Linh Ung Pagoda in Son Tra Peninsula – Things to Do in Da Nang

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Da Nang city has three Linh Ung Pagoda. The first (oldest) one is Linh Ung Pagoda in the Marble Mountains, dating back from 1825, and the second one is Linh Ung Pagoda in Ba Na Hills, inaugurated in 2004. The last one is Linh Ung Pagoda by the coast of Son Tra Peninsula. This is one of the most popular tourist attractions in the area today, with nearly 2,5 millions of visitors a year, including both Vietnamese and foreigners. One of the wow factors here is Lady Buddha Da Nang, a buddha statue rising up to 67 meters from the ground. Now, let’s HoiAn Day Trip Company tell everything that you need to know about Linh Ung Son Tra Pagoda.

• Made by Tam Le, founder of HOIAN DAY TRIP CO.,LTD and his team

Must Knows about Linh Ung Pagoda in Son Tra Peninsula

– Location/address: Hoang Sa Road, Tho Quang ward, Son Tra district, Da Nang city, Vietnam

– Vietnamese name: Chua Linh Ung Ban Dao Son Tra

– Name meaning: Linh Ung means ‘wishes answered miraculously’

– Other name(s): Linh Ung Bai But Pagoda, Linh Ung Son Tra Pagoda, Lady Buddha Pagoda

– Years of construction: 2004 to 2010

– Opening hours: 24hrs a day, 7 days a week

– Ticket price: free

– Reason(s) to visit: the largest Buddhist temple in Da Nang city, one of the tallest Lady Buddha statues of Vietnam (67 meters), awe-inspiring panoramic views, bonsai gardens and monkeys

– Best time(s) to visit: early morning, late afternoon, sunny days

– Time to spend: 30-45 mins

– Travel blog: https://hoiandaytrip.com/linh-ung-pagoda-son-tra-peninsula

– Tour guide: contact +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp/line/zalo)

– Food & drink: only drinks available

– Shopping: yes available

– Fact:

Linh Ung Son Tra Pagoda on Map

History of Linh Ung Pagoda in Son Tra Peninsula

In the 19th century, in the reign of Minh Mang king, local fishermen saw a statue of the Lady Buddha on the beach near Linh Ung Pagoda Son Tra Peninsula today. After that, they built a small temple to worship her and then usually come here to pray for safe journeys on the sea (the Lady Buddha is the patron saint for Vietnamese fishing people). For that reason, the beach is called Bai But, translating the Buddha beach.

On 4th July 2004, after inauguration of Linh Ung Pagoda at Ba Na Hills, the president of Da Nang’s people committee – Sir Nguyen Ba Thanh (1953-2015) and Thich Thien Nguyen monk (1945-2016) – the leading monk of the Da Nang’s Buddhist association, decided to build the 3rd Linh Ung pagoda. They chose the hilltops above the Buddha Beach (Bai But), in Son Tra Peninsula to place it. This temple would be in the east direction to the city centre while the older ones are in the west and south directions. All three made a ‘triangle’ to protect citizens from natural disasters, especially typhoons every rainy season. Here, the tallest Lady Buddha statue in Vietnam would be constructed.

Six years and 26 days later, on 30th July 2010, Linh Ung Pagoda Son Tra Peninsula and its huge Lady Buddha statue opened to the public. Since then, it has been the largest Buddhist (or religious) building in Da Nang.

Three Linh Ung Pagoda at Marble Mountains (south), Ba Na Hills (west) and Son Tra Peninsula (east) create a ‘buddhist triangle’, with Da Nang city downtown as the central point. Local people believe that this triangle protects them in natural disasters, such as annual typhoons. On the other side, all three pagodas are stunning attractions which draw thousands to millions tourists yearly, helping to boost the city’s economy.

What to See in Linh Ung Son Tra Pagoda?

Linh Ung Pagoda at Son Tra Peninsula extends up to 12 hectares. It has three main areas: Xa Loi Tower Area, the Temple Area and Lady Buddha Area.

Xa Loi Tower & Reclining Buddha

By car parking, on the lowest terrace of Linh Ung Pagoda Son Tra Peninsula, Xa Loi Tower has 9 storeys, rising up to over 30 meters. Definitely, this is the tallest and the biggest Buddhist tower in the city. Its architectural style is kind of similar to the one in the Marble Mountains (built in 1997). Each storey has been used to worship the Lord Buddha and other figures in Mahayana Buddhism. The first (ground) storey opens for visitors to enter and pray while others are exclusive for monks. Although the tower’s name means ‘Buddha Relic’, there are no relics of Buddha here ever (because the pagoda is not ancient!).

In the front of Xa Loi Tower, visitors will see a statue of the Reclining Buddha made of white marble, near lots of bonsai trees and eighteen Arhat marble statues. It depicts the Lord Buddha lying down, resting before he passes into the afterlife (that’s why many people give a nickname for the sculpture ‘the Sleeping Buddha’). Here, visitors can pay for the service of taking photos by camera and printing them as souvenirs. Another highlight is a nearby outlook where a beautiful panoramic view to the sea, city, and Lady Buddha is seen, giving perfect photo opportunities. From this spot, it’s easy to see fishing boats going out to catch fish in the sunset time and returning in the sunrise or sailing boats.

The Buddha Hall of Linh Ung Pagoda

On a hilltop, the worshipping hall of Linh Ung Pagoda Son Tra Peninsula overlooks the azure ocean and the city, and has wooded mountains in its back. It’s used to worship Shakyamuni Buddha in the middle (Phat Thich Ca Mau Ni in Vietnamese), Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva (Phat Dia Tang in Vietnamese) to the left and Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva or Lady Buddha (Phat Ba Quan Am in Vietnamese) to the right. On the front steps of the Pagoda, visitors will see yellow apricot trees which bloom in the Vietnamese Lunar new year (late January/early February).

In the surroundings, there is a dozen of buildings serving monk’s daily life and religious activities: housings, mediation halls, audience hall, library, dining rooms, guest house (for nuns) and gardens with numerous banyan trees, bodhi trees, mango trees, star fruit trees, jackfruit trees, flowers. Most buildings are private, not open to visitors.

In the front yard of the Buddha Hall, there are plenty of creative and well-maintained bonsai trees, mostly benjamin figs (cay sanh) and freshwater mangrove (cay loc vung). On both sides, 18 marble Arhat statues show an incredible workmanship from artisans in Non Nuoc Stone Carving Village. In Buddhism, the arhat is one who has gained insight into the true nature of existence and has achieved Nirvana (meaning ‘blowing out’) and liberated from the endless cycle of rebirth. Each statue portrays a different situation, making watchers curious to know ‘what they are doing or acting?’

Not far away, the Triple Gate of Linh Ung Pagoda is also impressive. It’s the main entrance! This building stands on the top of a long and quite steep staircase running from the coastal road below. There are two large cement dragons going downwards, along the staircase. The gate has two stories, each with three entrances and three roofs. However, only lower entrances are accessible for visitors. Decorative sentences and names are written by both Vietnamese and Chinese inscriptions, showing an interference between past and present, modernity and tradition.

Giant Lady Buddha Statue

The Lady Buddha is seen everywhere in Linh Ung Pagoda Son Tra Peninsula. She stands on the lower terrace than the temple, near the coast. The height of this statue is 67 meters, making it one of the tallest buddha statues in Vietnam. It’s constructed from 2004 to 2010, and sculpted by the most talented local artists. In Vietnamese belief and Buddhism, Lady Buddha is known as the Goddess of Mercy. See more information & details

From the Lady Buddha, the panoramic view of the city is so awesome. It’s even better when visitors come and see in the sunrise or sunset.

Dress Code at Linh Ung Pagoda in Son Tra Peninsula

Linh Ung Pagoda Son Tra Peninsula is a Buddhist temple, so all visitors should wear respectfully. It’s needed to use a shirt covering the armpits, shoulder and navel, and pants covering the upper knees. For example, tank top, crop top, shorts are not appropriate. Making sure that nowhere is see-through. Vietnamese traditional costume – Ao dai (the long dress) is highly recommended from local authorities.

When entering the worshipping room, it’s needed to take shoes off (wearing shocks is okay), remove hat, rain poncho and sunglasses (for the umbrella, don’t bring inside!).

Note: Buddhists and monks at Linh Ung Son Tra Pagoda will give visitors a skirt to cover for free. So, you may not need to prepare one on your own.

Places to Visit Near Linh Ung Pagoda in Son Tra Peninsula

In the same Son Tra Peninsula (Monkey Mountain), visitors can go to these places: Ban Co Peak (one of the highest peaks, panoramic views), Tien Sa Beach (a lesser known, hidden white sandy beach), Dong Dinh Museum (a private museum and collection), Bai Nam Beach (a lesser-known, wide sandy beach), Son Tra Banyan Tree (the largest tree in Da Nang), Son Tra Tinh Vien (a bamboo museum), Mui Nghe (a rocky headland), Bai Bac Beach (a beautiful sandy beach inside the InterContinental Resort), Genh Bang Reef (a beautiful cove at foot of the mountain), Y Pha Nho Cemetary (Spanish and French solder’s tombs), Tho Quang Fishing Harbour & Market (lots of fishing boats with Vietnamese flags), Ho Xanh or Green Lake (good views), Tho Quang Beach, or Son Tra Langur or Red Shanked Douc (one of the most endangered primates in the world).

Tips to Visit Linh Ung Pagoda in Son Tra Peninsula

– Comfortable shoes: use to climb many stairs, uphill and downhill, and walk on slippery eroded rock faces when you want to reach the peaks. The best is a pair of trekking or hiking shoes. Wearing slippers or high-heel shoes is dangerous, especially in the rainy season, so not highly recommended.

– Bottles of water: no shops or sellers at Linh Ung Pagoda Son Tra Peninsula to buy water to drink (if forget bringing a bottle of water, visitors have to climb stairs to Van Thong Cave or go down the stairs to the ticket counters)

– Umbrella or rain poncho/rain jacket: necessary during the rainy season (from October to January yearly)

– Hat/cap/umbrella, sunglasses and sunscreen if visit in the summertime

– Smartphone or camera for taking pictures

– Cash to pay for entry fee ticket and elevator, or buy something

– It’s better to visit the Lady Buddha at Da Nang with a local guide. Contact us by +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp/line/zalo) to book.

How to Get to Linh Ung Pagoda in Son Tra Peninsula

Walk to Linh Ung Son Tra Pagoda

Many travelers like walking to Linh Ung Pagoda at Son Tra Peninsula, especially in the morning and late afternoon when it’s cool. There is only one way to get there (Hoang Sa Road), so just need to follow it. Along this road, the views to the blue ocean, the city with high-rise buildings and My Khe beach, the fishing harbour, Marble Mountains and more, are excellent, definitely worth the effort. Of course, visitors have many photo opportunities. After walking past Dong Dinh Museum, will see lots of monkeys (tourists give them food here, so they come usually). The ‘entrance’ of the pagoda is on the left side;

Tourists are advised not to stand too close to cliffs, for safety reasons. The coastline by Linh Ung Pagoda was fenced already to avoid unexpected accidents.

Ride Motorbike to Linh Ung Son Tra Pagoda

Riding the motorbike to Linh Ung Pagoda Son Tra Peninsula from Da Nang city is not difficult (much easier than the rest of the peninsula). Automatic scooters are legally allowed to go on the coastal road (Hoang Sa St on Google maps) running along the southern coast of the peninsula. The InterContinental Resort is the final point of this fantastic 8-kilometers-long drive.

From the crossroad of Hoang Sa St and Le Duc Tho St, after 2,5km, the entrance of Linh Ung Pagoda Son Tra Peninsula is to the left (two stone lions here). Then, it’s needed to ride uphill to see the parking lot for scooters. Nobody requires a fee in this place, but locals will put a small money into the donation box when leaving (the reason is that Buddhist temples don’t charge visitors). From the parking lot, it’s possible to see the entrance gate of Linh Ung pagoda, on top of the stairway.

At night, the road heading to the pagoda and back is still bright. So, you can get there by scooter after darkness.

From Hoi An, the distance to Linh Ung Pagoda Son Tra Peninsula is some 30 kilometers (will be 1 hour by motorbike). The quickest and most beautiful road is the coastal road which runs along the Pacific ocean. White-sandy beaches are visible when coming to Da Nang city, coupled with cool breeze and a view of the Lady Buddha.

More information in How to visit Son Tra Peninsula by Motorbike

Car to Linh Ung Son Tra Pagoda

Linh Ung Pagoda Son Tra Peninsula is 10 kilometers away from Da Nang city core (Han river bridges area) and 8 kilometers away from My Khe beach area if going by car. It takes visitors around 20 mins and 15 mins to get there respectively. It’s easy to get a private car, taxi or Grab taxi around you (from Da Nang) at your own expense.

From Hoi An, the best transport option is using a transfer from local drivers and companies. The itinerary should include the Marble Mountains, maybe My Khe Beach on the way to Son Tra peninsula. Contact us by Hotline/WhatsApp/Zalo +84968009827 to know the offers for you.

Public & Tourist Buses

Public buses of Da Nang city will take passengers to Tho Quang station and parking lot, by the crossroad Hoang Sa St – Nguyen Phan Vinh St. After that, it’s needed to walk 3,5 km or get a taxi to visit the pagoda.

A hop-on-hop-off bus drops off and then picks up visitors at Linh Ung Son Tra Pagoda. After landing the flight, you can use it right from the airport, to get around, see the city and its famous sights (such as the Dragon bridge, the Marble Mountains).

HOIAN DAY TRIP CO.,LTD daily organizes tours and transfers to Da Nang and Hoi An. Contact us by +84968009827 (hotline/whatsapp/line/zalo) or browse www.hoiandaytrip.com to see tours and make a reservation. Thank you very much!