Located on Le Hong Phong St., 2km from Soc Trang downtown, Doi (Bat) pagoda is the most famous pagoda in Soc Trang province. It was built in the 16th century and is one of the oldest pagodas in the province. The pagoda is famous for its beautiful architecture, especially its very large roof that houses tens of thousands of bats. It presents an opportunity to contemplate Khmer arts, with skilful, symbolic decorations on its pillars and roof and splendid relieves and statues.
Apart from its beautiful architecture, the pagoda is also remarkable for the large number of bats roosting in the trees behind the pagoda. Watching the bats take to the skies, it will occur to you that the pagoda is a unique natural reserve. Visitors in Vietnam travel can see thousands of bats swinging in immeasurably-high branches, as if performing in a circus.
Now, Doi Pagoda is preserving a stone Buddha statue which is 1.5m high, as well as many bibles written on sugar palm leaves, known as “leaf-books”.
With a large space for trees, Doi Pagoda is a tranquil place to sit and becomes one of the best tourist attractions in Soc Trang province.