Van Son Pagoda

Van Son Pagoda, also known as Nui Mot Pagoda, is the largest and most prominent Buddhist pagoda on Con Dao Island in Con Dao District, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Perched on Nui Mot mountain overlooking An Hai and Con Son Bay, it features traditional Vietnamese Buddhist architecture with sweeping island and sea views. Built in 1964, it serves as a spiritual center for residents and visitors and is noted for its hillside setting and panoramic viewpoint.

Visitors can expect a hillside Buddhist pagoda complex reached by a winding mountain road and approximately 200 steps. The site includes a main prayer hall with Buddha statues, an Avalokiteshvara statue, courtyards, incense offerings, and landscaped grounds. The elevated location offers panoramic views of Con Son town, Con Son Bay and surrounding mountains. The environment is quiet and religious, with areas for worship, sightseeing and photography.

Constructed in 1964 on Nui Mot mountain, Van Son Pagoda was built to serve the spiritual needs of the island community. It is the principal Buddhist pagoda on Con Dao and has been renovated and preserved over time, reflecting mid-20th century Vietnamese Buddhist architectural style.

The pagoda is the main Buddhist religious site on Con Dao, dedicated to Buddha and Avalokiteshvara. It functions as an active place of prayer, incense offering and Buddhist festivals for local residents and visitors, and is valued as a cultural landmark for its religious art, statues and serene hillside setting.