The temple of Ong Nam Hai is located in Ganh Hao beach (Dong Hai district, Bac Lieu province). This temple worships the whale shark, which was built by local residents.

The campus of Ong Nam Hai Temple is not too big but is spacious. Fishermen worship the whale because they believe that when it is stormy, with big waves, high winds, the fish will help them be safe in the immense sea.

The Temple of Ong Nam Hai - Ganh Hao worships the ancestors of fishery, and is also the common ancestor of the fishermen of the East Sea - Bac Lieu. Inside the temple, the highlight is a fisherman's fishing boat and many artifacts and documents about the giant fish.


In 2010, fishermen in Ganh Hao town found a dead whale shark in the open sea. They brought the whale ashore to bury. The whale is 9.7m long, over 5m in circumference, and weighs about 13 tons. The fish was mummified and preserved by Nha Trang Institute of Oceanography, stuffed, and displayed at this temple.
In 2013, this stuffed whale skin was recognized as a Vietnam record.

The certificate of Vietnamese Record.

The temple also preserves valuable cultural heritage items, including more than 20 whale skeletons.

Nghinh Ong Nam Hai (whale worshiping) Festival is ranked by the Bac Lieu Provincial People's Committee as a district level festival. The festival takes place on the 9th-11th of the 3rd lunar month every year.

Tran Tuyen