It's almost 12nn when we got there and the service about to start. Remove your shoes and cover your body before entering. The temple was full of tourist jostling for position to get a photo. There is a viewing gallery upstairs that you can go if you arrive early, we were not allowed because it's full. The temple is colorful with symbols of religious figures. This temple is coupled with the Cu Chi tunnel another 1.
Lunch was terrible, the driver brought us to a restaurant where everything was already pre-arranged. We sat and we were served by food that we did not ordered. A couple on our group tried to order a different dish but refused service on reason that it takes time to cook it.
But when they tried to leave they agree to cook it but they left and eat some where. If you want to see Cao Dai just look at the pictures posted in the internet it's the same you will not miss on anything. Skip this place and save your precious time. Although listed here as a Saigon attraction, the temple is a good 2hrs by car from Saigon. We went, as many others did on a trip combining the temple and the Cu Chi tunnels.
Our guide recommended that we get here before 12 noon so we could see the start of the service, but in hindsight I would have liked to get here earlier so we could have looked around the interior of the temple, as visitors are only allowed access to the upstairs viewing gallery at service times, and can't get a closer look downstairs in the main body of the temple until the the service has ended, which can be an hour and a half or more.
If you want to come early to have a good look around, get here well in advance of noon as preparation for the service has to take place, so they will be asking you to leave a good while before noon. Even if you don't get there early enough to go inside, take some photos directly outside before the service starts, as once it begins, you won't be allowed to stand or walk in front of the temple The temple itself is brightly coloured with depictions of religious figures and animals and is very photogenic.
