Vạn Thủy Tú temple is one of the most famous and oldest whale temples in Phan Thiết city. The temple was built by fishermen to worship the deity of Nam Hải – the Lord Whale. This is an ancient art and architecture work associated with the history and culture of the locals, especially the custom of worshiping the deity of Nam Hải – the Lord Whale.
According to the beliefs of seafarers in the South Central region in particular and of the Vietnamese in general, the whales are benevolent creatures that protect fishermen from bad weather and the dangers at sea. Therefore, when detecting any dead whales drifting from the sea, the fishermen often do a very respectful burial and worship ceremony. And throughout the region, there are many temples where worship the Lord Whale. Wowever, Vạn Thủy Tú is quite a special one. It was built In 1762. The temple has been reserving numerous differences inside such as hundreds of skeletal remains of whales, many valuable documents and artifacts from the Nguyễn dynasty.
The most attractive thing to tourists is the largest whale skeleton in Vietnam which is 22 meters long and weighs more than 65 tons when “he” was alive. This is an enormous skeleton that has been most interested in preserving dating back nearly 200 years.
Every year, the temple still held religious ceremonies, following lunar days on February 20 (Tế Xuân); April 20 (Cầu Ngư); July 20 (Chính Mùa); July 20 (Chèo Dọc); August 23 (Mãn Mùa), to pray for a smooth sailing, good weather and fishing harvest. During the ceremony, there are some attractive activities that take place such as ceremonial rites, folk songs, and boat races… making it become one of the impressive things to do in Phan Thiết.
Vạn Thủy Tú Temple
Opening Hours: Daily 07:00 – 17:00
Address: 54 Ngư Ông Street, Phan Thiết city.
