Hotels near Son Tra Peninsula and the Lady Buddha at Linh Ung Pagoda

Son Tra Peninsula is a forested headland of roughly 4,400 hectares northeast of the city, and it holds the closest population of endangered red-shanked douc langurs to any Vietnamese city. Linh Ung Pagoda sits on the lower slope, and its 67-metre Lady Buddha statue - the tallest in Vietnam - faces the sea and is visible from most of My Khe Beach. The pagoda grounds are free to enter and open from 06:00 to 21:00.

Past the pagoda the road climbs to Ban Co Peak at around 700 metres and to the thousand-year-old banyan tree on the eastern flank. Parts of the loop are steep with poor surfacing, and rental scooters under 100cc struggle badly on the gradients, which is why the upper road is periodically restricted after accidents. Langurs feed at dawn and again in late afternoon along the quieter northern stretch, usually high in the canopy.

Pro Tip: Cover shoulders and knees or you will be turned back at the pagoda gate. Come at 16:00 for the best chance of seeing langurs, then stay on the terrace for sunset over Hai Van Pass across the bay.