◊ The Origin of Name “Cam” (Forbidden)

Local people spread two stories about the name of the mountain. In one it is said that the mountain was too rugged and full of beasts and inaccessible to everyone except the gods of the mountains, hence the name Forbidden; in the other it is said that when Nguyen Anh was hunted by the Tay Son troops he took refuge in the mountain and forbade anyone to access, hence the mountain got such name.

The average temperature on the mountain ranges between 18°C and 24°C. It is accessible by car and foot. If trekking, visitors will pass many scenic spots and vestiges along the way such as Thanh Long Stream, Thuy Liem Cave, Phat Lon Pagoda, Phat Nho Pagoda, a statue of Maitreya, and Van Linh Pagoda.

◊ Van Linh Pagoda

Most impressive among them are Van Linh Pagoda and Maitreya Statue. The pagoda was reconstructed in 1995 on an area of about 500m² with a lot of structures. Its architecture is a combination of traditional and modern style. In the centre of it is located the Buddhist Sanctorium, and in front of it are three towers. The middle tower is a 9-storey Avalokitesvara pavilion 35m in height, each storey is for worshiping one Buddha statute (the ground storey for worshipping Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, the first storey for Maitreya Buddha, etc. the highest storey for worshipping Buddhist relic). The Avalokitesvara pavilion is flanked by the 1.2-ton-bell tower on one side and a stupa on the other side. If having a chance to climb up to the highest level of the Avalokitesvara pavilion, visitors will be able to catch the entire view of the serene Cam mountain peak and the biggest statute of Maitreya in Viet Nam, 33.6m in height.

Going in the eastward direction from the foot of the mountain, visitors will come across a forest, about 100ha Lam Vien Tourist Park which offers many entertainment services and local specialties.