Chau Doc Cham Muslim Village: Mosques, Halal Food & How to Visit (2026)
Last updated: October 2026. Place names follow the new administrative units in force since 1 July 2025.
Chau Doc, on the Hau (Bassac) River near the Cambodian border, is the heart of Vietnam’s largest Sunni Muslim community. Just across the river, the Cham village of Chau Giang has white-and-green mosques, stilt houses and traditional weaving looms, and is home to Masjid Mubarak, a national heritage site. For Muslim travellers it is one of the most meaningful places to visit in Vietnam: a living Muslim community in the Mekong Delta, with mosques for every prayer and halal home cooking.
Chau Doc Cham Village at a Glance
| Location | Chau Giang hamlet, Chau Phong commune, An Giang province – across the Hau River from Chau Doc |
|---|---|
| Getting there | About 210–250 km (5–6 hours) by road from Ho Chi Minh City, then a 10–20 minute ferry across the river |
| Community | Cham Sunni Muslims; An Giang has 12 mosques and 16 small mosques |
| Main mosque | Masjid Mubarak (first built in the 18th century; national heritage site since 1989) |
| Halal food | Home-style Cham dishes: beef curry, beef sausage (tung lo mo), cakes |
| Best time | September–December (flood season) and around Tet; evenings in Ramadan |
New place names: since 1 July 2025, An Giang has been merged with Kien Giang into a new An Giang province, and districts have been abolished. The former Chau Doc city is now Chau Doc ward and Vinh Te ward (Sam Mountain), and the Cham village of Chau Giang belongs to the new Chau Phong commune. The Cham village of Da Phuoc is now in Vinh Hau commune.
Who Are the Cham Muslims of An Giang?
The Cham are descendants of the ancient kingdom of Champa in central Vietnam. The Cham of An Giang follow Sunni Islam and have kept their own language, script, dress and crafts for generations. Estimates of their number range from about 13,000 to more than 21,000, living mainly in the former An Phu district (Da Phuoc and neighbouring villages) and around Chau Phong. The community worships at 12 mosques and 16 small mosques, and its Islamic Representative Board is based at Nekmah Mosque in Chau Phong. In 2023, the Cham Islamic life-cycle rituals and the traditional brocade weaving of Chau Phong were recognised as National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Learn more in our guide to Islam in Vietnam.
Mosques to Visit Around Chau Doc
1. Masjid Mubarak (Chau Giang)
The most famous mosque in the area stands in Chau Giang hamlet, opposite Chau Doc. A first mosque of bamboo and palm leaves was built here in the 18th century; it was rebuilt several times and took its present form in reinforced concrete in 1965. Its white and green tower with an onion dome, crescent and star is a landmark on the river. Masjid Mubarak has been a national architectural and cultural heritage site since 1989, and it also runs a school for the Qur’an and the Cham script.
2. Masjid Jamiul Azhar (Chau Phong)
About 8 km from central Chau Doc, this white and turquoise mosque has roots in an older wooden mosque, took the name Jamiul Azhar in 1959 and was expanded and re-inaugurated in 2014. It also teaches the Cham script.
3. Masjid Al-Ehsan (Da Phuoc)
The main mosque of the Cham village of Da Phuoc, in the former An Phu district (now Vinh Hau commune), an area with one of the largest Cham communities in An Giang.
4. Kahramanlar Rahmet Mosque
A large, modern mosque near Chau Doc built with the support of the Turkish foundation IHH and inaugurated in May 2017, with room for about 1,200 worshippers.
Things to Do in and Around Chau Doc
- Walk through the Cham village: stilt houses, mosques, Qur’an schools and friendly families. Since late 2024 a community tourism group in Chau Phong welcomes visitors.
- See Cham brocade weaving: the weaving craft of Chau Phong is National Intangible Cultural Heritage. Note that not every scarf sold in the village is woven locally – ask to see the looms.
- Taste tung lo mo: the Cham beef sausage is made in Phum Xoai hamlet, Chau Phong.
- Floating fish farms: take a boat along the river to see houses built over fish cages.
- Sam Mountain: a scenic hill in Vinh Te ward with views over the rice fields and the Cambodian border, reached by road or cable car (about 150,000 VND return in 2024). It is also home to Ba Chua Xu Temple, a folk-religion shrine whose festival is UNESCO-listed – visit it as a cultural sight.
- Tra Su cajuput forest: about 30 km from Chau Doc, explored by motor boat and rowing boat; best from September to November.
Halal Food in Chau Doc
There are very few sit-down halal restaurants in Chau Doc, but the Cham villages have their own halal cooking. Look for:
- Tung lo mo – a fermented, sun-dried beef sausage with garlic, pepper and roasted rice powder, named among Vietnam’s top 50 specialty dishes in 2015.
- Ca ri (Cham curry) – beef or goat curry with coconut milk and curry leaves, eaten with rice or bread.
- Beef jerky and Cham cakes – sold by village households, especially around Ramadan and Eid.
Because options change often, we arrange halal meals with Cham families or local cooks for our guests. In Ho Chi Minh City, see our list of halal restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City.
How to Get to Chau Doc
- From Ho Chi Minh City: about 210–250 km, 5–6 hours by private car or by bus from Mien Tay bus station. Can Tho is about 110 km away.
- From Phnom Penh: a daily speedboat links Phnom Penh and Chau Doc along the Mekong in about 5.5 hours, including border formalities (check the latest timetable and fare).
- To the Cham village: small ferries leave from the Chau Giang pier on Le Loi Street in Chau Doc, roughly from 6:00 to 21:00; the crossing takes 10–20 minutes and costs a few thousand dong.
Etiquette for Visiting the Mosques
- Dress modestly: shoulders and knees covered; women should cover their hair.
- Remove your shoes before entering the prayer hall.
- Visit outside prayer times, and avoid Friday midday unless you are joining the Friday prayer.
- Ask before photographing people or entering homes and workshops.
Best Time to Visit
From September to December the flood season fills the rivers and the Tra Su forest, and the landscape is at its greenest. The period around Tet and the dry season are also pleasant. If you visit during Ramadan, the villages are lively in the evenings with prayers and food stalls; read our guide to Ramadan in Vietnam.
Visit Chau Doc with Vietnam Muslim Tours
We can add Chau Doc and the Cham villages to any southern itinerary, for example after our Mekong Delta Muslim Tour 1 Day or Ho Chi Minh City Muslim Package 4 Days, with a private car, a local guide, halal meals and time for prayer at the mosques. See all Southern Vietnam Muslim tours or contact us for a tailor-made program.
Frequently Asked Questions about Chau Doc Cham Village
How do I get to the Cham Muslim village from Chau Doc?
Take the small ferry or boat from the Chau Giang pier on Le Loi Street in Chau Doc across the Hau River. The crossing takes about 10–20 minutes and costs only a few thousand dong.
Can non-Muslims visit the mosques in Chau Doc?
Yes. The Cham community welcomes respectful visitors outside prayer times. Dress modestly, cover shoulders and knees, women should cover their hair, and remove your shoes before entering the prayer hall.
Is there halal food in Chau Doc?
Yes, but mostly home-style. The Cham villages sell halal dishes such as beef curry and the beef sausage tung lo mo, but there are few sit-down halal restaurants. We arrange halal meals through the community for our guests.
How many Muslims live in An Giang?
Estimates range from about 13,000 to more than 21,000 Cham Muslims, depending on the source and on the boundaries of the province after its 2025 merger. They worship at 12 mosques and 16 small mosques.
How far is Chau Doc from Ho Chi Minh City?
About 210–250 km, or 5–6 hours by road. Chau Doc is also linked to Phnom Penh in Cambodia by a daily speedboat of about 5.5 hours.
When is the best time to visit Chau Doc?
September to December, during the flood season, is the most beautiful time for the rivers and Tra Su cajuput forest. Around Tet and in the dry season are also good; during Ramadan the villages are especially lively in the evenings.
