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Ngo Mon Gate
The principal entrance to the Imperial Enclosure is Ngo Mon Gate, which faces the Flag Tower. The central passageway with its yellow doors was reserved for the use of the emperor, as was the bridge across the lotus pond. Others had to use the gates to either side and the paths arou
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Phuoc Lam Pagoda
This pagoda (founded in the mid-17th century) is associated with An Thiem, a Vietnamese prodigy and monk from the age of eight. When he was 18, he volunteered for the army so his brothers could escape the draft; he eventually rose to the rank of general. Later he returned to the mo
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One Pillar Pagoda of Thu Duc
Officially known as Nam Thien Nhat Tru, most people call this Buddhist temple the One Pillar Pagoda of Thu Duc. Modelled on Hanoi’s One Pillar Pagoda, the structure is similar but not identical, consisting of a small, one-room temple hall rising on a pillar above a pond, containing
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Tam Son Hoi Quan Pagoda
Retaining much of its original rich ornamentation, this 19th-century temple – a guildhall named after Sanshan (Three Mountains) in Chinas seaboard Fujian province – is dedicated to Me Sanh, the Goddess of Fertility, entreated by local women praying for children. Thien Hau – the God
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Dieu De National Pagoda
Overlooking Dong Ba Canal, this pagoda was built under Emperor Thieu Tri’s rule (1841–47) and is famous for its four low towers, one either side of the gate, and two flanking the sanctuary. The pavilions on either side of the main sanctuary entrance contain the 18 La Ha, whose rank
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Ben Duoc
The tunnels here have been enlarged to accommodate tourists, although they’re still a tight squeeze. Inside the underground chambers are bunkers, a hospital and a command centre that played a role in the 1968 Tet Offensive. The set pieces include tables, chairs, beds, lights, and d
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Ong Temple
In a fantastic location facing the Can Tho River and decorated with huge incense coils, this Chinese temple is set inside the Guangzhou Assembly Hall , and wandering through its incense-coil-filled interior is very enjoyable. It was originally built in the late 19th century to wors
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Duong Long Cham Towers
These towers are hard to find, sitting in the countryside about 50km northwest of Quy Nhon. Dating from the late 12th century, the largest of the three brick towers (24m high) is embellished with granite ornamentation representing naga (a mythical serpent being with divine powers)
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Cu Chi Tunnels
Two sections of this remarkable tunnel network (which are enlarged and upgraded versions of the real thing) are open to the public. One is near the village of Ben Dinh and the other is 15km beyond at Ben Duoc. Most tourists visiting the tunnels end up at Ben Dinh, as it’s easier fo
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KHo Coffee
This coffee farm has been in the family of Rolan since the 1860s. Its part of a KHo coffee-growing cooperative that ensures that profits are directly supporting the KHo minority farmers. The beans are Arabica, including varieties grown in Africa, which are rarely found in Vietnam e
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Mahatup Pagoda
Mahatup Pagoda, also called the Bat Pagoda, is a large, peaceful, Khmer monastery compound with a resident colony of fruit bats. Literally hundreds of these creatures hang from the trees: the largest weigh about 1kg, with a wingspan of about 1.5m. Around dusk hundreds of bats swoop
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Ba Om Pond & Ang Pagoda
Five kilometres southwest of Tra Vinh, this large, square pond is a favourite with local picnickers, and a spiritual site for the Khmers. It would have once served as a bathing pond for the 10th-century Angkor-era temple that was situated here.Built on the temple ruins, Ang Pagoda
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Bac Lieu Bird Sanctuary
This bird sanctuary, 6km southwest of the little-visited town of Bac Lieu, is notable for its 50-odd species of bird, including a large population of graceful white herons. Bird populations peak in the rainy season – approximately May to October – and the birds nest until about Jan
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Long Khanh Pagoda
It’s hard to miss the 17m-high Buddha (built in 1972) heralding Quy Nhon’s main pagoda, set back from the road by 143 Ð Tran Cao Van. The pagoda was founded in 1715 by a Chinese merchant, and the monks who reside here preside over the religious affairs of the city’s active Buddhist
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Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House
This humble, traditional stilt house where Ho lived intermittently from 1958 to 1969 is set in a well-tended garden adjacent a carp-filled pond and has been preserved just as Ho left it. From here, you look out on to Hanois most opulent building, the beautiful, Beaux-Arts, Presiden
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Hang Duong Cemetery
Some 20,000 Vietnamese prisoners died on Con Son and 1994 of their graves can be seen at the peaceful Hang Duong Cemetery, located at the eastern edge of town. Sadly, only 700 of these graves bear the name of the victims.Vietnams most famous heroine, Vo Thi Sau (1933–52) was buried
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Nha Trang Cathedral
Built between 1928 and 1933 in French Gothic style, complete with stained-glass windows, Nha Trang Cathedral stands on a small hill overlooking the train station. It’s a surprisingly elegant building given that it was constructed of simple cement blocks. Some particularly colourful
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Nurseries
There are many small nurseries lining the river and canals here, each with a different speciality, though the town is most famous for its roses. The nurseries operate year-round, though they are practically stripped bare of their flowers just before the Tet festival. Domestic touri
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Banh It Cham Towers
This group of four towers sits atop a hill 20km to the north of Quy Nhon and is clearly visible from Hwy 1. The architecture of each tower is distinctly different, although all were built around the turn of the 12th century. The smaller, barrel-roofed tower has the most intricate c
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Nghia An Hoi Quan Pagoda
Noteworthy for its gilded woodwork, this temple has a large carved wooden boat hanging over its entrance and inside, to the left of the doorway, an enormous representation of Quan Cong’s red horse with its groom. The temple is more accurately a guildhall (Hoi Quan), built in the ea
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