The Mekong Delta Sóc Trng

The dusty streets and muddy river of Sóc Trng give it a bit of a down-on-its-luck appearance. But don’t be surprised if you see flying bits of color in the form of monks on motorcycles—the city is known for its significant Khmer population. Several unusual temples near Sóc Trng also set it apart from its neighbors.

Transportation. Buses arrive at the station on Nguy[n Chí Thanh and head to C<n Th£ (1hr.; 11,000) and HCMC (6hr.; 40,000) throughout the day. To reach Båc Liˆu (1hr.; 10,000) or Cà Mau (3hr.; 25,000), you’ll need to catch a bus on the highway; ask your hotel receptionist how to do this.

Orientation And Practical Information. From the bus station, Nguy[n Chí Thanh runs south and intersects with MÆu Thñn. Heading eastward, MÆu Thñn turns into L™£ng inh Cúa. In the opposite direction, MÆu Thñn crosses the Sóc Trng River and becomes Hai Bà Tr™ng, and then turns into Tr<n H™ng åo as it passes the post office. The city as a whole is quite spread out and lacks a real center, making navigation difficult. The staff at Sóc Trng Tourist Office, 131 Nguy[n Chí Thanh, don’t speak much English, but they’ll give you a free map pointing out the municipal and provincial highlights. (☎822 292. Open daily 7-11am and 1-5pm.) Vietcombank, 27 Hai Bà Tr™ng, changes currency and handles MC/V cash advances. It also has an indoor ATM. (Open daily 6:30am-10:30pm.) There is a pharmacy at 8-10 Hai Bà Tr™ng. (Open daily 7am-5pm.) You can access the Internet at 2 Tr<n H™ng åo. (3000 per hr. Open daily 8am-9pm.) The post office, 1 Tr<n H™ng åo, has phone and fax services. (☎820 051. Open daily 6am-9pm.)

Accommodations And Food. The overnight options in Sóc Trng tend to be pricey. One noteworthy exception is Phú Quí 2, 41 Phan Chu Trinh, a shiny black building whose rooms feature air-conditioning, TVs, minifridges, and hot water. (☎611 911. Rooms 150,000-180,000.) Khánh H™ng 2, 15 Tr<n H™ng åo, has bright and spacious rooms, each with its own balcony. The staff speaks almost no English, but the budget rooms (US$8) are a pretty good deal. (☎821 026. Most rooms US$16-30.) Phong Lan II 2, 133 Nguy[n Chí Thanh, is operated by the tourist office. The rooms are decent enough, but its location across from the bus station makes for a noisy stay. (☎821 757. Rooms US$8-17.) When it comes to restaurants, H}ng K 3, 67 Y\t Kiˆu, is the best place for a sit-down meal. Though it specializes in seafood, the prolific menu offers everything from simple soups to Vietnamese delicacies like porcupine and deer. (Open daily 9am-9:30pm.) Most eateries in Sóc Trng lack menus, but the friendly waitresses at C>m Húng 1, 1 MÆu Thñn, will help you choose what to eat. (Most dishes under 15,000. Open daily 6am-5pm.) The plaza next to the post office has the city’s main market.

Sights. Sóc Trng harbors some of the most unique  pagodas in Vietnam. A motorbike tour to all three of them should take one hour and cost 40,000. In the city center, Chùa Khléang, 71 MÆu Thñn, is a striking Khmer pagoda with an active monk community. The rainbow-colored exterior houses an impressive sanctuary, where a golden Buddha meditates atop the enormous main altar. The lacquerwork on the columns and the detailed wood carvings on the doors and shutters are also worth a look. On Nguy[n Chí Thanh is a tiny Khmer Museum, housing ceremonial props, traditional costumes, and items related to Khmer culture. Signs are in Vietnamese and Khmer. (Open M-F 7:30-11:30am and 1:30-4:30pm.)

Clay Pagoda (Chùa PhÆt +t Sét, also known as Bu Sòn T), 163A L™£ng inh Cúa, is made almost entirely of painted clay. Visitors can marvel at the clay creations here—from elaborate columns to kitschy, life-size animal statues—but should be gentle when touching, as everything is quite fragile. The pagoda also features two gigantic candles (over 2.5m and 200kg each) in memory of the original clay artist, who passed away in 1970. The pagoda is about 400m from the river.

Four kilometers west of the city center off Lˆ Hong Ph·ng, the grounds of Bat Pagoda (Chùa D£i) are home to hundreds of large fruit bats who nap upside down in the trees during the day and pillage local orchards at night. The best time to visit is at dusk, when the creatures, whose wingspans reach up to 1.5m, stir from their slumber and begin to swoop loudly around the trees. The grounds also feature a group of rare five-toed pigs. Farmers bring these swine here because it’s supposedly unlucky to eat them. The pagoda itself is worth a peek inside—large, colorful  murals depicting Buddha’s life adorn the walls, and the ceiling is supported by ornately carved wooden columns. The complex across from it contains more depictions of the Buddha, and the impressive murals continue on this side as well.

Several more Khmer-influenced pagodas lie on the road southward between Sóc Trng and Båc Liˆu. The Golden Pagoda lies 7km from town, with a flashy golden roof and walls adorned with sculptures. Phu Giao Pagoda sits 32km south of town. It is a fascinating open-air pagoda with an unprotected inner shrine. Concentric red-and-gold columns surround a central sitting Buddha.