That is Thien An Pagoda, a pagoda built with Japanese-style architecture. The pagoda impresses visitors and locals because it is located on a hill, with three sides surrounded by the vast ocean of the famous Van Phong Bay. For the pagoda to have the shape and solemnity it has today, over the years, Venerable Thich Nguyen Quang - the abbot who used to be Uncle Ho's soldier, has worked hard to build it.

Sharing with us, Venerable Thich Nguyen Quang (46 years old) said that the sea and islands have been ingrained in his blood since he was a child, because his house shared a fence with the Ly Son District Military Command (on Ly Son Island, Quang Ngai). As a child, he ate more meals with the soldiers than at home. After finishing high school, he immediately wore a soldier's uniform, and after nearly 4 years in the army, he was sent to officer training. However, with the vow to become a monk, when he left the army, he did not attend officer training classes like many of his comrades but became a monk at Phuoc Loc Pagoda (Quang Ngai), then studied Buddhist studies at a college.

Once he visited his father in Bai Lon, an island quite far from the mainland, in Van Ninh District (Khanh Hoa), where his father came to reclaim and cultivate land to grow Ly Son garlic since 1992. Knowing that he was determined to become a monk, his father gave him a part of the land to build a pagoda. It takes about 2 hours by boat from the mainland to the island, so the process of transporting materials to build the pagoda encountered many difficulties. Therefore, the pagoda at that time was mainly built of wood, with a thatched roof and wooden Buddha statues... Due to its remote location on the island, the pagoda only accommodated a few hundred households on the island for cultural and spiritual activities, while Buddhists on the mainland who wanted to worship Buddha encountered many difficulties. Therefore, since 2013, the Khanh Hoa government has created conditions for the pagoda to move to the current Van Thanh island commune.

Thien An Pagoda is licensed to be built on an area of ​​300 ^m2 , within a campus of 1.4 hectares. The pagoda has a beautiful location, like a small island jutting out into the sea, embracing 3 sides of the year-round clear blue water of Van Phong Bay. Many Buddhists who come to the pagoda say that thanks to this pagoda, the islanders have a place for spiritual and cultural activities. In particular, during the terrible storm that hit Khanh Hoa in 2017, almost the whole village gathered here to take shelter from the storm, when their houses were blown off, rickety or collapsed. In addition, many philanthropists inside and outside the province often connect with the pagoda, thereby sending warm gifts to poor fishermen every time Tet comes.

Speaking about Venerable Thich Nguyen Quang, a Buddhist over 80 years old, said that he not only practices with all his heart, but also loves his homeland's sea and islands. Over the past 2 years, he has brought more than 100 banyan trees from Ly Son to plant around the pagoda, and they have grown very well, some of them have even bloomed. What is special is that in recent years, Venerable Thich Nguyen Quang has wished to make a vow to go to Truong Sa to practice for a period of time.

Coming to Thien An Pagoda these days, there are many young people coming to visit the pagoda, take pictures, eat vegetarian food... From the pagoda, you can see the whole natural scenery of Van Phong Bay, helping you to immerse yourself in the serenity of the peaceful natural scenery of the sea and sky.