintings showing different Buddhist themes.
The Co Pagoda campus is surrounded by green bamboo groves, rows of stars, coriander, oil trees, and beyond are green rice fields stretching endlessly,… Visit Co Pagoda in the morning Early or late in the afternoon, visitors can see with their own eyes the sight of pairs and flocks of storks spreading their wings to search for food and return to the nest after a hard day of foraging, creating a beautiful scene in the sky.
When visiting the temple, you should dress politely, you can rent a Khmer costume to enter the temple – true Khmer etiquette and also to take unique virtual pictures.
4. Free Itineraries from VeMekong
As a local travel expert, we have some ideas for you to think about.
From Tra Vinh 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 Tra Vinh. 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 Tra Vinh daily tour with local, you can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com
5. Google Maps of Nôdol Pagoda (Stork temple)
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 Nôdol Pagoda (Stork temple) 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 Tra Vinh 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 Tra Vinh.
7. Responsible Travel and Advice to Visit Nôdol Pagoda (Stork temple)
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 Nôdol Pagoda (Stork temple) (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
Tra Vinh Khmer pagodas are solemn places, so you should choose beautiful clothes that are still polite and discreet. In the temple grounds, there are many animal statues such as elephants, snakes, etc. If you go with the children, please remind them not to climb because these are sacred symbols of the Khmer people.
The monks don’t ask for money, although donations won’t hurt.
If you plan to extend your tour to Tra Vinh homestay, do not forget to bring mosquito repellent cream.
Visit Tra Vinh or do any customized tours, please choose reputable providers with boat trips equipped with lifebuoys, jackets, motorcycle and cycling tours with the helmets. Safety is a priority! Choose Tra Vinh responsible tours which help you give back while traveling. It’s a cliché, but it’s true.
Tra Vinh 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 Tra Vinh 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 Cong Cake, Tra Cuon’s Sticky Rice Cake, Bun Nuoc Leo Tra Vinh’s Noodle Soup, Macapuno Coconut…
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 Tra Vinh in the rainy season, as Tra Vinh always looks fantastic in the full rain and full sun.
Tra Vinh tourist attractions are magnificent itself, but if you have enough time, don’t forget to put other places onto your bucket lists such as Hang Pagoda, Nôdol Pagoda (Stork temple), Khmer minority people’s museum, Ba Dong Beach, Ba Om Pond, Ang Pagoda, Vam Ray Pagoda, Truc Lam Zen Monastery Tra Vinh, Cau Ke Ancient House or Huynh Ky Old House, Kampong Ksan pagoda, Con Chim islet – community-based tourism…
Hopefully, the above tips will help you to come up with a great plan for your adventure in Tra Vinh, Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Have a safe trip!
“Sleep less, travel more, respect more” – Thomas Vietnam – Local travel expert.
Thank you
