5 TOP TEMPELS TO SEE IN DA NANG

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On my recent trip I visited Vietnam right after spending two months in Thailand. One of the first things I noticed was that there were way less temples. But as I spent more time in Da Nang I realized that while there were indeed far fewer, the ones I saw were gorgeous!

I’ll admit I love visiting temples – the beautiful architecture, the whimsey so different from most Christian churches, the serene atmosphere and especially the surrounding gardens and landscaping are perfect for me. I rarely visit one I don’t like but the following five in Da Nang are truly some of the best I have seen so far!

My Top 5 Must see Temples in Da Nang

# 5 Buu Dai Son Pagoda

I came across this temple quite by accident – I was actually trying to walk/hike to Linh Ung Pagoda (see below) but gave up at the beginning of the Son Tra Peninsula. It was much further than I thought (and the sidewalk ended). But just before I gave up I noticed a gorgeous gate on the other side of the street. A great opportunity to discover something unexpected!

Buu Dai Son has a nice temple interior but as so often my favorite part were the surrounding water features, statues, trees, and landscaping. I loved the color scheme – in the late afternoon the terracotta, orange, and yellow seemed to glow, making it a truly remarkable experience.

Of all the temples on this list Buu Dai Son is the easiest to get to. It is right at the northern end of Da Nang’s main beach. Entrance to the temple was free, always a plus. The only reason it landed on the last spot is that it is much smaller in scale than my other favorites.

Verdict: Definitely check it out if you are in the area – a great place for some quiet contemplation.

# 4 Quan The Am Pagoda

This is another gorgeous pagoda I found more or less by accident. I happened to see an article announcing a flower festival that was to take place there. The festival was slated for after I left Da Nang but the picture was so pretty that I decided to check it out. And I am glad I did!

To be honest, this temple might deserve a higher rating than #4. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of going there right after touring Marble Mountain as they are in the same area. It seemed a good idea to walk there from Marble Mountain and then get a Grab for my return to downtown Da Nang there. But not only was it a bit farther away than I thought (huh, there may be a bit of a trend here), but I seriously underestimated how exhausting touring Marble Mountain was going to be.

By the time I made it to Quan The Am I was basically over it – I was tired, hot, and thirsty. Honestly, I just wanted to get back to my airconditioned apartment. But as I had come all the way I decided to take at least a quick look around.

Even under these less than ideal circumstances I loved this temple. Considering how exhausted I was that is saying something. Quan The Am is on top of my list for a second visit the next time I am in Da Nang!

This Pagoda was very quiet – the only people I saw were workers preparing the area for the festival. I am not even 100% sure if the temple was open for visitors…

Highlights of Quan The Am were a beautiful garden with benches to the back/side, the stunning dragon staircase, the sheer scale of the setup (my photos don’t show it properly because I couldn’t fit it in the frame), and the mountain in the background. All in all, this temple had a very unique look.

Verdict: One of the coolest temples I have seen and definitely a hidden gem.

3. Nam Son Pagoda

This is the last of the lesser known temples on my list – I discovered it while fiddling around on Google Maps (an excellent way to find lesser known attractions).

Similar to Quan The Am, Nam Son Pagoda is a bit south of the city of Da Nang, but further inland. While not one of the major tourist sights it was definitely busier than the first two temples on my list.

This pagoda has a lot of water features, gardens, and a very serene atmosphere. To find out more, read my detailed post about my visit to Nam Son.

Verdict: Very pretty and a great place for some quiet reflection.

#2 Marble Mountain

Marble Mountain is a bit different from the other temples on this list. First, it is much more touristy and commerzialized than all the others (yes, even more than number one). Secondly, it isn’t one temple per se but various temples, pagodas, shrines etc. clustered on top and within the mountain.

Marble Mountain comes with a couple of caveats: Each individual temple/shrine can’t really compete with the other entries on the list as they are pretty but much smaller. There is an entrance fee. You will encounter lots of tourists and finally, visiting Marble Mountain is exhausting as there are many steps (even if you use the elevator).

Why did it still make the list if I have so many complaints? Because all taken together it is a definite must-see. There are caves, view points, quiet corners, narrow tunnels, challenging climbs, serene courtyards – pretty much anything you can think of.

Verdict: A well-deserved second place due to the variety and natural beauty.

#1 Linh Ung Pagoda

If you have already read my post about Lady Buddha/Linh Ung you won’t be surprised that it gets the top spot on this list. Entrance is free and though you will likely need to take a Grab, it is a pretty short ride from Da Nang’s beach area.

Not only is it a major tourist attraction but it has everything you could wish for: beautiful buildings and statues, wonderful gardens, and incredible views of sea and city. To me it had the most serene and most spiritual atmosphere of all these temples (though that is of course very subjective).

Verdict: If you have time to see only one temple in Da Nang, Lady Buddha gets my vote!

Best of the best

And there you have it – my list of the 5 best pagodas in Da Nang that you should not miss! While two of them are on top of most tourist itineraries, the others are much less well known but definitely worth a visit!

Have you been to Da Nang? If yes, have you discovered a temple that should have been on my list? As I discovered three of these temples more or less by accident, I bet there are other hidden gems I do not know about. Send me a message if you have found one that is just as special (or even better)!