While most tourists visit Da Nang City for its breathtaking beaches and other natural landscapes, the cultural enthusiasts know that there is another side of the place that is worth going to as well, but one that is more subdued, in fact spiritual. This is the Linh Ung Son Tra Pagoda, the biggest and most architecturally-endowed religious structure in the capital.

Linh Ung Son Tra Pagoda was built in 2004. It was masterfully designed with just the right blend of traditional and modern architecture. Twenty hectares big, it houses a sanctum, hall, library and several statues.

Ahead is the Arhat Garden with 18 gigantic white stone statues representing human emotions like joy, anger, love and sadness.

But the real headturner in the pagoda is a 67-metre high Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva statue which is placed on a lotus-shaped platform 35 metres in diameter. The humongous structure has 17 levels, each with a Buddha statue wearing a distinct physical image, facial expressions and movements.

At the entrance of the pagoda itself, guests will already be treated with a view of the city’s fine architecture and its world-famous beaches. The Marble Mountains and the Da Nang Beach can be seen from a distance, a clear statement that Linh Ung Son Tra Pagoda is not just a cultural or spiritual destination, but also a nature-inspired trip, a meaningful experience all in all.