This post on Phu Quoc Island is to share with you my thoughts and recommendations on Vietnam’s premiere beach destination. It is also a summary of the few articles I wrote about Phu Quoc with links to the individual posts. Summarizing them into points, the 10 things you should know about Phu Quoc are:

Pictures of the Nguyen Trung Truc Temple that’s located along the Rach Gia Harbor…

3 things I like about this Can Tho Ong Temple…

2 personal observations on the Vinh Trang Pagoda in My Tho before I pass you a few quick facts follow by a photo slideshow…

This is the Cao Dai Temple in My Tho. It is not as big as the headquarter in Tay Ninh but still just as colorful and certainly worth a visit. If you want to learn more about the Cao Dai religion which was founded in Vietnam, click here. A quick summary is that Cao Dai is a Vietnamese sect that seeks to create the ideal religion by fusing the secular and religious philosophies of both East and West…

Phung Son Pagoda is extremely rich in statuary made of bronze, wood, ceramic and beaten copper. It’s peopled with a mix of gilded and beautifully carved statues (some painted). This Vietnamese Buddhist pagoda was built between 1802 and 1820 on the site of structures from the Funan period, dating back at least to the early centuries of Christianity. Other foundations of Funanese buildings have also been discovered here…

Mui Ne’s Po Shanu Cham Towers is about 5 km out of Mui Ne, on the road towards Phan Thiet. If you are riding on your own, ask the locals and most should be able to point you in the right direction. Just remember to emphasize that it’s Mui Ne’s Cham Towers and not the Phan Rang Cham Towers which is 130km away

Standing in front of the Ben Thanh Market, you’ll see that there are 2 streets flanking the sides of the market (marked by the 2 arrows). Start your way to the Mariamman Hindu Temple from the left side (yellow arrow)…

Images of the Jade Emperor Pagoda…

Among Ho Chi Minh City’s many tourist attractions, the Emperor Jade Pagoda is one of the most interesting ones. The Jade Emperor Pagoda, built in 1909 by the Chinese Congregation, is truly a gem among Chinese temples in Saigon. It is one of the most spectacularly colourful pagodas in Ho Chi Minh City, filled with statues of phantasmal divinities and grotesque heroes. The pungent smoke of burning joss sticks fills the air, obscuring the exquisite woodcarvings decorated with gilded Chinese characters. The roof is covered with elaborate tile work. The statues, which represent characters from both the Buddhist and Taoist traditions, are made of reinforced papier-mache. The pagoda is dedicated to the Emperor of Jade, the supreme Taoist god…