Soc Trang Travel Guide: Khmer Pagodas in the Mekong Delta
Soc Trang's Khmer heritage sites — Chen Kieu Pagoda, Bat Pagoda — and how to add a cultural stop to a Mekong Delta trip.
Soc Trang is home to a large ethnic Khmer community, and it shows in a way the rest of the Mekong Delta doesn't — ornate Khmer pagodas, Khmer-language signage in places, and a distinct culinary and cultural layer on top of the general Delta scenery.
Chen Kieu Pagoda (Sec Khon Pagoda)
Known for its ceramic-tile decoration, built from broken pottery and porcelain set into the walls and roof — a striking, unusual building even if you've already seen several pagodas elsewhere in Vietnam.
Bat Pagoda (Doi Pagoda)
Famous for the large colony of fruit bats that roost in the trees around the temple grounds, alongside more standard Khmer Theravada Buddhist architecture.
How to fit it in
Soc Trang is further from Can Tho than Hau Giang, so it suits travelers with 4+ days in the Delta rather than a quick 2-day trip. It pairs naturally as the last stop before heading back toward Ho Chi Minh City or on to the coast. See the Mekong Delta itinerary overview for the full route.