Buu Long Pagoda in District 9 on the outskirts of HCM City is ranked 11th on the list. — VNA/VNS Photo

Located on a small peninsula on the east side of West Lake, Trấn Quốc Pagoda, nearly 1,500 years old, was ninth on the list of the world’s 20 "most beautiful Buddhist temples" compiled by US magazine National Geographic.

Adding to the architectural beauty and historical significance of the pagoda is a Bodhi tree said to be the "offspring" of the original tree under which the Buddha attained enlightenment in India.
The pagoda also has several worship statues in the front yard. Hundreds of years old, these statues were engraved and polished meticulously by skillful craftsmen.

Bửu Long Pagoda in District 9 on the outskirts of HCM City is ranked 11th on the list.

The magazine praised the "carved dragons that curve down the temple stairs and a turquoise pool reflecting the temple’s white walls and golden spires".

The pagoda was built in 1942 on a hill near the Dong Nai River and underwent a major restoration in 2007.

One interesting feature of Bửu Long Pagoda is that followers are not allowed to burn incense or candles because it practices Theraveda Buddhism. Only the Buddha is worshipped in the pagoda, unlike most other Vietnamese temples where many deities, including those from other countries, are worshipped. —VNS

Two Vietnamese pagodas listed among world’s top 20 most beautiful

Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi and Buu Long Pagoda in Ho Chi Minh City have been listed among the top 20 most beautiful Buddhist temples voted by the US magazine National Geographic.  

Ancient beauty of oldest pagoda in Hanoi

Hanoi's Tran Quoc Pagoda is one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam. It is famous not only for its ancient beauty but also for its fresh and green space combined with its architecture, cultural history.