Ca Mau has many famous landscapes and relics associated with the period of land reclamation and Sac Tu Quan Am Co Tu, which folk often call Phat To Pagoda as a unique spiritual architectural relic that still retains its typical distinctive appearance of an old Southern communal house.

By Thomas Vietnam at vemekong.com | Official Ca Mau Visitor Guide

1. Better to Know as a Tourist

Ticket:  Free

 Spend-time: One and a half hour (approx)

Hours: Dawn – dusk 

Food:    

Shop: 

Parking lot: Yes

Blog: https://vemekong.com/quan-am-ancient-temple-ca-mau/

Address: Located in ward 4, Ca Mau city.  From the airport or Ca Mau bus station, follow Ly Thuong Kiet street to the intersection of Bao Loc church, turn right, follow Phan Ngoc Hien street, cross the bridge, turn onto Ly Bon street to reach the pagoda.

Added values: Phat To Pagoda is the pride of Ca Mau people, becoming a Ca Mau tourist destination attracting visitors to visit, worship and discover about the spiritual life of the people in the southernmost land of the country.

Nearby attractions and hidden gems: Looking for places to stop on your way to and from Quan Am Ancient Temple? Or maybe you found it too crowded here? We’ve got some ideas! Check out our list: Ca Mau Cape (40 km), Thi Tuong Lagoon (40 km), Hon Khoai Island (75 km), Ca Mau City Bird Garden (2 km), Thien Lam Pagoda (4 km), Hon Da Bac Island (50 km)…

2. Travel Guide to Quan Am Ancient Temple

The pagoda was built in 1840, bearing bold ancient architecture of the 19th century, this is the earliest Buddhist missionary place in the land of Ca Mau.  The original way of calling the pagoda’s name is due to the long-standing respect of the people of Ca Mau with the monk who founded the temple: Venerable Thich Tri Tam.

Legend has it that around 1840, Ca Mau was a reed area. Following the stream of people who went to reclaim land, a young man, To Quang Xuan, went to collect firewood in the forest. When the axe hit the trunk of the ancient Bodhi tree, a young man was revealed.  Buddhist scriptures are placed at the base of a tree.  Since then, the young man built a temple to worship Quan The Am, while cultivating and taking medicine to cure people on the banks of the Quan Lo canal.  According to legend, To Quang Xuan chanted the Diamond Sutra to tame wild animals.  People who know the voice come to ask for medicine and study the Way in large numbers.  Among these disciples was even a fierce tiger who also came to learn the Way.  Currently, the tower of that tiger is still there, and the disciples in the temple call it Su Cau tower.

Later, thanks to people’s donations, To Quang Xuan built a temple of simple leaves.  Seeing this, Do Van Vien in the area jealousy accused him of being a false Taoist. He was arrested by the superior and returned to Saigon (now Ho Chi Minh City) under house arrest.

But To Quang Xuan’s morality made the upper mandarins respect.  He was brought back to Hue and ordained as a monk at Kim Chuong pagoda.  After being ordained for 7 days, he passed away. The king ordained him as a “monk” and at the same time gave him brocade and sent someone to bring the remains to Ca Mau.

In 1842, King Thieu Tri (Nguyen Dynasty) came down to ordained To Quang Xuan as Most Venerable Thich Tri Tam, repaired his paintings in the old forest and gave the pagoda the title of  ” The Quartet of Quan Am Ancient Temple”.  Most Venerable Thich Tri Tam is revered by the people in the region as “the Buddha”, so the temple is also called “the Buddha’s temple”.

3. What to Do –See – Eat at Quan Am Ancient Temple

Phat To Temple has undergone many renovations, the major restoration was in 1937. However, it basically retains the current status of the ancient temple.  Objects of worship such as wooden statues, wooden altars, single vases, bronze bells, couplets, ordination of kings, etc. are still preserved, demonstrating the development of Buddhism in the period when the Vietnamese began to make strides.  important in the work of reclaiming and forming a community of three ethnic groups Kinh, Hoa and Khmer in the southern land.

The roof of the pagoda is shaped like a seal, tiled with trough tiles, sharp architecture, simulating the roof of a communal house in the Mekong Delta.  The roof is divided into the main roof and the ritual roof.  The main roof represents the unique artistic value of the ancient temple with a stylized picture of a two-dragon painting, below are reliefs, images depicting natural scenes.  The main face on the roof of the pagoda has 6 words: “Sac Tu Quan Am Co Tu”.

The curves at the top of the pagoda roof show the scene of a fish transforming into a dragon made of stylized porcelain tile with a unique appearance.  The roof on the lower floor is tiled with trough tiles, with vivid motifs and four words: “Quan Am Co Tu”.

On both sides of the temple gate, the couplets are still intact.  The walls on both sides of the pagoda are carved with images in chronological order, these paintings have aesthetic value to enhance the artistic value of the temple.

The temple grounds are quite large, arranged in harmony, the statue of Quan The Am standing on a lotus throne, holding a peaceful vase in his hand, with a gentle face.

The temple door opens in a semicircle leading to the main hall.  The main hall has an area of ​​12m2, the floor is 8cm high and is paved with cement tiles made in 1937. The Three Jewels house worships many Buddha statues, the statues are all made of cement, divided into 3 floors, on top is a statue of Sakyamuni with a statue of Buddha.  Large size, the next floor worships the statue of Master Amitabha Buddha, in all there are 9 large and small Buddha statues.

A unique feature in the architectural lines of Tam Bao throne is the use of porcelain tiles on motifs with cement materials to form an altar with the contours of the images of the dragon – Lan – Quy – Phung mascots.  attached to form a cover surrounding the main hall like a canopy covering the Buddha statues, although the building materials are not made of wood, the classical decorative motifs create harmony in the art decoration of the main hall.

The altar to the monk Thich Tri Tam is placed on a pedestal 1.47m high and 1.52m wide.  This is a unique work of art in the main hall, carved, stylized, airy and vivid sculptures.

4. Free Itineraries from VeMekong

As a local travel expert, we have some ideas for you to think about.

From Ca Mau city center:

Route 1:

Route 2:

Route 3:

If you do not have much time left, it is easy to check out spots in one full day by boat or with bike or with motorbike and car. But there are much more than tourist sites like these in Ca Mau. Make sure you have more time to feel and explore more about the hidden gems and the culture, food, night life, wildlife and forest as well. Top tip: Stay in a homestay nearby, so you have more chances to visit it and surroundings. If you are looking for the package Ca Mau daily tour with local, you can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com

5. Google Maps of Quan Am Ancient Temple

Google Maps made a name for itself helping people travel from one place to another, avoid traffic (You probably know the route from your hotel to the gas station by heart, but what you can’t be sure about is gridlock), measure a distance, get back to the hotel on time, share the location… 

6. Visit Quan Am Ancient Temple by yourself

Solo traveller? Travelling on your own means you will get out of any difficult situations by yourself. This, in turn, leads to more satisfying travel experiences and helps you improve your problem-solving skills. These days we rarely get the chance to sit with ourselves and simply be. That’s why you should consider the time you spend alone on your trip as a gift.

It is possible for solo travellers to use google maps and do it alone. But sometimes they need to update local maintained roads and bridges which close and lead you a longer road than the road from Google maps. It is just about the time. It takes more time to find the correct garden to come. Adventure is always fun. Wifi is strong in Ca Mau village! The locals find it hard to speak English as well. Top tip: Sticking to one canal and keeping going along it which gives you more things to see and avoids getting lost. Contact vemekong.com to hire a car, scooter with English-speaking-guide or cycling tours in Ca Mau.

7. Responsible Travel and Advice Quan Am Ancient Temple

Don’t get us wrong. But we assure you that you totally agree with us. “Do not give candy and things to the children when you plan to visit any local villages”, the kids will leave the school and follow the sweets and later they find some things to give you or sell to you. The garden is a little forest, don’t pick and touch the flowers or fruits without the local’s smiles. We deal with traveling green and leaving green behind, not plastic. Top tip: Vemekong.com are some of the companies that care a lot about responsible travel and local respectation.

8. Amazing Video flycam/drone of Quan Am Ancient Temple (4k) 

If a picture says a thousand words, it stands to reason that the video says many times more. 

9. Incredible Tips for Photography, Specialists, KOLs, Media and Influencers 

To get the best of the best for your unique writing, featuring, photo, video and insider’s stories. We do recommend you to have a local travel expert, the one who always gets more ground information and makes sure every single element is solved perfectly. The Vemekong (very exclusive Mekong) team is your priority choice. Email and have a private talk with them to customize your journey smoothly, personal and the most ultimately amazing. You can contact www.vemekong.com or Hotline/WhatsApp/WeChat/Zalo +84939888559; email: hello@vemekong.com

10. Pro Tips 

You can stay in a homestay which is near the riverside, this will help you out the best option. Then you can hire a scooter, car or bike and explore it by yourself. There are many local homestays in the mangrove forest near Ca Mau cape and near U Minh Ha forest. Both of these places are super green for staying and forget the world.

If you plan to extend your travel to Ca Mau homestay, do not forget to bring mosquito repellent cream.

Visit Ca Mau or do any customized tours, please choose reputable providers with boat trips equipped with lifebuoys, jackets, motorcycle and cycling tours with the helmets and. Safety is a priority! Choose Ca Mau responsible tours which help you give back while traveling. It’s a cliché, but it’s true.

Ca Mau food & drink guide ranges from street food, authentic, fancy to fusion foods. As a tropical land of many fresh vegetables and homegrown gardens, which always make Ca Mau cuisines fresh, close to nature and very traditional. If you are a food lover, don’t hesitate to put other bites onto your food lists such as Banh tam ga cay (Silkworm rice cake with curried chicken), grilled Vop clams with salt and pepper, grilled snakehead fish, grilled mudskipper fish, stone crab roast with salt, young bee salad, Ba Khia – A traditional food in Ca Mau, Ca Mau crab is a must-eat…

Bring your hat, sunglasses, and sunblock, scarf to wear when visiting temples, pagodas, and the cathedral.

Bring the raincoat if you’re planning a trip to Ca Mau in the rainy season, as Ca Mau always looks fantastic in the full rain and full sun.

Ca Mau tourist attractions are magnificent itself, but if you have enough time, don’t forget to put other places onto your bucket lists such as Ca Mau City Bird Garden, Ca Mau Cape – The South Pole of Vietnam, U Minh Ha National Park, Mui Ca Mau National Park, Monivongsa Bopharam Pagoda, Thien Lam Pagoda, Ca Mau Floating Market (totally no more), Cao Dai Temple In Ca Mau, Nam Can Mangrove Forest, Quan Am Ancient Temple, Memorial of President Ho Chi Minh, Watch the Sunrise and Sunset at Ca Mau Cape, U Minh Forest, Thi Tuong Lagoon, Khai Long Tourist Area, Hon Khoai Island, Hon Da Bac Island,

Hopefully, the above tips will help you to come up with a great plan for your adventure in Ca Mau province, Mekong Delta, Vietnam. Have a safe trip!

“Sleep less, travel more, respect more” – Thomas Vietnam – Local travel expert.

Thank you