Located along the coast of Long Hai, Dinh Co is imbued with sacred stories about the Long Hai Goddess in Ba Ria Vung Tau.

Nestled by the Long Hai seaside, Dinh Co exudes a poetic ambiance, attracting thousands of pilgrims who come seeking blessings for their lives and to admire the picturesque scenery.

Every year, on the 10th, 11th, and 12th days of the lunar second month, the people of Long Hai organize a grand festival following ancient rituals. Elderly individuals dressed in solemn ceremonial attire lead the prayers for favorable weather and national prosperity. Alongside this, there is the Nghinh Co ceremony at sea, featuring magnificent flower boats to commemorate the Long Hai Goddess, Protector of Peace and Navigator of Blessings.

On the 10th, 11th, and 12th days of the lunar second month every year, the Vía Cô (Lệ Cô) festival opens with great fervor and excitement

Dinh Cô is situated in Long Hai town, Ba Ria – Vung Tau province. It is one of the most vibrant and sacred temples in the Southern region, attracting many pilgrims. Dinh Cô has been, is, and will continue to be an indispensable part of the spiritual and religious life of the people of Long Hai and Vietnamese coastal communities in general.

Who is worshiped at Dinh Cô?

At Dinh Cô, inscriptions on the temple’s steles also speak of the formation of the worship tradition at the temple. Legend has it that two centuries ago, a maiden named Lê Thị Hồng (also known as Thị Cách), originally from Tam Quan, Bình Định, was rich in compassion and kindness, desiring to find a secluded place for spiritual retreat. Unfortunately, during one of her trips to the sea, she encountered a shipwreck (at Hon Hang) when she was just 16 years old. Local fishermen, moved by compassion, buried her on Cô Mountain and erected a shrine to worship her near the beach.

Dinh Cô venerates the goddess tradition, where Cô Lê Thị Hồng is worshipped (pictured in the center wearing red attire)

In the “Đại Nam nhất thống chí” (Comprehensive Chronicle of Great Vietnam), it is also mentioned: “Outside the mountain peak, there is a Goddess, locally called Dinh Cô. There is a heap of sand and rocks, where a girl around 17-18 years old was washed ashore by a storm. The locals buried her, and later, people dreamt of that girl, who identified herself as Thị Cách and came to help. People considered her a deity and established a temple, which still exists to this day.”

Dinh Cô has undergone several ups and downs due to its proximity to the beach, making it prone to erosion by waves and storms. In 1930, fishermen from Long Hai relocated the shrine to Ky Van Mountain, where Dinh Cô is currently located. Ky Van Mountain is a place of auspicious feng shui, nestled under the Minh Dam range, attracting many tourists for relaxation nowadays. In January of the Đinh Mão lunar year 1987, a fire destroyed the main hall, but the small shrine was rebuilt through contributions from the people. Dinh Cô was designated as a National Cultural Historical Monument by the Ministry of Culture and Information under Decision No. 65QĐ/BT dated January 16, 1995.

Coastal fishermen have braved storms for years, showcasing not only perseverance and resilience but also a spiritual reliance on deity worship. Like many coastal residents in the Southeastern region, Long Hai is an area steeped in folk beliefs. Apart from worshiping Dinh Cô (the Long Hai goddess), there are also shrines dedicated to Dinh Ông (the Whale God), Bà Lớn (the Water Goddess), all symbolizing wishes for prosperity and peace for seafarers and abundant harvests of fish and shrimp.

What makes Dinh Cô special?

The current Dinh Cô is situated on a plot of land of approximately 1000m2. The shrine dedicated to Cô is located at the foot of Ky Van Mountain, while Cô’s tomb lies on Cô Son Hill.

Dinh Cô consists of three interconnected tiled-roof buildings running horizontally along the hillside. From any position within Dinh Cô, one can enjoy a picturesque view of Long Hai Beach.

Right at the entrance gate leading up from the three-door gate at the foot of the mountain, there are embossed figures of a dragon and a tiger symbolizing the Azure Dragon and the White Tiger in feng shui

The main altar in the sanctuary is divided into four tiers. The bottom tier is adorned with spiritual objects, while the three upper tiers house various statues. The statue of Bà Cô, approximately 0.5m tall, is located in the center, dressed in a red robe with sparkling sequin trimmings, adorned with a golden gem-studded hat. The inscription on the pedestal reads “Holy Goddess” and “Long Hai Goddess”.

On the left side of the altar are the Nine Heavenly Guardians of Bà Cô, with the names of Bà Cô’s parents inscribed: Lê Văn Thương (black statue on the left) and Thạch Thị Hà (white statue on the right). On the right side of the altar is the statue and altar of Chúa Cậu (Cậu Tài, Cậu Quý). Behind the statue of Bà Cô are five small statues representing the Five Elements Goddesses corresponding to Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. The tallest and most prominent is the statue of Diêu Trì Phật Mẫu dressed in black. Flanking her are the statues of the Four Guardian Goddesses (Pháp Vân, Pháp Vũ, Pháp Lôi, Pháp Điện).

Within Dinh Cô, there are not only altars dedicated to Bà Cô but also a combination of many other goddesses representing various cultural streams. This reflects the deep bond between the worship of goddesses, mothers, and maternal figures in Vietnamese culture nationwide, with Bà Cô being central to the fishermen of Long Hai.

From early morning until late at night, during the recent festival days at Dinh Cô, crowds of people flocked to the pilgrimage site to pay their respects, worship, and enjoy festivities

The tradition of worshiping Bà Cô as the deity of the people of Long Hai, combined with the reverence for nature spirits such as the Water Deity, the Five Elements Goddesses, etc., has helped make this place profoundly spiritual. People flock to Long Hai not only for relaxation and beach activities but also to seek blessings in the sacred realm of folk beliefs, to pray for good fortune, and to find a spiritual sanctuary to soothe their worries and concerns.