Giac Lam Pagoda

Phan Ba at vi.wikipedia · Public domain

Saigon's oldest pagoda, founded 1744, with over a hundred wooden statues and porcelain-studded walls.

Giac Lam was founded in 1744, before Saigon was a city at all, and is the oldest pagoda here. The atmosphere is nothing like the busy Chinese temples of Cho Lon: a wide courtyard, a large bodhi tree, and a row of stupas holding former abbots. The main hall keeps over a hundred wooden statues, most carved in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries, alongside dozens of gilded boards and couplets. The oddest feature is that the outer faces of the stupas and the walls are studded all over with porcelain plates and coloured ceramic shards — a southern folk decoration rarely seen elsewhere.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Giac Lam Pagoda?

Morning, year-round

How long do you need at Giac Lam Pagoda?

45 minutes - 1 hour

What are the opening hours of Giac Lam Pagoda?

07:00 - 17:00

Did you know

The pagoda was founded in 1744 and is the oldest in Ho Chi Minh City.
The main hall holds over a hundred wooden statues, mostly from the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.
The outer faces of the stupas and walls are studded with porcelain plates and coloured ceramic shards.
A row of stupas in the grounds holds generations of former abbots.

Travel tips

The pagoda is well out of the centre; pair it with Cho Lon and Binh Tay market.
Go in the morning to avoid the sun on the open courtyard and to photograph the ceramic work.

Source: https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ch%C3%B9a_Gi%C3%A1c_L%C3%A2m

Updated: 2026-08-16