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Temples
Dec 25, 2024 · 5 min read
Next to the high-rise buildings and bustling urban areas, in a small corner of Saigon, Vietnam, there still exists an ancient temple nearly 300 years old. That is Phu Chau Floating Temple - a famous spiritual tourist destination in Saigon that attracts many visitors from all over the world.
Phu Chau Floating Temple is also known by many other names such as Phu Chau Temple, Floating Temple Pagoda,... This is an ancient temple located on the Vam Thuat River, Ward 5, Go Vap District, Ho Chi Minh City. Phu Chau Temple (Floating Islet) is considered a unique spiritual architectural work in our country. The entire area of the temple is covered on a small island, up to 2500m2 wide. The temple is floating in the middle of the river, to get here visitors must take a boat. From afar, Phu Chau Floating Temple looks mysterious and impressive. That is probably one of the reasons why this place has become a unique Saigon tourist destination, visited by many tourists.
Phu Chau Floating Temple was built during the reign of King Gia Long. One side of the temple is a ferry, the other side is An Phu Dong, District 12. According to the stories of those who came before, the story of the Floating Temple is associated with the story of a fisherman. The story goes that there was a fisherman who, while fishing one day, accidentally caught the body of a woman. When he pulled her ashore, he buried her to build a temple to worship her ghost. From then on, the life of this poor fisherman became more prosperous. The rumor spread far and wide, and many people came to the temple to pray for blessings. Before 1975, Phu Chau Floating Temple was a famous pilgrimage site for the people of Saigon. However, the temple was abandoned for a while. In 1989, Luc Cau, a Vietnamese of Chinese origin, spent money and mobilized people to repair and restore the temple.
The way to Phu Chau Floating Temple is very simple, starting from the city center, visitors move along Nguyen Thai Son Street. Then, turn onto Tran Ba Giao Street. From here, you go a few hundred meters more to the parking lot to get on the boat to the temple. This is the opportunity for visitors to admire the peaceful scenery right in the heart of bustling Saigon.
Not only does this temple have a unique location, its landscape and architecture have attracted many domestic and foreign tourists to visit:
Unique architecture inside Go Vap Floating Temple:
Phu Chau Temple is a spiritual architectural work, a blend of Vietnamese and Chinese culture. The temple is divided into two rooms: the main hall and the place to worship the Five Mothers, in the yard there are Bodhisattvas. The most impressive point in the architecture of Phu Chau Floating Temple is the image of dragons inlaid with porcelain placed everywhere, making the space here more mysterious and sacred. It is estimated that there are hundreds of dragon statues of many sizes, meticulously carved. These dragon statues are decorated with multi-colored porcelain pieces, looking very splendid and lively. In the middle of the main hall is the place to worship Maitreya Buddha, on both sides are worshiped Buddha Tathagata and Earth Mother. Entering the temple, visitors will be impressed by the long incense coils, hung densely from the ceiling.
Enjoy the quiet space in Phu Chau Temple:
With its special location, Phu Chau Temple (Floating Temple) seems to be completely separate from the splendor, noise, and bustle of Saigon in the eyes of many people. From the moment you step on the boat, visitors will feel as if all their worries have been removed. At the beginning of the year, people often come here to pray for peace. At the end of the year, they come to Go Vap Floating Temple to pray for love. Therefore, in contrast to its somewhat ghostly image, Phu Chau Floating Temple is a peaceful place that many people seek out.
Stroll around the Phu Chau Floating Temple campus filled with greenery:
After visiting the temple, visitors should not forget to take time to walk around this green campus! The temple space is very airy and cool with lots of green trees, fruit trees and colorful flowers, creating a wonderful harmony between nature and decorative motifs. Therefore, Phu Chau Temple is also considered a great check-in spot for young people. On days when Saigon's weather is erratic and hot, finding a quiet, cool place like Phu Chau Floating Temple is truly a wonderful experience, isn't it?
Visit the turtle lake in front of Phu Chau Temple (Floating Temple)
In the backyard of the temple, there is also a clear lake. This is an area that makes visitors very excited, because it is not just a lake, but under the water there are many extremely lovely turtles. The lake is clear and full of water all year round, so you can easily see these turtles swimming below. Around the mouth of the lake is a fenced iron net to protect the turtles from "over-excited" tourists, and this is also an effective way to avoid the heat.
Phu Chau Floating Temple - a sacred and peaceful place in the heart of Saigon has been attracting tourists from all over the world to visit, worship, pray for peace, pray for blessings,... In the midst of a splendid and bustling Saigon, it is difficult to find a place that makes your heart as light and relaxed as Phu Chau Temple. What are you waiting for? Come and explore this mysterious temple.
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