Chua Chan Mountain Trekking - Discover Vietnam tourism

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If Ba Den mountain - the highest and most challenging summit in the south of Vietnam seems too painful for you, so Chua Chan mountain in Dong Nai province, the second highest peak, is probably your perfect alternative choice to hike. I also update more interesting facts for this guide. Here we go!
Immerse yourself in the wonders of nature with the Chua Chan Mountain Trekking Tour. Make a getaway from the hustles and bustles of the city for a few days and soak up the refreshing and awe-inspiring beauty of the natural landscape along the trails.
INTRODUCTION
So where is Chua Chan mountain, and why it is so special that become one of HCMC citizen’s most favorite mountain hiking spots?
Located in Dong Nai, Chua Chan mountain (aka núi Gia Lào) is about 100 km away from Saigon. As 837 m high, it is also the second-highest peak in the southeastern region of Vietnam, just after Black Virgin Mountain (núi Bà Đen) in Tay Ninh, whose height is 996 m. It was recognized as a national heritage site in 2012.
Read More: Black Virgin mountain trekking tips
It is interesting that Chua Chan used to be a volcano (so typical is the conical shape), and you may see it when taking a bus from Saigon to Phan Thiet as it is located close to the mainway.
In Vietnam, wherever there’s a mountain, there are temples or pagodas. Sharing the same fact, Chua Chan is home to three main pagodas: Buu Quang, Linh Son, Lam Son.
PAGODAS AT CHUA CHAN MOUNTAIN
Linh Son pagoda (aka chùa Ông Ngộ) was initially a small altar in a stone cave back in 1952. More than a decade later, the official pagoda worshipping Buddha was constructed in 1965, just 150 m away from this spiritual site. The story around this stone cave is quite interesting but warning for dare hikers: it was actually connected to a larger cavern, which is housed to a multitude of little streams running toward a small pond. From this pond, a person could hike downward within 3 hours to the foot of the mountain at Ong Don (Ông Đồn). In the 2000s, there was an enthusiastic hiker traveling through the cave, unfortunately killed by rock falls. Since then, the cave mouth was closed to prevent any similar accidents. The facility of the pagoda is well comfortable for visitors sheltering overnight.
Sharing the same history as the aforementioned Linh Son, Lam Son pagoda (aka chùa Cô Ba) was built in 1955 as an altar in the case then developing into a full spiritual structure later. The interesting fact of this pagoda is that buddhist nuns have been at the helm of this temple since 1970. At the height of 250m altitude, Lam Son is also housed to various remarkable religious statues and a spectacular vista toward Gia Ray town far far away.
Located at the height of 600m altitude, Buu Quang (aka chùa Gia Lào) is the highest among the three pagoda at Chua Chan mountain. The history of this temple dates back to the early 18th century, when a zen master named Ngo Chan traveled to this mountain and set up a pagoda in a cave called “dragon cavern” (Long Cốc). Later, he moved to Dinh mountain, but the indigenous people thought he reached the peak of the way, so they closed the cave mouth. In 1845, a monk named Buu Chon came and opened the cave to lead a religious life in seclusion. Nearly a century later, two geologists Van Ngo and Sau Cao discovered the site, and have a monk at the helm of the pagoda, which has been succeeded by generations of monks up to now. The pagoda is conveniently approached, as located close to the cable car station.