Ho Chi Minh City is undoubtedly among the top cities to visit when traveling to Vietnam. Provided that you intend to stay in the metropolis for a certain amount of time, why not spend your day trips exploring its neighbor city. Tay Ninh is adjacent to Ho Chi Minh City, and the province portrays itself as humble yet offers paramount religious and cultural values.
Overview of Tay Ninh Travel Guide
Tay Ninh is a south-western province in Vietnam sharing its borders with Cambodia on three sides. The area’s geographic features are the harmonious combination of mountains and flatlands. In addition, this province is home to indigenous Cadaoism religion and the highest peak in the South of Vietnam – The Black Virgin Mountain (Ba Den). Overcoming the 100-kilometer distance from Saigon along Highway 22 by various means of transportation, and you can enjoy a weekend trip in this small peaceful city.
When and How long to Visit Tay Ninh
The climate in Tay Ninh is hot and humid all year round, with an average temperature of 27.5 Celcius degrees. November to March is when it gets cooler, and will be more pleasant to travel to Tay Ninh. Moreover, as January and February is the Tet holiday, you will have the chance to enjoy the traditional activities with the locals.
It is advisable to spend one day or two days here. Many people make a day trip from Ho Chi Minh to Tay Ninh at weekends to visit Toa Thanh Temple and Ba Den Mountain (The Black Virgin).
How To Get to Tay Ninh
By bus:
There are two approaches to travel to Tay Ninh by bus, which will take you around three and a half hours including the waiting time.
- Catch bus number 27, 65, 04, or 104 depending on your departure location around Ho Chi Minh. These buses will take you to the An Suong Bus Station in Hoc Mon. From there, hop on bus number 74 to Cu Chi Bus Station and continue with bus number 702 or 701 to the Long Hoa Bus Station (bus number 702) and Tay Ninh Bus station (bus number 701). The total cost for all the bus routes is around VND 35,000, but the journey can be quite tiring unless you fancy some sightseeing on the buses.
- Bus number 13 will take you straight to Cu Chi Bus Station. And bus number 702 or 701 will be in charge of taking you to Long Hoa Bus Station and Tay Ninh Bus Station. The price is nearly the same as the first option.
Note: Bus is an economical option if you don’t mind much about the comfort and services on your way to Tay Ninh. However, try not to carry too much luggage, and remember to keep an eye on your belongings!
By motorbike:
Since the route from Ho Chi Minh to Tay Ninh is not complicated and dangerous, it is not a big deal to travel by motorbikes. The journey probably takes two and a half hours. Motorbikes are for the adventurous and will give you more flexibility to explore more along the way.
From An Suong bus station, go along Highway 22A along Hoc Mon. Coming to Trang Bang junction, turn left and keep riding to reach Go Dau junction town. Then turn right along Highway 22B, and continue to go straight 60 kilometers more before reaching Tay Ninh.
Notes:
- Remember to apply sunscreen and wear protective clothing to prevent sunburns.
- Wear the standard helmets and ride at the average speed of 45 – 50 kilometers per hour, or else you can get into trouble with the police.
- Always ride on the right side of the street and look out for trucks and containers.
See Can Tourists Drive in Vietnam?
By passenger car:
This is the most reliable passenger car brand trusted by most Tay Ninh locals
Passenger cars guarantee a hassle-free journey and reliable services. The entire trip will take only 2 hours.
Dong Phuoc travel company is among the trustworthy choices for you. You can come to the Dong Phuoc Limousine Office in District 10 or Dong Phuoc Departure Station inside An Suong Bus Station to buy a ticket and get picked up there.
There are a number of your seat and departure hour written in the ticket
Dong Phuoc Limousine Office:
Address: 137 Dao Duy Tu, Ward 5, District 10, Ho Chi Minh City.
Opening Hours: 5 AM – 7:45 PM
Ticket price: VND 100,000
Contact number: 1900 1152
Dong Phuoc Departure Station:
Address: Highway 22, Ba Diem, Hoc Mon (inside An Suong Bus Station)
Opening Hours: 6 AM – 8 PM
Ticket price: VND 70,000 – VND 100,000
Contact number: +8428 35044999 or +8428 38830478
Notes:
- After coming to Tay Ninh, transit cars of the Dong Phuoc company will take you to your requested destination without any extra fee. So remember to keep your ticket carefully.
- The passenger car is not in charge of taking you around Tay Ninh.
- If you intend to visit Tay Ninh at weekends, you should buy a ticket before 5 PM because it’s very crowded in the evening when people are going back to their Tay Ninh hometown.
Book your tickets to Tay Ninh on 12Go Asia:
Where to Visit in Tay Ninh Travel Guide
Toa Thanh Temple
Opening hours: 7 AM – 11 AM and 2 PM – 6 PM
Ticket price: free entrance
It is the headquarter of Caodaism in Vietnam
This 65-year-old temple took more than 20 years to complete, which has stood vividly since in the holy land of Tay Ninh. Toa Thanh Temple is believed to have the heavenly and astonishing architecture representing its blended practices and preachings from Taoism, Buddhism, Confucianism, Christianity, and Islam. They all together form the Cadaoism.
The main gate of Toa Thanh Temple only opened for special events
There are 12 gates in total along the barrier of Toa Thanh Temple, which connect with wide roads to create an open campus up to 2.5 kilometers square for everyone to freely move in and out. In addition, 100 architectural works around the campus undoubtedly make the Cao Dai Holy See become one of the largest temples in Vietnam.
The series of pillars with impressive architecture
Tourists must follow this path to visit the inside
The dominant color of the entire temple is sacred yellow carved with colorful details like dragons, phoenixes, lotus, and especially the single eye. The main building creates an astonishing ambiance, resembling the nine levels of the sky and a majestic heaven painting. A series of massive pillars with intricate engravings of dragons. At the end of the building stands a blue globe and a single eye carved on it. It symbolizes the Divine Eye of the Supreme Being among the transcending universe that always looks out for humans.
The Divine Eye in the middle of the building and its sight towards the human world
Ba Den Mountain – The Black Virgin Mountain
The peak of the South of Vietnam
Opening hour: 6 AM – 8 PM
Ticket price: VND 16,000
Besides Cao Dai Temple, Ba Den Mountain is the most marvelous site to be mentioned in our Tay Ninh travel guide. It is not only known for the impressive height of 985 meters but also the number of pagodas following the religious values.
Many people come to the temples to pray for their health and happiness
Thanh Mau statue is believed to be holy and sacred for good people
Located 10 kilometers in the Northeast of Tay Ninh, the mountain offers an excellent challenge for hiking and trekking enthusiasts. In the middle of the track, The Linh Son Thanh Mau Temple on Ba Den mountain will provide you with the cultural and religious insights. Moreover, you can capture a fantastic view from above to the underneath scenes, or let yourself immerse in the natural landscapes through your ways.
A view from Linh Son Thanh Mau Temple to underneath areas
Another quicker way to get to the mountain is by the Cable Car System, with the ticket around VND 80,000 per ride. Staying inside the cable car, visitors can catch a view of a vibrant forest under the glistening sun.
The cable car ensures the safety quality
Dau Tieng Lake
A great destination for sightseeing and camping
Dau Tieng Lake, 20 kilometers from the center of Tay Ninh, is a charming natural lake in Vietnam and the largest reservoir in Viet Nam. It plays a significant role in the irrigation of nearby areas for agricultural seasons all year round. The lake encompasses a rich natural flora and fauna system, as well as the breath-taking sceneries.
The lush forest around the lake creates a beautiful and peaceful scene
Nearby is Cau Mountain, along with the primitive forest together creates the romantic landscapes that deserve thousands of pictures taken.
The endless horizon of Dau Tieng Lake and its azure water harmonizes with the sky
Where to Stay in Tay Ninh
Sunrise Hotel
Address: 81 Hoang Le Kha Street, Ward 13, Tay Ninh City, Tay Ninh Province
Booking link: Sunrise Hotel
Vinpearl Hotel Tay Ninh
Address: 90 Le Duan Street, Tay Ninh City, Tay Ninh Province
Booking link: Vinpearl Hotel Tay Ninh
Homestay in Tay Ninh
Address: Hiep Hoa, Hoa Thanh, Tay Ninh Province
Booking link: Homestay in Tay Ninh
Nhat Quy Hotel
Address: 353 30/4 Street, Tay Ninh City, Tay Ninh Province
Booking link: Nhat Quy Hotel
Find more hotels on Agoda:
What to Eat in Tay Ninh
Banh Trang Thit Luoc ( Rice paper rolling with boiled pork)
It is a signature dish in Trang Bang Tay Ninh – a wrap-and-roll dish with boiled pork and fresh vegetables scrumptiously wrapper inside dewret rice paper wrapper.
The authentic taste is only available in Trang Bang
Banh Canh Ut Hue Eatery (Tapioca noodles soup)
Address: 81 Nguyen van Rop, Trang Bang, Tay Ninh
Opening Hours: 4 AM – 11 PM
Average price: VND 50,000 – VND 80,000
Banh Canh Nam Dung Eatery
Address: 90D Nguyen Van Rop, Trang Bang, Tay Ninh
Opening Hours: 5 AM – 10:30 PM
Average price: VND 50,000
Com Tam (Broken rice)
It is one of the most favorite dishes in the south of Viet Nam including Tay Ninh
Com Tam Ba Tri
Address: 117 Hoang Le Kha, Ward 3, Tay Ninh City, Tay Ninh Province
Opening Hour: 12 PM – 7 PM
Average price: VND 25,000 – VND 30,000
Com Tam Loc Ky
Address: 159 Vo Thi Sau, Tay Ninh City, Tay Ninh Province
Opening Hour: 5:30 PM – 10 PM
Average price: VND 20,000
Bun Bo Hue
Bun Bo Hue Dong Ba
Address: 84 Vo Thi Sau, Tay Ninh City, Tay Ninh Province
Opening Hour: 5 PM – 10 PM
Average price: VND 30,000
Bun Bo Hue Thuy Duong
Address: 64 Hoang Le Kha, Ward 3, Tay Ninh City, Tay Ninh Province
Opening Hour: 10 AM – 10 PM
Average price: VND 25,000
Summary of Tay Ninh Travel Guide
Even though there are not many sites to include in the Tay Ninh travel guide, this province is still worth your 1-2 days for discovering. If you want to explore more fantastic places around Ho Chi Minh or nearby attractions, you can find a local partner!
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