Truc Lam Temple is a Zen Buddhist temple located on the outskirts of the mountain town of Dalat in Southern Vietnam. It’s a short taxi ride from the town centre. You can either get the driver to drop you off at Tuyen Lam Lake and climb 222 steps or if you prefer a gentler approach ask the driver to take you to the top of the hill and you only have 61 steps to face. Either way, when you get to the entrance you are rewarded with jaw dropping views of the lake and the surrounding area.
This is an extremely important temple and a large one. It stands on 60 acres of land and building started in April 1993. Less than a year later, in March 1994, it opened its doors. Just two days later the leader of Vietnam’s Zen Buddhists Master Thich Thanh Tu announced that the inner sanctum would be closed to the public and this would become a private statuary for nuns and monks to practice Zen Buddhism in tranquility.
Once inside the main part of the temple, you will find the ceremonial hall. It immediately impresses with the attention to detail and the intricacy of just about everything. There is a large statue of The Buddha seated on a large lotus leaf, the carving is of exquisite detail. The interior of this building is in no way opulent but it is beautiful.
Dalat is an extremely interesting place to visit, it has a climate different to almost everywhere else in Vietnam. The scenery around here is simply lovely and there is no better place to see it than at the Truc Lam Temple. The ride out, the climb up the hill and the view from the top, will give you a real impression of what this part of Vietnam is all about.
Don’t forget that this is a Buddhist temple and it is easy to offend. Dress modestly, no shorts above the knee and ladies should cover their shoulders.
!steemitworldmap 11.903689 lat 108.435671 long Truc Lam Temple D3SCR
Other Attractions Include:
#1 Xuan Huong Lake @inseasia/attractions-of-dalat-1-xuan-huong-lake
#2 The Hang Nga Guesthouse @inseasia/attractions-of-dalat-2-hang-nga-guesthouse
#3 Linh Phuoc Pagoda @inseasia/attractions-of-dalat-3-linh-phuoc-pagoda
#4 Datanla Falls @inseasia/attractions-of-dalat-4-datanla-falls
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