SOC TRANG PROVINCE, SOUTHERN VIETNAM

Soc Trang Province General Information

Soc Trang Province, Southern Vietnam
Region: Mekong Delta
Capital: Sóc Trang
Area: 3,311.88 km²
Population: 1,199,653 (2019 Census)
Density: 362/km²
Demographics: Kinh (64.83%), Khmer (29.21%), and Hoa (5.93%)
Phone code: 299
Website: http://www.soctrang.gov.vn

Sóc Trang is a province in the Mekong Delta of southern Vietnam, with its capital in Sóc Trang.

Etymology

The province’s original Khmer name was Srok Kh’leang, meaning “silver depository” because it was where the Khmer king’s silver treasury was located. The Vietnamese settlers corrupted it into “Soc-Kha-Lang” and eventually “Sóc Trang”. Under the Nguyen Dynasty emperor Minh Mang, it was given the Sino-Vietnamese name Nguyet Giang, a calque of “Sông Trang” (Moon River).

Geography

Soc Trang province lies roughly between 9°14’N and 9°56’N latitude and between 105°34’E and 106°18’E longitude. It is bordered to the northwest by Hau Giang Province (meaning Hau River province). To the southwest, it is bordered by Bac Liêu Province (meaning “silver”). And to the northeast, it is bordered by Trà Vinh Province (meaning “honoured tea”). To the north is Vinh Long Province (meaning “eternal prosperity”). To the southeast is 72 km of coastline of the South China Sea.

Influenced by oceanic weather, the province has two seasons: the rainy season lasts from May to November and the dry season lasts from December to April next year. The annual average temperature is 27oC. Annual rainfall is 1,840mm

Soc Trang Province Administrations

The provincial capital of Sóc Trang province is a town of the same name. It is 231 km from Ho Chí Minh City.

The province has two large rivers: the Hau River and the My Thanh River.

Sóc Trang is subdivided into 11 district-level sub-divisions:

8 districts

Châu Thành
Cù Lao Dung
Ke Sách
Long Phú
My Tú
My Xuyên
Thanh Tri
Tran De

2 district-level towns

Vinh Châu
Nga Nam

1 provincial city

Sóc Trang (capital)

They are further subdivided into 12 commune-level towns (or townlets), 80 communes, and 17 wards.

Tourism

Soc Trang has vast rice paddies, shrimp lagoons, luxuriant fruit gardens like longan, rambutan, durian, and orange.

Viet (Kinh), Khmer, Hoa ethnic groups live together here. The province has 89 pagodas of the Khmer group, 47 pagodas of the Hoa people. Ma Toc (Bat), Khleang, Chruitim Chas, Chen Kieu, and Buu Son Tu (Set) are famous pagodas.

Coming there, tourists like to taste the tropical fruit in My Phuoc River Islet, or join many recreation and entertainment activities in Binh An Tourist Resort. Chol Chnam Thmay, Oc Om Boc festivals, Ngo Boat Race also attract many visitors.

Transportation

Soc Trang is 231km from Ho Chi Minh City, 60km from Can Tho. National Highways No.1A links the province and Can Tho, Bac Lieu.

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