We decided to pay a visit to Wutai Shan Buddhist garden and temple this past weekend. Unfortunately the weather on Sunday was not great and I had to drive thru a thunderstorm down pour. When we arrived, there's a security gate entrance. The fee is $20 per vehicle and you pay on your way out. Debit or credit options are available only. The property is very big and you could stop at various areas to take photos. We went to the main temple and there's a gong outside that you can strike with the wooden stick. If you are looking for some spiritual retreat then perhaps this place may check off some boxes. It is full of tourists however most of the visitors were respectful. There's a gift shop and small cafe serving some light food. The rest rooms are only portable toilets and no toilet paper. Try to use the washroom before you visit. Overall beautiful place of serenity and peace. My family really enjoyed the visit. read more

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I recently visited the Wutai Shan Buddhist Temple and Garden, located SE of Lindsay, Ontario. It was spectacular, beautiful, majestic, and spiritual. It was a clear but very hot day, limiting our exploration of the outdoor areas. What we saw, however, was nothing short of spectacular. The many statues had intricate details. The clear skies were picture perfect. Exploring the main structure offered relief from the extreme heat. It was truly beautiful and colourful but photography wasn't allowed. The steps going up the front of the building may seem daunting but there's an entrance behind them, and an elevator to take you to the upper level. I wish I could have taken pictures inside the temple. It was majestically beautiful and colourful. The decor was traditional, with modern technology at work, such as lighting, climate control, elevator, etc. There is a restaurant in the main structure, offering vegetarian delights, and lots of seating. There's another counter offering beverages and light snacks. A gift shop offered lots of souvenirs. There aren't enough words to describe the beauty of this place. You'll have to visit in person. It's about an hour NE of Pickering. Be prepared to do a lot of walking. Just go, it's worth it! 4.5/5.0 read more

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Located in the Peterborough County / Kawartha area, Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden & Temple is 1.5 hours drive from Toronto - and it's worth the drive! This complex is MASSIVE and there are lots to see (both inside and outside). Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden & Temple is the largest single Buddhist complex outside of China, and in North America. The complex is very vast - akin to a small town or university campus, with several buildings, statues, ponds, and gardens. It's built in the Tang Dynasty-style architecture with multiple wooden Buddhist temples, and is home to the Buddhist College of Canada, prayer halls, community centre, art gallery, Buddhist vegetarian restaurant, and different areas of attraction: - The 5 Platforms of Manjusri Bodhisattva (Central, North, South, East, West) - The 8 Sights (Main Buddha Hall, Happy Buddha, Hall of Shan Chai, Buddhist Arts Gallery, Buddhist College of Canada, Guru Padmasambhava, Shrine of Wealth God, Wisdom Lake) - The 16 Points of Interest (Bliss Longevity Pond, Life Liberation Pond, Mountain and Earth Deity Shrine, Willow Guanyin, The Seven Treasures Wish-Fulfilling Pagodas, 88 Buddha Stupas, etc.) - Miracles Statues - Manjushri Bodhisattva Statue ("Mañjuśrī is depicted as a male bodhisattva wielding a flaming sword in his right hand, representing the realization of transcendent wisdom which cuts down ignorance and duality.") When we went, some parts were still under construction. But we were able to see the most interesting main attraction (in my opinion), which was in the Main Buddha Hall and the floors beneath it (home to the Buddhist College's classrooms, art gallery, vegetarian restaurant, cafe, etc.). The inside felt so serene, peaceful, and very clean (as it was a newly built building). The washrooms were some of the cleanest I had encountered, and they even have the automated water bottle dispensing machine (like the ones at Pearson Airport). The vegetarian restaurant was excellent - food here was 5/5. The menu was simple and you can order on the spot or at the gift shop, then pick up your food at the restaurant. I tried the "Rice with 4 Vegetarian Dishes" combo and it smelled and tasted heavenly (no pun intended). The 4 items consisted of a tofu dish, a mixed vegetables dish (bok choy, carrot, mushrooms, soy strips), another vegetables dish (cabbage and mushrooms), and a potato dish. I was able to substitute the potato dish with the noodle soup toppings (edamame and vegs). Other items on the menu included vegetarian noodles in broth / soup and vegetarian dumplings (came in a large portion - maybe 15-20 dumplings, and we couldn't order just half of a portion). You can get the food to dine there or for to go. There was also a cafe where they sold different types of tea, coffee, and dessert / sweet snack items (e.g. Basque burnt cheesecake, crêpe cake, mousse cake, tiramisu, mochi). The area where you can sit down and enjoy your tea / coffee was very nice and spacious, with mini indoor ponds, trees, and decorations that make you feel you're in a Buddhist garden. read more

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The weather was good so we planned to go . It's in Bethany. It's amazing , the area is super big . Very scenic . Very nice organized. Parking is $20 fr cars. Lots of walking but you can drive everywhere in there . It's a big place . There is cafeteria inside, bracelets on sale , spacious running area . We saw work was going on , so may be by next year it will be completed . read more

Wutai Shan Buddhist Garden - Buddhist Temples Near Me - Cavan-Monaghan, Ontario

Beautiful temple, lots of walking if you want to explore the whole area. Busy on week ends. No entrance fee but you have to pay parking. read more