Long Son Pagoda Nha Trang: Hours, Buddha Statue, Access
Long Son Pagoda is at 22 23 Thang 10 Street in Tay Nha Trang and it is open 24 hours daily on Google Maps. Higher up the hill stands a 24 m Buddha statue surrounded by seven arhat statues. Sources count 152 to 153 steps up to the statue.
Long Son Pagoda is in Tay Nha Trang, and the Google Maps listing, checked on 12/10/2026, shows it open 24 hours daily. It is a Buddhist temple at the base of Trai Thuy mountain and one of Nha Trang’s main tourist attractions. Further up the hill is a 24 m Buddha statue.
Maps gives “Open 24 hours” every day. Xanh SM (24/02/2025) says the pagoda is open freely all day. The statue area at night is not confirmed; see the box above.
The street gate of Long Son Pagoda.
A Khanh Hoa tourism portal notice dated 29/05/2018 asks travel companies with groups of more than 20 visitors to register with Phuong Son ward. Its aim is to manage the number of people entering the pagoda grounds. Independent visitors are not named in that notice.
The Buddha statue
Further up the hill is the 24 m statue of Buddha, Kim Than Phat To, surrounded by seven arhat statues. Wikipedia also gives 24 m from the ground up. A Buddhist news portal puts the lotus base at 7 m.
The statue can be seen as you enter the city and from as far as Tran Phu Bridge. At the top, the main pavilion offers great views of the city. Xanh SM says the evening sun lights the statue in a magical way.
Around the lotus base are likenesses of seven Buddhists who died protesting against the government in 1963. Inside the circular room of the base are bas-reliefs of the Buddha’s life and a prayer shrine. Remove your shoes before entering.
Below the lotus base, a wall of small niches holds the ashes of deceased Buddhists. A Buddhist news portal says the statue was recorded by Guinness Vietnam as the largest outdoor Buddha statue in Vietnam at the time of the book.
Wikipedia says the main statue is 152 stone steps up from the entrance of the temple. A Buddhist news portal counts 153, and Khanh Hoa News says over 150. Plan on roughly that many.
To find the steps, exit the main hall and go around to the right. A reclining Buddha made in 2003 lies at the start of the steps, and a 1500 kg bronze bell hangs halfway up. Plaques of spiritual guidance line the way.
A narrow lane beside the pagoda leads to an access road that goes directly to the top of the hill. At the top, a plateau has parking and temporary drink stands.
A pavilion at the top of a staircase flanked by stone guardians.The city and mountains seen from the hillside.
What to see at Long Son Pagoda
The temple and the hill
The temple sits at the base of Trai Thuy mountain. Wikipedia says it is 400 m west of the railway station.
Khanh Hoa News says Trai Thuy Hill was a French munitions compound in the 19th century. It names four holy sites on the hill: Hai Duc Pagoda, Linh Phong Pagoda, the Kim Than Phat To statue and Long Son Pagoda.
The main hall
The main hall has a curved roof and green and blue mosaics made from broken pottery and glass. Murals of the Buddha’s life ring the roof, and open wood-panelled doors on three sides give the hall an airy feel. A Buddhist news portal says the grounds are 44.5 m wide and over 72 m long.
The hall holds a seated bronze Sakyamuni Buddha, 1.6 m tall and weighing 700 kg. The Thich Quang Duc memorial stands on the left of the path into the main hall.
Souvenir stalls and drink stands stand in front of the main building. A 2012 Khanh Hoa News article calls Long Son the largest and most elaborate pagoda in Nha Trang, with most of the hill’s visitors. It says the grounds have had four major restorations since 1940.
Entering the parking area, visitors pass the Thich Quang Duc memorial and a small garden that is closed to the public. Next door, the pagoda runs a gift shop and the Thien Duyet vegetarian restaurant. Behind the temple are rows of funerary plates, each with an incense holder.
The main hall and the dragon panel at the foot of its steps.A pavilion with a carved roof in the pagoda grounds.
A working monastery
Khanh Hoa News says up to 70 monks and novices live at the pagoda through the year. The pagoda has been the headquarters of the Buddhist Association in Khanh Hoa Province since 1936. A Buddhist news portal says Abbot Ngo Chi donated it in 1936 to the An Nam Buddhist Studies Association. It says the pagoda received the title Sac tu Long Son tu in 1938.
History
A Buddhist news portal says Abbot Thich Ngo Chi founded it in 1886 as Dang Long Tu, first a thatched hut on the Trai Thuy hilltop. A storm destroyed it in 1900, and he moved it to the foot of the hill and renamed it Long Son Tu. It was restored in 1941. Wikipedia says the temple has had only three abbots in over 120 years.
Wikipedia says the temple was erected on another hill in 1886 under abbot Thich Ngo Chi. It says that in 1900, after a large cyclone, the temple was destroyed and moved from the hill to its current location.
Wikipedia also says the white Buddha statue was cast in 1964 and installed the following year. A Buddhist news portal says it was built from 1963. The sources differ, so treat the statue date as approximate.
Who it suits (and who should skip it)
The main hall seen across the courtyard.
Sightseers who want a flexible visit time: Maps gives 24 hours daily.
Photographers and viewpoint seekers: a 24 m Buddha statue stands higher up the hill.
Quiet-minded visitors: a 5-star review from the last 6 months calls it peaceful and picturesque despite the crowds.
Skip it if you dislike being asked for money: 3 of the 4 Google reviews with text in the last 6 months, checked 13/10/2026, warn about it. One warns about candles and donations, one says a person who is handed incense should expect a payment request, and one lists a cape rental of 20,000.
Skip it in shorts unless you rent a cover: a 3-star review says shorts are not allowed and a cape costs 20,000. A 1-star review says legs must be covered. The count is small, so confirm at the gate.
Skip it if steps are a problem: sources count 152 to 153 steps to the main statue.
History and temple-architecture fans: the main hall has mosaics and murals, and the hill has a reclining Buddha and a bronze bell.
Visitors on foot: the pagoda sits past a junction where five major streets meet with no traffic lights, which can be tricky for pedestrians.
Skip it if you want a confirmed night visit to the statue: only Maps gives 24-hour hours.
How to get to Long Son Pagoda
The Maps listing gives the address as 22 Duong 23 Thang 10, Tay Nha Trang, Khanh Hoa. Wikipedia says the temple is 400 m west of the railway station. Show a driver “Long Son Pagoda (Chua Long Son)” or the address. Open in Google Maps (opens in a new tab).
Xanh SM puts the pagoda about 2 km west of the city centre. It says bus routes 1, 2 and 6 have stops near it. The reference fare on the 6 inner-city routes is VND 7,000 per trip. VinWonders lists route 01 as Vinh Truong - Le Hong Phong - Dien Son, 5:25 - 19:15.
Xanh SM lists its Nha Trang taxi opening fare for the first 2 km at 29,500 VND. It lists 18,000 VND per km from the next km up to km 12. The table is for reference only and may change.
When to go and how long
The garden in front of the halls.
Maps gives the pagoda as open 24 hours daily. The climb is roughly 152 to 153 stone steps each way up to the statue.
Khanh Hoa News says the pagoda receives massive crowds on Buddhist holidays.
Rain is the main weather risk. The Nha Trang station averages 17.6 rainy days in October and 18.0 in November, against 4.1 in March. VinWonders calls October to December the rainy season, with mostly light sudden rain. No source states how long a visit takes.
Count on roughly 152 to 153 stone steps up to the main statue.
Remove your shoes before entering the circular room at the statue base.
Take the lane beside the pagoda if you want the access road to the top.
Expect crowds on Buddhist holidays.
Maps gives 24-hour opening; do not rely on it for the statue area at night.
Look for the 24 m statue, Kim Than Phat To, and the seven arhat statues around it.
Treat the statue year as approximate: sources say 1963 and 1964.
Photos and clips uploaded to Google Maps (Long Son Pagoda on Google Maps (opens in a new tab)) by @kh Choi, @Michael wong, @Заря Звезда, @Lucian Huỳnh, @Sơn Nguyễn Hữu, @viet pham, @Jan Kaplan, @Tan Nguyen Ngoc, @Khoa Nguyen.
1Go to the pagodaThe temple is at 22 23 Thang 10 Street, Tay Nha Trang.
2Walk up to the BuddhaWikipedia counts 152 stone steps from the entrance to the main statue, and a Buddhist news portal counts 153.
3See the statue and arhatsThe 24 m Buddha statue is surrounded by seven arhat statues.
Not confirmed: Entry fee: no source states one, so ask at the gate. Night hours: whether the statue area is open at night is unknown, so check on arrival. Step count: sources give 152 and 153, so allow a few either way. Statue date: sources say 1963 and 1964, so treat it as approximate.
Common questions
Is Long Son Pagoda open at night?
The Google Maps listing, checked on 12/10/2026, shows it open 24 hours daily. Whether the statue area is open at night is not confirmed.
How tall is the Buddha statue?
The Vietnam tourism authority gives 24 m for the Buddha statue, Kim Than Phat To. Wikipedia also says 24 m from the ground up.
How many steps lead up to the Buddha?
Wikipedia says the main statue is 152 stone steps up from the temple entrance.
Where is Long Son Pagoda?
The Maps listing gives 22 23 Thang 10 Street, Tay Nha Trang. Wikipedia places it 400 m west of the railway station.
When was the pagoda built?
A Buddhist news portal says Abbot Thich Ngo Chi founded it in 1886 as Dang Long Tu, and moved it to the foot of the hill after a 1900 storm. Wikipedia gives the same years.
Do I need to take off my shoes?
Khanh Hoa News says to remove your shoes before entering the circular room at the statue base.
What else is on the hill?
A reclining Buddha at the start of the steps and a bronze bell halfway up.
Who lives at Long Son Pagoda?
Khanh Hoa News says up to 70 monks and novices live there through the year.
Is the pagoda still the Buddhist headquarters of the province?
A Buddhist news portal says it is now the seat of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha of Khanh Hoa.
What should I wear to Long Son Pagoda?
Two Google reviews from the last 6 months, checked 13/10/2026, say legs must be covered and capes can be rented, one at 20,000. No official dress notice was found.
General information checked against the sources listed above, not legal advice for your situation. Rules and office practice change; confirm with the immigration office or a licensed adviser before you act. See how guides are checked.
