23 famous sacred temples & pagodas in Saigon

Pagodas in Saigon are destinations that tourists cannot miss when visiting the city named after Uncle Ho (Ho Chi Minh City). Here, you can find serenity and peace, completely different from the bustling atmosphere of everyday city life. Let's explore the famous sacred pagodas in Saigon, Vietnam with iGuide!

1. Vinh Nghiem Pagoda - The Largest Pagoda in Saigon

Vinh Nghiem Pagoda is a famous place built in 1964 and completed in 1971. The pagoda is located in a spacious area of over 6000m2 with curved tiled roof architecture, extremely meticulous carvings and sculptures that have attracted thousands of visitors every year and are especially crowded on major holidays. The overall architecture of Vinh Nghiem Pagoda includes the main items of Tam Quan, the central building and the Bao Thap. This is one of the pagodas with beautiful, unique, modern architecture and is also the largest pagoda in Saigon. After many decades, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda has not lost its serenity and peace in the heart of the bustling city. If you have the opportunity to travel to Saigon, you must definitely visit this beautiful and special pagoda to visit, worship Buddha and admire the solemn beauty here.

2. Hue Nghiem Pagoda - The Oldest Pagoda in Saigon

If you are interested in exploring spiritual tourist destinations with a long history, Hue Nghiem Pagoda will be a very good suggestion for you. Hue Nghiem Pagoda is not only one of the oldest ancient temples in Saigon but also has a very large area of up to 20,000 m2, so it attracts many tourists to come to worship and worship Buddha. Hue Nghiem Pagoda has an extremely spacious and airy architecture, so it attracts many Buddhists and tourists to visit and study. In particular, every year on the occasion of Buddha's Birthday in the fourth lunar month, the pagoda is chosen by the Buddhist Representative Board of District 2 as a place to gather for all monks, nuns and Buddhists near and far. In addition, the campus of Hue Nghiem Pagoda is extremely spacious and airy with many green trees and many vivid miniatures exuding an elegant, fairy-like beauty.

3. Giac Lam Pagoda Saigon

Giac Lam Pagoda was founded by an immigrant from Minh Huong, China named Ly Thuy Long in the spring of 1744. The pagoda was originally named Cam Son because it was located on Cam Son hill. However, it was not until more than 30 years later that monk Vien Quang was appointed as abbot of the pagoda, which was later renamed Giac Lam. Since then, Giac Lam Pagoda has played an essential role in teaching precepts to monks in the South and copying and printing important Buddhist books. Over the years, the pagoda has been maintained by many different abbots and undergone many renovations, notably under the patronage of Thich Vien Quang and abbot Thich Hong Hung in the 18th and 19th centuries. The pagoda is currently one of the oldest pagodas in Ho Chi Minh City with solid architecture and precious religious values.

4. Pho Quang Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh City

Pho Quang Pagoda was built in 1951 by monk Nguyen Viet Tao. When it was first built, the pagoda had a very simple architecture and was renovated in 1961. After many ups and downs, Pho Quang Pagoda has deteriorated and was expanded by 6000m2 in 2010. Currently, Pho Quang Pagoda has become a place for sightseeing, worship and early spring ceremonies for many tourists when they have the opportunity to travel to Saigon.

5. Giac Ngo Pagoda Saigon

Giac Ngo Pagoda has a campus of 695m2, first built in 1946. Up to now, the pagoda is famous for its many practical activities that are beneficial to society. This is also the place where nun Thich Nhat Tu lives and works, who has profound knowledge of Buddhism. Giac Ngo Pagoda currently consists of 1 basement for parking and 7 floors, with a total construction area of 3,476m2. The main hall of the pagoda consists of 2 floors, the first floor is 412m2 wide and the second floor mezzanine has 300m2, which can accommodate about 700 people at the same time. The third floor is the meditation hall. The fourth floor is the library. The remaining floors serve Buddhist educational activities and worship other Buddhas. Next to the 7-story house mentioned above, behind there is a row of monks' houses and from the left looking in from the outside is a row of houses worshiping the bones of deceased Buddhists.

6. Saigon Ten Thousand Buddhas Pagoda

Hidden inside the gold and silver quarter on Nghia Thuc Street, District 5, Van Phat Pagoda, also known as Van Phat Tu, is nestled among the high-rise buildings in the heart of Saigon. True to its name, Van Phat Pagoda has a record-breaking collection of Buddha statues in Vietnam. The statues are displayed on all floors, of which the most magnificent is the Quang Minh Palace, a structure that gathers Buddha statues from small to large such as: Sakyamuni, Bodhisattva Manjushri, Bodhisattva Samantabhadra... The architecture of the four-story pagoda is often filled with incense smoke and offerings at the altar, bearing the cultural characteristics of the Chinese: arched gates, red paper-covered poetry tables. On top is an elaborately decorated Buddha statue over 6m high, while 10,000 smaller statues surround it. If you have the opportunity to travel to Saigon, you can visit the pagoda to ask for fortune-telling by an automatic machine, praying for peace for your family.

7. Phuoc Long Pagoda Saigon

Phuoc Long Pagoda, also known as Chau Doc 3 Pagoda, is a famous spiritual tourist destination located on Ba Sang Islet in the middle of the Dong Nai River. The pagoda belongs to the Northern Buddhist sect and was built in 1965. Initially, this pagoda was simply a thatched roof house with earthen walls. To have a spacious campus and magnificent construction items as it is today, construction and restoration have been carried out since 2009 on an area of up to 1.5 hectares. The attraction of this pagoda on the river in Saigon is that there are many colorful Buddha statues such as the Eighteen Arhats, Bodhisattvas, gods according to folk beliefs, including statues of Sun Wukong, Tang Sanzang... In particular, when you set foot at the pagoda gate, you will see a very impressive reclining Buddha statue about 10m long. The temple grounds look quite like a garden of statues, in which the stone statue of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara is placed in the middle of the lake, surrounded by unique dragons facing the river.

8. Ngoc Hoang Pagoda Saigon

was built in the early 20th century by a Chinese man named Liu Ming, who left China to live and do business in Vietnam. He was a follower of Buddhism, Taoism and Confucianism, so he wanted to build a temple to worship Buddha and the Jade Pagoda. The temple is famous in Saigon with about 100 statues made of cardboard depicting the meeting of the gods with the Jade Emperor. Phuoc Hai Tu is loved by Saigon people and tourists, known as the "ancient temple to pray for children and love" with great effectiveness. In particular, if you have been "single" for too long or want a smooth love life, try praying sincerely at this sacred temple. Many people tell each other that if you want your love to come true, touch the statue of Mr. To and Mrs. Nguyet.

9. Thien Hau Pagoda Saigon

Located right in the city center, Thien Hau Pagoda is a famous love-praying pagoda in Saigon that visitors should not miss when coming here. The pagoda not only attracts domestic tourists but also international visitors to visit and admire the hidden secrets of this place. The highlight of Thien Hau Pagoda is the spiral coiled incense sticks hanging high above, creating a very unique and impressive image. In addition, you can also buy rings, write your wishes or blessings on paper, then hang them with the incense sticks to pray to Thien Hau. Another special highlight of the pagoda is that all the materials are from China, from precious wood to incense bowls, from reliefs to small statues. That partly shows that Thien Hau Pagoda has a very important position in the life of the Chinese community in Saigon.

10. Ong Pagoda Ho Chi Minh City

Chua Ong District 5 - a 300-year-old sacred temple in the heart of Saigon is a famous Chinese temple for praying for love, also known as Quan De Temple or Nghia An Hoi Quan. This is not only a place of worship and prayer for Chinese people of Chaozhou origin in Saigon but also considered a unique Buddhist architectural work in the late 19th - early 20th century. Not only Saigon people and tourists from all over often come here to pray, wishing for a prosperous love life and a smooth path to fortune.

11. Quan Am Pagoda Ho Chi Minh City

The more than 250-year-old Quan Am Pagoda (Hoi Quan On Lang) is one of the most famous and beautiful Chinese pagodas in Saigon. The highlight of the pagoda is the exquisite wood carvings including horizontal lacquered boards, parallel sentences, “bao lam”, dragon columns, decorations made from broken ceramic pieces and ancient bells. A large number of gods, deities in Chinese folk religion, Taoism and Buddhism. Inspired by Chinese temples and pagodas built in the 19th century, Quan Am Pagoda has red roofs, columns, walls, signs and decorations. Carved wooden columns, panels and decorations are abundant in Quan Am Pagoda. The beautiful decorations covered with broken ceramic pieces are the most impressive parts of the pagoda. Quan Am Pagoda is not only crowded on holidays but also on normal days. You come to the pagoda, bring offerings and pray for wealth, health, children, love, luck, happiness, peace, and everything goes as planned.

12. Lonely Buddha Temple Ho Chi Minh City

The Lonely Buddha Pagoda is a popular name given by word of mouth and is often used as a habit. The Eight Precious Buddha Platform is the official name of the pagoda and now the pagoda has changed its name to Thanh Tam Pagoda. Not only is it one of the places for religious activities and beliefs that attracts a large number of people to worship Buddha, pray for peace, and visit, the Lonely Buddha Pagoda is also a place for education and training of monks, nuns, and Buddhists in Ho Chi Minh City. The Lonely Buddha Pagoda was built on a large land of 30 hectares. Therefore, all spaces in the pagoda and the worship areas are extremely airy and spacious. The pagoda has recently been renovated quite a lot but still retains its natural, ancient look - a characteristic of ancient pagodas in Vietnam.

13. Hoang Phap Pagoda - One of the Pagodas for Staying in Saigon

Hoang Phap Pagoda has an area of 6 hectares located in Tan Hiep Commune, Hoc Mon District, Ho Chi Minh City. The pagoda has existed for more than half a century. It is not only beautiful in terms of landscape but also beautiful in terms of the morality of its founder. The pagoda also attracts a large number of Buddhists in Saigon and neighboring areas. The three-door gate of Hoang Phap Pagoda has an oriental architectural style - red tiles, curved roof but neater. Above, in the middle of the entrance, there is a line of words: "Hoang Phap Pagoda". Hoang Phap Pagoda has a large campus with many tall shady trees, with a modern architectural style mixed with traditional architectural style, located in a large campus with many shady green trees, is a place for studying and practicing for tens of thousands of Buddhists and is a destination for tens of thousands of tourists every year. This place also had a virtuous and talented leader. When traveling to Ho Chi Minh City, you should take the time to visit this special place.

14. Vietnam National Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh City

If you are a Buddhist living in Ho Chi Minh City, you must be very familiar with Viet Nam Quoc Tu. Established in 1964, through many stages, the temple has changed quite a lot. Completely different from the wild appearance before, around the temple now have many bustling constructions and services... In particular, the location of Viet Nam Quoc Tu is right on 3 Thang 2 Street, District 10, one of the largest and busiest streets in Saigon. Coming to the temple, you will see the harmony in architectural style: both modern and sparkling on the outside mixed with ancient traditional features on the inside. As a famous temple, Viet Nam Quoc Tu leaves a strong impression on visitors when owning the tallest tower in our country. The golden roof of the temple is made entirely of natural stone. If you have the opportunity, come here once to witness the beauty of this famous and sacred temple.

15. Hue Nghiem Pagoda Ho Chi Minh City

It is not by chance that Hue Nghiem Pagoda is considered a famous Buddhist temple for training monks in the Vinaya in the South. According to historical records, the pagoda was a place for monks to study from 1963 to 1985. The pagoda is also the first monastery to hold a Buddhist Vinaya ordination platform in the more than 2,000-year history of Vietnamese Buddhism. Hue Nghiem Pagoda is renovated every year, creating a spacious, green and airy campus, surrounded by many large structures. The structures that remain today are the Quan Am platform, Pho Dong tower or the Gioi Dai area. Coming to Hue Nghiem Binh Tan Pagoda, you will admire the beauty of the unique and rare Son-shaped architectural complex according to the drawings of architect Vo Dinh Diep.

16. Buu Long Pagoda Ho Chi Minh City

No need to go all the way to Thailand, you can still admire the architectural masterpieces of the Land of Golden Pagodas. Buu Long Pagoda, a unique and rare Thai-style pagoda located in the middle of magnificent Saigon, has become a famous and attractive spiritual tourist destination, attracting many visitors from all over the world to visit and worship Buddha. Buu Long Pagoda was honored by the American National Geographic magazine as one of the 10 most beautifully designed Buddhist structures in the world. Buu Long Pagoda is a great place to "check-in" for gorgeous photos, like a sparkling flower in the poetic scenery next to the peaceful Dong Nai River, Buu Long Pagoda in District 9 is always on the list of famous and beautiful pagodas in Saigon.

17. Van Tho Pagoda Saigon

For nearly 40 years, Van Tho Pagoda nestled on Hoang Sa Street, District 1 has been favored by the people as a "free hospital" - a place that provides free medical treatment to everyone regardless of rich or poor. The charity clinic in the pagoda was established by the abbot, Venerable Thich Thanh Son, to treat bone and joint diseases for the poor and to teach medical skills to his disciples. Coming to the pagoda, besides worshiping Buddha and worshiping, most Buddhists consider Van Tho Pagoda as a traditional medicine "hospital" for the poor.

18. Phap Tang Pagoda Saigon

As one of the famous ancient temples in the center of Saigon, Phap Tang Pagoda leaves a beautiful impression on visitors not only because of its peaceful meditation space but also because of its many meaningful volunteer activities for the community. Phap Tang Pagoda worships Buddha, the Holy Mother and Ancestors, located in a peaceful and quiet area in Binh Chanh district. Although the ancient temple is located on the outskirts of Saigon, it still attracts many Buddhists and tourists to visit. On Buddha's birthday, Vu Lan, the 1st and 15th of every month... Phap Tang Pagoda also organizes meditation courses for Buddhists from near and far to come here to study and practice. In particular, Phap Tang Pagoda has an abbot who is respected and admired by everyone, and most people come to the pagoda because they want to meet and listen to his sermons, Venerable Thich Tri Hue.

19. Linh Quang Pagoda Saigon

Nestled in a bustling residential area on Bui Huu Nghia Street, Binh Thanh District, Linh Quang Pagoda still retains its simple beauty and inherent serenity. As one of the pagodas that attracts Buddhists in Ho Chi Minh City, Linh Quang Pagoda leaves an impression on visitors with its meditation space and extremely meaningful volunteer activities in the community. In addition, on Buddha's birthday, Mid-Autumn Festival, Vu Lan or full moon days. Linh Quang Pagoda also organizes prayer, practice and charity gift giving activities, organizes charity vegetarian meals for people to participate. You can come here to relieve the pressures of life, pray for peace for your family or participate in volunteer activities to find good values in life.

20. Tuyen Lam Pagoda Saigon

After many major restorations in 1971 and 1973, today Tuyen Lam Pagoda has become spacious, solid and has a unique architectural style. This ancient temple located in District 6 is one of the famous pagodas in Saigon. This nearly 200-year-old pagoda was built in the style of ancient Northern pagoda architecture, with some Chinese pagoda art mixed in. The overall architecture of Tuyen Lam Pagoda consists of 3 closed, perpendicular rows of houses. The tiled roof consists of many layers of jade green, with the top of the tile curved up in the shape of a knife. The pagoda is mainly decorated in prominent red, which is also a mark of Chinese pagoda-style art. Although the pagoda uses many modern building materials, this place still has the bold art of ancient pagodas. If you have the opportunity to visit Saigon tourist attractions, try stopping by Tuyen Lam Pagoda to admire the unique beauty of the pagoda.

21. Phap Hoa Pagoda Saigon

Phap Hoa Pagoda is a famous spiritual place in Saigon that attracts tourists with its magnificent architecture and unique cultural festivals. What attracts tourists to Phap Hoa Pagoda is the peaceful scenery, with more than 100 years of history and especially the pagoda owns the most ceramic vases in Saigon. Phap Hoa Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City was built in 1928 by monk Dao Ha Thanh. In 1993, Phap Hoa Pagoda was restored and has a large area with the beauty it has today. Therefore, Phap Hoa Pagoda in District 3 is considered the cradle of Buddhist culture, attracting tourists from all over the world to visit and enjoy the scenery today. Visiting Phap Hoa Pagoda, you will admire the unique architecture of the pagoda, attend the Buddha's birthday ceremony and release lanterns, and admire the peaceful beauty of the pagoda at night.

22. Sri Thenday Yutthapani Temple

Sri Thenday Yutthapani Temple has the typical architecture of a Hindu temple, with the center being the Holy shrine located in the main hall. This temple worships Lord Murugan - the god representing war, victory, wisdom and love. Lord Murugan is the son of Lord Shiva - one of the supreme gods of Hinduism. Located in the center of District 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Sri Thenday Yutthapani Temple, also known as Ong Pagoda in Vietnam, is praised by the Shivam website of the international Hindu community and considered one of the "treasures" of Hinduism.

23. Ba An Pagoda Saigon

Mariamman Temple, also known as Ba An Pagoda, is located in the heart of Saigon. With its unique Hindu architectural style, Ba An Pagoda is still visited and prayed by many tourists and locals every day. This Indian temple is actually a Hindu temple of Indian origin, worshiping a deity named Mariamman. Legend has it that goddess Mariamman brings bountiful harvests and fertile land to the people. In addition, Indians also believe that she also brings happiness and prosperity, so this temple is always crowded with visitors. This is one of three Hindu temples located in the city center and Ba An Pagoda is visited by the most tourists.

24. Subramaniam Swamy Temple

In addition to Ong Pagoda, Saigon also has the most unique and oldest Hindu temple in Saigon, built in the 19th century. The temple is also called Ong Pagoda - Subramaniam Swamy Temple. This Hindu temple has a majestic main hall. If you like the quiet scenery of the temple, without crowds or restrictions, this is an interesting place to pray and worship respectfully. Besides the hustle and bustle of modern Saigon, there are still traditional colors, carrying the nostalgic and peaceful features of Saigon temples over the years. These sacred places, bringing good values, are where every citizen and every tourist seeks peace, relaxation and prays for good things for their family and loved ones in life.

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