Explore Ngư Island and Song Ngư Temple.
Ngư Island is located about 5km off the coast of Cua Lo, consisting of two islands, one large and one small. The larger island is 133m high, and the smaller island is 88m high above sea level, covering an area of 155.64 hectares.
Ngư Island resembles two whales swimming in the East Sea, hence the name Song Ngư (Twin Fish). To ensure the safety of merchants and fishermen on the sea route connecting North, Central, and South Vietnam, at the junction of two large estuaries (Cửa Lò - Cửa Hội), the local people built a temple on the western side of Ngư Island to worship Buddha Shakyamuni, Avalokiteśvara Bodhisattva, and Sat Hai Dai Vuong Hoang Ta Thon. When first established, the temple was built on a fan-shaped plot of land about 3 hectares in size, facing west.
In front of the temple was a well, called the Divine Well. The well wasn't very deep, but the water was very sweet, clear, and never dried up. About 300 meters behind the temple was a bathing area, called the "fairy bathing" area, where people came to the temple to bathe and cleanse themselves. However, due to time and the bombs of war, the old temple no longer exists.
To serve the cultural and spiritual needs of the people and tourists, in 2004, the Provincial People's Committee officially approved the project to restore the Ngư Island Pagoda with a total investment of over 4 billion VND, including the Upper Pagoda, Lower Pagoda, pagoda garden, sacred well, and other auxiliary structures. The majestic Upper Hall features three main sets of statues: the Three Buddhas of the Past, Present, and Future, the Amitabha Triad, and the Shakyamuni Triad.
The spacious five-bay Lower Hall is where the Great King Hoang Ta Thon is worshipped and where ceremonies are held. In addition, the grounds surrounding the temple have been renovated and are in excellent condition. Ngu Island and Song Ngu Temple are attractive tourist destinations when visiting Cua Lo.
Ba Thinh
