About the Ba Chua Xu (The Lady of the Realm) Goddess Festival

There are festivals people attend out of curiosity, and there are festivals people attend out of devotion. The Ba Chua Xu Festival at Nui Sam belongs firmly in the second category. Every year it draws more than 4 million pilgrims and visitors to the foot of Sam Mountain in Chau Doc, making it the largest spiritual festival in all of Southern Vietnam. 

In Vietnamese folk belief, Ba Chua Xu, the Lady of the Realm, is one of six immortal goddesses, sent down by the Jade Emperor to protect the land and its people. Her shrine on Sam Mountain has stood for over 200 years, and in that time she has become something far beyond a regional deity. She is a symbol of the maternal protective spirit woven into the culture of the Mekong Delta.

The festival reflects centuries of cultural exchange between the Kinh, Chinese, Cham, and Khmer communities who together opened and defended the land of An Giang. What you witness here is not a single culture performing its traditions but four communities sharing a devotion that transcends each of their individual heritages.

2026 marks the second year of the festival carrying UNESCO recognition as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, the first traditional festival from the Mekong Delta to receive this distinction.

2. Key Activities

The 2026 festival takes place from May 31 to June 12 (the 15th to the 27th day of the 4th Lunar Month). The program follows a strict traditional sequence:

• Traditional Rituals:
  • The Bathing Ceremony (Night of the 23rd, early morning of the 24th Lunar Month): This is the most sacred and heavily attended moment. The statue of the Goddess is bathed with fragrant water and dressed in new robes in a solemn atmosphere. Locals believe this ritual brings blessings, peace, and a prosperous year ahead.
  • The Relic Summoning Ceremony (Afternoon of the 24th Lunar Month): A reenactment of the royal seal procession of the famous general Thoai Ngoc Hau from his mausoleum to the shrine. This ritual connects divine reverence with the historical honoring of the ancestors who built Chau Doc.
    

    

  • The Night Vigil Ceremony (Midnight of the 25th, early morning of the 26th Lunar Month): The spiritual peak of the festival, where the community gathers in silence and candlelight to pray for national peace, bountiful harvests, and a life of abundance.
• Festivities: Immediately following the Night Vigil Ceremony is a traditional stage performance featuring Hat Boi (classical opera) dedicated to the Goddess, heavily imprinted with Southern folk culture.

3. Travel Tips & Etiquette

• Ideal Timing: The actual festival season starts just before the Lunar New Year and lasts through the 5th Lunar Month. If you prefer a more personal and quiet experience, consider arriving a few days earlier rather than on the exact nights of the main rituals.
• Transportation: Chau Doc is about 230 km from Ho Chi Minh City. The expressway connecting HCMC through My Thuan and Can Tho to Chau Doc has been significantly upgraded, making the car journey much easier and cutting the travel time down to about 3 to 4 hours.
• Safety & Shopping Alerts: * Be cautious of vendors selling incense, offerings, and release animals at inflated prices around the shrine area. Only purchase from stalls with clearly listed prices.
  • Keep your personal belongings and valuables strictly secure, especially during peak crowded times like the Bathing Ceremony and the Night Vigil.
• Local Recommendations: The shrine complex is located at the foot of Sam Mountain. From here, you can easily walk to visit the Thoai Ngoc Hau Mausoleum, Tay An Pagoda, and Hang Pagoda. Spending a full day exploring this area will give you a profound understanding of why it has held such a strong appeal for centuries.
• Cultural Etiquette: Please dress modestly (covering your shoulders and knees) and maintain a respectful, reverent attitude. Keep in mind that many pilgrims around you have traveled vast distances just to be here.