A cable car system bringing tourists to Ba Den Mountain (Photo: VNA)
Tay Ninh (VNA) – Lying in the middle of a fertile plain, Ba Den Mountain covered with white clouds nearly year-round is one of three mountains in the Ba Den Mountain Relic and Cultural complex, which comprises Ba Den Mountain at a height of 986 metres above sea level, Phung (Phoenix) Mountain and Heo (Pig) Mountain.
Ba Den Mountain Relic and Cultural Complex in the southwestern province of Tay Ninh has become an attractive tourist destination awaiting pilgrims and lovers of culture and nature in recent years.
The 300-year-old Ba (Lady) Temple was built on the mountainside of Ba Den Mountain, a sacred place for Buddhists. It attracts thousands of pilgrims headed for the temple to pray for peace, good fortune and prosperity.
The busiest time of the year for pilgrimages is the first lunar month during the Ba Den Mountain Spring Festival and the 5th to 6th day of the fifth lunar month for Ba Den (Black Lady)'s birth anniversary.
Hoa Dong Temple, Hang Temple, Quan Am Temple and Trung Temple with distinct architectural styles are scattered around Ba Den mountainside.
Ba Den Mountain, dubbed the roof of southern Vietnam, is both an ideal weekend trekking destination and one that those on a holiday can explore during weekdays. It is not the easiest of treks, but it rewards visitors with heavenly views of floating clouds and unspoiled nature.
From the foot of the mountain to the Ba Temple, visitors can either climb up around 1,000 steps or take a cable car, which costs 7.50 USD for a return ticket. Tourists can get a panoramic view of a waterfall under the glistening sun, mysterious caves and the dense forest beneath from the cable car.
From the temple, a trail passes through lush forest, rugged roads, dark caves and streams before reaching the mountain peak at 986 meters above sea level. The crowning moment of this trip is sitting on a cliff that has been described as the “turtle’s head.”
Along with the Ba Den Mountain Relic and Cultural Complex, visitors to Tay Ninh province cannot miss the Cao Dai Tay Ninh Holy See, 5 kilometres away from Tay Ninh city, the headquarters of the Cao Dai religion known as Caodaism.
The giant, bright temple which was built in 1931 and officially inaugurated in 1955 is the most important shrine for the religion’s four million followers.
The Holy See, with its western and eastern architectural style, has become a popular tourist attraction in Tay Ninh. It is worth visiting during prayer sessions. The session at noon is most popular with tour groups, according to a local tour guide./.
