8 Iconic Temples in Ho Chi Minh City to Visit for Vu Lan Festival

Celebrate the meaningful Vu Lan festival (on August 22, 2021) with Dien May XANH at some of the top 8 famous temples in Ho Chi Minh City! Vu Lan is an annual holiday that commemorates the virtues of parents, ancestors, and respectfully honors the filial piety of Buddhists throughout the nation.

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Xa Loi Pagoda

Xa Loi Pagoda

The Xa Loi Pagoda was built to worship the relics of the Buddha, hence its name. It is the first temple in the city to be built in a new architectural style. The pagoda consists of various parts, including the main hall, bell tower, groom’s house, publishing room, and living room. The Buddha statue in the pagoda is covered in gold and there is a small tower in front of it that houses Buddha’s relics. The main hall features a set of 15 paintings that depict the history of Shakyamuni Buddha.

Giac Lam Pagoda

Giac Lam Pagoda

Giac Lam Pagoda is known for its architectural style inspired by the letter Tam (Ξ) and consists of three interconnected horizontal houses: the main hall, lecture hall, and groom’s house. The roof of the pagoda has a straight design with four flaps. The main hall resembles a traditional folk house and features beautiful dark brown columns intricately carved with couplets and gilded. In front of the pagoda is a stupa of relics with seven hexagonal floors.

Buu Long Pagoda

Buu Long Pagoda

Buu Long Pagoda, also known as Buu Long Ancestral Monastery, is located on a hill by the Dong Nai River. It incorporates unique architectural elements from temples in Thailand and India, as well as the Nguyen Dynasty pagodas. The highlight of the pagoda is the Gotama Cetiya tower, which is over 2000 square meters in size and serves as a place to worship the relics of Buddha and the saints. The tower is 70 meters high and built with the features of Funan culture.

Temple of Ba Thien Hau

Thien Hau Pagoda

The Temple of Ba Thien Hau is dedicated to the worship of Thien Hau Thanh Mau. The temple features a typical Chinese architectural style, with four houses forming the shape of the word “khau” or “national”. The pagoda provides a cool and well-lit environment thanks to the skylights between the rows of houses. The temple is adorned with ceramic reliefs and motifs of birds, animals, and flowers, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere. It also houses precious antiques, including two large caves dating back to 1796 and 1830.

Vinh Nghiem Pagoda

Vinh Nghiem Pagoda

Vinh Nghiem Pagoda was built by two monks, Thich Tam Giac and Thich Thanh Kiem, and draws inspiration from a wooden pagoda of the same name in Bac Giang province. The pagoda is located on a spacious campus and follows the ancient architectural style of Northern Vietnam. It features modern construction techniques and materials.

Hoang Phap Pagoda

Hoang Phap Temple

Hoang Phap Pagoda occupies an area of 6 hectares and has undergone several stages of reconstruction and upgrading. The pagoda provides a peaceful environment with tall trees that provide shade year-round. It has also organized a summer retreat for pupils and students, hosting nearly 6,000 attendees across five pagodas.

Minh Huong Pagoda

Minh Huong Pagoda

Minh Huong Pagoda, also known as Ong Pagoda, is a temple dedicated to Quan Thanh De – Quan Vu (162 – 219), also known as Quan Cong. The pagoda features beautiful Chinese-inspired architecture with intricate patterns and statues depicting scenes of fairytale activities. The main hall houses a statue of Quan Thanh De, along with statues worshiping other deities. The spiritual atmosphere of the temple is sacred and mysterious.

Jade Emperor Pagoda

Jade Emperor Pagoda

Jade Emperor Pagoda, also known as Ngoc Hoang Pagoda or Phuoc Hai Tu, showcases Chinese temple architecture with intricate decorations. The pagoda is made of bricks and features yin and yang roof tiles and colored ceramic statues. It worships various deities, including the Jade Emperor and Quan The Am Bodhisattva. The pagoda is renowned for its sacredness and is a popular destination for domestic and international tourists.