Cholon: Saigon's Chinatown

On my last day in Saigon, I was able to muster enough courage to go ride in a bike! I know it’s a must for all Saigon visitors. The best way to experience life in Saigon is to get on a bike (or get a ride) and brave the streets of Saigon. Such an exhilarating ride!

I am off to Cholon today to visit the temples and roam around the biggest Chinatown in Vietnam. I initially thought Disctrict 5 is just close by, I mean within 30-45minutes walking distance but after getting lost somewhere in District 2 I gave up and flagged down a motorbike.

I had difficulty pronouncing the name, Phuoc An Hoi Quan Pagoda, such a mouthful. Good thing, my driver seems to know exactly what I was trying to say and where to go. The temple looks quite simple from the outside, nothing ostentatious about it but inside the temple are some elaborate brass ornaments on display.

Built by the Fujian Congregration in 1902, the temple may look simple but when you look up you can see the creative designs in the roof. It seems to be an active temple also frequented by the local residents judging from the smoke coming from the burnt incense which permeates the whole place.

Just around the next corner is the bigger and more colorful (I mean, really red-colorful) Chua Quan Am Pagoda. I had fun teasing the guard outside about how many takes it took him to get my photo (he had to make me pretty, but my face is not cooperating! hahaha). He was so kind and obliging. Thank you very much!

This temple is built earlier in 1816 by the same Fujian Congregation and is dedicated to the bodhisattva Quan Am. The temple complex is composed of different layers, from the entrance gate you go to the front courtyard and proceed to the main hallway where the altar to Thien Hau (the god for seafarers) is at the center.

You go through a small door and it opens into another inner courtyard with the goddess Quan Am’s altar as the masterpiece. The place is swirling with incense smoke from the worshipers. The place is just so busy and full of people. All around the courtyard are various figures of Buddhist and Taoist mythologies which added more artistic flavor to the whole place.

On the next block is the Thien Hau Pagoda, which is a favorite stop for most Saigon City tour groups. Of the three pagodas, this is also my favorite. From the courtyard, you can already see the fantastic designs on the walls. Even the temple roof has a story to tell, or better make that, stories to tell about ancient duels between chiefs and warlords.

Inside the pagoda, it’s even more beautiful. The main courtyard is open air so the smoke just billows out to the sky and creates such a wonderful contrast to the blue landscape (feeling mo rin, your prayers will go directly to heaven! Lol). The inner roof designs are even more elaborate than the outer ones. It depicts of scenes or dioramas about 19^th century Chinese kingdoms.

Short but sweet --- my travel to Saigon comes to an end after my Cholon visit. Time to pack up my bags and hope to be able to come back to Vietnam once again.