In addition to the famous Da Co Hoai Lang song and the anecdote about the black prince who burned money to cook eggs, Bac Lieu also attracts many visitors from all over the world by the ancient beauty of many hundred-year-old temples and shrines which includes Phuoc Duc ancient temple.
By Thomas Vietnam at vemekong.com | Official Bac Lieu Visitor Guide
1. Better to Know as a Tourist
Ticket: Free
Spend-time: One and a half hour (approx)
Hours: Dawn – dusk
Food:
Shop:
Parking lot: Yes
Blog: https://vemekong.com/phuoc-duc-ancient-temple-bac-lieu/
Address: Located at 74 Dien Bien Phu Street, Ward 3, Bac Lieu City
Added values: Phuoc Duc ancient temple is not only a spiritual place for local people but also becomes an interesting tourist destination of Bac Lieu for tourists from all over the world. Visiting Phuoc Duc Co Mieu, visitors will enjoy the beauty of the cultural identity of the Chinese people in Bac Lieu.
Nearby attractions and hidden gems: Looking for places to stop on your way to and from Phuoc Duc Ancient Temple? Ghositaram pagoda (4 km), Cong Tu Bac Lieu House (15 km), Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary (6 km), Bac Lieu Salt Farm (48 km), Tac Say Church (37 km), Bac Lieu market (3 minutes)…
2. Travel Guide to Phuoc Duc Ancient Temple
This is the oldest temple of the Chinese living in Bac Lieu. Traveling to Bac Lieu, visiting Phuoc Duc Co Mieu, you will see firsthand the special architecture of the ancient Chinese people.
Phuoc Duc ancient temple was built by a group of Chinese around 1810. Initially, the temple was built with simple leaves to worship gods according to Chinese folk beliefs such as: Bon Dau Cong (Ong Bon), Quan De, Than Nong, Tho Cong, Mr. and Mrs. Cong Mau, etc. Because Ong Bon is the main worshiper, it is called “Ong Bon temple”. It was later changed to “Phuoc Duc ancient temple”, because the Chinese believed that Bon Dau Cong was also the main god Phuoc Duc – a god who was considered to have openly reclaimed land and supported people to have a good fortune and healthy life
In 1903, Trieu Chau state was established, located at Phuoc Duc ancient temple, in a large room next to Tay Lang, so it is also called Bang pagoda.
From a small temple with a modest area, after many restorations, the temple today has an area of 580 m2, according to the Quoc-shaped architecture, a royal architecture of the Ming dynasty, China.
3. What to Do –See – Eat at Phuoc Duc Ancient Temple
The entire temple is a large-scale and perfect architectural and artistic work, exuding majestic and ancient beauty Columns, trusses, skewers, trusses, altars made of stone and precious wood are all meticulously, elaborately and delicately carved with gilded Chinese characters, following the style of Hanh Thu and Khai Thu. All show the themes: Four spirits (dragon, unicorn, turtle, phoenix), plants, flowers, dolls and summoned beasts. In addition, the diaphragms, couplets are painted with vermilion and gilded.
On the roof of the temple is a pair of dragons adoring the sun (two dragons and tides), the most common image decorated on Chinese temples and shrines, symbolizing eternal happiness. The roof is tiled with pipes, the roof rim is made of green glazed ceramic, the end of the roof is decorated with a dragon tail pattern, on both sides are two small ceramic statues symbolizing yin and yang, the source of all harmony and discipline of all things. Each part of the temple is considered an artifact of high artistic value. With sustainable materials, Phuoc Duc ancient temple has firmly existed to this day. These works of art have been harmoniously and closely linked by the artists to form a unique architecture.
Not only a place to worship gods, Phuoc Duc ancient temple is also the base of revolutionary activities of Long Thanh village cell, Vinh Loi district, Bac Lieu province, led by comrade Nguyen Van Dang as secretary from 1930 to 1954. With those values, the pagoda was recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Information as a national historical and cultural relic in 2000.
Every year, at Phuoc Duc ancient temple, there are big festivals such as: Via Ong Bon; Vu Lan Festival; Ky Yen Festival… The biggest is the Via Ong Bon festival held on the 29th day of the third lunar month; and Vu Lan festival is held on the full moon day of the 7th lunar month.
4. Free Itineraries from VeMekong
As a local travel expert, we have some ideas for you to think about.
From Bac Lieu 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 Bac Lieu. 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 Bac Lieu daily tour with local, you can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com
5. Google Maps of Phuoc Duc Ancient 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 Phuoc Duc Ancient 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 Bac Lieu 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 Bac Lieu.
7. Responsible Travel and Advice Phuoc Duc Ancient 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 Phuoc Duc Ancient 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. 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
You can stay in a homestay which is near the riverside, this will help you out the best option. Then you can hire a scooter, car or bike and explore it by yourself and I hope you have an amazing Mekong Delta river sunrise.
If you plan to extend your travel to Bac Lieu homestay, do not forget to bring mosquito repellent cream.
Visit Bac Lieu 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 Bac Lieu responsible tours which help you give back while traveling. It’s a cliché, but it’s true.
Bac Lieu 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 Bac Lieu 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 bo cay (Spicy beef noodle soup), Three-striped crab (Freshwater crab in Bac Lieu), Banh cu cai (White radish pies), Banh tam bi Bac Lieu (Bac Lieu thick noodles & creamy coconut milk), Pho Ngheu, Bon Bon Pickles
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 Bac Lieu in the rainy season, as Bac Lieu always looks fantastic in the full rain and full sun.
Bac Lieu tourist attractions are magnificent itself, but if you have enough time, don’t forget to put other places onto your bucket lists such as Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary, Bac Lieu Salt Farm, Buddha Temple Ba Nam Hai, Cong Tu Bac Lieu House, Ghositaram Pagoda in Bac Lieu, Bac Lieu Wind Farm, Ancient Longan Orchards, Vinh Hung Ancient Temple, Xiem Can Pagoda Bac Lieu, Cao Van Lau Theater (Conical Hat Non La Theater), Tac Say Church, Cao Van Lau Musician Memorial Site, Nha Mat amusement park, Bac Lieu Beach and mangrove forests, Phuoc Duc Ancient Temple and Dia Mau Cung (Ba Pagoda), Bac Lieu Market, Hung Vuong Square in Bac Lieu…
Hopefully, the above tips will help you to come up with a great plan for your adventure in Bac Lieu province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Have a safe trip!
“Sleep less, travel more, respect more” – Thomas Vietnam – Local travel expert.
Thank you
