Located around 80km south of Sydney, New South Wales you will find yourself at one of the largest Buddhist Temples in the Southern Hemisphere – Nan Tien Temple.

We stopped into the temple on our way back from a long weekend in Kiama (which by the way we highly recommend!).

Getting to Nan Tien Temple

Getting to the temple is easy! It is located in the suburb of Berkeley, on the outskirts of Wollongong, which is a beautiful beachside town worth stopping into as well.

The physical address is 180 Berkeley Road, Berkeley, NSW 2506 or you can type Nan Tien Temple into Google Maps and it will take you directly there.

A bit about the temple

Founded in 1967 by Hsing Yun, it is one of the branch temples of the Taiwanese Fo Guang Shan Buddhist order. There are over 120 branches worldwide.

As mentioned earlier, it is one of the largest Buddhist Temples in the southern hemisphere.

There are a number of buildings that form part of the temple. All of which are accessible for those in wheelchairs or those with prams.

The list of buildings and a map of the grounds can be found at this link.

Opening Hours

It is important to note that the temple is not open on a Monday. It is, however, open 9 am – 5 pm Tuesday – Sunday including public holidays. For current opening times, click here.

Dress Code

It is a temple so there is a dress code you must adhere to. You need to be respectful and that means no shorts, singlets or thongs. You also much remove shoes and hats before entering the shrines.

For a full list of dress code requirements, click here.

Here are some more photos of our time at the temple.

“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey.” – Babs Hoffman