Soc Trang
Introduction
Sóc Trăng is a former city in Vietnam, once the capital of the former Sóc Trăng Province. It was upgraded from a town to a city in 2007, and the province has since been merged into Cần Thơ.
Before you go
Soc Trang is a modern city with a very high Khmer population, and its many temples are built in the Cambodian Khmer style. Khmer culture strongly influences the city, which is bustling and home to around 120,000 people.
Very few people speak any English here, and tourists are few and far between, though those who do come are well received. Plan accordingly: expect little English and little tourist infrastructure, and you will find a warm welcome.
Getting there
Soc Trang sits on National Highway 1A, which links the province with Can Tho and Bac Lieu. By road it is 231 km from Ho Chi Minh City and 60 km from Can Tho.
Buses run to Soc Trang from Ho Chi Minh City, a trip of about 5 hours, leaving from the Mien Tay bus station. From Can Tho, a local bus takes about 1 hour. Local buses from Tra Vinh only leave in the morning, so plan that leg early in the day.
Getting around
Soc Trang is compact and easy-going, and the simplest way to explore the centre is on foot — you can walk anywhere in town in under an hour, so strolling between markets, pagodas and riverside spots is entirely practical. If you're staying centrally, treat your own two feet as your main mode of transport for most of your sightseeing.
- On foot: The most straightforward way to get around the centre; almost everywhere in town is within an hour's walk.
- Xe oms (motorbike taxis): The local standby for longer hops or when the heat gets to you. Look for guys relaxing by their motorbikes on a street corner, and make the price very clear before you go.
- Buses: There's no metro, tram or rail network, so buses are the main public transport — geared mainly toward intercity travel. Regular services run along Highway 1 (also called Highway 1A), connecting the city to Cà Mau in the south and to Cần Thơ, Ho Chi Minh City and cities further north. From Ho Chi Minh City, services leave from Mien Tay bus station; from Can Tho it's a short local bus ride; from Tra Vinh, local buses only leave in the morning, so plan onward travel accordingly.
- Taxis and ride-hailing: Not documented in any detail — in practice the xe om fills that role. If you'd prefer a car, ask at your hotel or guesthouse; don't count on hailing a metered taxi off the street.
- By air: Soc Trang has no airport of its own. Can Tho International Airport, roughly 60 km away, serves the region; from there you continue overland by bus or arranged car, so sort out your onward transport in advance.
Where to stay
Most visitors base themselves in the centre of Soc Trang, where the accommodation is simple and inexpensive. Le Phong, on Le Hong Phong, is a cheap and cheerful hotel with air-con rooms. The rooms are clean and modern, and the place has a certain charm, with quirky fish tanks and a pleasant long-time owner.
Food & drink
Soc Trang has a solid range of restaurants serving traditional Vietnamese cooking, and the local kitchen leans toward the rustic. Along Võ Thị Sáu Street you'll find a handful of places specialising in hotpot and other countryside delicacies, including snake and rice paddy rat, for those who want to eat the way the delta does.
- Hung (6/24 D Hung Vuong) — an extensive Vietnamese-language menu, so a phrasebook or a willingness to draw pictures helps. The food is wonderful, the open-air pavilion has a nice atmosphere, and the staff are very helpful.
- Khánh Vi (43 Lê Duẩn, TP Sóc Trăng) — a spacious restaurant with an extensive menu and attentive service, serving individual dishes.
What to see and do
For a small city, Soc Trang holds a pair of temples worth your time. The Bat Temple draws visitors less for the monastery itself, which is pleasant enough, than for the fruit bats roosting in the trees behind it; the monks protect the colony from local farmers who regard the animals as both a pest and a delicacy. Time your visit for roughly half an hour before sunset to watch the bats stir, and note the Buddhist crematorium across the road. Any xe om in town can take you there. The Clay Pagoda, on D Mau Than about 300 m north of the river, is the work of a monk sculptor who spent six decades designing and installing thousands of statues, producing a colourful cacophony of Buddhist kitsch. Look for the pillars carved with dragons, a baby white elephant, a white tiger, and golden turtles in the pond out back. To get onto the water, head for the Ngã Năm floating market, named for the five-fork intersection where it sits, roughly 50 km from the city. The market runs all day and all night on one fork of the river, though it is busiest in the morning. You can hire a boat to circle the stalls.Three days in Soc Trang
Day one: Base yourself in Sóc Trăng and get your bearings on foot. The city sits in Sóc Trăng Province in Vietnam, and its streets reward a slow wander. Walk along Võ Thị Sáu and Le Hong Phong, where you can watch everyday Vietnamese life unfold and stop for a coffee when you need a break. Khmer influence is part of the fabric here, so keep an eye out for it as you explore. In the evening, eat where the locals eat and turn in early.
Day two: Head out of the city to see more of the province. Sóc Trăng Province is home to Khmer communities, and the countryside around the city is where that heritage is most visible. If you have arranged transport, use it to reach the surrounding villages and temples. Otherwise, ask at your guesthouse about local options. Return to Sóc Trăng for dinner.
Day three: Use Sóc Trăng as a stop on a longer route. Buses from Mien Tay in Ho Chi Minh City connect to Can Tho, and from Can Tho you can continue to Sóc Trăng. Regular services also link Sóc Trăng with Bạc Liêu, Cà Mau, Trà Vinh and Cần Thơ along National Highway 1. If you are flying, Can Tho International Airport is the nearest option, with taxis available. Plan your onward leg before you leave.