Fodor's Expert Review Sam Mountain
It's possible to walk to the smallish (230 meters) Sam Mountain, 5 km (3 miles) southwest of Chau Doc, although it is a long walk. Or you can get a xe om or a taxi to the top of the mountain and walk down (there's a surcharge for navigating the steep bumpy road; make sure you organize a round-trip unless you want to walk back to town).
There are several interesting shrines on the mountain, known as Nui Sam in Vietnamese. The first, at its base, is Tay An Pagoda, originally constructed in 1847 and renovated several times since, with a mix of Vietnamese and Indian architecture. A little way past Tay An Pagoda is Ba Chua Xu (Lady Xu Pagoda), dedicated to a goddess whose origins have been lost in the mists of time and legend. Farther along is the Tomb of Thoai Ngoc Hau, an official of the Nguyen dynasty who died in 1829, and his two wives. Hang Pagoda (Cave Pagoda), at the top of 400 steps, has amazing views of the surrounding countryside, the flat rice paddies, and flood plains that... READ MORE
It's possible to walk to the smallish (230 meters) Sam Mountain, 5 km (3 miles) southwest of Chau Doc, although it is a long walk. Or you can get a xe om or a taxi to the top of the mountain and walk down (there's a surcharge for navigating the steep bumpy road; make sure you organize a round-trip unless you want to walk back to town).
There are several interesting shrines on the mountain, known as Nui Sam in Vietnamese. The first, at its base, is Tay An Pagoda, originally constructed in 1847 and renovated several times since, with a mix of Vietnamese and Indian architecture. A little way past Tay An Pagoda is Ba Chua Xu (Lady Xu Pagoda), dedicated to a goddess whose origins have been lost in the mists of time and legend. Farther along is the Tomb of Thoai Ngoc Hau, an official of the Nguyen dynasty who died in 1829, and his two wives. Hang Pagoda (Cave Pagoda), at the top of 400 steps, has amazing views of the surrounding countryside, the flat rice paddies, and flood plains that stretch out beyond the Cambodian border.
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