# Dinh Cau Shrine, Phu Quoc > Dinh Cau (Dinh Cậu) is a small fishermen's shrine on a rock at the mouth of the Duong Dong river, Phu Quoc's emblem right in the centre of town. Twenty-nine stone steps lead up to it, with views of the sea and the sunset. Entry is free, and it's open daily roughly 7:00–20:30. Allow 30–45 minutes, then have dinner at the Dinh Cau night market, five minutes' walk away. Web page: https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phu-quoc/dinh-cau-shrine - City: [Phu Quoc](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phu-quoc), Vietnam - YesGo score: 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 45 min - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free; donations optional - Hours: Daily roughly 7:00–20:30; guides differ - Where: A rock at the mouth of the Duong Dong river, in the town centre; about 11 km from the airport - Climb: 29 stone steps - Sunset: The shrine faces west — the sun sets into the sea straight ahead - Night market: Five minutes' walk away; open roughly 17:00 to midnight - Dress: Modest — shoulders and knees covered to enter the temple - Coordinates: 10.21722, 103.95642 - Facts checked: 08.11.2026 ## Key facts - **1937** — the current building dates from 14 July 1937 and was restored in 1997 (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia; Vietnam News (27.09.2026)) - **17th century** — when, by local legend, fishermen saved from a storm put up the first shrine on the rock (source: Vietnam News (27.09.2026); Vietnamese Wikipedia ("some sources")) - **29 steps** — of stone lead from the shore to the temple, past a small earth-god shrine (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia; Vietnam News) - **Bà Chúa Ngọc** — and the two "Cậu", Cậu Tài and Cậu Quý, protectors of fishermen; the Dragon King is honoured too (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia; Vietnam News) - **15th–16th** — days of the 10th lunar month — the annual Dinh Cau festival, with boat races and folk games (source: Vietnamese Wikipedia; Vietnam News) - **Free** — entry to the shrine, with no tickets (source: Vietnam Airlines, Vinpearl and Local Vietnam guides) - **≈ 11 km** — by road from Phu Quoc airport — about 15–20 minutes (source: OpenStreetMap; OSRM route) - **Next door** — Dinh Cau beach and the night market, with seafood and shell and pearl souvenirs (source: Vietnam News; travel guides) ## Opening hours and entrance fee **Entry is free** — no tickets. There's no official timetable: Vietnam Airlines and most guides say **7:00–20:30**, Vinpearl says all day, and one guide says until 19:00. Plan on daytime and early evening; after 20:30 the temple may be shut, though you can still reach the rocks by the sea. You'll only need money for a donation, incense and dinner at the market, where stalls want cash in dong. The shrine gets crowded at sunset and especially during the festival on the 15th–16th of the 10th lunar month. > **Arrive an hour before sunset** The shrine faces west, so the sun sets into the sea right in front of it. By late afternoon the rocks around the temple fill up, so come 40–60 minutes before sunset: climb up in daylight, find a spot on the rocks and watch the lights come on. Then walk five minutes to the Dinh Cau night market for dinner. ## What is Dinh Cau Shrine? **Dinh Cau** (Dinh Cậu) is a small shrine on a rocky headland where the Duong Dong river meets the sea. For Phu Quoc's fishermen it's the main place to pray for calm seas and a good catch; for visitors it's the island's emblem and the best sunset spot in town. It honours **Bà Chúa Ngọc** and the two **"Cậu" — Cậu Tài and Cậu Quý**, protectors of those who go to sea, with an altar to the Dragon King as well. Nobody knows exactly when the first shrine appeared. Local legend places it in the 17th century, when fishermen who survived a storm built a small wooden shrine on the rock in thanks. **The present building dates from 1937** and was restored in 1997: a red-tiled roof with dragons, pillars carved with Chinese characters and a view straight out to sea. ## What to see - **The temple on the rock** — a red roof with dragons and phoenixes, lacquered couplets on the pillars and the main hall's altars. - **The 29 stone steps** between the rocks, passing a tiny earth-god shrine. - **The courtyard** with its altar to Heaven, and views over the sea and the river mouth full of fishing boats. - **Sunset** from the rocks around the temple — the main reason to come in the evening. - **Dinh Cau beach** next door — a small strip of sand where locals gather in the late afternoon. - **Dinh Cau night market** — seafood, street food and shell and pearl souvenirs. ## How to get to Dinh Cau Shrine 1. **From Phu Quoc International Airport (PQC)** it's about 11 km by road — 15–20 minutes by Grab or taxi. Search for "Dinh Cậu". 2. **From hotels in Duong Dong and on Long Beach** — Dinh Cau is in the town centre by the river mouth: walk from central Duong Dong, or take a 5–15 minute Grab from Long Beach. 3. **From the north** (VinWonders, Grand World, the safari) it's about 22–25 km, 30–40 minutes by car. 4. From the waterfront, follow the concrete walkway to the rock and climb the 29 steps to the temple. 5. After sunset, walk about five minutes to the Dinh Cau night market via Bach Dang and Ly Tu Trong streets. > **What to wear and how to behave** This is a working temple. To enter the main hall, cover your shoulders and knees, keep your voice down and don't touch the altars. Photos on the rocks are fine, but the stones by the water are slippery, especially at dusk and after rain. Keep children away from the edge. ## Is Dinh Cau Shrine worth visiting? Yes, if you're in or near Duong Dong: it's free, central, and sunset from the rocks is one of the best on the west coast. "Sunset at Dinh Cau, dinner at the night market" is a Phu Quoc classic. The YesGo take: the temple itself is small — 15 minutes is plenty — and there's little reason to come in the daytime. Don't make a special trip from the north or south of the island just for the shrine; combine it with dinner in Duong Dong. At sunset expect a crowd and claim a spot on the rocks early. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Arriving 40–60 minutes before sunset - [ ] Shoulders and knees covered, to go inside the temple - [ ] Shoes with grip for the rocks - [ ] Cash in dong for the market - [ ] Dinner at the Dinh Cau night market after sunset - [ ] Remember: the rocks by the water are slippery ## Sunsets on Phu Quoc: compare and choose Sunset spots on Phu Quoc rated by YesGo. - [Dinh Cau Shrine](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phu-quoc/dinh-cau-shrine) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free - [Sunset Town](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phu-quoc/phu-quoc-sunset-town) — YesGo score 25/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 2 h 30 min · Free entry; bridge and shows paid ## An evening in Duong Dong Ho Quoc Pagoda and Sao Beach on the east coast by day, Dinh Cau Shrine for sunset, then dinner at the night market. Add them to your route — YesGo fits in the timing and transfers. 1. [Ho Quoc Pagoda](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phu-quoc/ho-quoc-pagoda) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 2. [Sao Beach](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phu-quoc/sao-beach) — YesGo score 24/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 3 h · Free; sunbeds extra 3. [Dinh Cau Shrine](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phu-quoc/dinh-cau-shrine) — YesGo score 44/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 45 min · Free ## Good to know Dinh Cau is the shrine on the rock in Duong Dong, Phu Quoc — not the other "Dinh" temples on the mainland, and not Ho Quoc Pagoda on the island's east coast. The nearby night market is also called Dinh Cau; together they make one evening outing. ## Tips - The best shot of the temple is from the rocks beside it at sunset, against the light. - Wear shoes with grippy soles — the rocks by the water are wet. - Check the sunset time on the day; on Phu Quoc it shifts by about an hour over the year. - At the night market, ask the price per kilo for seafood and have it weighed in front of you. - Spend the morning at [Ho Quoc Pagoda](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phu-quoc/ho-quoc-pagoda) and [Sao Beach](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phu-quoc/sao-beach), then head back to Duong Dong for sunset. ## Questions ### What are Dinh Cau Shrine's opening hours? There's no official schedule; it's usually open roughly 7:00–20:30. Treat these times as unofficial. ### Is there an entrance fee at Dinh Cau? No. Entry is free and donations are optional. ### Where is Dinh Cau Shrine? In central Duong Dong, on a rock at the mouth of the Duong Dong river — about 11 km, 15–20 minutes by car, from the airport. ### When is the best time to visit Dinh Cau? 40–60 minutes before sunset: the shrine faces west and the sun sets into the sea in front of it. Then have dinner at the nearby night market. ### How do I get to Dinh Cau Shrine? From the airport, 15–20 minutes by Grab or taxi; from central Duong Dong, on foot. Search for "Dinh Cậu". ### When was Dinh Cau built? The current building dates from 1937 and was restored in 1997. Local legend says the first shrine on the rock appeared in the 17th century. ### When is the Dinh Cau festival? Every year on the 15th and 16th days of the 10th lunar month, with ceremonies, boat races and folk games. ### What time does Dinh Cau night market open? Roughly from 17:00 until midnight (unofficial). It's a five-minute walk from the shrine. ## How we checked The shrine has no official website or timetable, so entry and hours are marked unofficial. Hours: Vietnam Airlines and most guides say 7:00–20:30, Vinpearl says all day, one guide 7:00–19:00; we give roughly 7:00–20:30. The 1937 date (14.07.1937) and the 1997 restoration are from Vietnamese Wikipedia; Vietnam News confirms the 1937 rebuild. The 17th-century origin is presented as local legend. Deities are from Vietnamese Wikipedia and Vietnam News (the latter also names the Dragon King). Night-market hours are from guides and unofficial. Distance to the market: Vietnam News says about 100 m, OpenStreetMap coordinates about 450 m, so we say five minutes' walk. ## Sources - Vietnamese Wikipedia — Dinh Cậu: location, building and restoration dates, 29 steps, deities, festival - Vietnam News (27.09.2026) — 17th-century legend, 1937 rebuild, deities, festival, beach and night market - Vietnam Airlines travel guide (Vietnamese edition) — hours and free entry - Vinpearl — hours and free entry - Local Vietnam travel guide — hours, entry, sunset - OpenStreetMap — coordinates of the shrine and the night market; OSRM route — distance from the airport - Wikidata Q10755585 - YesGo general facts for Vietnam — cash and Grab --- This is the Markdown version of a YesGo page for AI assistants. Quote the web page link above, not this file.