# Ho Quoc Pagoda, Phu Quoc > Ho Quoc Pagoda is Truc Lam Ho Quoc Zen Monastery, Phu Quoc's largest Buddhist complex, set on a hillside above the sea on the east coast. It's a modern temple from 2011–2012 in the style of Vietnam's Ly and Tran dynasties, with sea views and a white Quan Am statue. Entry is free, and it's open daily roughly 6:00–18:00. An hour is enough; it's 35–40 minutes from Duong Dong. Web page: https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phu-quoc/ho-quoc-pagoda - City: [Phu Quoc](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phu-quoc), Vietnam - YesGo score: 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) - Time on site: 1 h - With kids: Fine with kids - Entry: Free; donations optional - Hours: Daily roughly 6:00–18:00, no published schedule - Address: Ấp Suối Lớn, Duong To, road ĐT973 — on the east coast, near the Sao Beach turn-off - Dress code: Shoulders and knees covered; shoes off in the halls - Climb: About 70 steps up to the main hall - Best time: Morning — cooler, with sunrise over the sea - Coordinates: 10.10918, 104.02750 - Facts checked: 08.11.2026 ## Key facts - **Free** — entry to the monastery, with no tickets (source: MIA.vn, Local Vietnam and Vinpearl guides) - **2011–2012** — construction began on 14 October 2011 and the complex opened in 2012 (source: MIA.vn; Vinpearl; Local Vietnam guide) - **Truc Lam** — a monastery of Vietnam's Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen school, modelled on Ly and Tran dynasty temples (source: MIA.vn; Local Vietnam guide) - **6:00–18:00** — typical opening hours; one guide says 7:00–19:00 (source: MIA.vn; travel guides (unofficial)) - **12 ha** — for the monastery itself; VinWonders and Vinpearl give 110 ha for the whole complex (source: MIA.vn; VinWonders; Vinpearl) - **≈ 70 steps** — lead up to the main hall past a carved dragon relief (source: MIA.vn) - **18 arhats** — surround the Buddha statue in the main hall (source: MIA.vn) - **≈ 25 km** — by road from Dinh Cau Shrine in Duong Dong; ≈ 10 km to Sao Beach and Phu Quoc Prison (source: OpenStreetMap; OSRM route) ## Opening hours and entrance fee **Entry is free** — there are no tickets, and donations are optional. The monastery publishes no timetable: most guides say **daily, 6:00–18:00**, one says 7:00–19:00. Come in the daytime rather than late in the evening, as the monks keep their own routine. You'll only need money for a donation, incense if you like, and the ride there. Bring small notes in dong; Grab takes cash or a linked foreign card. > **Ho Quoc Pagoda dress code** This is a working monastery. Cover your shoulders and knees — short shorts, skirts and vests aren't appropriate, and wraps are sometimes lent at the entrance if you've come from the beach. Take your shoes off in the halls, keep your voice down, don't touch the statues or pose with your back to the Buddha, and don't take photos in the main hall during prayers. ## What is Ho Quoc Pagoda? **Ho Quoc Pagoda** is the name travellers use for **Truc Lam Ho Quoc Zen Monastery** (Thiền viện Trúc Lâm Hộ Quốc), Phu Quoc's largest Buddhist complex. It sits on a hillside on the island's east coast, "backed by the mountain, facing the sea", not far from Sao Beach. It belongs to Vietnam's Truc Lam Zen school and is modelled on temples of the Ly and Tran dynasties. It's **not an ancient temple**: building began in October 2011 and it opened in 2012. People come for the architecture, the calm and the sea view rather than for history. Monks live here and services are held, so it's both a place of pilgrimage and one of the most peaceful stops in the south of the island. ## What to see - **The Tam Quan gate** — yellow, three-arched, with curved red roofs; the classic photo at the entrance. - **The courtyard and stairway** — about 70 steps to the main hall beside a gilded dragon relief. Turn around at the top for the sea view. - **The main hall** — a Buddha statue surrounded by 18 arhats; shoes off inside. - **The drum and bell towers** either side of the main hall. - **The white statue of Quan Am**, the Bodhisattva of compassion, rising above the complex. - **Sea-view terraces** over the east coast — at their best in the morning. ## How to get to Ho Quoc Pagoda 1. **From Dinh Cau Shrine and the night market in Duong Dong** it's about 25 km south-east by road — 35–40 minutes by Grab or taxi. Search for "Thiền viện Trúc Lâm Hộ Quốc" or "Ho Quoc Pagoda"; Grab shows the fare upfront. 2. **From Phu Quoc International Airport (PQC)** it's about 15 km, 20–25 minutes by taxi. 3. **By scooter**, take road ĐT973 to the east coast; the turn-off to the pagoda is about a kilometre from the Sao Beach turning. The last stretch climbs — take it slowly. 4. From the car park, walk up to the Tam Quan gate, then take the stairs to the main hall and the viewing terraces. 5. From here it's about 10 km to [Sao Beach](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phu-quoc/sao-beach) or [Phu Quoc Prison](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phu-quoc/phu-quoc-prison), 20–25 minutes by car. 6. Grab is harder to find out here than in town, so ask your driver to wait or book a car in advance. ## How long do you need, and when to go? **About an hour** covers the gate, the stairs, the main hall, the towers and the terraces; allow an hour and a half if you want to sit quietly or take photos. The best time is **early morning, 6:00–9:00**: it's cool and quiet, and since the coast faces east, the sun rises over the sea. By midday the stairs and terraces are hot with little shade. Buddhist festivals and the 1st and 15th of the lunar month bring more pilgrims. It fits neatly into a morning on the way to Sao Beach. ## Is Ho Quoc Pagoda worth visiting? Yes, if you're heading south or east: it's free, beautiful, quiet and has one of the best sea views on Phu Quoc — a good break between beaches and theme parks. The YesGo take: don't come for ancient history, as the complex is new. A special trip from Duong Dong just for the pagoda means more time on the road than at the temple. It works best in the morning with Sao Beach, followed by Phu Quoc Prison and the cable car in the south. ## Before you go: checklist - [ ] Clothes covering shoulders and knees - [ ] Shoes that slip off easily for the halls - [ ] Going in the morning — cooler, with sunrise over the sea - [ ] Water and a hat - [ ] Small VND notes for a donation and Grab - [ ] Next stop planned — Sao Beach ## Temples on Phu Quoc: compare and choose Temples and shrines 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 - [Ho Quoc Pagoda](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phu-quoc/ho-quoc-pagoda) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free ## East and south Phu Quoc in one day Ho Quoc Pagoda and the sunrise first, then Sao Beach, Phu Quoc Prison in the afternoon and Sunset Town in the evening. 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. [Coconut Tree Prison](https://yesgo.io/vietnam/phu-quoc/phu-quoc-prison) — YesGo score 29/100 (Yes, if nearby) · 1 h · Free 4. [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 ## Good to know Ho Quoc Pagoda on Phu Quoc is Truc Lam Ho Quoc Zen Monastery — not the pagodas of the same name in other provinces or Vietnam Quoc Tu in Ho Chi Minh City. There are other Truc Lam Zen monasteries in Da Lat and on Yen Tu mountain; they belong to the same school but are different temples. ## Tips - Come for sunrise: the coast faces east, and the sun comes up over the sea right in front of the monastery. - The best shot of the Tam Quan gate is from below; the best sea view is from the top of the stairs. - Bring a light wrap for your shoulders if you're coming from the beach. - Carry small notes for a donation and Grab. - Afterwards, Sao Beach is about 10 km away — a good place for the rest of the morning. ## Questions ### What are Ho Quoc Pagoda's opening hours? There's no published schedule; it's usually open daily roughly 6:00–18:00. Treat these times as unofficial. ### Is there an entrance fee? No. Entry is free and donations are optional. ### Where is Ho Quoc Pagoda? On the east coast at Duong To (ấp Suối Lớn), on road ĐT973 near the Sao Beach turn-off — about 25 km from Duong Dong. ### How do I get to Ho Quoc Pagoda? From Duong Dong it's 35–40 minutes by Grab, taxi or scooter; from the airport 20–25 minutes. Search for "Thiền viện Trúc Lâm Hộ Quốc". ### What should I wear to Ho Quoc Pagoda? Cover your shoulders and knees and take your shoes off in the halls. Wraps are sometimes lent at the entrance. ### When was Ho Quoc Pagoda built? Construction began on 14 October 2011 and it opened in 2012 — a modern monastery in the style of the Ly and Tran dynasties. ### How long do you need at Ho Quoc Pagoda? About an hour, or an hour and a half if you want to linger. ### Is Ho Quoc Pagoda worth visiting? Yes on the way south or east: free, beautiful and with a sea view. Not for ancient history — it's new. ## How we checked The monastery has no official website or published hours, so entry, hours and dress code are marked unofficial. Hours of 6:00–18:00 come from MIA.vn and most guides; one English-language guide says 7:00–19:00; we give roughly 6:00–18:00. The 14.10.2011 construction start is from MIA.vn and Vinpearl, the 2012 opening from Local Vietnam. Area: MIA.vn says 12 ha, VinWonders and Vinpearl 110 ha for the whole complex; we show both. The roughly 70 steps and 18 arhats come from MIA.vn only, and wraps at the entrance from one guide. Distances are from OpenStreetMap and an OSRM route; airport time is per Local Vietnam. ## Sources - MIA.vn (13.11.2025) — address, hours, area, construction date, architecture, stairway, main hall, dress rules, directions - Local Vietnam travel guide (04.05.2026) — opening year, Truc Lam school, what to see, entry, dress code, best time, distances - Vinpearl — construction date, complex area - VinWonders — complex area - OpenStreetMap (way 1489845999) — monastery coordinates; OSRM route — distances to Dinh Cau, Sao Beach and Phu Quoc Prison - 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.