Ta Cu Mountain

Ta Cu Mountain is a 649-meter mountain in Thuan Nam Commune, Ham Thuan Nam District, about 28 km southwest of Phan Thiet in Lam Dong Province. It is notable for its protected nature reserve forest, panoramic coastal views, and major Buddhist complex. The mountain hosts Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda and the 49-meter-long white reclining Buddha, the longest in Vietnam, accessible by cable car or hiking trail.

Visitors can expect a forested mountain reached either by a scenic cable car ride or a steep hiking trail of over 1,000 steps. At the summit area are three pagodas - Linh Son Truong Tho, Long Doan and Linh Son Truong Tho upper pagoda - with statues, shrines and the large reclining Buddha. Surroundings include dense tropical forest of the Ta Cu Nature Reserve, viewpoints over the plains and coastline, food stalls and rest areas near the cable car stations.

Linh Son Truong Tho Pagoda was founded in 1879 by monk Tran Huu Duc after he cured the mother of Empress Dowager Tu Du. The pagoda complex was developed through the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The large reclining Buddha statue was constructed between 1963 and 1966 and is recognized as the longest reclining Buddha statue in Vietnam.

Ta Cu Mountain is an important Buddhist pilgrimage site in southern Vietnam, housing three pagodas and numerous Buddha statues. The reclining Buddha representing Buddha entering Nirvana is a major religious icon, and the mountain is visited by pilgrims and monks for worship, especially during lunar festivals.