Ox Racing - A Must-see Festival For You in An Giang

Ox Racing - A Must-see Festival For You in An Giang

One of the main traditional holidays celebrated by the Khmer people of An Giang province and the Southwest region overall is the Bay Nui (Seven Mountains) Ox Racing Festival. The main traditional holiday among the holidays of the Khmer ethnic group, the Dolta festival, is celebrated by the Khmer people of An Giang during the middle of the yearly rainy season.

1. Better to Understand as a Tourist

• Ticket: Free 
• Spend-time: A half-day (about)
• Time: Dawn to dusk
• Food: Yes
• Shop: Yes
• There is a parking lot.
• Address: Nui To commune, Tri Ton district, An Giang province.
• Value additions include: An Giang has a strong folkloric character, including the annual bull-drawing event, a distinctive cultural and sporting activity in the Seven Mountain area. The festival's bull racing breed is the Bay Nui bull...

Nearby attractions and hidden gems: Looking for places to stop on your trip to and from the ox racing festival? Or perhaps you found it too crowded here? We've got some ideas! Check out our list: Tra Su Cajuput Forest (30 km), Sam Mountain (31 km), Cam Mountain - Forbidden Mountain (33 km), Chau Doc Floating Market (36 km), 30 Thang 4 Park in Chau Doc (36 km)...

2. The Ox Racing Festival Travel Guide

Every year, on the occasion of the Dolta New Year (the worship of grandparents and ancestors) of the Khmer people in the South, the Bay Nui region (An Giang) has a bull racing celebration. The annual traditional festival, which falls between August 29 and September 1 of the lunar calendar, is a cultural event full of folklore and a special sport with the purpose of honoring the memory and merits of the deceased as well as the people of Vietnam.

Festival Origins

In Tinh Bien - Tri Ton (An Giang), Khmer residents frequently bring food to the temple on Dolta Day to give to the monks in exchange for their prayers for the salvation of the deceased's souls. In order to support the temple, young men from the village of Phum Soc bring pairs of oxen to plow the fields on these occasions. Following the plowing, pairs of oxen are selected by the cow owners to compete on the fields. Water has just been pushed into the field. Over time, the tradition has developed into a traditional sport that draws a sizable number of visitors to witness cow pairings participate.

Unique sports culture festival

In order to get ready for the bull race, participants select a level area that is roughly 200 meters long and 100 meters wide. It has been plowed repeatedly by the "axle" to give it the consistency of mud, and it has four sides with borders and points. 

There is an empty road at the location where the cows can halt safely. It just takes 120m to go down the field near the bank on the main track. Two red and blue flags are positioned five meters apart at the starting point and the destination, respectively. If two cows are positioned in a particular color flag, the destination point will likewise follow that flag's color.

The second ox that steps on the first couple's harrow during the race will be declared the winner, and the pair that flees the track will be disqualified. In addition, the operator will be deemed a loss if he gives way or falls off the harrow. The locals, who will be in charge of the cows in the race, nicknamed the "cow racers." The person holding the harrow must stand on it while the two oxen drag it. A few cows have bright yellow rattles on as well, and they thump to happy music.

>>Read more: A Comprehensive Travel Guide to Chau Doc 2024

3. Things to See and Do at the Bull Racing Festival

People from all over the world gather to watch the bull racing festival early in the morning. They stand in rows along the banks, rooting for their favorite pair of cows while brandishing gongs and drums. The controller gave the cow a sharp poke in the butt with a log that had a small nail attached when the referee gave the beginning signal. The cow felt the pain and was able to charge forward to the crowd's jubilant applause, audience, enhancing the festival's appeal, vibrancy, and excitement.

Everybody will recognize the winner pair's shank holder as the most "courageous" bull in the area. The festival atmosphere is always alive with applause and cheers as the pairs of cows compete valiantly to cross the finish line, from the start to the conclusion. The Phum squirrels are lively and fascinating because of the splattering water, intense chases, and cheers.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism designated the bull racing festival in the Bay Nui region as a national intangible cultural treasure in January 2016.  

4. Visit Ox Racing Festival by yourself

Tourist on your own? When you're on your own when traveling, you're responsible for solving any problems that arise. This, in turn, leads to more rewarding travel experiences and helps you strengthen your problem-solving skills. We hardly have time to just sit and be with ourselves these days. That's why you should treasure the moments of alone you experience when away.

Anyone with a smartphone and access to Google Maps can travel independently. Locally maintained roads and bridges, when updated, may close and direct you along a longer route than what is seen on Google Maps. The time is nearly right. It takes more time to find the suitable garden to arrive. There's never a dull moment in an exciting adventure. The signal strength of the internet in the village of An Giang is excellent. The natives have a hard time communicating in English as well. 

The best way to see as much as possible and not get lost is to stick to a single canal and travel in one direction along its length.

5. Responsible Travel and Advice Ox Racing Festival

Please don't get us wrong. But rest assured that you completely agree with us. "Do not give candy and other items to the children when you plan to visit any local villages," the children will leave the school and follow the sweets, eventually finding something to give or sell to you. The garden is a mini-forest; do not pluck or touch the flowers or fruits unless the locals grin. We are concerned with traveling green and leaving green behind, not with plastic. 

6. Pro Tips for You

The best time to visit Chau Doc floating market, Long Xuyen floating market is between 5:30am and 6:30am. I wish you a spectacular morning on the Mekong Delta river.

You can stay in a guesthouse near the floating market, which will provide you with the best option. Then you can rent a car, scooter or bike and explore on your own, but a boat is still required for the floating market trip.

If you intend to stay at the Chau Doc homestay, bring insect repellent cream with you.

Please choose reputed companies with boat trips equipped with lifebuoys and jackets, motorcycle and cycling tours supplied with helmets and. Safety comes first! Choose Chau Doc responsible excursions that let you to give back while you travel. It's a cliche, but it's accurate.

The food and drink options in Chau Doc range from Vietnamese street food to traditional, sophisticated, and fusion cuisine. As a tropical area with numerous fresh veggies and homemade gardens, Chau Doc cuisines are always fresh, close to nature, and very traditional. If you enjoy cuisine, don't be afraid to include Bun Ca Chau Doc (soft noodle cooked with fish), Banh bo cake of Chau Doc, and other dishes on your menu. Caramelized and Braised Catfish, Long Xuyen Broken Rice, Nui Cam Pancake, O Thum's Chicken Grilled with Lime Leaves, Sour Soup with Siamese Mud Carp Soup & Sesbania Flower, Stir-fried Shrimp with Sesbania Flower, Phu Huong Beef Noodle Soup, Basa Fish Hotpot, Mam (Fermented Fish)...

When touring temples, pagodas, and the cathedral, bring a hat, sunglasses, and sunblock, as well as a scarf.

Bring a jacket if you're considering a vacation to Chau Doc during the rainy season, as Chau Doc looks stunning in both rain and shine.

If you have enough time, don't forget to include Tra Su Cajuput forest and birdwatching, Chau Doc Floating Village, Fish Farm & Cham Minority Village, Chau Doc floating market & small canal, Sam Mountain, Tuc Dup hill, Chau Doc river tour, Chau Doc cycling tour, Chau Doc photography tour, on your bucket list. Ta Pa Rice Fields, Vinh Te Canal, Tay An Pagoda, Chau Doc Market, The Lady Temple - The Ba Chua Xu Temple, Phuoc Dien Pagoda - Hang Pagoda, and Thoai Ngoc Hau Tomb are all worth seeing.

Those are everything about Ox Racing - A Must-see Festival For You in An Giang. If you find this festival intriguing, what are you waiting for? Grab your backpack and hit the road right now, and just contact us Vietnam Car Rental if you want comfortable and effective transfers.