Lady Buddha and Linh Ung Pagoda: Free, 67 Metres, and Worth the Trip
The Lady Buddha is a 67m statue of Guanyin — the tallest in Vietnam — standing above Linh Ung Pagoda on the seaward slope of the Sơn Trà peninsula, and it is free, open roughly 06:00 to 18:00, and about 15–20 minutes from the My Khe strip. Give it 45 to 90 minutes: the statue, the pagoda courtyard, the bonsai gardens and the view back down the whole 30km curve of coast. Two rules that catch people out: cover your shoulders and knees, and show the macaques nothing that looks like food. It pairs naturally with the rest of Son Tra, which is where the peninsula gets complicated.
Lady Buddha in four figures
The most-recommended free attraction in Da Nang, and the numbers explain why it survives the hype.
A working pagoda with a very large statue attached
Linh Ung is not a monument — it is an active Buddhist temple with monks, incense and services, and the statue is part of it rather than the other way round.
The complex sits on a shelf of the Son Tra peninsula facing out over the bay, so it collects the best free view in the city: the whole arc of sand south towards the Marble Mountains, the river mouth, the bridges, and on a clear morning the Hai Van pass to the north. The grounds are large — a main hall, an arc of eighteen stone arhats, bonsai gardens, and the statue itself, which you can walk into the base of. Allow 45 minutes if you are moving, 90 if you sit down.
Dress modestly and mean it. Shoulders and knees covered, for everyone. This is the one place on the coast where beach clothes will get you stopped, and the temple has no problem doing it. Remove shoes at the hall entrance, keep your voice down near the shrines, and do not photograph monks without asking.
The macaques are the real hazard. Son Tra's monkey population comes down to the pagoda car park and the approach road, they are habituated, and they are fast. Do not carry visible food or drink, do not hold a plastic bag, do not try to feed them for a photograph, and keep bags zipped. Nobody is in danger, but bites happen every year and a rabies course is a bad way to spend a holiday.
Timing is easy here. It is coolest and quietest before 08:00, the light on the statue is best in the late afternoon, and full moon and first-of-the-month lunar days bring large numbers of Vietnamese worshippers — interesting to witness, but not the day for a quiet visit.
Is Lady Buddha worth your time?
Lady Buddha, practically
Half-days and jeeps that include Lady Buddha
The pagoda is free and a Grab is under 130,000₫ each way, so nothing below is buying you entry — it is buying transport that waits, a guide, and the parts of the peninsula an automatic scooter is not allowed to reach. If you only want the statue, take a Grab and keep your money.
Lady Buddha FAQ
Is Lady Buddha free to visit?
Yes. Linh Ung Pagoda and the 67m statue cost nothing to enter, there is no ticket window and no charge for photographs. Donation boxes exist inside the hall and are entirely optional. It is the most-recommended free attraction in Da Nang and holds 4,616 TripAdvisor reviews.
What are the opening hours for Linh Ung Pagoda?
Roughly 06:00 to 18:00 every day. The grounds are coolest and emptiest before 08:00, and the light on the statue is best in the last two hours before closing. Full moon and first-of-the-lunar-month days are much busier with local worshippers.
How tall is the Lady Buddha in Da Nang?
67 metres, standing on a 35m lotus base, which makes it the tallest statue of Guanyin in Vietnam. It faces out to sea over Da Nang Bay and is visible from most of the beach strip, which is why so many people photograph it from the sand without realising you can walk up to it for free.
What should you wear to Lady Buddha?
Shoulders and knees covered, for men and women. This is an active temple and the dress code is enforced at the hall — beachwear and short shorts will get you turned away. Shoes come off at the main hall entrance. A light scarf or sarong in a bag solves it.
Are the monkeys at Lady Buddha dangerous?
They are macaques, they are habituated, and they will take food out of your hand. Nobody is in serious danger, but bites do happen and they mean a rabies course. Carry no visible food or drink, do not hold plastic bags, keep your bag zipped, and do not try to feed them for a photograph.
How do you get to Lady Buddha from My Khe?
About 9km north along Hoang Sa, the coast road — 15 to 20 minutes. A GrabBike runs roughly 50,000–70,000₫ and a GrabCar 90,000–130,000₫. Coverage at the pagoda for the return leg is reasonable, but on a quiet afternoon it is worth asking your driver to wait.
Can you combine Lady Buddha with Son Tra peak?
Yes, and most people should — but only if you have the right vehicle. The steep upper loop beyond the pagoda is closed to automatic scooters at a checkpoint, so it is a car, a jeep tour or a manual bike. The pagoda itself is on the low road and reachable by anything.