Modeled after Beijing’s Forbidden City, this stunning complex blends tranquil gardens with intricate stonework, golden tiles, symbolic carvings, and ceramic murals. Critics consider it the country’s most exquisite example of traditional Chinese architecture. Also called the Guan Yin Temple, it sits on Steveston Highway in Richmond, 13 miles south of Vancouver’s core. Highlights include North America’s largest Buddha Sakyamuni statue—a 35-foot masterpiece of camphor wood and gold leaf—and the Siddhartha Gautama Pool, where nine white dragon sculptures spout water toward the sky. At the temple’s Taste of Zen restaurant (open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.), you can enjoy delicious vegetarian cuisine in exchange for a minimum $18 donation.
