Religious, Spiritual sights in Vietnam
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Quang Cong Pagoda
The 135-year old Quang Cong Pagoda is a colourful Chinese temple in the town centre.
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Phung Tien Temple
Behind To Mieu, Phung Tien Temple still lies in ruins. It once served a similar purpose to the former, although women were permitted to worship here.
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Long Xuyen Catholic Church
One of the largest churches in the Mekong Delta, Long Xuyen Catholic Church is an impressive modern structure that boasts a 50m-high bell tower. It was constructed between 1966 and 1973 and can seat 1000 worshippers.
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The Sacred Horse of Quan Cong
To the left of the entrance of the Phuoc An Hoi Quan Pagoda is a life-size figure of The Sacred Horse of Quan Cong. Before leaving on a journey, people make offerings to the horse, then stroke its mane and ring the bell around its neck.
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Thien Hau Pagoda
One of the most active in Cholon, Thien Hau Pagoda is dedicated to Thien Hau, the Chinese goddess of the sea. As she protects fisherfolk, sailors, merchants and any other maritime travellers, you might stop by to ask for a blessing for your next boat journey.
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Temple of King Hung Vuong
Across from the entrance to the museum you'll see the elaborate Temple of King Hung Vuong. The Hung kings are said to have been the first rulers of the Vietnamese nation, having established their rule in the Red River region before it was invaded by the Chinese.
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Phap Lam Pagoda
Recently rebuilt, this pagoda has three giant Buddha statues in the courtyard, and an equally imposing large gold one in the temple. It’s set back from the road noise and at night, a cluster of street-food stalls mushrooms outside the temple gates.
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Chau Giang Mosque
Domed and arched Chau Giang Mosque, in the hamlet of Chau Giang, serves the local Cham Muslims. To get there, take the car ferry from Chau Giang ferry landing in Chau Doc across the Hau Giang River. From the ferry landing, walk away from the river for 30m, turn left and walk 50m.
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Mariamman Hindu Temple
A splash of southern India's colour in Saigon, Mariamman Hindu Temple was built at the end of the 19th century and is dedicated to the Hindu goddess Mariamman. There are only 50 to 60 Tamil Hindus in HCMC, but the temple is also considered sacred by many ethnic Vietnamese and Chinese.
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Quan Am Pagoda
One of Cholon’s most active pagodas, Quan Am Pagoda was founded by the Fujian Congregation in the early 19th century and displays obvious Chinese influences. It’s named for the Goddess of Mercy, Quan The Am Bo Tat whose statue lies hidden behind a remarkably ornate exterior.
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Tam Son Hoi Quan Pagoda
The Tam Son Hoi Quan Pagoda was built by the Fujian Congregation in the 19th century, and retains much of its original rich ornamentation. The pagoda is dedicated to Me Sanh, the Goddess of Fertility and is particularly popular with local women who come here to pray for children.
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Hung To Mieu Temple
A Divine Kitchen and Divine Storehouse sit either of a small walled enclosure housing the Hung To Mieu Temple. This is a restored 1951 reconstruction of the original, built in 1804 to honour Gia Long's parents. Both temples were used by the court on death anniversaries, but women (including the Empress) were strictly forbidden.
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Khanh Van Nam Vien Pagoda
Built between 1939 and 1942 by the Cantonese Congregation, Khanh Van Nam Vien Pagoda is said to be the only pure Taoist pagoda in Vietnam and is unique for its colourful statues of Taoist disciples. The number of true Taoists in HCMC is estimated at no more than 5000, though most Chinese practise a mixture of Taoism and Buddhism.
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Ambassadors’ Pagoda
The official centre of Buddhism in Hanoi, the Ambassadors’ Pagoda attracts quite a crowd on holidays. During the 17th century there was a guesthouse here for the ambassadors of Buddhist countries. Today there are about a dozen monks and nuns based at the Ambassadors’ Pagoda. Next to the pagoda is a shop selling Buddhist ritual objects.
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Mubarak Mosque
The Mubarak Mosque, where children study the Koran in Arabic script, is also on the river bank opposite Chau Doc. Visitors are permitted, but you should avoid entering during the calls to prayer (five times daily) unless you are a Muslim.
There are other small mosques in the Chau Doc area. They are accessible by boat, but you'll need a local guide to find them all.
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To Mieu Temple
On the other side of the courtyard is the long, low, red and gold To Mieu Temple itself. Inside are shrines to each of the emperors, topped by their photos. Under the French only the seven liked by the colonial power were thus honoured - Ham Nghi, Thanh Thai and Duy Tan were only added in 1959. The temple is flanked on the right by a small robing house and on the left by a shrine to a soil god.
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Ong Bon Pagoda
The Ong Bon Pagoda, built by the Fujian Congregation, is an atmospheric pagoda full of gilded carvings and the ever-present smoke of burning incense. It’s dedicated to Ong Bon, the guardian who presides over happiness and wealth. In the hope of securing good fortune from the deity, believers burn fake paper money in the pagoda’s furnace, located across the courtyard from the pagoda entrance.
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Po Nagar
The Cham towers of Po Nagar were built between the 7th and 12th centuries, although the site was first used for worship as early as the 2nd century AD. To this day Cham, ethnic Chinese and Vietnamese Buddhists come to Po Nagar to pray and make offerings, according to their respective traditions. This site has a continuing religious significance, so be sure to remove your shoes before entering.
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Saigon Central Mosque
Built by South Indian Muslims in 1935 on the site of an earlier mosque, the Saigon Central Mosque is an immaculately clean and well-kept island of calm in the middle of the bustling Dong Khoi area. In front of the sparkling white-and-blue structure, with its four non-functional minarets, is a pool for the ritual ablutions required by Islamic law before prayers. Take off your shoes before entering the sanctuary.
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Cholon Mosque
The clean lines and lack of ornamentation of the Cholon Mosque contrast starkly with nearby Chinese and Vietnamese Buddhist pagodas. In the courtyard is a pool for ritual ablutions. Note the tiled niche in the wall ( mihrab ) indicating the direction of prayer, which is towards Mecca. The mosque was built by Tamil Muslims in 1935, but since 1975 it has served the Malaysian and Indonesian Muslim communities.
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Domaine de Marie Convent
The pink tile-roofed structures of the hilltop Domaine de Marie Convent, constructed between 1940 and 1942, were once home to 300 nuns. Today the remaining nuns support themselves by making ginger candies and selling the fruit grown in their orchard. The French-speaking nuns are pleased to show visitors around, explaining the work they do for orphans, the homeless and handicapped children. A shop sells handicrafts made by the children and nuns. Mass is celebrated in the large chapel, Sun to Fri.
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Buddha
At the top of the hill, behind the Long Son Pagoda, is a huge white Buddha seated on a lotus blossom and visible from all over the city. Around the statue’s base are fire-ringed relief busts of Thich Quang Duc and six other Buddhist monks who died in self-immolations in 1963. The platform around the 14m-high figure has great views of Nha Trang and nearby rural areas. As you approach the pagoda from the street, the 152 stone steps up the hill to the Buddha begin to the right of the structure.
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Ngoc Son Temple
Perhaps the most visited temple in Hanoi, Ngoc Son Temple sits pretty on a delightful little island in the northern part of Hoan Kiem Lake. An elegant scarlet bridge, known as Huc (Rising Sun) Bridge, constructed in classical Vietnamese style and lined with flags, connects the island to the lakeshore. Surrounded by water and shaded by trees, this small temple is dedicated to General Tran Hung Dao, who defeated the Mongols in the 13th century, La To, the patron saint of physicians, and the scholar Van Xuong. Inside you’ll find some fine ceramics, a gong or two, some ancient bells and a glass case containing a stuffed lake turtle, which is said to have weighed a hefty…
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Nha Trang Cathedral
Built between 1928 and 1933 in French Gothic style, complete with stained-glass windows, Nha Trang Cathedral stands on a small hill overlooking the train station. It’s a surprisingly elegant building given that it was constructed of simple cement blocks. Some particularly colourful Vietnamese touches include the red neon outlining the crucifix, the pink back-lighting on the tabernacle and the blue neon arch and white neon halo over the statue of St Mary. In 1988 a Catholic cemetery not far from the church was disinterred to make room for a new railway building. The remains were brought to the cathedral and reburied in the cavities behind the wall of plaques that line the…
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Po Nagar Central Tower
The Po Nagar Central Tower was built partly of recycled bricks in the 12th century on the site of a structure dating from the 7th century. It is less finely constructed than the other towers and has little ornamentation; the pyramidal roof lacks terracing or pilasters, although the interior altars were once covered with silver. There is a linga inside the main chamber. Note the inscription on the left-hand wall of the vestibule.
The South Tower (Mieu Dong Nam), at one time dedicated to Sandhaka (Shiva), still shelters a linga, while the richly ornamented Northwest Tower (Thap Tay Bac) was originally dedicated to Ganesh. To the rear of the complex is a small museum with a…
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