Exploring Bac Lieu’s beautiful 135-year-old pagoda
Apart from being one of the biggest pagodas in the Mekong Delta, the Xiem Can Pagoda is a cultural relic of
Bat Pagoda is one of the oldest Khmer temples in the Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta province of Sóc Trăng. File Photo
HCM CITY The Cửu Long (Mekong) Delta is home oi about 600 Khmer pagodas and each temple has a unique feature. The Bat Pagoda, for example, is home to thousands of bats.
Bat Pagoda,, or Ma Toc, Mahutup Temple is the typical architectural complex representing the beliefs of Khmer people. It is located approximately 3 km southeast of Sóc Trăng City.
At the entrance, visitors will be overwhelmed by the bright and shiny yellow colour that nearly covers the entire Bat Pagoda. While the main gate is simply decorated, the sub-gates are decorated with five-head giant snakes.
The pagoda is a place of worship for devout Buddhists, most from the Khmer community. It is also a social space for the community where traditional festivals are held.
The attractiveness of the Bat Pagoda also comes from the vast garden with numerous ancient trees interspersed with fruit trees like mango.
Thousands of bats hang like fruit on trees. In the peak season, the temple attracts more than a million bats. VNS