Phan Thiet’s Whale worshipping festival significantly excited tourists and locals

07/08/2023, 14:42

BTO – The main ceremony of the Whale-worshipping (Cau Ngu) festival officially took place on August 6th morning at Thuy Tu temple. The event is part of a series of activities included in the Visit Vietnam Year 2023– Binh Thuan: Green Tourism comes together”.

The culture of fishermen in Binh Thuan is quite a serious thing. Whales are revered as gods and said to bestow fortune and peace upon the region. When one of these great and sacred beasts dies, it is covered with red cloth as a sign of respect before being buried at sea with an offering of incense and food.

The main ritual is held from the 20th to the 22nd of the sixth lunar month. This festival is annually observed to pay tribute to the whale gods, asking them to keep fishermen safe and bestow a bountiful catch. Ritual sacrifices are made, folk songs and dances, and games are held, and a sailing regatta is launched.

The Cau Ngu Festival is for whale worship. It takes place in Van Thuy Tu, one of the oldest fishing villages in central Vietnam. The temple in the village is the largest whale skeleton museum in all of Southeast Asia. Hundreds of whale skeletons have been buried here over hundreds of years. Vietnam’s largest whale skeleton, 22 meters in length and weighing 64 tonnes, is being preserved at Van Thuy Tu temple.

The festival takes place on the sea when the ships are offering Nghinh Ong (the procession of the Nam Hai god) from the sea to the fishing grounds. Ba Trao rowing group performs on a boat, on the way from the sea mouth to Van Thuy Tu with special costumes in the ceremony. In the meantime, the procession of the Nam Hai god is always the most important ritual, the procession has a lot of people participating, including ceremony groups, Ba Trao rowing troupe, and ceremony band, with all kinds of costumes.

It is a traditional cultural festival that has been included in the National Intangible Cultural Heritage list. It is regarded as the honor and pride of the people of Binh Thuan and coastal fishermen, whilst boosting the local tourism development.

TRANSLATED BY MY THIEN

According to Bao Binh Thuan
Copy Link
Related articles
Whale-worshipping festival in 2023 held for the sake of locals and tourists
BTO –The opening ceremony of the Cau Ngu (Whale-worshipping) festival in 2023 will take place on August 5th night which falls on the Lunar June 19th.

(0) Comments
Focus
The Return of a Legend
BTO-More than ten years since his departure, Xabi Alonso is set to return to the Santiago Bernabéu—this time as the head coach of the Royal Club. A former standout in Real Madrid’s illustrious history, Alonso now has the opportunity to begin a new chapter with "Los Blancos" from the sidelines.
Do not miss
  • Phan Thiết – The 50-Year Journey: From Liberation to a Dynamic, Modern Coastal City
    18 yesterday Business
    April 19, 1975 – April 19, 2025: A proud 50-year milestone since the liberation of Phan Thiết. Half a century may not be long in the grand flow of history, but for Phan Thiết—a land once scarred by war—it marks a powerful transformation....
  • Red Devils Hold Off Blue Tide in Manchester Derby Stalemate
    26 yesterday Sports
    BTO-On the night of April 6, a classic Manchester derby unfolded at Old Trafford in Matchweek 31 of the Premier League, where Manchester United and Manchester City clashed in a high-stakes encounter. Despite having little left to fight...
  • Nou Camp Nightmare: Dortmund Swept Aside by Ruthless Barca
    26 yesterday Sports
    BTO-Barcelona put on a dominant display in the UEFA Champions League quarterfinal first leg, thrashing Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in a one-sided encounter at the Nou Camp. The Catalan giants delighted their home crowd with a goal-fest, featuring...
  • Liverpool Bounces Back with Vital Victory Over Everton, Keeping Arsenal at Bay
    one month ago Sports
    BTO-After consecutive failures in the FA Cup, Champions League, and League Cup, the morale of Arne Slot's squad has been declining. Facing pressure following Arsenal's victory in the early match the day before, Liverpool was compelled...
  • The Beauty of Hòn Cau Island
    one month ago LANDSCAPES
    March signals the perfect time for a visit to Hòn Cau Island (Phước Thể, Tuy Phong) as the weather transitions and the golden sunlight bathes the island. Located about 110 km from Phan Thiết, Cù Lao Câu is a pristine, uninhabited island...
  • The Final Goal
    one month ago Sports
    BTO-Manchester City now only has one goal left: winning the FA Cup to salvage what has been a “disastrous” season. As a result, Coach Pep Guardiola and his players have put all their energy into the world’s oldest football tournament....
  • Regaining the Top Spot
    one month ago Sports
    Playing a day before their arch-rivals Barcelona, Real Madrid took full advantage of the opportunity to reclaim the top spot in La Liga with a comfortable 2-1 victory over Villarreal, thanks to a brace from Mbappe.
  • A Hard-Fought Victory
    one month ago Sports
    BTO-On the evening of March 19, the Vietnam national team played their first international match since winning the AFF Cup 2024, hosting Cambodia in a friendly at Gò Đậu Stadium (Bình Dương). Given their superior standing, a victory...
  • Farewell to the "King of Cups"
    one month ago Sports
    BTO-After suffering a 1-0 home defeat in the first leg of the Champions League Round of 16, the French football powerhouse PSG was under immense pressure to win the return leg away at Liverpool. And they did just that, securing a place...
  • Surrendering the Title
    one month ago Sports
    BTO- The highlight of Premier League Matchweek 28 was the showdown between Manchester United and Arsenal at Old Trafford. Arsenal desperately needed a victory to keep up with Liverpool, but they could only manage a draw, while the league...
  • Even Djokovic Can’t Defy Time
    one month ago Sports
    BTO-Novak Djokovic has just suffered a defeat against Botic Van De Zandschulp in the second round of  Indian Wells 2025, marking the first time in seven years that he has lost three consecutive matches. At 37 years old, Djokovic is...
  • Binh Thuan Province to cooperate with Sun Group to unlock its Tourism Strengths
    BTO – On early March, the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee and the People's Committee of Binh Thuan Province held a meeting with Sun Group regarding investment cooperation.
  • The King Has Fallen: Man Utd Crash Out of FA Cup
    2 month ago Sports
    Recently, Manchester United’s FA Cup title defense came to a crushing end as Fulham stunned the Red Devils in a dramatic penalty shootout to secure their place in the quarterfinals. Heading into the fifth-round clash at Old Trafford,...
  • Sunset Slope: Phan Thiet’s Hidden Gem for Breathtaking Views
    2 month ago LANDSCAPES
    BTO – Still in the heat of the first two lunar months, Sunset Slope on Co Mountain has become a renowned sunset-watching spot in Phan Thiet. Located in Phu Hai Ward, this stunning location offers breathtaking views of the mountains...
  • Victory Seals the Throne
    2 month ago Sports
    BTO-After suffering a loss in the first leg at home last week, Manchester City finds itself in a tough spot in its quest for a spot in the Champions League Round of 16 against Real Madrid. This defeat marked their first loss to Madrid...
  • Tough game Alonso!
    2 month ago Sports
    BTO-The Round 22 Bundesliga showdown between Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich was one of the most anticipated of the season. On one side, there were the defending champions, and on the other, the league leaders. Bayern entered the...
  • Back to the Top for Barcelona
    2 month ago Sports
    BTO-Before taking on Rayo Vallecano, Barcelona had the chance to claim the top spot in La Liga after both Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid were held to 1-1 draws in Round 24 (Real drew with Osasuna, Atletico drew with Celta Vigo). The...
  • Bayern Munich's Roar
    2 month ago Sports
    Bayern Munich were strong favorites against Celtic in their Champions League play-off. Despite being the away team, Vincent Kompany's side comfortably won 2-1, securing an advantage for the return leg at Allianz Arena.
  • Binh Thuan: 7 OCOP 4-star products recognized and re-recognized
    2 month ago Business
    BTO – Binh Thuan provincial People's Committee has lately approved the evaluation results and issued certificates for 7 products in the first and second batches of 2024 for OCOP 4-star products.
  • Binh Thuan’s dragon fruit on display at an exhibition in Germany
    3 month ago Business
    BTO- Binh Thuan dragon fruit will be present at the Fruit Logistica Berlin fruit and vegetable exhibition took place in Germany from February 5 to 7, 2025.
POWERED BY ONECMS - A PRODUCT OF NEKO
Phan Thiet’s Whale worshipping festival significantly excited tourists and locals