There is only one reason tourists visit this town 60 mi/100 km northwest of Ho Chi Minh City: to see the Cao Dai Temple—the main cathedral. Caodaism is a homegrown Vietnamese religion that mixes many traditional Eastern religions with Christianity, animism and the teachings of Victor Hugo and Joan of Arc, among others.
The Great Temple, built in 1880, is fascinating—it's garish and surreal, with an altar dominated by an enormous, suspended globe decorated with glitter and a large, painted eye. The building is a whirl of details, painted in pinks, greens and yellows. Try to get there at least a half-hour before the daily noon service, which is attended by hundreds of worshippers. Men and women sit on opposite sides of the church in brightly colored robes—red, blue and yellow for Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism.
We highly recommend this excursion—see it on the same day you go to the Cu Chi Tunnels. If you get an early start and don't mind a long day, push on 10 mi/15 km to the northeast to Nui Ba Den, a sacred mountain in an otherwise flat area. There are temples, pagodas and panoramic views to enjoy on the path up.
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