Fodor's Expert Review Goddess of Mercy & Linh Ung Pagoda
Vietnam’s largest Goddess of Mercy statue dominates Danang's coastal skyline in a similar way to Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro; on a clear day you can see her silhouette from coastal Hoi An, 40 km (25 miles) away. The 17-story, 67-meter "Lady Buddha" statue stands on Son Tra Peninsula in the grounds of Linh Ung Pagoda, one of the most significant destinations for Buddhists in the area. The views from here are stunning. Equally charming is the journey along the winding coastal road leading to the peak of Son Tra, nicknamed "Monkey Mountain" by U.S. Troops stationed there during the war, due to the mischievous monkeys that hang out in the jungle cliffs. The best way to get here is to hire a car and driver (or a motorbike for more experienced riders). The whole trip should take no more than a couple of hours, but it's well worth making a day of it and incorporating a seafood lunch and swim in one of the secluded coves below, followed by a stop off at Bai Tien, a small fishing... READ MORE
Vietnam’s largest Goddess of Mercy statue dominates Danang's coastal skyline in a similar way to Christ the Redeemer in Rio de Janeiro; on a clear day you can see her silhouette from coastal Hoi An, 40 km (25 miles) away. The 17-story, 67-meter "Lady Buddha" statue stands on Son Tra Peninsula in the grounds of Linh Ung Pagoda, one of the most significant destinations for Buddhists in the area. The views from here are stunning. Equally charming is the journey along the winding coastal road leading to the peak of Son Tra, nicknamed "Monkey Mountain" by U.S. Troops stationed there during the war, due to the mischievous monkeys that hang out in the jungle cliffs. The best way to get here is to hire a car and driver (or a motorbike for more experienced riders). The whole trip should take no more than a couple of hours, but it's well worth making a day of it and incorporating a seafood lunch and swim in one of the secluded coves below, followed by a stop off at Bai Tien, a small fishing port town littered with crumbling French military remains including pillboxes, a lighthouse, and a small graveyard—the final resting point for many French soldiers defeated by the Vietnamese during their short-lived occupation of Danang during the first Indochine war.
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