Reclining buddha statue, phan thiet, vietnam. Reclining Buddha in Vietnam - a brief tour of two unique places Mount Taku height of the cable car

Hello dear readers.

Buddhism in Vietnam originated in the 1st-3rd centuries AD, and the first Buddhist schools appeared in the second half of the 6th century. From the beginning of the XI to the middle of the XIV centuries. the heyday of this philosophical and religious trend began.

Then there is a gradual decline until the 80s of the XX century. Despite such a difficult historical path, Buddhism in Vietnam left a noticeable mark, both in literature and in architecture - in the form of pagodas, columns and sculptures. Today we will talk about two statues of the reclining Buddha, which are located in the Vietnamese cities of Vung Tau and Phan Thiet (Phan Thiet).

Now, among the many religions preached in Vietnam, Buddhism occupies an honorable first place. Many Buddhist sights, popular with the local population and tourists, appeared only in the 20th century. These include the reclining Buddha in Vietnam. Special attention attract two statues located near Phan Thiet and in the city Vung Tau.

Phan Thiet

This is a relatively young resort in Vietnam, stretching along the coast South China Sea. It includes the city and surrounding villages, in particular Mui Ne (7 km to Phan Thiet). This is the capital of kitesurfers - the sea is rough here and the wind is constantly blowing.

There are few sights and they are located quite far - the statue of the reclining Buddha is located on sacred mountain Ta Ku (Temple Mount) is about 700 meters high, which is 30 km southwest of the city.

What is

At the very beginning of the path (at the foot of the mountain) there is parking for cars, a complex of souvenir shops. All this is surrounded by a flowering garden.

On the way up, the traveler encounters various statues and pagodas. Interestingly, their construction is still underway. The statue of the reclining Buddha is located on the very top of the mountain and is skillfully hidden by tree trunks.

Its dimensions are impressive - length 49 meters, height 7 meters. This is the most big statue Buddhas in Vietnam. You need to photograph it from the side, otherwise it will not fit into the lens.


The history of the appearance of the complex goes back to the 19th century. Until 1857, the monk Tran Huu Duc lived here. He treated people, tamed wild animals. Once he managed to heal the Empress herself. The emperor's response was a complex of pagodas. The reclining Buddha, which is located above, is the creation of modern masters.

How to get there

The complex, which also includes Linh Son Trong Pagoda, can be reached by bus or rented motorbike. To see the attraction, it is best to stay on vacation in Mui Ne or Phan Thiet.

You can walk to the temple complex from the bus stop - it's a 3-hour journey up the the scorching sun, or take the funicular, taking pictures along the way beautiful views and relaxing at the same time.

The road to the statue is well designed - it passes through the wild jungle, immersed in greenery, but you need to be in good physical shape to overcome the climb. Moreover, further you need to survey the surroundings, take panoramic pictures and enjoy the place itself, and this is problematic when “the heart jumps out of the chest” and sweat pours into three streams.

Advice. When setting out on the path of the pilgrims, do not take anything with you except water. Be sure to wear clothes that cover all parts of the body - light linen or cotton, cover your head with a hat or baseball cap.

Visiting time and price

The attraction is open from 6 am to 5 pm. Paid entrance. The price depends on the way to the top:

  • on foot - within 20,000 dong;
  • by cable car within VND 80,000 one way plus 10,000 electric cars to get from the entrance to the funicular itself;
  • a complex ticket costs within 100,000 dong.

Not far from the pagoda, on the top of the mountain, there is a good restaurant. If the pilgrim is very tired, you can spend the night right in the pagoda (there is a hostel).

Vung Tau

This city bears the proud name of the Vietnamese Riviera and at the same time is the oil capital of Vietnam ( Socialist Republic Vietnam). Distance from southern capital(Ho Chi Minh city) 128 km. Vung Tau is not named the Vietnamese Riviera by chance. Previously, the local elite lived here - the entire coast is built up with villas in the style of French colonists.

Now they have been turned into luxury hotels and are fully adapted to the needs of tourists and local vacationers.

Vung Tau is more likely not a resort, but a city of entertainment and shopping. It's stormy here night life– there are casinos, nightclubs, bars and restaurants open around the clock. On weekends, starting from Friday evening, rich Vietnamese from Ho Chi Minh come here to hang out and get away from the gray everyday life.

The appearance of the city attracts:

  • luxury in everything;
  • cleanliness and grooming;
  • excellent roads;
  • multi-kilometer embankment;
  • beautiful architecture.


Temple of the Reclining Buddha

The Temple of the Reclining Buddha has a second name - the house of pure nirvana. The statue of the Enlightened One here is much more modest than in Phan Thiet, only 12 meters long. Located on the first floor, on a high pedestal. Made from redwood.


The 12-meter Buddha statue is made from a whole mahogany trunk.

On the second floor, fish swim in a boat carved in the form of a snake-dragon. Above is the bell tower, where a huge bell is installed. You can make a wish - the monk offers everyone a piece of paper and a pen. After sticking a note on the rim and hitting the bell with something (by the way, a special stick is hanging).

They say wishes always come true. If you go to the balcony at this level, you can admire the beautiful views of the South China Sea.

Also here you can see statues of various incarnations of the Buddha and mosaic paintings.

How to get to Vung Tau and attractions

You will have to choose from two methods - land and water. The water is much more interesting and cooler. Who does not know what Vietnamese roads are, it is better not to get acquainted with this phenomenon.


In addition, it takes at least 4 hours to drive from Ho Chi Minh City, and then, if you do not get stuck in a traffic jam. Such a pleasure is not cheap, about $ 80. By water, the journey will take no more than one and a half hours and will cost around $ 10.

Getting directly to the attraction is quite simple. Stand with your back to Vung Tau Pier, cross the road, turn right onto Ha Long Street. Look for a blue sign with an arrow and the name in Vietnamese Niet Ban Tinh Xá (approximate spelling - Vietnamese has a lot of apostrophes that you can't put down on a Russian keyboard).

Alternatively, rent a bike, you still need to somehow move around the city. Distances are good here. public transport not at all developed. In addition, the roads are half empty, so those who are afraid of getting into trouble should not be afraid.

The second option to get to the house of pure nirvana is a taxi. However, you need to be careful with them. Travel here is metered. Enterprising Vietnamese can travel around the city for a long time, winding dongs to an unlucky tourist, and, in the end, bring them to the wrong place.

The Temple of the Reclining Buddha was built over a period of 5 years exclusively on voluntary donations from believers. The multi-tiered complex covers an area of ​​more than 10,000 m 2 , well located - on Mount Nuino, from where amazingly beautiful views open. Entrance here is free.

Conclusion

Here is such a small tour of the statues of the reclining Buddhas in Vietnam. Dear readers, if the article turned out to be useful for you, share it on social networks.

Photo: Temples on Mount Taku and the statue of the reclining Buddha

Photo and description

Mount Taku Temple and the Reclining Buddha statue are among the must-see attractions. The statue is considered the largest reclining Buddha image in Vietnam.

Mount Taku is a sacred place for the followers of Buddhism in the country. In the XVIII century, a monk lived here in complete solitude, who happened to save the life of the wife of the then emperor. In gratitude, he ordered the construction of the Son Tho pagoda on the mountain, and declared the mountain itself a sacred place. That is why Buddhists chose this picturesque mountain for the erection of the statue of Buddha Shakyamuni. It was erected from 1962 to 1965 at the expense of believers, and with their participation in the construction process itself. As funds become available, temple complex continues to expand and expand to this day.

The length of the majestic building is 49 meters - as a reminder of the steps on the road to self-knowledge, there are also 49 of them. The height of the statue at 11 meters symbolizes the same number of steps of Buddhism. Another name for the giant sculpture is Buddha passing into nirvana. The statue is hollow inside. One of the legends tells that during the war the Americans kept Viet Cong prisoners here.

The 700-meter mountain can be climbed by cable car, lovers active rest– walk through the picturesque jungle. Pilgrims ascend to the shrines mostly on foot. There are quite a lot of pilgrims, especially in the restored active pagoda. The temple complex also includes the dwellings of monks, statues of Buddhist gods, sacred graves of prominent Buddhists.

At the top of Taku there are stone benches where you can relax, enjoy the views from the mountain, especially the valley. Tourists are invited to hold the reclining Buddha by the elbow, while making a wish.

I'll tell you about a very interesting place Mount Taku or Temple Mount. Mount Taku located about 30-40 km from Phan Thiet and is considered sacred to Vietnamese Buddhists.

The easiest way to get to the mountain is by bike. From Phan Thiet you will need to go to the HA1 highway (on some maps and QL1 signs), the road will take about an hour and a half. It is impossible to drive up the mountain, there are signs along the way. Excursions to the mountain are offered from Mui Ne, some of them include a visit to the pitahaya plantations and Ke Ga lighthouse.

The road up the mountain is very scenic. Most of the way, it is accompanied by large plantations of pitahaya (dragon fruit or dragon heart). I would never have thought that a home cactus could be so handsome. For faster ripening of the fruit, daylight bulbs are hung on the threads between the rows.

I even managed to visit one of the private plantations and help the local kids with the harvest. For what I was rewarded with fruits

Mount Taku- this is a whole complex of temples, pagodas and statues, the construction of which continues to this day. To climb to the very top of the mountain and explore the surroundings, there is a cable car. The cost of a complex ticket (cable car, electric car and, in fact, an entrance ticket) is 160,000 VND (about $ 7) per person. Pilgrims usually go on foot, and it takes them more than two hours to get up.

At the foot of the mountain, where the ascent and the cable car begin, there is a guarded parking lot, many souvenir shops, a beautiful garden, and local public transport - small electric cars carry visitors from the entrance to the station cable car.

The ascent on the cable car opens up beautiful and breathtaking views of the surroundings. The way to the top on it takes no more than 10 minutes.

It is at the top of the mountain that all the most interesting is located. At an altitude of about 700 m, the largest statue in Vietnam of the great Buddha Shakyamuni, depicted in a state of nirvana, reclines. The length of the Buddha is 49 meters, which is reminiscent of the 49 steps on the path to self-knowledge, and the height of 11 meters symbolizes the 11 steps of Buddhism.

There is a Buddha statue behind all the pagodas and statues on the side of the mountain. It is so huge that it does not even fit into the lens of most cameras, so you will only have to photograph it from the side or take a panoramic shot.

The statue was created in 1958 by the monk Thich Vinh Tho. Official construction lasted from 1962 to 1966. The construction of the statue was carried out with the support of Buddhist adepts and their supporters abroad.

The monks raised building materials from the foothills on their own without the help of any equipment. This is very impressive and inspiring. Every 3 years on February 8 in the lunar calendar - the day when Shakyamuni Buddha became a monk - a ceremony is organized with the participation of thousands of Buddhists and tourists from all over the world.

On one fine day of numerous weekends, we went to the oldest lighthouse in Vietnam. The road to the lighthouse is probably the most pleasant of those I have traveled on a moped. From Mui Ne drive about 30 km along a winding road along the sea with good coverage and surrounding greenery. By the way, we saw how the dragon heart fruit grows 🙂 A breathtaking sight. Dragons of small stature graze on the lawns and when they reach a certain age they rip out their heart 🙂 Actually, no 😉 Small bushes with human height, similar to aloe branches. Entire plantations sprawl along the road to the Ke Ga lighthouse.

Reference from planetofhotels.com:

Not far from the mainland, on the island of Ke Ga rises the lighthouse, which is the oldest and highest in the country. People also call Ke Ga Island Khonba, its area is 5 hectares, its entire territory is covered with many yellow marble blocks of various sizes and shapes, centuries-old plants grow here.

According to information received from the caretakers of the sights of Mui Ne, in last years In the 19th century, Ke Ga Island was the most important outpost on the sea route from Phangrang to Vung Tau. It was in this place that the ships crashed for various reasons, often they could not determine their position and location coordinates.

To ensure the safety of the movement of French military and merchant ships different countries on this site, the French explored the area and built a Ke Ga lighthouse on the island. Its construction lasted 2 years, ended in 1899, it was put into operation in 1900.

The project of the building was drawn up by an architect from France. The total height of the tower is 35 meters, it stands on a hill, so the total height of the building, together with the height of the hill, is 65 meters. The laying of the building was carried out according to the exact calculation, each stone has a certain size in accordance with the location in the building. All this greatly facilitated the work of builders, who simply had to install the stone in a predetermined place and strengthen it with a layer of mortar.

For the construction of the searchlight, a special lamp was used, its range is 22 nautical miles, which is equivalent to 40 kilometers. Inside the tower is a steel spiral staircase with a total of 183 steps. All building materials, including the lamp, generator and stairs, were brought directly from France.

At the foot of the sights of Vietnam, a concrete road is spread, which was built back in the days of the French colonialists, centennial frangipani grow along its sides, they were planted simultaneously with the construction of the lighthouse. They keep the memory of those distant times, they grow well, in summer time covered with many flowers that radiate a wonderful aroma.

A variety of non-scheduled ships at different ticket prices ply from the shore to the island. But we did not swim to the lighthouse, because such structures are beautiful from afar

The lighthouse itself didn't really impress us. Maybe it's our zamylenny view played a role? Or high expectations? Or an atypical-looking gray lighthouse? Who knows… But the people around impressed me. Fishermen who tried to catch something from the sea with nets and Vietnamese biking along the beach.

Near the lighthouse there is a cafe where we were served the strongest coffee in my life. Black as pitch, he just didn't want to go down his throat. We tried diluting it with condensed milk. But it practically did not even change the color, but it corrected the taste and the coffee was destroyed 🙂

Reference from nashaplaneta.net

The height of the mountain is 694 meters, and the temperature at the top is several degrees cooler than at the bottom, although you can hardly feel it. You can climb to the top by funicular, and for lovers hiking the idea of ​​climbing on foot through the real wild jungle can be interesting. But keep in mind that the climb will be very laborious and lengthy. It will take at least 3 hours, even if you are in good physical shape.
The mountain itself, as it were, includes several attractions at once: natural landscapes and wild jungles, a cable car, the Linh Son Trong Pagoda and the largest statue of a reclining Buddha (49 meters long) in Vietnam. It was thanks to the pagoda and the Buddha statue that the cable car appeared here, moreover, it is intended not so much for tourists, but for local residents. The fact is that among Buddhist believers this place is considered sacred and pilgrimages are made here. At the top near the pagoda there is a restaurant. Those who wish can spend the night in a hostel (guesthouse) upstairs.
At the foot of the mountain, where the ascent and the cable car begin, a whole complex has been organized. There is guarded parking, many souvenir shops, a beautiful garden, and even has its own public transport - small electric cars that carry visitors from the entrance to the cable car station.
The ascent on the cable car offers picturesque views of the surroundings. The way to the top on it takes no more than 10 minutes. It is at the top where the most interesting things are. There is a whole complex of temples, pagodas and statues, and construction continues today. After visiting the pagodas, it is imperative to climb even higher, where on the mountainside there is a large statue of the reclining Buddha, 49 meters long, hidden by tree trunks. It is so huge that it does not even fit into the lens of most cameras, so you will only have to photograph it from the side.

Yes, the Vietnamese did not think about the length of the statue 🙂 Only Go Pro Orestes embraced the great man with a wide angle 🙂 But even then he came out round. So it didn't come out very well. I had to take a picture of only the legs of the Buddha 🙂

The place is extremely touristic. Despite claims of pilgrimage. It feels like everything was built here yesterday. Everything shimmers with fresh beauty and white paint.

The cable car, or rather the cabins themselves, were brought from Switzerland. The rope is nice and quite long. Our Ai-Petrinskaya nervously smokes on the sidelines 🙂

And the views are interesting. There are plains and small hills all around, and you are on a mountain almost 700 meters high.

While climbing to the statue of the reclining Buddha, we saw an interesting tree that looked like a Christmas tree. Here we would like to New Year🙂 I don't know what it's called, but it looks cool:

Maybe you know? Write in the comments if you know 🙂 Lin Son Trong Pagoda returns to the roots. Makes you think about eternity. But not for long. Perhaps these are all tourists, like us charged with an incomprehensible energy of this place. And they keep charging. But the spiritual bonds were not strengthened here.

But nevertheless, if you are in Vietnam, be sure to visit here. Especially from Phan Thiet to go very close. It is better to overcome the ascent to the buddha on the cable car for 120,000. Admission ticket costs 20,000. But an electric car for 10,000 is not worth taking. Walk better. There is something to see there 😉

Vietnam, Phan Thiet, Tà Cú mountain, Hàm Thuận Nam District district, Bình Thuận Province, Vietnam

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basic information

In a small resort village Mui Ne is located majestic mountain Taku, almost 700 meters high. Hundreds of tourists come here every day not only to enjoy the beautiful view of the surroundings, but also to see several unique attractions located at the very top. Therefore, a trip to this place is one of the most popular routes in the region.

Mount Taku is located 40 kilometers south of Phan Thiet. The road here passes through a very picturesque area: past small villages and beautiful scenery. You can climb to the very top of the mountain by cable car or on foot. But climbing Taku will be very laborious and lengthy: it will take at least three hours. Therefore, for an easier and more comfortable ascent, it is better to use the services of a cable car. At the very top of Taku there are several interesting sights: Lin Son Truong Tho Pagoda and the largest statue of the reclining Buddha in the country, 49 meters long.

For hiking to the top of the mountain, you need to wear comfortable shoes, take
food, water and mosquito repellent.

Cost of visiting

  • Entrance + hiking - VND 15,000 for adults and VND 10,000 for children
  • Electric car ride through the mountain - VND 8,000 for adults and VND 4,000 for children
  • Comprehensive ticket, including a ride on an electric car, ascent and descent by cable car - 100,000 VND

Companies that organize excursions to Mount Taku

Vietsea Tourist Company

Address: 181 Pham Ngu Lao St | Pham Ngu Lao Ward, Dist 1, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Phone: +(84 83) 920 93 93