A day at Ba Den Mountain to admire Buddha's relics

Ba Den Mountain has many spiritual and cultural experiences with 6 pagodas, where Buddha's relics are kept from May 8 to 13.

About 100 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, Ba Den Mountain, 986 m high, is known as the "Roof of the South". It has an electricity system, pagodas, and temples imbued with Buddhist culture and folk beliefs. On the afternoon of May 8, the Buddha's relics, a national treasure of India, will arrive at Ba Den and stay here until May 13, on the occasion of the 2025 United Nations Vesak Day.

A full day trip here to admire Buddha's relics and relax is suggested based on the advice of tourist Nguyen Chi (Hanoi), coming to Ba Den mountain at the end of 2024 and updated from the Ba Den mountain tourist area management board.

Ba Den Mountain complex at night. Photo: Ba Den Management Board

5am ​​- 6am: Hunting for cloud hats

This is an experience loved by many people, especially young people, because Ba Den Mountain often has rare cloud phenomena in the world such as lenticular clouds (cloud caps, flying saucer clouds), nacreous clouds, and sea of ​​clouds.

The best time of year to hunt clouds is when Tay Ninh enters the rainy season. The heavier the rain the afternoon before, the more beautiful the cloud disk the next morning. From afar, the highest mountain in the South looks like it is wearing a giant cloud hat.

6am-7am: Go to Ba Temple area

From the cable car station, there are two routes to Ba Den Mountain, one to Ba Temple and one to the top of the mountain.

"Visitors who have never been to Ba Pagoda should take the cable car to the pagoda, and after the pilgrimage, go from the pagoda to the top of the mountain. If you come here again and have more time and good health, you can choose to climb on foot," the representative of the Management Board advised.

In the Ba Pagoda area, there are 5 places to worship Linh Son Thanh Mau Bo Tat - a spiritual symbol in the South, where people send their wishes for health, wealth and luck. The pagoda system includes Long Chau Phuoc Trung, Linh Son Tien Thach Tu, Hoa Dong, Hang Pagoda and Quan Am Pagoda.

Linh Son Tien Thach Tu is the oldest pagoda in Ba Den, 300 years old. In front of the pagoda is a statue of Bodhisattva Quan Am. Next to the pagoda is the Lady Temple, built from a stone cave roof. The main temple worships the black-faced Linh Son Thanh Mau.

"In front of the temple grounds is where many people choose to sit under the bell to meditate, listen to the bell and pray in a peaceful space," said Ms. Chi.

10am: Go to the top of the mountain and worship the Buddha statue

From the Ba Pagoda area, visitors continue by cable car for about 5 minutes to the top of the mountain. In the middle of the open space, the bronze statue of Buddha Tay Bo Da Son, the tallest in Asia, is the highlight. The Buddha statue has a gentle face, holding a vase of nectar in its left hand and raising its right hand to form the Teaching Seal.

From the square, visitors can enjoy panoramic views of the sea of ​​clouds, or a meditative scene with paths full of blooming flowers. "The air at the top is very cool and pleasant," Chi added.

12:00: Lunch

On top of Ba Den Mountain, there are many culinary options such as fast food pho, bread, sausage, pizza, chicken rice in the cloud-covered courtyard. Ba Den ice cream is a must-try dish with the shapes of Ba Mountain such as the cable car station, the 986m milestone or lotus flowers with many flavors. In addition, there is also an Asian - European food buffet combining traditional and modern cuisine.

14:00: See the Buddhist exhibition and the place where Buddha's relics are located

3D mapping film at the Buddhist exhibition area. Photo: Ba Den Management Board

Right at the foot of the Tay Bo Da Son Buddha statue is a 4-storey Buddhist exhibition center where Buddhists can watch 3D mapping films, 3D hologram projections about the formation of the universe, and admire models of 16 famous pagodas in Vietnam. In addition, this place also displays simulated versions of classic Buddhist artworks.

From 6pm on May 8 to 8am on May 13, the Buddha's relics from India will be enshrined and strictly protected in the center of the exhibition, opening to Buddhists for worship. Thousands of delegates from more than 80 countries and territories around the world are expected to travel to Ba Den on May 8.

The Buddha's relics, a treasure of humanity, were brought to Vietnam for the first time, and many people wished to have the opportunity to attend the ceremony on this occasion.

"To maintain dignity, Buddhists and tourists should not bring offerings or take photos without permission. They should maintain order and line up in order to pay their respects," said a representative of the tourist area's management board.

17:00: Participate in the lantern offering ceremony

If visitors come to Ba Den on the weekend, they will be able to participate in a special spiritual ritual every Saturday night. Around 4-5pm, visitors gather at the large square at the foot of the Buddha statue and receive lanterns from the resort staff. Pens and writing tables are prepared for visitors to install lanterns and write their wishes. The lantern offering ritual will take place when it gets dark. Visitors line up, calm their minds before the light of the lanterns and pray.

Lantern offering ceremony on Ba Den mountain. Photo: Ba Den management board

8:00 p.m.: Watch the water music show at the Maitreya Bodhisattva statue area

After the lamp offering ceremony, visitors go down to the Maitreya Bodhisattva statue area to watch the water music show using modern technology and a system of 1,450 lights. The show is centered on a large sandstone Maitreya Bodhisattva statue, imbued with meditative colors, suitable for ending a day in Ba Den with a feeling of peace and relaxation.

According to vnexpress.net

Source: https://baohanam.com.vn/du-lich/mot-ngay-o-nui-ba-den-chiem-nguong-xa-loi-duc-phat-160632.html