Giac Lam Pagoda (also known as the Cam Son or Cam Dien Pagoda) is located at 118 Lac Long Quan Street in Tan Binh district.  Built in 1744, it is one of the city’s oldest pagoda.

It was built by Lý Thụy Long, a native of Minh Hương, in the spring of 1744, i.e., during the season of the Vietnamese new year, during the reign of Nguyễn Phúc Khoát of the Nguyễn Lords, then the ruling family of southern Vietnam. The history chronicles of Gia Định, the then name of the settlement that later became Saigon and then Ho Chi Minh City, written by Trịnh Hoài Đức describes the area as being quite undeveloped at the time, Giac Lam Pagodawith dense foliage resembling a jungle. The area was surrounded by flower gardens. In its formative years, the pagoda was a gathering place during the Tết new year and the pagoda was a scenic lookout on a hill overlooking the Gia Định markets.

In 1772, Thích Viên Quang of the Lâm tế Zen lineage arrive to become the abbot of the pagoda. From then on, the pagoda was known by its current name of Giac Lam.

The pagoda has gone through many periods of renovation and reconstruction. The first notable period of renovation took place between 1799 and 1804, when Thích Viên Quang allowed the total reconstruction of the pagoda. From 1906 until 1909, Thích Hồng Hưng, with the assistance of Thích Như Phòng, organised for a second total renovation and rebuilding of the pagoda. The history of these renovations is recorded and is on display in the main hall of the pagoda.