What it is
The Tuong Phat Di Lac on Nui Cam (Cam Mountain) is a 33.6-meter reinforced concrete statue of Maitreya Buddha — the laughing, big-bellied figure you see across Vietnamese pagodas — sitting at around 535 meters elevation in the Mekong Delta (메콩 델타 / 湄公河三角洲 / メコンデルタ)'s only real mountain range, the Bay Nui (Seven Mountains) cluster in An Giang province. Completed in 2005 and holding the record as the tallest Di Lac statue in Vietnam at the time of construction, it's become a pilgrimage site for Vietnamese Buddhists and a curiosity for travelers passing through the delta.
The statue sits within the grounds of Phat Lon Pagoda, near the summit of Nui Cam — the tallest peak in the Seven Mountains at 710 meters. The whole complex was built with donations from southern Buddhist communities, and on festival days (especially around Tet and the annual Via Ba Chua Xu festival in April-May) it draws tens of thousands of visitors.
Why travelers go
Most foreigners skip the Mekong Delta's western edge entirely, heading to Can Tho or the floating markets and calling it done. But Nui Cam offers something the rest of the delta can't: elevation, cooler air, and a landscape that feels more like central Vietnam (베트남 / 越南 / ベトナム)'s hills than the flat rice paddies below. The statue itself is impressive mainly for scale — you stand at its base and crane your neck — but the real draw is the combination of mountain scenery, pagoda culture, and the slightly surreal experience of a cable car rising over rice fields into a cloud-wrapped peak.
For photographers, the early morning views from the summit area are genuinely good: mist rolling over the patchwork paddies of the delta below, with the Cambodian border hills visible to the west on clear days.
Best time to visit
The dry season (November to April) is ideal. Mornings in December through February can be misty and cool at the summit — pleasant compared to the 35°C heat at sea level. Avoid weekends during the Via Ba Chua Xu festival season (April-May) unless you enjoy shoulder-to-shoulder crowds on narrow mountain paths.
Weekday mornings year-round are quiet. You'll share the cable car with a handful of elderly pilgrims rather than tour groups.
How to get there
Nui Cam is about 90 km southwest of Can Tho (껀터 / 芹苴 / カントー) and roughly 60 km from Chau Doc. The nearest town is Tinh Bien, but most travelers base themselves in Chau Doc and make it a day trip.
From Chau Doc
Hire a xe om (motorbike taxi) or rent your own motorbike for the 25 km ride south along provincial roads through rice country. Takes about 45 minutes. A xe om should cost 150,000-200,000 VND one way — negotiate a round trip with waiting time for around 400,000 VND.
From Can Tho
Drive or bus to Chau Doc first (2-2.5 hours by bus, around 100,000 VND), then continue to Nui Cam. Or hire a private car for the full day — expect 1,200,000-1,500,000 VND for a round trip from Can Tho with driver.
The cable car
Once at the base station in Nui Cam tourist area, a cable car (cap treo) runs to the upper station near the summit. Tickets cost around 100,000 VND for adults (round trip) as of 2024. The ride takes about 10 minutes and the views of the delta below are the highlight. You can also hike up — roughly 2 hours on a stepped path — but it's steep and exposed to sun in the dry season.
Photo by Kirandeep Singh Walia on Pexels
What to do
- Visit the Di Lac statue — Walk around the base, take in the scale. There's a small meditation hall inside the platform.
- Phat Lon Pagoda — Adjacent to the statue, a working pagoda with monks in residence. Respectful visitors welcome; cover shoulders and knees.
- Hike to the summit — From the cable car upper station, it's another 20 minutes on foot to the actual peak at 710 meters. Views in every direction.
- Van Linh Pagoda — Another large pagoda complex further along the mountain trail, less crowded and architecturally interesting.
- Explore the Seven Mountains — If you have a motorbike, the roads connecting the base of Nui Cam to neighboring peaks (Nui Co To, Nui Dai) pass through Khmer communities, sugar palm groves, and quiet villages.
Where to eat
At the base of Nui Cam, a row of com binh dan (rice-and-dish) stalls serves basic but decent food — grilled fish, canh chua (sour soup), and stir-fried greens for 40,000-60,000 VND per person. For something better, head back to Chau Doc where the riverside "com tam" stalls on Nguyen Van Thoai street serve proper broken rice plates, and the floating fish-farm restaurants offer mekong catfish cooked seven ways.
On the mountain itself, snack vendors sell banh trang nuong (grilled rice paper), sugarcane juice, and instant noodles. Don't expect a real meal up top.
Where to stay
There's no reason to sleep on the mountain. Chau Doc has the best accommodation options in the area:
- Victoria Nui Sam Lodge — The nicest hotel in the zone, around 1,500,000 VND/night. Pool, views, decent breakfast.
- Murray Guesthouse — Backpacker-friendly, clean rooms from 250,000 VND, good travel info.
- Trung Nguyen Hotel — Midrange, central, 400,000-600,000 VND. Nothing special but functional.
Photo by Flint Huynh on Pexels
Practical tips
- Bring water and sunscreen if you plan to hike rather than cable car.
- Wear shoes with grip — the stone steps get slippery in mist.
- The cable car closes around 17:00, sometimes earlier on quiet weekdays. Arrive by 14:00 at latest if you want time to explore.
- ATMs exist in Tinh Bien town but are unreliable. Carry cash from Chau Doc.
- Combine Nui Cam with a visit to Ba Chua Xu temple at the base of Nui Sam (back in Chau Doc) for the full pilgrimage circuit experience.
Common mistakes
Going on a festival weekend — The cable car queue can hit 2+ hours during peak pilgrimage days. The mountain paths become a single-file shuffle. Go midweek.
Skipping the summit hike — Many visitors see the statue, snap photos, and cable car back down. The actual peak is worth the extra 20 minutes — it's the only place in the delta where you get a true panoramic view.
Not combining with Chau Doc — Nui Cam alone isn't worth a multi-day trip. Pair it with Chau Doc's Cham villages, floating markets, and the Sam Mountain area for a proper 2-3 day delta itinerary away from the tourist trail.
Practical notes
Nui Cam works best as a half-day side trip from Chau Doc during a broader Mekong Delta loop — pair it with Can Tho's floating markets and the border-town atmosphere of Chau Doc itself. Budget around 300,000-400,000 VND for the day (transport, cable car, food) if you're already based in Chau Doc.
Last updated · May 19, 2026 · independently researched, never sponsored.
