One Pillar Pagoda of Thu Duc

Ho Chi Minh City Region


Officially known as Nam Thien Nhat Tru, this Buddhist temple is often called the One Pillar Pagoda of Thu Duc. Modelled on Hanoi’s One Pillar Pagoda, the structure is similar but not identical, consisting of a small, one-room temple hall rising on a pillar above a pond, containing a multi-armed image of Quan Am, Goddess of Mercy. At the rear of the compound are tombs holding urns containing bones of monks and other Buddhist faithful.

The pagoda is 15km northeast of central HCMC. Traveller cafes and travel agencies in HCMC should be able to put together a customised tour to the pagoda or arrange a car and driver for you.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Ho Chi Minh City Region attractions

1. The Factory

11.06 MILES

HCMC's best contemporary art space is in District 2 on the east side of the Saigon River. Interesting exhibitions and showcases of local artists are…

2. Skyview

12.42 MILES

Skyview is a viewing platform atop the tallest structure in Southeast Asia, a 461m behemoth located 4km north of the centre. There are certainly…

3. Le Van Duyet Temple

13.03 MILES

Dedicated to Marshal Le Van Duyet (1763–1831), this shrine is also his burial place, alongside that of his wife. The marshal was a South Vietnamese…

4. Botanic Gardens

13.36 MILES

One of the first projects undertaken by the French after establishing Cochin-China as a colony was founding these fantastic, lush gardens. Once one of the…

5. History Museum

13.45 MILES

Built in 1929, this notable Sino-French museum houses a rewarding collection of artefacts illustrating the evolution of the cultures of Vietnam, from the…

6. Military Museum

13.5 MILES

A short distance from the History Museum, this small collection is devoted to Ho Chi Minh’s campaign to liberate the south. Interior exhibits are of minor…

7. Jade Emperor Pagoda

13.53 MILES

Built in 1909 in honour of the supreme Taoist god (the Jade Emperor or King of Heaven, Ngoc Hoang), this is one of the most atmospheric temples in Ho Chi…

8. Pho Binh

13.97 MILES

A humble noodle-soup restaurant may seem an unusual attraction, but there's more to Pho Binh than meets the eye. This was the secret headquarters of the…