Thundering hooves, flying mud and roaring crowds. The Ro Pagoda Ox Racing Festival transformed a quiet corner of An Giang Province into a celebration of speed and local culture. Held on an unprecedented scale in 2026, the event drew thousands of visitors.
Thundering hooves, flying mud and roaring crowds. The Ro Pagoda Ox Racing Festival transformed a quiet corner of An Giang Province into a celebration of speed and local culture. Held on an unprecedented scale in 2026, the event drew thousands of visitors.
The 2026 Ro Pagoda Ox Racing Festival opened on 13 September in An Cu Ward, An Giang Province. Long before pairs of oxen thunder across the muddy track, local owners devote months to feeding, training and caring for them. Behind the excitement lies a generations-old tradition sustained by the passion and devotion of the Bay Nui community.
Across various prefectures, Vietnamese festivals are held annually to promote traditional values and connect Japanese citizens, as well as international friends, with Vietnam.
At Khoi Dang Tac Khi, a group of young craftspeople are piecing them back together through research, bamboo, paper and patient handiwork. In the process, they are also helping a new generation discover what these lanterns once represented.
The Ro Pagoda Traditional Ox Racing Festival took place on the morning of 13 September, bringing excitement to An Cu Ward in An Giang Province. This year, what began as small village races has grown into an event showcased nationwide.
For the Khmer people in southern Vietnam, ox racing is more than a competition. It is a cultural tradition passed down through generations. At Ro Temple in An Cu Commune, An Giang Province, that tradition is being kept alive in different ways, from families with generations of racing experience to young people helping bring the sport to a wider audience.