

Jade Emperor Pagoda
The basics
The Jade Emperor Pagoda was built by the Chinese community in Saigon (as HCMC was then known) in 1909. Both the outside and inside are covered in wood carvings and papier mache statues of dragons, birds, animals, and Taoist and Buddhist deities, including the goddesses of fertility and mercy. A statue of the namesake Jade Emperor sits in the graphically decorated Chamber of 10 Hells. The grounds around the temple are also beautiful and atmospheric, full of trees, rows of dangling red lanterns, and a couple of ponds.
The Jade Emperor Pagoda can be visited independently, as it’s conveniently located in the central city. It also features on many half or full-day organized sightseeing tours of HCMC that include other attractions like the Ben Thanh Market and the War Remnants Museum.
Things to know before you go
*There is no entrance fee, although donations are appreciated. *Unlike in many places, it’s OK to feed the tortoises in the pond outside--doing so is actually considered part of worshipping at the temple. *Be mindful that this is a working temple, so keep out of the way of people worshipping and be respectful when taking photos.
How to get there
The Jade Emperor Pagoda is 2 miles (3.5 kilometers) north of the Ben Thanh Market in central HCMC, so is best reached by taxi or motorbike taxi.
Trip ideas
When to get there
The temple is open from early morning until early evening. It’s a very popular temple among locals, and is not very large, so can be crowded at any time of day.
- Cu Chi Wildlife Rescue Station
- Can Gio Mangrove Biosphere Reserve
- Saigon Central Post Office
- Paris Square (Cong Truong Cong Xa Paris)
- Vietnam Cookery Center
- War Remnants Museum (Bao Tang Chung Tich Chien Tranh)
- Reunification Palace (Independence Palace)
- Saigon Opera House (Opéra de Saïgon)
- Dong Khoi Street (Duong Dong Khoi)
- Ben Thanh Market (Cho Ben Thanh)
- Bach Dang Wharf (Ben Bach Dang)
- Tao Dan Park
- Saigon Skydeck
- Bitexco Financial Tower
- Museum of Fine Arts
- Cruising the Mekong Delta
- Ho Chi Minh City Water Puppets
- 3-Days in Ho Chi Minh City: Suggested Itineraries
- Vietnam War Tours
- How to Spend 3 Days in Ho Chi Minh City
- Food Lover's Guide to Ho Chi Minh City
- Vietnam War History Tours in Ho Chi Minh City
- Mekong River Cruises from Ho Chi Minh City
- How to Spend 2 Days in Ho Chi Minh City
- How to Spend 1 Day in Ho Chi Minh City
- Water Puppet Shows in Ho Chi Minh City