Linh Ung Pagoda and Lady Buddha in Da Nang: Complete Visitor’s Guide

The towering white statue of Lady Buddha in Da Nang is one of the first things visitors notice from My Khe Beach. She stands at the Linh Ung Pagoda on the Son Tra Peninsula overlooking the ocean.

There are three Linh Ung Pagodas in Da Nang. The one on Son Tra Peninsula, another at the Marble Mountains, and the third at Ba Na Hills.

Visiting the Lady Buddha is a no-brainer if you’re staying in Da Nang or Hoi An. There are no admittance fees, and the grounds are peaceful and breezy, with great views of Da Nang.

I recommend using Agoda to book hotels in Da Nang or Hoi An.

All photos and videos in this article are from my recent trip to the Lady Buddha statue while living in Da Nang.

Details for Lady Buddha Visitors

Location	Google Maps
Hours	6:30 AM to 9 PM daily
Cost	FREE
Scooter Parking	FREE
How to Get There	Use the Grab App (download here)
Best Time to Visit	March, April, May (Second Best: June to August)
How Long to Stay	At least 1 hour
What to Wear	Comfortable shoes, respectful clothing
Best Tour	Lady Buddha, Marble Mountains, Am Phu Cave

Is Lady Buddha Worth Visiting?

Yes, 100%. Visiting the Lady Buddha statue is one of the best things to do in Da Nang—or Hoi An. It’s entirely free and easily accessible.

The grounds of the Linh Ung Pagoda and Lady Buddha statue are very peaceful. Although the area can be touristy and crowded sometimes, I’ve always found other visitors to be quiet and respectful.

You could visit this attraction more than once, especially if you’re in Da Nang. It’s 10 to 15 minutes from most areas—city or beach. The grounds are peaceful and breezy. There are great views, plenty of tree shade, and many benches and places to sit and relax.

There are no hawkers or staff members trying to sell anything. The staff members who maintain the landscape or work in some buildings or shops are all very friendly.

The Linh Ung Pagoda and Lady Buddha are kid-friendly. There are bathrooms and garbage cans spread about the grounds. The maintenance staff does an excellent job keeping the area clean, especially for a free attraction.

Visiting Lady Buddha in Da Nang

The following is a collection of photos taken as I arrived, entered, and wandered around the Linh Ung Pagoda. Once inside, there is no specific path to follow; you can roam freely around the areas and take your time.

Let’s begin.

You’ll reach the Linh Ung Pagoda entrance after riding on Hoang Sa Road north along the beach and onto Son Tra Peninsula.

The road splits for motorbikes, cars, and tour buses. I was on my motorbike, so I went left at the fork.

Here is a map of the roads leading to and of the Linh Ung Pagoda and Lady Buddha areas.

You’ll weave up the mountain a bit and then arrive at one of two motorbike parking areas. The second one is further up the hill to the right, around the back of the Linh Ung Pagoda, at an alternate entrance.

You can use either one. Both are free. If you park at the first one, you’ll have to climb the stairs.

Directly to the right of this first motorbike parking area are the stairs to climb to head into the pagoda.

If you don’t want to or can’t climb these stairs, you’ll need to ride your motorbike or have your taxi take you further up the hill to the second entrance, which doesn’t have this staircase to climb.

If you hire a Grab taxi driver to get here, they’ll know exactly where to go.

Here is a video I filmed as I walked up the stairs at Linh Ung Pagoda:

After arriving at the top of the stairs, I initially went left to see the Lady Buddha statue, and then I wandered randomly through the grounds in a clockwise direction.

You used to be able to climb the floors of Lady Buddha, but not anymore. You can still go inside the first floor, though. There will be people praying and meditating. Take off your shoes first.

After admiring the statue’s interior for a bit, I went outside, put my shoes back on, and began wandering the grounds.

There are many buildings to see. Most of them are open to the public, so you can go inside and admire the artwork, statues, furniture, and other decorations inside. Take off your shoes beforehand; there are signs to remind you.

The Linh Ung Pagoda’s grounds are also home to many friendly wild dogs. Someone must feed and care for them because they’re friendly and not skinny. When I visited last, there were also many dragonflies and butterflies.

Click photos to expand.

There are 18 very detailed wooden sculptures. I like these a lot. Click photos to expand.

When I first walked in, visitors were kneeling and praying before this statue.

Back outside and over to building #1, the “Main Hall.”

This is the courtyard at the top of the long stairs in the beginning. It leads to the “Main Hall,” which you can also go inside. There are more awesome statues outside here, too, and a whole lot of bonsai trees.

There are several larger-than-life sculptures in the area leading up to the “Main Hall” (Number 1). Click photos to expand.

I then went outside the back entrance, #15 on the map (top right), because I was walking to #17 on the map, the Bảo Tháp Xá Lợi, or “Relic Stupa.”

This is the motorbike parking lot mentioned in the beginning, further up the hill. You could park here first to explore Linh Ung Pagoda.

After walking five minutes, I arrived at #17 on the map, the Bảo Tháp Xá Lợi, or “Relic Stupa.” There are a lot of bonsai trees here, too. It’s a very calm atmosphere.

Outside the relic, there are some more neat statues. Click photos to expand.

You can go inside the “Relic Stupa” (#17 on the map) but are limited to the first floor.

That wraps up my latest visit to the Linh Ung Pagoda and Lady Buddha in Da Nang. My photos are just a taste of what there is to see here; there is a lot more to see and photograph.

If you aren’t in a rush, plan to spend at least one to two hours here.

Best Time to Visit Lady Buddha

The best time of year to visit Lady Buddha in Da Nang coincides with trying to avoid the rainy season in central Vietnam. The rainy season usually runs from around September to January, with slight variations yearly.

My three favorite months to visit Da Nang are March, April, and May. By then, the rainy season will have ended, and it’s also before the very hot summers. June, July, and August are the hottest months of the year. These are still great months to visit Da Nang, but it’ll be hot.

Part of the joy of visiting Da Nang is admiring the scenery with clear blue skies. The Lady Buddha area has excellent views of the ocean and Da Nang, which can be ruined by a cloudy day.

March through August are dry, and the skies are typically clear and blue. This entire period is a good time to visit.

During my visits to Lady Buddha, one specific time of day hasn’t stood out to me as the best. The wandering areas are big enough to accommodate the tour groups that stop here. Plus, if midday heat is a concern, there are countless areas of tree shade and benches to relax throughout the grounds.

There’s also a nice breeze and places to buy ice cream and cold drinks.

Getting to Lady Buddha from Da Nang

The Linh Ung Pagoda and Lady Buddha are easy to get to from elsewhere in Da Nang. This is a popular attraction, so Grab drivers are very familiar with it.

Hire a Grab taxi driver if you aren’t riding your own motorbike.

The trip is about 15 minutes, no matter if you’re coming from Da Nang’s city (Hai Chau) or its beachside areas of My An (An Thuong) near My Khe Beach.

If you’re riding your own motorbike, it’s a great, short ride. I like this ride very much. It’s mainly one long road along the beach, Hoang Sa, out onto the Son Tra Peninsula. This is an easy ride for beginners.

This road leads to the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort. If you want to see wild monkeys up close (it’s called Monkey Mountain for a reason), continue on this road past the Lady Buddha statue and further out onto Son Tra Peninsula towards the InterContinental.

Join a tour if you want to see Lady Budda and other nearby attractions, such as the Marble Mountains and Am Phu Cave. I recommend this half-day tour, which offers hotel pick-up and drop-off in Da Nang.

Getting to Lady Buddha from Hoi An

The trip from Hoi An to Lady Budda will take about 50 minutes. It’s an easy but somewhat long ride if you’re riding your own motorbike. You can do it in one shot, no problem. But you can also stop in Da Nang and eat or drink in the My An area by My Khe Beach. You’ll be going right past it.

Otherwise, I recommend hiring a Grab taxi from Hoi An and taking it to Lady Buddha or even stopping early at My Khe Beach, getting something to eat or drink, and then taking another taxi for the remaining 15 minutes to Lady Buddha.

Join a tour if you want to see Lady Budda and other nearby attractions, such as the Marble Mountains and Am Phu Cave. I recommend this half-day tour, which offers hotel pick-up and drop-off in Hoi An.

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Lady Buddha in Da Nang (FAQs)