Situated about a ten minute walk from Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum or the Ba Dinh Square visiting here offers one a chance to sit and relax in a park like setting on benches that line the perimeter of the man made lake where the pagoda sits.

Its unique design is of a three square meter wooden structure resembling a “lotus blossom”, the Buddhist symbol of Enlightenment. It sits on a concrete support (pillar) that replaces the original wooden one.

The original structure is thought to date from about 1049 during the Ly dynasty but the factual history is not clear. The pagoda has been damaged and restored many times. The last major demolition came at the hands of the French in 1954 and since then has been re-built into the version that you see today.

I sat and did some people watching here for a little while, and did not venture to look inside because of the flow of people making prayer.

There's a small stand where you can buy drinks and snacks to enjoy if you decide to sit and relax for a while.

Access to the pagoda is 0800 AM to 1700 PM daily and there is no charge to access the grounds where the pagoda is located