Truc Lam Zen Monastery & Tuyen Lam Lake

Thiền viện Trúc Lâm · Hồ Tuyền Lâm

A Zen monastery surrounded by pine forest, the largest of its kind in Vietnam, overlooking Tuyen Lam Lake. Taking the cable car up from Robin Hill makes for Da Lat's most relaxing half-day trip.

Truc Lam Zen Monastery sits on Phoenix Mountain, about 5 km south of the city centre. It was completed in 1994 and belongs to the Vietnamese Truc Lam Zen school founded by Emperor Trần Nhân Tông of the Trần dynasty. It is one of Vietnam's largest Zen training centres, with hundreds of monks and nuns practising here year-round. The monastery is built into the mountainside. Its main hall is simple and dignified, and the courtyard is planted with hydrangeas, roses and pines. From the terrace at the back you can look down on Tuyen Lam Lake, one of Vietnam's largest artificial lakes, dotted with pine-covered islets, and out to distant mountains. The atmosphere is peaceful, a contrast to the bustle of the city.

The best way to get there is by cable car from Robin Hill (Đồi Robin) on the south side of the city. The line is 2.3 km long and takes about 12 minutes, crossing pine forests and valleys. A round trip costs about 100,000–120,000 VND (about 80,000 VND one way). The station is open roughly 7:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., with a midday break from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. in some sessions. From the cable car station it's a 5-minute walk to the monastery. Entry to the monastery is free and it is open roughly 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. The meditation hall and monks' quarters are not open to visitors.

Below the monastery, you can take a boat out on Tuyen Lam Lake (about 200,000–300,000 VND per boat). Across the lake there are cafés and a campsite. The Datanla Waterfall is about 3 km away. Allow 1.5 to 2 hours for the visit.

Getting there: a Grab from the city centre to the Robin Hill cable car station takes about 10 minutes, or you can take a taxi straight to the monastery in about 15 minutes.

Note: visitors must cover their shoulders and knees, remove their shoes, keep quiet, and not take photos in the meditation hall. The cable car stops during the lunch break and in strong winds.

Opening hours

5:00 a.m.–9:00 p.m. (cable car about 7:30 a.m.–5:00 p.m.)

Zen temples · Cable car · Lake · Pine forest

Nearby sights

Places to eat nearby

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