VietNamNet Bridge – Ba Om Pond in the southwest region is a famous tourist sightlocated in the village of Ta Cu, in Nguyet Hoa Commune, Chau Thanh District, Tra Vinh Province.

Ba Om Pond.

To get there, visitors go along Highway 53 to the south west, about 7km from the center of Tra VinhPprovince.

Ba Om Pond is 500m long and 300m wide and it is also called Ao Vuong (Square Pond) since its shape is almost square. In the right season, the pond is also embellished with pink lotuses or red water lilies.

The climate at Ba Om Pond is cool year round, so Tra Vinh people call it the second Da Lat. The pond is surrounded by ancient trees hundreds of years old. The roots of these trees are above the ground, forming many strange shapes. Large roots create big caves, where children can enter. Some roots have even created 'sofas'.

Ancient trees around Ba Om Pond       Ang Temple - the oldest Khmer temple in Tra Vinh.

Ba Om Pond is entwined with legends of the Khmer people. The story goes that in the land of Thuy Chan Lap, a mandarin organised a competition between men and women. They had to dig a pond to combat drought. The winner was the one with the biggest and deeper pond.

The men were subjective so they both worked and played. The women, led by Ba Om, a Khmer woman, worked very hard and completed the task before the sun rose. The women won the competition and Ba Om won the right to choose her husband. The pond was named after Ba Om.

Near the pond is a museum, which showcases artifacts of the Khmer people. Opposite to the museum is the Ang Pagoda, the oldest and most beautiful temple in more than 140 Khmer temples in Tra Vinh. During Tet holidays, Ba Om Pond is the place where community activities of the Khmer population are held.

Ba Om Pond was recognized by the Ministry of Culture and Information as a historic national site in 1996.

Along with the museum and the Ang Pagoda, the complex of three relics is a must-see place in Tra Vinh Province.

Hanoitimes/VNN