Temples and pagodas of Vietnam: the 8 most beautiful

In 2017 the British travel site Wanderlust ranked Hanoi's Tran Quoc Pagoda 3rd among the most beautiful pagodas in the world. The eight places in this guide range from the 1,500-year-old Tran Quoc to the many-coloured Cao Dai Holy See. Each comes with coordinates and the practical stuff: hours, prices, how to get there.

First, one distinction that clears up a lot of confusion. A chùa (pagoda) is Buddhist — the Buddha, monks, incense. A đền (temple) is a shrine to spirits, national heroes or gods: Ngoc Son Temple on Hoan Kiem Lake in Hanoi, for instance, honours Van Xuong, patron of literature, and the general Tran Hung Dao, not the Buddha. Cao Dai stands apart — its own religion, with its own house of worship (tòa thánh). The etiquette is much the same at all of them, but the difference is worth knowing.

Prices current as of May 2026. Rough conversion: ~26,000 VND = $1.

• Tran Quoc Pagoda (Chùa Trấn Quốc): 1,500 years old, free — usually 7:30–11:30, 13:30–18:00
• One Pillar Pagoda (Chùa Một Cột): Built 1049, free — Lotus-shaped
• Bai Dinh (Chùa Bái Đính): Free entry, stupa ~50,000 VND (~$2) — Largest complex in Vietnam
• Linh Ung — Lady Buddha (Chùa Linh Ứng): Free — 67 m statue
• Linh Phuoc (Chùa Linh Phước): Free — Glass-and-ceramic mosaic
• Long Son (Chùa Long Sơn): Free — White Buddha
• Cao Dai Temple (Tòa Thánh Tây Ninh): Free — Ceremonies 4x a day
• Perfume Pagoda (Chùa Hương): Mountain complex — Boat + climb

Tran Quoc Pagoda — the oldest in Hanoi

Fifteen centuries old. Chùa Trấn Quốc has stood on a small island in West Lake (Hồ Tây) since the 6th century. In 2017 Wanderlust ranked it 3rd in its top ten of the world's most beautiful pagodas. The tiered 15-metre stupa, mirrored in the still water of the lake, is one of the most recognisable shots in Hanoi.

On the grounds stands an old bodhi tree brought from India. The monks say it is a cutting from the tree the Buddha sat under when he reached enlightenment. Impossible to verify, but the atmosphere fits.

Inside are wooden and bronze Buddha statues and altars thick with incense. This is a working pagoda — people come to pray, not just to photograph.

Tran Quoc sits on the classic Hanoi walking route, alongside the Temple of Literature and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Another temple that defines the country's skyline is the seven-tiered Thien Mu Pagoda on the Perfume River — that one belongs to the Hue chapter.

One Pillar Pagoda

A small square temple on a single stone pillar in the middle of a pond — like a lotus rising from the water. Chùa Một Cột was built in 1049 by Emperor Ly Thai Tong. Legend says he dreamed of Quan Am, the goddess of mercy, seated on a lotus; when he woke, he ordered the temple built.

The pagoda has been destroyed and rebuilt several times — most recently when French troops blew it up as they left Hanoi in 1954; it was rebuilt in 1955. The current one is a reconstruction, but the shape and the idea are unchanged.

A visit takes 15–20 minutes. Pair it with the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (100 metres away) and the Ho Chi Minh Museum.

Bai Dinh — the largest Buddhist complex

Chùa Bái Đính in Ninh Binh province is the largest Buddhist complex in Vietnam. It took seven years to build (2003–2010) — and it is still expanding.

On the grounds: a 100-tonne bronze Buddha, 500 arhat statues lining the walkway, a 36-tonne bell. The complex stretches for hundreds of metres up a hillside. On foot it is an hour and a half to two hours one way.

The electric cart is the sensible call: ~30,000 VND (~$1.20) one way. It takes you up to the top terrace, where the view opens over the mountains and rice fields of Ninh Binh.

Pilgrims come here from all over Vietnam, especially in the season after Tet (February–March). On ordinary days it is calm and uncrowded. Bai Dinh pairs naturally with the rest of Ninh Binh — the Trang An boat tour is fifteen minutes down the road.

Linh Ung and Lady Buddha in Da Nang

67 metres — the height of a 30-storey building. The statue of the bodhisattva Quan Thế Âm (Lady Buddha) on the Son Tra peninsula is one of the tallest Quan Am statues in Vietnam. Chùa Linh Ứng sits on high ground looking out over the East Sea. From here you can see all of Da Nang, the Marble Mountains and Cham Island.

Inside the statue are 17 floors, 21 Buddha figures on each. The statue faces the sea: locals believe the bodhisattva watches over fishermen and calms the typhoons.

The pagoda grounds are well kept, with bonsai and gardens and plenty of spots for photos. Monkeys from the Son Tra peninsula sometimes wander in — keep your bag close.

It pairs easily with the Marble Mountains and the rest of Da Nang's attractions.

Linh Phuoc — the glass temple of Da Lat

Chùa Linh Phước is known as the "Temple of a Thousand Dragons" or the "Glass Temple." The facade, columns and stairways are all covered in mosaic made of broken glass, porcelain and ceramic. It was built in 1949–1950 and has been rebuilt and extended since 1990.

The main dragon on the facade is 49 metres long, laid out from 12,000 empty bottles. Inside are a Buddha statue, an 8.5-tonne bell and a tower more than 37 metres tall.

By European standards the place is kitsch. But in the Vietnamese context it is faith expressed in whatever materials were at hand — and it is photogenic at any time of day.

It is 8 km from the centre of Da Lat, entry is free, and 40–60 minutes covers it. Combine it with the rest of Da Lat's sights.

Long Son — the white Buddha of Nha Trang

193 steps up the hillside and you are at the feet of a white seated Buddha. Chùa Long Sơn is one of the main sights in Nha Trang, and from the top you get a panorama of the city, the sea and the mountains.

The pagoda at the foot of the hill was built in the late 19th century. Its facade is a glass-and-ceramic mosaic (similar to Linh Phuoc, but more restrained). Inside are the altar and the monks who live at the temple.

The climb to the statue takes 10–15 minutes, but in the heat it tells. Bring water.

Entry is free. Address: 22 đường 23 tháng 10, phường Tây Nha Trang (Nha Trang). Allow about an hour, including the climb.

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Cao Dai Temple — five religions under one roof

You have not seen anything like it. Caodaism (Đạo Cao Đài) is a religion that blends Buddhism, Taoism, Confucianism, Christianity and spiritism. It was founded in Vietnam in 1926. Its saints include Victor Hugo, Sun Yat-sen and Joan of Arc. The 2019 census counted about 556,000 followers; the church itself gives higher figures.

The central temple (Tòa Thánh Tây Ninh) is an architectural explosion: pink walls, blue ceilings scattered with golden stars, dragons coiling up the columns. Inside, a huge eye in a triangle — the symbol of God. The design combines features of a European cathedral and a Buddhist temple in a bright, many-coloured palette.

Ceremonies

Services are held four times a day: 6:00, 12:00, 18:00 and midnight. The noon one is the easiest for visitors — you can watch from the second-floor balcony. Photos are allowed, but no flash. Getting there from HCMC, costs and Ba Den Mountain nearby: our Cao Dai Temple guide.

The noon ceremony is a popular stop for groups from HCMC. Dress modestly to visit, and only photograph people if you have their permission; women enter via the door on the left, while men enter on the rightJames Pham, Lonely Planet, 2025

Perfume Pagoda — a pilgrimage in the mountains

Chùa Hương is not a single temple but a cluster of Buddhist shrines scattered across the limestone Hương Tích mountains, about 60 km southwest of Hanoi. The trip starts with a boat along the river through rice fields, then a hike (2–3 hours) or a cable car (15 minutes).

The main cave is Động Hương Tích. Inside are stalactites, Buddha statues and altars — the scale of a small cathedral, but carved into rock.

The pilgrimage season runs after Tet (February–March). During that time thousands of Vietnamese climb into the mountains — queues for the boat, crowds on the trail. The mood is festive but loud. Off-season it is quiet and meditative.

Huge crowds wait hours to catch a cable car ride to Huong Tich Cave… Pilgrims proceed slowly uphill about 100 meters from the Huong Tich entrance, taking around two hours to reach the caveNgoc Thanh, VnExpress International, 2020

The Perfume Pagoda is one of the most popular day trips out of Hanoi.

Visiting rules and etiquette

Vietnamese temples are active places of worship. Tourists are let in, but with conditions.

Clothing. Shoulders and knees covered. Shorts and a tank top may get you turned away — especially at Tran Quoc and Cao Dai. Carrying a scarf or light trousers is easier than arguing at the gate.

Shoes. Take them off before entering the main hall. Around the rest of the complex you can keep them on. Socks save you from hot stone in the heat.

Photos. Allowed almost everywhere except altar areas (marked with signs). No flash. Don't photograph people praying without asking.

Behaviour. Quiet and calm. Don't point your feet at the Buddha statues. Don't turn your back on the altar. Don't sit on thresholds — by Vietnamese tradition they are sacred.

Incense. You can light a free stick at the entrance. If someone "gives" you a stick and then asks for money, it is a scam — decline politely.

Donations. Entry is free almost everywhere, but you will see donation boxes (hòm công đức) by the altars. Giving is optional; if you want to, a 10,000–50,000 VND note (~$0.40–2) is plenty. Don't tuck notes into the statues' hands or spread them across the altar — that reads as disrespectful.

Headwear. Take off hats and sun caps in the main hall. Same for sunglasses — looking at the altar through dark lenses comes across as rude.

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