Long Son Pagoda

Long Son Pagoda sits at the edge of the city centre, where the streets meet the slopes of Trai Thuy hill. From almost anywhere in this part of town you can see the reason most visitors come: a huge white Buddha seated on a lotus at the top of the hill, gazing out over the rooftops.

The pagoda was founded in the late nineteenth century and has been rebuilt more than once since then. It remains a working temple, home to a community of monks, and a place where residents come to pray, light incense and mark family occasions.

The main hall

Start at the bottom, in the main hall. The roofs are decorated with dragons made from fragments of glass and ceramic, a style common in central Vietnam. Inside, the altar is calm and gold-lit. Take off your shoes and keep your voice low.

Up the hill

Behind the hall, a long staircase climbs the hillside. Halfway up, you pass a large reclining Buddha in a shaded niche. At the top, the white seated Buddha towers above a terrace with views across the city to the sea. The statue was built in the 1960s and has become one of the best-known images of Nha Trang.

The base of the statue carries a memorial to monks and nuns who gave their lives during the Buddhist protests of the early 1960s. It is worth pausing there before you look at the view.

Go up in the morning, when bells from the hall below carry all the way to the top.

Good manners

Long Son is a sacred place, not just a viewpoint. Dress modestly and do not climb on statues for photographs. Offerings are welcome but never expected. Simply walking the steps slowly and quietly is the best way to show respect.