In Vietnam travel to Dalat pagodas and temples or monasteries, visitors can come to Linh An Pagoda (Lingyin Pagoda) to enjoy the romantic scenery, to visit the unique architecture of Linh Phuoc Pagoda, or visit Truc Lam Monastery to soak in a serene atmosphere. These sacred religious places seem to have a magical and mysterious power taking both mind and soul in peace. What is more wonderful than visiting these temples in spring, admiring the beauty of the nature and giving your mind and soul a break?
Linh An is one of the most beautiful pagodas in the outskirts of Dalat City. It is 30 km from city center, and is always an ideal attraction in Dalat for many travelers in Vietnam tours. Especially, Western travelers adore to explore mysterious oriental colors in the pagoda. To reach Linh An Pagoda, travelers have to pass many winding steeps with undulating hills, then village of Nung ethnic minority, immense plantations of teas and coffee. The pagoda lies serenely amid forests and faces Voi Waterfall (Elephant Waterfall). Behind the pagoda, there are untouched green hills. Visiting Linh An Pagoda in the very first days of the New Year, visitors will witness the scenery of thousands of pilgrims coming to the pagoda with with reverence and purity. In addition to worshiping Buddha, visitors have a chances to admire the majestic Elephant Waterfall flowing day and night and creating a blur white fog to make the pagoda more sacred.
Located at 120 Tu Phuoc, about 8km from the center of Dalat City to the southeast, Linh Phuoc Pagoda possesses an unique architecture with outstanding mosaic faience style bearing deeply oriental identity, attracting both domestic and foreign visitors in Vietnam tour packages to religious attractions. Entering the pagoda's front yard, visitors will encounter the Chenrezik located here with a kind-hearted and compassionate appearance. The next impression is Long Hoa Park with nice shape of a 49 m long and 1.3 m wide dragon winding. Dragon flakes are made from fragments of 12,000 bottles, abdomen of the dragon is a small tunnel, below are artificial mountains and lakes with fish swimming, which makes the temple become romantic and friendly. Visiting Linh Phuoc Pagoda, visitors can enjoy architectures constructed carefully and meticulously as Frontispiece of 33m long and 22m wide with a stupa of above 27 meters high and carved with beautiful dragon image and many popular motifs. The internal of Shakyamuni Buddha Statue is 4.9 m high with gold plated. There are mosaic faience-piece bases depicting the life of Buddha.
Being built in 1938, Linh Son Pagoda is one of the oldest temples in Dalat. It is located at 120 Nguyen Van Troi. It has a modest and simple scale and architectural style. To old generations, they come to Linh Son Pagoda through lyrics traditional songs of musicians over romantic sound of afternoon-bell. The architectural style of Linh Son Pagoda features styles of Asian religious architectures with simple and harmony lines, taking on typical characteristics of Vietnam pagodas. Located in a low hillside in the heart of the city, Linh Son Pagoda looks like a separate realm in which there are only sounds of pine trees and bell gong echoing evenly on each evening. Along the steeping road through the entrance of the pagoda, visitors can feel the difference with some horses grazing leisurely in peaceful atmosphere.
As one of the most popular tourist attractions in Dalat City, along with the Truc Lam Yen Tu in Quang Ninh, Truc Lam Tay Thien in Vinh Phuc, Truc Lam Monastery in Dalat is one of three largest monasteries in Vietnam. About 5km far from city center, Truc Lam Monastery situated in Phung Hoang (Phoenix) Mountain among green pine forests, which is adjacent to Tuyen Lam Lake. With the beautiful location, this is not only a place to worship but also a beauty spot of many domestic and foreign tourists. Coming here, visitors seem to be immersed in pure space of Zen place, shaking off the busy life, the hustle and bustle of city to find the ego in place Dharma soul and compassion.
Lying in a small hill on Phu Dong Thien Vuong Street in Dalat City, Van Hanh is one of two largest monastery in Lam Dong Province. More than 60 years, Van Hanh Monastery is the favorite stopover of tourists and pilgrims. The special feature of the monastery is the 24 meter high and 20 meter wide statue of Sakyamuni Buddha with a lotus petal in the right hand, which is considered one of the largest Buddha statues in Vietnam. Van Hanh Zen Temple is not only a sanctuary for monks and Buddhist pilgrims to worship, but also is considered a cultural work expressing particular architecture of Buddhism.
It is just the beginning of New Year. Visiting pagodas to pray for luck and happiness for family and friends or for a smooth Vietnam trip is an indispensable thing to do. There are many interesting things looking for your adventures and explorations.