Hon Chen Temple

Lưu Ly (thảo luận) · Public domain

A Mother Goddess temple against a cliff on the Perfume River, reachable only by boat.

Hon Chen is pressed against the foot of Ngoc Tran mountain, facing straight onto the Perfume River, and there is no proper road to it — the only way is to hire a boat in the city and go upstream for about half an hour. It honours Thien Y A Na, a goddess of Cham origin absorbed by the Vietnamese as a Holy Mother, so the temple itself is a place where two cultures lie over one another. The architecture steps up the slope in tiers, curved roofs studded with ceramic. During the Mother Goddess festivals in the third and seventh lunar months, boats carrying pilgrims and spirit-medium rituals fill the whole reach of river.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Hon Chen Temple?

The Mother Goddess festivals in the third and seventh lunar months

How much does it cost to visit Hon Chen Temple?

Entry and boat hire charged separately

How long do you need at Hon Chen Temple?

2 hours including the boat

What are the opening hours of Hon Chen Temple?

07:00 - 17:00

Did you know

The temple sits against the foot of Ngoc Tran mountain, facing the Perfume River.
It is normally reached by boat from central Hue, upstream along the river.
It honours Thien Y A Na, a goddess of Cham origin absorbed by the Vietnamese as a Holy Mother.
The Mother Goddess festivals fall in the third and seventh lunar months.

Travel tips

Hire a boat at Toa Kham wharf and agree the price for the whole trip before setting off.
Combine it in the same boat trip with Thien Mu pagoda downstream.

Source: https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q10840229

Updated: 2026-08-16