Temples in Vietnam. The great journey of the four belyaevs

24.12.2019

With the initiative of us! Travels in Vietnam began. Today was a test drive and everything went like clockwork. Almost.

Experienced in Vietnam advised us before leaving Australia, they say, if the site is on English language and with flawlessly working functionality, then you can not be afraid to buy Vietnamese tours directly online in the direction of interest there.

After a couple of days of diligent search, I settled on one of these, read reviews about the tour and about the area, watched videos from those who were there, consulted with Tema, corresponded with this travel agency, talked to them on the phone ... (the tour is quite inexpensive , but I wanted to make sure that we would not be thrown for money ...), at the same time we also called our new acquaintances with us and ... right here on the eve of Saturday afternoon we bought this day tour... Done. Around $ 85USD for the three of us.

They did not pick us up from our residential area and did not bring us back. I had to go to the meeting place on Grab (local Uber). The hornbeam delivered us to the specified address, but the Hanoi Opera House didn't smell there ... We phoned the agency. Suddenly, out of nowhere, as if by magic, a lively girl appeared, chatted quickly, after about five minutes we found out and understood that “No, we are not in Halong Bay. We are in Hoa Lu ”. Ahhh ... approx.

We were immediately shoved into a taxi that appeared out of nowhere and taken somewhere ... The girl was chatting on the phone without a break, and it seemed that while solving a bunch of organizational moments, the phone was almost smoking. And we sat and wondered - where we were going ... where they were taking us ... who are these people ... In Vietnam, if the Vietnamese with an understanding look nod to you in response "Ok, ok, ok ..." - this is not a reason for you to relax deciding that they are all understood what you were explaining to them. Keep in mind.

After about 5 minutes, an opera building loomed on the horizon of street plexuses (opera is usually difficult to confuse with something else). There was a mini-bus and a young Vietnamese woman ran to meet us. With outstretched arms and a smile all over his face. Our hearts relieved a little.

To our surprise, the bus was full. We got seats in the gallery - the most back and jumpy ones. We were the last tours the bus was waiting for. The door was closed behind us and we set off on our first Vietnamese trip.

Vietnam has 4 thin things.

1) Look at the map of Vietnam - the country is narrow and slender.

2) Traditional Vietnamese houses are narrow and slender. Do you know why? Because buy land plot much cheaper when it is narrow along the street, and wide in depth and upward - "at least as much".

3) Streets in Vietnam are also narrow and slender.

4) And people themselves are also in the bulk of their slender women.

This is especially striking after Australia. Kangaroo country is among the leaders in the number of obese people. Surprisingly, the fact is that the green continent was created straightforward to tirelessly engage in all kinds of sports day and night. But no ... the culture of fast food spoils the whole ideal picture.

In Australia, by the way, upon arrival it is easy to relax and thus gain twenty extra pounds. At the same time, becoming a "donut" will still look slender against the background of local Australian ladies. The situation is fabulously comfortable and clearly tricky! It seems that you go to the fitness center, and allegedly keep food, but at the same time, without remorse, hamster tasty and sweet things, looking at the growing kilograms, comparing yourself with local fast food fans and realizing that “I’m soooo far away from them!”. In a couple of years it becomes a norm of life and the song “I like myself the way I am” begins ...

That's when, living in Australia, you say to yourself “I like myself the way I am”, looking at your magnificent forms, that's all - you have become accustomed to. Further hopelessness in terms of weight loss. All the same, tons of ice cream pies-pizzas will be devoured and still there will be “I like myself the way I am”. And all these phytonic fun is all for Instagram. In this regard, our friend from St. Petersburg (Yulia I., thank you! 3 kg minus!)

We were not able to listen to the stories of our young guide especially. We traveled today in a charming company of two children. Very noisy and restless. We could not persuade them to take a nap during all 2 hours that we drove from Hanoi to the first destination.

Looking ahead, I will say, we must pay tribute - our children (almost 4 and almost 5 years old) coped well with the trip, when they did not adjust the program for them, but on the contrary - they adjusted to the plan of the day. For me and Teoma, this was the first experience when my child and I were not the masters of the situation and were completely dependent on the group.

If we went on this trip today, having come on a short vacation to Vietnam from Australia, I would have spent a hundred pounds for g ... o in terms of "praises" a la how crowded, dirty, crowded here, there is no way to retire with nature at all and in general what for we dragged here to travel. I had this relative and. And it is for this reason that we were not at all attracted to Southeast Asia for sightseeing and tourist trips.

Yes, that's a fact. Vietnam is very littered, just as tough! Along the roads, there are only solid garbage dumps - large or small. Even if they are not there, the garbage is still evenly scattered. You are simply amazed how you can not just stubbornly squeeze your country every day ... but also live in your own garbage ...

And yes - there are just so many people here. And tourists. I don't even know who is more - the first or the second.

BUT! We now live in Vietnam. We live in Hanoi. In a residential area made of concrete and glass. On the 33rd floor. Before wildlife to us as to China on bellies. Holidays and weekends we have with a gulkin nose. Today we cannot afford to cuddle up. We are in such a situation now, as bleach without fish, cottage cheese. Therefore, we do not show off and try to filter with our eyes what catches our very eyes, tirelessly muttering to ourselves the mantra “We are here for a little while. We are here for a little while ... "

First of all, we were brought to the capital of the first Vietnamese emperors - Hoa Lu. Not to the city itself, but to watch 2 imperial temples.

I will not rewrite Wikipedia, who is interested - google about it: Hoa Lu - former capital Vietnam was political, economic and cultural center Daikovieta (X century). Hoalis are home to three Vietnamese dynasties: Dinh, Early Le and Li. Old city has an area of about 300 hectares, including the outer and inner fortresses, and is surrounded by mountains.

Again, we failed to listen to the guide's broadcasts. The task was not to let the children smash the historical and cultural values to smithereens, to walk around the small territory of the temples and to make a couple of pictures to themselves as a souvenir. We did a great job with this.

Here's a mystery - do Vietnamese children have a rest at all on weekends. They are, if not at school, then somewhere on an excursion. And even on Sunday.

There were a lot of small school (or student ... go and figure it out) groups hanging out at the entrance to the historic complex. Everyone crowded together on their own patch, hamstering the food prepared for them and enjoying the “boom-boom” from the loudly screaming speakers right there.

Another group marked, you see, the completion of their studies. We made a joke and threw our hats into the air. The theme was not to be torn away.

He, being at the graduation ceremony in Pittsburgh, was looking forward to the moment when they all, too, throw their hats like that. Aha schaz ... This is apparently inspired by movie scenes and in reality, in the states, hats are still not thrown ( correct me who really threw - and it was in the states).

I will not say that we immediately became connoisseurs of the Vietnamese imperial history - of course not. And yes - we respect Asian temples, we don't understand anything about them and we don't try. To each his own.

After the excursion, they put us on the bus again and after a short journey we found ourselves in a new place, buzzing with tourists and local like a densely populated bee hive, where we were first fed a hearty meal. Buffet. With meat, fish and vegetarian dishes. It was delicious!

For Nikita, I deliberately took a thermos with me (I brought it from Australia, sold in KMart for ca $ 8AUD) with macaroons and a cutlet. Our baby doesn’t eat in cafes-restaurants (which is “convenient” in terms of “budget”), but he doesn’t eat sunny bunnies… Therefore, the carefully prepared lunch was immediately taken off the plate. The baby was full, my mother was happy. For an afternoon snack he had drinking yoghurt, cookies from Comrade Nadia, an apple and daddy's soy “nuts” to lick in between times.

After a hearty lunch we were smoothly redirected across the road to the boats. Ahead of us was a 2-hour boat ride along the river among beautiful nature with stops in 3 caves. Was great! But that's another story with a bunch of photos and videos. Stay tuned!

Here in Vietnam, potato rice fields are everywhere and everywhere. Rice is the most important attribute. Even if the table is bursting with overseas caviar and other gourmands, BUT there will be no rice, FSE! Consider hunger in the country.

After the boat ride, in which the kid slept for our hour as if sweetly at daddy's on wheels, we were waited for - ta-daaa ... - a bike tour along the river and rice fields. And even there were great ones with child seats! But only Tyoma could manage them, so he went to pedal with a mouse, and we girls drowned to hamster goodies - pancakes with mango. Mmmm….

Time flew by unnoticed in the chatter and now we are getting on the bus, having bought a Vietnamese traditional straw hat right there in a souvenir shop. No, not yourself. After the tour, we had straight from the ship to the ball. Returning to our residential area, we immediately went dirty-and-unwashed-loaded with a heavy-backpack to an Italian restaurant where one of our pilots was celebrating his birthday. We gave him a straw hat to wear instead of a pilot's cap.

The gatherings were both sincere, and funny, and very tasty! Only one BUT - we must pay tribute, we got tired on the road. Out of habit. And from a large number of people around us, just overwhelmingly large! And from a long journey back.

If “there” we drove about 2 hours with a stop halfway to rest. Then back all 3.5. We got into a valid Hanoi traffic jam. We made our way along it stop-and-go, because here in Vietnam whoever first ducked into the gap between the cars - that and the sneakers. And I do not care that an ambulance with a flashing light is trying to break through, these are her problems ...

Then the driver drove us in some roundabout way. There was no intermediate pinkel pause. The children could not stand it and staged a riot, they say, either stop, or right here on the floor. The whole bus rushed into the street under this childish peeing bench. And I don’t care what’s right there on the side of the road. When you can't stand it - it's not trickery for you! Fortunately, it was already dark.

Then they took us to the outskirts of our residential area. Remained about 5 minutes away, but they "zashopis" to throw us home. We dropped off politely at our request, right somewhere on the side of the street (closer to home, otherwise we would have to scramble through traffic jams from the center of Hanoi), offering to order a taxi for us. We saved ourselves and began to look for Grab, who did not want to look for it in any way. They began to catch a taxi. They waved all their limbs.

Luckily for us, a taxi driver smoked out of the traffic and for 40K dongs drove to home. Or rather, to an Italian restaurant.

In general, in the restaurant our baby has accumulated the last strengths so that he can sit upright for an hour, watching cartoons on his father's phone. We mummies with children left home earlier, leaving our dads to communicate further in a cheerful male company. Nikita grabbed a generous portion of oatmeal and immediately fell asleep for one-two-three.

I repeat, if I visited this tour, having come here on a short vacation from Australia, there would be very few praises. BUT we live in Vietnam and already fucking missed nature and beautiful landscapes.

Tam Coc and Ninh Binh- sooooo beautiful Vietnamese places. They are also called Halong bay but on the ground. We are sincerely glad we went there!

The travel agency we have chosen has fully justified our hopes and we will definitely once again go with them to other places. Despite the reverse add-on (and the agency had nothing to do with it - the problem was in a traffic jam), everything was organized perfectly!

We tried on ourselves a new type of travel - organized day trips, when you are not your own boss, and in principle, you can live and travel with this.

This travel agency makes it possible for "private tours", when they are already dealing only with you and your group, the whole plan is adjusted exactly to your schedule. But we did not have the required amount, and it would be a little expensive alone.

So the old year is coming to an end and a new year will come very soon, and with it, new year holidays... I think many are planning to go somewhere to rest during these holidays. Ideally, everyone tends, as a rule, to warm countries, to the sea, the sun and delicious, fresh fruit. We are also no exception, but from St. Petersburg to go to southeastern countries it turns out overly, from Ulan-Ude it is much easier and less expensive to do it. We had such an experience in 2012, we flew to Vietnam and celebrated the New Year 2013 there. Recently looking at photos, I found that a lot of useful and interesting information I can tell you about Vietnam and its attractions. It seems to me that now it will be more relevant and useful than ever. I'll make a reservation that we went to Vietnam burning package tour, so it came out cheaper. We visited some excursions and places on our own, for example, an entertainment island, and saw some sights as part of a guided tour group. On first sightseeing tour there were three sights of Nha Trang:

1. Oceanarium in Nha Trang. In general, its full name is the National Oceanographic Museum of Vietnam and it is organized on the basis of the Institute of Oceanography, founded in 1923. In principle, it is interesting and you can visit it, especially if you are with children. Of course, it cannot be compared with the Bangkok Aquarium, but the collection of marine life is huge and interesting here too. Some pets are under open air in pools, the other part in a room with aquariums. In another room, there is a whole collection of various fish and other marine life in alcohol. Each fish in its own jar is signed. There are also a couple of skeletons of marine life.

The aquarium can be reached by bus # 4 for VND 5,000 from the tourist area. It is necessary to leave near seaport... Address: 01 Cau Da. Or take a taxi. Speaking of taxi, it is not expensive 2-3 $ per 1 km, all are equipped with meters.

Opening hours of the oceanarium: from 06.00 to 18.00, cost entrance ticket for an adult - 30,000 dongs, for children - 7,000 dongs.

2. Temple Long Son Pagoda (Temple of the White Buddha) is located in the city of Nha Trang, where we rested.

The temple is famous for being the main Buddhist temple in Khanh Hoa province, the capital of which is Nha Trang. In the main building of the temple there is a bronze Buddha statue with a height of 1.6 m and a weight of 700 kg.

But the most remarkable thing is outside the walls of the temple, on the top of the hill - the statue of the White Buddha, which is 14 meters high. A staircase with 193 steps leads to the White Buddha. Climbing the 44 steps to the White Buddha, look at the statue of the Sleeping Buddha, pray, make a wish and rub the elbow of the Buddha.

On the feet of the Buddha is not a swastika, but a Buddhist symbol of perfection.

And on the way to the White Buddha, you will meet the Pagoda of Desires - this is a pagoda with a large bell. In order to make a wish and it came true, you need to climb under the bell, and at this time the monk reads a prayer and lightly strikes the bell. You feel quite unusual and interesting at the same time.

But finally, we are at the top of the hill and can fully contemplate the statue of the White Buddha. At the base of the statue, you will see the faces of seven monks who carried out an act of self-immolation in the name of preventing Buddhism from being eradicated in Vietnam. It's scary to even imagine such a thing! The White Buddha statue is really big, and inside the statue there is even a small temple that can accommodate only a few people. Unfortunately, we did not get there, as is the case with paid excursions, we were limited in time. By the way, right there at the top there is an observation deck with beautiful views of Nha Trang.

Attention! The entrance to the territory of the temple and to the White Buddha is free. Do not take or buy anything from locals who will approach you, just ignore and they will fall behind. Prices are too high, and what was supposedly free (usually sticks) will ask for a large sum at the exit. A local guide can also be attached, who will also extort money. In general, do not get fooled by these tricks and be vigilant.

How to get there and visit yourself.

It is not difficult to get to the temple from the tourist area, guided by the map, the journey will take about 30 minutes on foot. If you do not want to walk, you can take the same bus number 4 or take a taxi again

Opening hours of the temple: from 08.00 to 20.00, admission is free.

3. Cham Towers Po Nagar in Nha Trang.

The temple complex of Po Nagar dates back to ancient times, erected in the period from the 8th to the 13th centuries, during the time of the Cham state. The entire complex is made in Hindu style, consists of four towers, the largest of which is dedicated to the goddess Po Nagar, who taught people crafts and agriculture. The territory of the complex is beautifully decorated, offering panoramic views of the city.

There is also an exhibition hall, which displays photographs, exhibits telling about the history and work of preserving the Cham towers.
In addition to the flow of tourists, local residents still come here to pray. When entering the temples, you should take off your shoes, your shoulders should be covered with your knees. In one of the towers, as it turned out, local women ask the goddess for children. To do this, you need to rub the phallic symbol for a boy, and if you want a girl - its square base.

These robes are given out free of charge to those who have bare shoulders and knees.

In the foreground is the same phallic symbol 🙂

I do not advise you to go as part of an excursion group, it is too crowded and not enough time allotted. I recommend to go to the Cham Towers on your own, since the complex is located not far from tourist center cities.

How to get there and visit yourself.

The easiest way to get there is by taxi, it will cost about $ 2-3 one way. Economical - by bus, guess which one? Correctly number 4 for 5000 VND. Well, the most economical one is on foot, it will take about 1 hour to walk. Address: Nha Trang, 2 Thang 4.

Opening hours from 06.00 to 18.00, entrance to the complex costs 21,000 dong ($ 1).

I consider visiting Vietnam in winter the most optimal time of the year, as the weather ranges from 23-27 degrees, mostly cloudy and a cool breeze blows. To my mind ideal conditions to get acquainted with the sights of any country.

Here is a short video from the Nha Trang Oceanarium:

More about the temple

Important: as of February 2019, the temple is closed to the public. If you know that the temple is open now, please write in the comments!

I am completely indifferent to religious buildings. I do not admire them and do not agitate to visit. It seems to me that instead of pouring money into churches, schools and hospitals would be better repaired, instead of building another pagoda dedicated to a fictitious creature, they would solve real problems better.

Therefore, if at the beginning of our travels I also wrote about, then in recent years I have completely stopped mentioning them. But this time I'll make an exception, because in the vicinity of Nha Trang there are 2 religious buildings that are really worthy of mention: Pháp Viện Thánh Sơn and Tu Van (Chùa Từ Vân).

If about the Dragon's Labyrinth and the Pagoda Tu Van (Chùa Từ Vân), made of sea shells, you can easily find reports on the net (Russian tourists are taken there), then the Pháp Viện Thánh Sơn temple is almost unknown to the general public. Let's talk about him.

Construction of Pháp Viện Thánh Sơn (pronounced fap vien sun) began in 2006 and continues to this day. Styles of various religious movements (from Buddhism to Hinduism) are mixed in the design of the temple, so the temple does not have its own style, but it’s funny that this is exactly what it has all its charm.

For example, a stone statue overgrown with moss (typical of Bali) is a symbol of tranquility, next to a screaming monk. Cool, isn't it?

An adorable baby elephant with her mother sat next to the Chinese dragons. Where else can you find this?

The temple is beautiful, elegant, completely new! And there is no one here except monks, monks' disciples and rare tourists. Gorgeous.

Just look how cute: grandmother walks across the bridge over a pond full of red fish, and a disgruntled wooden grandfather with long eyebrows sits next to her.

Do you want a joke? V In March 2017, friends, on my advice, took a taxi to this temple and even a taxi driver was there for the first time! Can you imagine how amazing this place is?

I managed to find a blog in Vietnamese, which says that until the author arrived in the Nha Trang area, he did not know anything about this place at all. And when I arrived, I realized that in narrow circles it was actually quite enough. famous place: there are benches everywhere with the names of Vietnamese singers, musicians and other popular personalities who donated funds for construction (in Asia, it is customary to write the names of donors on beautiful benches).

And yet, how the temple manages to hide from ordinary people for so long is not clear to me. Why is there still so little information about this place on the web? Some kind of mysticism.

What, at every step you can find temples where styles of different religions are mixed and there is even your own mini-version of Angkor Wat?

This is a photo of a real Angkor Wat:

Or are there mini versions of Vietnam's most popular landmarks everywhere? Here, for example, you can climb into a tiny copy of the famous Hanoi Pagoda on one pillar and pat the Golden Turtle on the head, the one that, according to legend, gave Le Loy the sword that defeated the Chinese armies.

Here is a photo of a real 1 Pillar Pagoda from Hanoi:

In general, Vietnam - amazing country, so many thousands of tourists seem to have come here, but still remain here little known places... For example, few people know about, but it is not so close to Nha Trang, or about where you can feed crocodiles with giant pieces of meat, or about, or about - there are so many cool non-tourist places in Vietnam that you cannot visit for 1 vacation!

But back to the temple.

Despite the heat, it is very comfortable to be on the territory of the temple. Hidden in a charming grove, you sit and admire the views.

And what kinds!

The temple is surrounded rice fields, palm trees, hills and mountains.

The Temple has its own website and even Facebook page... Cool, when modern technologies are used, the bad thing is that all the texts there are only in Vietnamese, and the Google translator translates from Vietnamese so-so. For example, the very name Pháp Viện Thánh Sơn Google translator in the context of some phrases translates as Dharma Institute. I don’t know about you, but for me this translation is clearly associated with the Dharma Initiative (hello to the recently revised Lost) :)

A monk's disciple goes about his business:

And we, meanwhile, are resting in the attic. It is not tidied up here, unlike other places of the temple, where there is perfect cleanliness. But this is even good. Atmospheric.

Pilgrims often visit the "Land of Buddha" (as they call this place). I hope I was able to convince you that the Pháp Viện Thánh Sơn temple is worthy of visiting not only pilgrims, but also ordinary mortals. Come before the place is super popular. It's great here! And admission is free.

How to get there

The secluded temple Pháp Viện Thánh Sơn is located 27 km west of Nha Trang.

Exact coordinates: 12.31015, 109.01922

You can get there by taxi (), a motorcycle taxi or a rented motorbike. Renting a bike in 2017 costs about 120,000 VND per day if you take it from a hotel or 100,000 VND if you take it on the street. Read about

Vietnam is a promising and constantly evolving tourist destination South-East Asia... The country attracts millions of travelers with exotic, relatively cheap tours, high-quality beach vacation and well-developed infrastructure. Tourism in Vietnam began to develop actively around the late 1990s. For almost the entire first decade of the 2000s, the bulk of travelers were Chinese, and only a small percentage were guests from Europe, America and other continents.

The country's territory stretches along the coast The Pacific about 2000 km. It is conventionally divided into North, Central and South Vietnam. Each of these parts has seaside resorts with beautiful beaches, quality hotels and interesting sights.

People go to Vietnam mainly for a beach holiday. In any part of the country you can find hotels for every taste - from small, economical 2 * and 3 * to luxurious 5 * on the first coastline... Almost every one has a cozy garden with bright unusual flowers and plants, a small swimming pool. For those wishing to get to know Vietnam better, local travel agencies organize exciting excursions. Gourmets will not remain indifferent to traditional cuisine. Pho soup, nem pancakes, spring rolls, lau soup are basic dishes for the locals. Seafood is a separate item. In Vietnam, they are excellent and are sold at reasonable prices.

The best hotels and hotels at affordable prices.

from 500 rubles / day

What to see in Vietnam?

The most interesting and Beautiful places, photos and a short description.

It is a modern metropolis with a developed industry. Here you can feel the pulse of business Vietnam. Ho Chi Minh City is also called the "city of mopeds". In the mornings in the parks, residents do gymnastics, in the evenings they stroll in the square in front of Notre Dame de Saigon, the main Catholic cathedral in the south of the country. The city is named after Ho Chi Minh, the founder of the Communist Party and the first president of a united Vietnam.

This bay is one of the most recognizable symbols of Vietnam. Almost every tourist brings a postcard depicting a ship with flying scarlet or brown sails against the backdrop of views of the bay. Halong is a bay with three thousand islands, grottoes, caves, cliffs, located a couple of hundred kilometers from the capital. The bay belongs to world heritage UNESCO because of its unique beauty.

This complex was created in order to show people all the horrors of the war with the USA in 1965-1973. The museum contains photographs of Vietnamese mutilated by American chemical weapons (under the special name "agent orange"), instruments of torture, history of abuse of the local population, mass exterminations.

Underground labyrinth for about 250 km. These tunnels near Ho Chi Minh City served as a refuge and base for Vietnamese guerrillas. From here they made successful forays against the Americans. Cunning traps, weapons and household items of the soldiers who once lived here are presented to the attention of visitors.

It is of great historical interest, since the imperial family once lived here, and mere mortals could not get here. Tu Kam Thanh is located in Hue and consists of a complex of palace buildings, temples and gardens, many of which are hundreds of years old.

Remains of Hindu temples of the Tyapma (Champa) Empire that once existed in Vietnam. Before the arrival of the Vietnamese, the land was inhabited by the Chams, who approximately moved here from the island of Borneo. From the IV century. Michonne was the capital of the Cham state.

A large cultural complex where excavations are still underway. It began to be built during the Vietnamese Li dynasty in the 11th century. During its long existence, the territory of the citadel expanded, collapsed, rebuilt again, and only in the XX century. managed to start full-scale archaeological work to retrieve valuable ancient artifacts.

The tomb of the national hero and socialist leader, Uncle Ho, as the locals call him. This is one of the main modern attractions in Hanoi. In addition to the body of Ho Chi Minh, tourists are invited to look at the chambers where the leader of the nation lived and worked, as well as stroll through the magnificent park around the mausoleum.

Seven-tier structure, symbolizing the moment of Buddha's enlightenment. It was created in 1601. Tien Mou is the tallest pagoda in Vietnam. Not far from the tower in the 60s. of the twentieth century, the Buddhist monk Thich Quang Duc performed the ritual self-immolation, who, together with his brothers, fought against the oppression of the Catholic ruler.

Another architectural monument of the Tyampa period. This is a group of temples located in the city of Nha Trang. Some of them are still in operation, despite the fact that they are more than a thousand years old. With observation deck within the territory of temple complex a vast panorama of Nha Trang opens.

A temple with a large statue of a deity towering over all of Nha Trang. It can be observed from almost anywhere in the city; it seems to float in the clouds. There is a Buddhist monastery on the territory of the pagoda, services are constantly held. To climb to the statue of the seated Buddha (the highest point of the pagoda), you need to walk 150 steps.

Another unusual temple during the reign of Li Thanh Tong in Hanoi. It was built in 1049 by a grateful emperor in honor of the goddess Kuan Am, who predicted the birth of his son in a dream. Today, only a small pagoda with a statue of Kuan Am, actually standing on one pillar, has survived from the entire building.

This is a complex of Hue, which includes a pavilion, a temple, a crypt, a courtyard of honor and a reservoir with lotuses. All these structures were supposed to emphasize the greatness of the ruler and perpetuate his name. It was Ty Duc who came up with the tradition of erecting tombs in this way. After him, many tombs of later rulers appeared in the vicinity.

Another name for the temple is Notre Dame de Saigon. This is a piece of Europe at the very equator and the main catholic church Ho Chi Minh City, built in 1880. Notre-dame-de-Paris was taken as a model during the erection. In the temple, you can attend the classic Mass, which is served by a Vietnamese priest in broken Latin, or simply admire the beautiful stained glass windows.

Another Catholic church built with the help of the French. She can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. This temple was built for many years and was completed by 1939. The construction turned out to be majestic and massive, designed to inspire the appropriate awe in front of divine power. Now it is the seat of the bishop, and Mass is regularly celebrated.

The cathedral is another striking architectural monument reminiscent of the rule of the French throughout Indochina. In the Gothic outlines of the temple, European canons are easily guessed, and interior decoration creates an atmosphere of awe.

One of the most striking sights of the capital of Vietnam. Emperor Li Thanh Tong ordered this temple to be erected in honor of Confucius in 1070. A few years later, a university was established on its basis for the offspring of high-ranking officials of the state. Here, a tourist will see the millennial historical monuments: statues, cult hall, Gue Wang pavilion.

Better known as the famous mud baths in Central Vietnam. Here they take baths of healing mud, swim in pools filled with hot mineral water doing wellness treatments. You can also buy high-quality inexpensive cosmetics right there. For visitors are provided package offers, which includes a complex of spa treatments, fruit snacks and various additional options.

It is considered the longest road of this type over the sea. It leads to the island where the popular Winperl amusement park is located. Supporting structures are made in the form of French " eiffel towers», Which are beautifully illuminated at night.

Located 20 kilometers from Nha Trang and is popular tourist entertainment... These funny and unceremonious animals live everywhere, as at one time they bred uncontrollably and settled in a small area. On the island, you can not only watch monkeys, but also swim, sunbathe, and walk in quiet parks and gardens.

A whimsical joint creation of man and nature. Inside the natural rocks of an unusual color, there are huge halls with temples and altars. Outside, prayer houses and pagodas are scattered among the greenery. The Marble Mountains are not just a tourist attraction, but sacred place pilgrimage for Buddhists.

In the center of old Hanoi, there is perhaps one of the most interesting sights of the city - Lake of the Returned Sword. Legend has it that a giant lake-dweller turtle during the wars with China gave a sword to the hero Le Lu, who defeated the enemy with it. Then the turtle took the sword back, hence the name.

A picturesque series of small freshwater lakes under the collective name Lotus Lake is located in the vicinity of the Mui Ne resort. They are notable for the fact that they are almost completely overgrown with lotus. It is especially beautiful on the lakes in the summer during the flowering period - during a walk, the visitor plunges into the "kingdom of the lotus".

In the vicinity of Phan Thiet and MUI ne there are many sandy multi-colored dunes. The most grandiose are the white and red dunes - huge formations of sand, interspersed with sparse pine groves and lakes. When tourists get here, they feel like they are in an endless desert. Quad biking is the most popular pastime for visitors to the dunes.

Ke Ga lighthouse is located about 50 kilometers from tourist area the city of Phan Thiet. It was built under French rule in 1899. Later it was recognized as one of the most beautiful in Southeast Asia. The lighthouse stands on a 25-meter rock, the structure itself is 41 meters high. The light from the generator is already visible 40 km from the coast.

Dalat is home to one of the most unusual sights of the region - Hang Nga madhouse or crazy house. It was designed by the daughter of the Vietnamese politician Dang Viet Nga, who was an avid Gaudi fan. Now it is a hotel in the form of a giant tree with branches-aisles, rooms, "cut through" in the trunk, hanging gardens and statues of fabulous animals.

According to local guides, this park is an upscale resort “without Asian exoticism”. In addition to attractions, a water park, a dolphin and seal show, an aquarium, there is a 5 * hotel, great beaches with white sand, and bright evening shows are constantly held.

It is located near the city of Cobang and is considered the most beautiful in the whole of Southeast Asia. Rice fields, mangrove-palm groves and cotton plantations are spread around Detian. The landscape is complemented by pointed peaks of rocks, which resemble the scenery for "Avatar" against the background of the blue sky.

Buddhist temples in Vietnam

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Vietnam is a country where representatives of many faiths coexist very well side by side. Often, in Vietnamese cities within one square kilometer, you can find a Hindu temple, a Buddhist pagoda and a Catholic cathedral. This is not surprising, because at different times representatives of different nationalities and religions influenced Vietnam.

Buddhism in Vietnam

There is not much information about how Buddhism spread throughout Vietnam. According to information from Chinese sources, the first Buddhist preachers appeared in the northern part of the country (then it was part of the Chinese Han Empire) in the II-III centuries. Despite the fact that at the moment many of the Vietnamese are atheists who support only the cult of the spirit of the ancestors, Buddhist temples are never empty. Monks live in them, people come to perform rituals traditional for Buddhism. New beautiful pagodas are constantly being built, which attract not only local residents, but also tourists.

Buddhist temples occupy an important place in the religious and spiritual life of the country. There are pagodas in cities and beyond. Often the Vietnamese choose beautiful places for the construction of temples, for example, mountains with magnificent viewpoints at the top or building pagodas among verdant rice fields.

A feature of Buddhist temples in Vietnam is that the focus is on the statue of Buddha. It can be a fairly large-scale sculpture that can be seen from different parts of the city. Pagodas with large statues are usually the most attractive to tourists.

We want to tell you about several famous Buddhist temples in Vietnam located in different parts of the country.

One Pillar Pagoda in Hanoi (Chùa Một Cột)

This very small pagoda is known throughout Vietnam. Despite its tiny size, many tourists come to the temple. Its peculiarity is that it really stands on one pillar in the middle of the lake in the center of the Vietnamese capital. In its shape, the pagoda resembles a lotus flower, which is the Buddhist symbol of purity. The temple was built in 1049 by the then emperor, to whom a bodhisattva appeared in a dream and gave the ruler a son. The pagoda has undoubtedly been restored during its thousand-year history. Nevertheless, this place still retains the strength and spirituality of the past centuries.

Linh Ung Pagoda in Da Nang (Chùa Linh Ứng)

This pagoda is located on a peninsula near the city of Da Nang. She is famous primarily for the huge statue of the goddess of mercy Kuan Am. In the European manner, she is called Lady Buddha. The statue can be seen from the city beach of Da Nang, and to get to its foot, you need to drive onto the peninsula and drive up the serpentine road. The height of the statue is 67 meters. And from the territory of the pagoda a magical view of the sea and the city of Da Nang opens.

Long Son Pagoda in Nha Trang (Chùa Long Sơn)

This pagoda is also famous mainly for the large white Buddha statue. The temple is located not far from the city center, so most tourists definitely come here. The white Buddha sitting in a lotus flower rises on a mountain, where a staircase leads to the floor of a hundred steps.

Temple on Mount Taku near Mui Ne resort

The place itself is very attractive for tourists. You can climb the mountain by cable car, from the booths of which there are magnificent views. At the top is the famous reclining Buddha statue. It is to her that hundreds of pilgrims come to pray. By the way, they do not use the cable car, but go the hard way up the mountain on foot.

Chuk Lam Buddhist Monastery in Dalat (Thiền Viện Trúc Lâm)

This is a wonderful place by the lake, next to the pine forest, where the monks grow beautiful flowers and bonsai trees. If you get there, after a walk by the temple and flower beds, be sure to go down to the lake and enjoy the peace and quiet that reigns in the forest.

How to behave in a Buddhist temple

It is always worthwhile to show respect for the religion of others. When entering the temples, you must cover your knees and shoulders. On hot days, you can take a light sweater or scarf with you. In some churches, special capes are issued at the entrance. Before entering the premises located under the roof, you must take off your shoes. In the halls of some temples there are signs prohibiting photography. This is extremely rare, but still, if you are faced with such a prohibition, it is better to refrain from taking photos. So this rule has its own reasons.

Visiting Vietnamese Buddhist temples, you will see that they are all similar in their atmosphere, but each of them is unique in its own way. It is especially good to come to the temples early, when there are still few tourists. Or choose to visit remote and uncrowded pagodas.