Mountain Church — Attraction in Nha Trang City

The visit to this church was ruined by the disappointing treatment of the staff.

The first day we arrived we were sent away with rude behavior and without an explanation. 'No, go, tomorrow', was the only thing they said while pointing to the exit road. While staying around for a bit and trying to figure out the reason why we weren't allowed access to the church, we found out that there was a closed ceremony. Maybe just say that or put it in writing instead of shouting to people who show interest in your church.

The next day we were surprised by the mandatory donation. It wasn't much, but again, the way this was communicated was really disappointing. A guard stopping everybody and demanding money even when you already have your wallet open and ready. A little bit of dignity wouldn't hurt.

In the church itself was an employee yelling: 'Hey, hat!' at everyone who forgot to take their hat off. Again, the communication. Put it on a sign or tell people in a polite way. The Cham temple Po Nagan does this way better, clear signs tell you that you have to wear long pants and politely tell people when they forget.

At the end we reached the statue of Maria and my 3 year old daughter started playing with the chains surrounding the property. A security guard started yelling even before I could stop her.

I haven't seen a nice smile or a welcoming face at this church. Maybe it is the heat, or all the "annoying" visitors and they are tired of repeating themselves. I don't know, but I do know that I won't visit this place again. It is clearly used to make a profit and not to share the church's history or the love for god with people who are interested. Again, take an example...

⭐️Vietnam's "Cathedral Museum," The "God" Turns Out to Be Him ✅"Three feet above is the divine, three feet below is the 'gatekeeper.' In Nha Trang, Vietnam, this grand cathedral has an interesting quirk. Upon entering, you encounter a donation box, which globally means a container to receive voluntary donations. However, the gatekeeper at the entrance demands 10,000 VND for entry. Google Maps reviews are flooded with complaints about this 'gatekeeper' extorting entry fees. In Vietnam, while you can report forced charges to the police, who would waste their time for about 0.5 USD? I obediently paid the 'ticket' fee, hoping to complain to the church staff or priest, only to find that the gatekeeper speaks the best English in the entire cathedral. So how can a mere complaint resolve this? Why not just boldly rename the church to 'Nha Trang Cathedral Museum'?

✅My visit to Nha Trang Cathedral was fraught with difficulties. On the first day, I arrived on a Sunday and was told by the gatekeeper that entry was at 10:00 due to worship. I visited another site and returned at around 12:00, only to find that it reopened at 14:00. Maps indicated that the cathedral has a daily lunch break. So, is it the 'divine' resting or the gatekeeper needing a nap?

✅The next day, I returned dressed in a tank top and long pants, but was stopped again, being told I needed to cover my shoulders and arms. I went back to the hotel for a shawl and returned, only to face the gatekeeper's grin and the forced ticket fee situation. There seems to be no 'divine,' only the gatekeeper exercising his supreme power, indulging and...

I'm giving two stars because this is a stunning building. Unfortunately, we had a really bad experience otherwise and I would caution you visiting if you are not a local/Vietnamese.

When we parked our bike, a man in a security uniform demanded a 'donation' from us of 10k (and then tried to solicit more money from us when he saw we had small change in our wallet) before he allowed us to walk up the hill. Churches in Vietnam are free to visit (or are meant to be).

We then walked up to the church and had a look at the outside, before trying to go in. Another local man in a uniform physically held up his hands in a 'no' gesture and barred us from being allowed in. There was no service going on and a few local people sitting inside - we wanted to sit quietly at the back and look at the architecture. We also saw other non-Vietnamese being turned away. I can only assume we were barred entry for being foreign/white. This would NEVER be allowed to happen in the UK, because churches are places where ALL are welcome, regardless of your race, background, gender, or ethnicity.

If you are considering visiting and are not Vietnamese, I would have a long think about whether you want to support this sort of behaviour towards visitors. I must add that the majority of our experiences in Vietnam have been positive, but we were quite shocked in how we were...