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Place · Đa Kao and Tân Định

Jade Emperor PagodaChùa Ngọc Hoàng (Phước Hải Tự)

Half an hour of dark halls, carved figures and incense in a 1900s Taoist temple; go mid-afternoon, then walk to Tân Định for dinner.

gogate: unknownNot field-verified
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Key facts

Time on site
25–35 min
p95 50 min
Price
Free
adult, 2026 estimate
Hours
unknown
see note below
Best time
unknown
28″ bags
Painful
Đa Kao and Tân Định: painful
Getting there
73 Mai Thị Lựu, Đa Kao
  • Smoky halls
  • 30 minutes
  • Free
  • Free entry
  • Works with kids
  • Mostly indoors

Highlights come from Voykit's own data and desk notes, not from reviews. Hover a tag to see its source.

Rules in force · 9Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore…Hold phones and bags on the side away from the road
  • Southeast Asia ↗Drug trafficking can carry the death penalty in Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia, Vietnam, Laos, Thailand, Brunei and Myanmar; never carry a bag or parcel for anyone.
  • Southeast Asia ↗Carry a passport valid for at least six months from entry with two blank pages; airlines refuse boarding on less.
  • Vietnam ↗Apply for the e-visa only on the official government portal; lookalike sites charge extra.
  • Vietnam ↗Crossing streets: walk slowly and steadily; motorbikes flow around you — do not stop or run.
  • Vietnam ↗Carry Vietnamese đồng in small notes; many stalls and taxis are cash-only.
  • Southern Vietnam ↗The Mekong's floating markets finish by about 09:00: to see one working, sleep in Cần Thơ or nearby and be on the boat by 05:30.
  • Southern Vietnam ↗Phú Quốc's 30-day visa exemption applies only to direct international arrivals on the island; connecting via Saigon or Hanoi needs a normal visa or exemption.
  • Ho Chi Minh City ↗Hold phones and bags on the side away from the road: snatch thefts by passing motorbikes are the city's most common crime against visitors.
  • Ho Chi Minh City ↗Leave for Tân Sơn Nhất before 16:00 or after 19:00 when you can: the evening rush can double the airport ride.
Hours unknown
Map & directions
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Directions
From where I am

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Plan

Open now, what it costs, what to know, how long it takes

Go now?

hours and prices: check on the day
Open
Hours unknown
Crowds

Quietest Mon–Fri · busiest Sun · desk estimate

Tickets
  • Adult: Free
Time to spend
25–35 min · up to 50 min if you linger
Directions Add to a day →

Weather here, next 7 days

Loading forecast…

Forecast: Open-Meteo (CC BY 4.0), model data for this point.

Time on site

minutes

Minimum

20min

Worthwhile

25min

Typical

35min

p95

50min

Gate hours not printed until verified.

Tickets & entry

2026 estimate · check the posted board
Where to buy
  • No ticket needed.

Official site ↗

What's closed
  • Festival dayscheckPacked at Tết and on the Jade Emperor's day (9th of the 1st lunar month).

“Check” dates move year to year: confirm on the official page for your date.

TicketPriceNote
EntryFreeDonation box.

Inside, in order

highlights in walking order

  1. Jade Emperor altar

    The Taoist ruler of heaven with guardians, in the smoky main hall.

  2. Hall of the Ten Hells

    Carved wooden panels of punishments in the afterlife.

  3. Kim Hoa (goddess of fertility) hall

    Figures of women and children; visitors pray for babies.

  4. Turtle pond

    Released turtles in the front courtyard.

What to see, in order

01

Jade Emperor altar

The Taoist ruler of heaven with guardians, in the smoky main hall.

02

Hall of the Ten Hells

Carved wooden panels of punishments in the afterlife.

03

Kim Hoa (goddess of fertility) hall

Figures of women and children; visitors pray for babies.

04

Turtle pond

Released turtles in the front courtyard.

How to do it well

  1. 1Mid-afternoon; 30 minutes is enough.
  2. 2Walk 15 minutes west to Tân Định church and market afterwards, or ride.

Facilities

toilets
Check; use cafés.

On the ground

Getting in, crowds, and where to go if it does not work

Getting in

Stop
73 Mai Thị Lựu, Đa Kao
Exit
—
Ticket
free · official site
Stairs
unknown
Shoes
Shoes on in most halls; follow signs.

Crowds and switching

Crowd clock
Worshippers on the 1st and 15th of the lunar month and at Tết; couples and women praying for children at the Kim Hoa altar.
Sensory load
3/5
Exposure
low

Bailouts

  1. heat

    Café row on Mai Thị Lựu (AC)

Nearest rescue anchor: A — Jade Emperor Pagoda courtyard (shade)

Step-free check

wheelchair: caution
  • Step-free entrance: partly · partly
  • Wheelchair: partly · partly
  • Stroller: partly · partlycaution

Thresholds and low steps between halls.

Combine with

nearest first
  1. 14 minBánh Xèo 46A · eat
  2. 15 minTân Định church

Walk the Đa Kao and Tân Định area · the cluster page has the walking order, rescue stops and after-dark notes

Red lines

  • Do not photograph people praying; keep quiet in the halls.
More on the groundWith kids

With kids

kids: okstroller: caution
with kids
Turtles, carved figures; the hells panels may scare small children.

Deep dive

Questions, what is nearby, photos and sources

Questions and answers

answered by Voykit editors · dated
Did Barack Obama visit?

Yes, in 2016, which put it on many tour itineraries; it is still a working temple.

Checked 2026-09-28 · Voykit desk

Answers come from Voykit editors, not from other travellers.

Nearby

Straight-line distance; walk time adds 30% for streets.

Sources