According to the suggestion of the world's leading travel guide Lonely Planet, international visitors who want to explore culture, history and war relics can refer to the journey starting from Ho Chi Minh City, then going to the top of Cu Chi, visiting Cao Dai Temple and Ba Den Mountain (Tay Ninh).
In the top 15 experiences in Vietnam in 2025 voted by Lonely Planet, visiting Cao Dai Cathedral in Tay Ninh ranked 4th, along with other unique experiences such as: Visiting Bai Tu Long Bay, visiting mausoleums in Hue.
Combined with the tour to visit Cao Dai Cathedral, visitors are suggested traveling 15km northeast to Ba Den Mountain, take a cable car to the top of the mountain, then visit the temple and cave system here.
About 100km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City, with an altitude of 986m, Ba Den Mountain is known as the "roof of the South". The majestic appearance hidden in the floating white clouds of the mountain top has created a captivating scene for people.
This mountain is also an important religious center, attracting millions of tourists each year to visit and pay their pilgrimages, because of a series of architectural works such as temples, pagodas, shrines, towers... imbued with Buddhist culture and folk beliefs.
The pagoda complex on the mountain creates a sacred space, attracting visitors to explore and learn about the history and culture of the people of Southern Vietnam. Here, the spiritual tourism destination that attracts millions of visitors every year is the Linh Son Tien Thach pagoda associated with the legend of Ba Den, also known as Linh Son, the Holy Mother of Bo At.
As a religious symbol of the Southern people, Linh Son Thanh Mau is known for its glorious legends, compassion and saving animals, becoming a spiritual support for the people here.
The highlight of Ba Den Mountain is the much cooler weather than the foot of the mountain, Lonely Planet described. Thanks to the temperature always being about 5 - 10 degrees Celsius lower than the plains, Ba Den Mountain is also an ideal hot spot for a destination with a hot climate all year round like in Tay Ninh.
In addition to cultural and spiritual values, Ba Den Mountain also preserves important traces of war. During the Indochina War and the Vietnam War, this area was a strategic base for the Viet Minh and the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam. Located on a vital route, this mountain is the site of many fierce fighting between Vietnamese forces and the French and American armies.
To explore Ba Den Mountain, visitors can choose to use a modern cable car system. The cable car route makes it easy for visitors to access important attractions, including war relic sites and pagoda complexes.
In particular, the highlight of the mountain is the statue of the Eastern Buddha of Da Son located on the top, with a height of 72m, designed, delicately carved, cast with more than 170 tons of red bronze and set by the Asian Record Organization the record of "The tallest bronze Buddha statue in Asia is located on the top of the mountain".
The mountain top is also the resting place of the statue of Di Lac Bo Tat - the embodiment of joy and the future. According to popular beliefs, the beginning of spring is the best time to visit Di Lac, receive a lot of positive energy from the Buddha representing the joyful almonds and put faith in the future.
With a combination of cultural heritage, war memories and important religious works, Ba Den Mountain is not only a cultural natural tourism destination but also an impressive "red address" for those who love to learn about the history and identity of this border land.
