Located on a high hill in Tu Tra commune, Don Duong district, only about 40km from the center of Da Lat, the 220h Samten Hills Dalat is a new tourist destination in the Central Highlands province of Lam Dong.

This place creates a spiritual and cultural space of Vajrayana Buddhism with many impressive Buddhist works. In particular, it is home to the world’s largest bronze prayer wheel stupa Drigung Kagyu Rinchen Khorchen Khorwe Go Gek that set the Guinness Word Record in late 2022.

Weighing 200 tonnes, the bronze prayer wheel stupa Drigung Kagyu Rinchen Khorchen Khorwe Go Gek is inlaid with 24k gold outside, over 37m in height and has a diameter of 16.53m. In particular, the prayer wheel stupa is fully rotatable thanks to its special design, incorporating ball bearings.

The Samten Hills Dalat spiritual and cultural tourist site is inspired by the cultural space of Vajrayana Buddhism with architectural works created by artists from Nepal - the place where Buddha Shakyamuni was born.

Earlier this year, a series of events took place to inaugurate the Samten Hills Dalat Cultural and Spiritual Tourism Area. The highlight was the inauguration ceremony and reception of the Guinness World Record for the bronze prayer wheel stupa Drigung Kagyu Rinchen Khorchen Khorwe Go Gek.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by many officials from the Central Committee of the Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Vietnam Red Cross Society, representatives of Lam Dong province, representatives of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, the Lam Dong Buddhist Sangha, the Lao Buddhist Alliance, the Indian Ambassador to Vietnam, the Guinness Records Organization, and thousands of monks, nuns, and Buddhists from all over the country.

Previously, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lam Dong province issued a document instructing the developer of Samten Hills Dalat - Kim Phat Company - to organize the event to receive the Guinness record for the world's tallest prayer wheel stupa and inaugurate the project. 

The agency also requested Kim Phat Company to develop a detailed scenario for the event organization program, and a specific plan to ensure security and safety for attendants, especially foreign guests.

A place to 'heal the soul'

Earlier this year, a series of events took place to inaugurate the Samten Hills Dalat Spiritual Cultural Tourism Tourist Area. The highlight is the inauguration ceremony and receiving the Guinness World Record of the Great Sutra Wheel Stupa "Drigung Kagyu Rinchen Khorchen Khorwe Go Gek".

The inauguration ceremony was attended by many delegates from the Central Vietnam Fatherland Front, the Vietnam Red Cross Association, representatives of Lam Dong province, representatives of the Vietnam Buddhist Sangha, and Lam Dong Provincial Buddhist Church. , representative of the Lao Buddhist Union, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of India in Vietnam, representative of the Guinness World Records organization and thousands of monks, nuns, and Buddhists throughout the country and abroad...

Previously, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lam Dong province issued a document instructing Kim Phat Company to organize an event to receive the Guinness record for the world's tallest prayer wheel stupa and open the project. At the same time, the Department also requested Kim Phat Company to develop a detailed script for the event program, and develop a specific plan to ensure security and safety for attending delegates, especially for guests. invite is a foreigner.

A place to 'heal the soul'

Although it is a new location, Samten Hills Dalat has quickly attracted a large number of domestic and international tourists. This place is not only a place of worship for Buddhist followers, but also a peaceful destination, an ideal place for tourists to explore their own limits, think positively, and find balance in the turbulent modern world.

Inspired by the architectural culture of the good lands around the Himalayas, Samten Hills Dalat brings a complex of unique Buddhist cultural works, the spiritual cultural space of Vietnam’s Vajrayana Buddhism.

Coming here, Buddhists will live in the cultural space of Vajrayana Buddhism and especially directly touch the prayer wheel, turn the prayer wheel, feel the positivity, the great source of happiness radiated when more than one billion Om Mani Padme Hum mantras move inside the world's largest prayer wheel stupa.

The opening of the Samten Hills Dalat spiritual and cultural tourism area is expected to make Don Duong district a bright spot for sustainable tourism development in Lam Dong province.

Last year, Lam Dong attracted more than 7 million visitors, earning 11.9 trillion VND of revenue, named among leading provinces in attracting visitors in the country.

This is the basis for the tourism industry of Lam Dong province to set a goal of welcoming about 8 million visitors in 2023.

Son Dinh