Long Son Pagoda sits at the foot of Trai Thuy hill. Founded in the late nineteenth century, it has been rebuilt several times after storms and war, and remains the largest pagoda and the most important Buddhist centre in the city.
What draws visitors is the white seated Buddha on its lotus throne at the top of the hill, visible from much of Nha Trang. Reaching it means climbing roughly 150 stone steps, passing a reclining Buddha partway up.
The reward for the climb is a wide view over the city — one of the few places in town where you get the whole shoreline without going out to an island.
The pagoda is central, near Nha Trang railway station and walkable from many downtown hotels. Come early: the steps are open to the sky with no shade, and afternoons are busier. An hour covers the climb, a circuit of the grounds and the way down.
Entry is free. This is a working place of worship, so cover shoulders and knees. The stairs are where people present themselves as guides or sell incense at inflated prices — you need no guide, there is only one way up.
