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When you come to Ninh Binh, you will immerse yourself in the historical and cultural space while having the opportunity to live harmoniously with the nature of mountains and forests. The highlight here is the ancient and sacred Bai Dinh tourist area.
If you're still unsure where to go on your vacation, let's explore Bai Dinh through our article below.
1. Where is Bai Dinh located?
The Bai Dinh tourist area is located at the western gateway of the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, along Highway 38B, in Gia Sinh commune, Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh province. It is 15 km from Ninh Binh city and 95 km from Hanoi.
Most notably, Bai Dinh Pagoda is situated to the north of the Trang An World Heritage Site. The Bai Dinh Pagoda complex spans an area of 1700 hectares, including 27 hectares of the ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda area and 80 hectares of the new Bai Dinh Pagoda area. It is the largest pagoda and holds numerous records in Vietnam. Bai Dinh Pagoda has set many records in Asia and Vietnam.
2. When is the best time to visit Bai Dinh?
Bai Dinh - Ninh Binh is shaped by the hands of Mother Nature, resulting in a pleasantly cool climate throughout the year. As a renowned spiritual tourism destination, you can visit Bai Dinh at any time, as long as it fits your personal schedule. The subtle and exquisite aspect of Bai Dinh lies in the fact that each season here presents a different color palette.
Spring - showcasing vibrant festivals
When the weather turns warm, it's also the best time to visit Bai Dinh. During this season, flowers bloom everywhere, allowing you to enjoy the scenery and seek blessings for the new year. Especially, it's an opportunity to participate in the unique Trang An festivals. The Bai Dinh Pagoda festival starts from the evening of the first lunar month, officially opens on the 6th lunar day, and lasts until the end of March (lunar calendar).
However, this is also the peak festival tourism season, so the area tends to be crowded, leading to overcrowding. If you visit Bai Dinh during this time, it's rare to find a quiet space to contemplate the pagoda. Therefore, if you prefer a more tranquil atmosphere without crowds and noise, you can also visit Bai Dinh at other times of the year.
Summer - the green attire changes its hue
In summer, the clear sky reflects on the shimmering water surface, while lotuses bloom vigorously, full of vitality.
Autumn - golden rice fields warm and full
Autumn is also when Bai Dinh adorns itself with a new coat as the rice fields ripen under the sun. Creating a vivid natural painting.
3. How to get to Bai Dinh?
Bai Dinh belongs to Ninh Binh province so you need to reach Ninh Binh first. From the end of Ninh Binh expressway to Bai Dinh pagoda is about 20km. Here you have 3 directions for 3 different groups:
Limousine cars are quite popular and have fares of only about 170,000 VND - 200,000 VND per trip
4. Means of transportation within Bai Dinh
The Bai Dinh pagoda campus is very spacious. From the Bai Dinh pagoda gate to the center is about 3.5 km, you can choose to walk or take electric cars, continuous running cars and tickets are sold right at the bus station. If you are limited in time, you can take an electric car up to the pagoda. Electric car tickets at Bai Dinh pagoda area are 30,000 VND/one way.
5. Accommodation at Bai Dinh
If you're just visiting Bai Dinh for the day, you probably won't need to worry about hotels or guesthouses at Bai Dinh.
Bai Dinh Eco Homestay
With a garden view and a refreshing design, the rooms at Bai Dinh Eco Homestay are very clean. The homestay owners are extremely friendly and hospitable, always ready to welcome and guide visitors to fun places. Additionally, Bai Dinh Eco Homestay offers bicycle rental services for tourists to explore the area.
Ninh Binh Mountain View Homestay
Another homestay with garden-style design is the Ninh Binh Mountain View Homestay. It's rated 9.6 by tourists. The accommodation is clean, quiet, and perfect for relaxation. A huge plus is the extremely friendly hosts, who also happen to cook delicious food.
Bai Dinh Garden Resort & Spa
This resort is an ideal retreat with beautiful views, tranquil space, cleanliness, and coolness. Especially, the staff is very friendly and enthusiastic. Everything from the rooms to the landscape is meticulously detailed and well taken care of.
6. Explore the panoramic view of Bai Dinh Pagoda
The Bai Dinh Pagoda complex is divided into 2 areas within a unified entity. It includes the New Bai Dinh Pagoda Area and the Ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda Area. Each place boasts unique architecture and is an unmissable spot on your trip.
New Bai Dinh Pagoda Area
The Arhat corridor is entirely constructed from wood. It consists of 2 rows, stretching 3.4km with 250 compartments, each compartment measuring 4.5m x 4.5m.
Along the two parallel corridors, there are 500 stone statues of Arhats carved from solid stone by artisans from the stone village of Ninh Van (Hoa Lu - Ninh Binh). Each Arhat statue is 2-2.5m tall and weighs about 2-2.5 tons.
Each statue here exhibits a different appearance and demeanor, reflecting the philosophical principles of Buddhism with the joys, sorrows, loves, and hates in human daily life. The Arhat corridor has been confirmed by the Asian Record Organization as the 'Longest Arhat Corridor with 500 statues'.
The bell tower is constructed of reinforced concrete resembling wood, designed in the style of ancient bell towers, with an octagonal shape and 3 curved roofs, covered with dark brown Bat Trang ceramic tiles. The bell tower is 22m high, with a diameter of 17m, featuring the stylized shape of a lotus - a symbol of Buddhism.
Inside the bell tower hangs a bell named Dai Hong Chung. The bell weighs 36 tons, is 5.5m tall, and has a diameter of 3.7m, used in Buddhist rituals and worship. This bell also holds the record for the 'Largest Bell in Vietnam.' The bell is entirely cast from red bronze produced domestically. The body of the bell is adorned with various motifs and patterns simulating those of ancient bells. Prominently featured are the Han characters engraved with Buddhist themes.
Below the bronze bell is a bronze drum cast in the style of Dong Son bronze drums, weighing 13 tons, with a diameter of over 6m, and a height of nearly 7m.
The Quan The Am Bodhisattva Hall is entirely constructed of four-sided wood. It consists of 7 compartments, 14.8m high, 40.4m long, and 16.8m wide. The central compartment of the hall houses the statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva with a thousand eyes and a thousand hands, cast in bronze plated with gold, weighing 80 tons, and standing 9.57m tall. The statue has been confirmed by the Vietnam Record Center as the 'Largest Bronze Statue of Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva in Vietnam.'
The Dharma Master Hall of Bai Dinh Pagoda, dedicated to the ancestral Buddha, is built entirely of reinforced concrete resembling wood, grand and majestic. It reaches nearly 30m to the roof, 44.7m long, 43.3m wide, with an area of 1,945m². The hall has 2 curved roofs, with 8 roofs on all four sides and a row of ancient buildings to increase height, capture light, and ventilation. In the central compartment of the hall is a statue of Shakyamuni Buddha seated on a 10m high lotus throne, weighing 100 tons, confirmed as the record holder 'Largest Bronze Statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in Vietnam.'
The Tam The Hall is also built of reinforced concrete resembling wood, with all roofs curved and covered with dark brown Bat Trang ceramic tiles. Inside the hall are 3 bronze statues of the Three Jewels Buddha, 7.2m tall, weighing 50 tons each, also confirmed as the record holder: 'Largest Set of Bronze Statues of the Three Jewels Buddha in Vietnam.'
Perched on a hill to the right of the Tam The Buddha Hall of Bai Dinh Pagoda is the Statue of Maitreya Buddha. The statue is placed on the highest hill in the pagoda area, about 100m above the temple courtyard. The bronze statue stands 10m tall, weighing 80 tons and is recognized as the 'Largest Maitreya Statue in Vietnam.'
One of the must-visit places when coming to Bai Dinh Pagoda is the Bao Thap (Precious Tower). Located west of the Tam The Buddha Hall, the Xa Loi Bao Thap consists of a 13-story tower with a hexagonal circumference of 24m and a height of precisely 99m - a symbolic number representing eternity, goodness, and luck.
The tower is built in a purely Vietnamese architectural style with strong Buddhist influences from the Ly dynasty era. The top floor of the tower is where the relics and offerings to Xa Loi Buddha from India are enshrined. This is also recognized as the 'Tallest Tower in Southeast Asia.'
Bai Dinh is renowned as the pagoda with the most Bodhi trees in Vietnam. On May 17, 2008, on the occasion of the United Nations Day of Vesak, 100 Bodhi trees derived from the roots of Indian Bodhi trees were planted by Vietnamese and world leaders within the temple grounds.
Ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda Site
The ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda (also known as Bai Dinh Ancient Pagoda) is located about 800m south of the Tam The Temple in the new temple area. This place boasts numerous architectural details and artifacts bearing the distinctive marks of the Ly dynasty era.
To visit the caves, one must climb over 300 stone steps, passing through the triple gate at the back of the mountain. At the top of the slope is a junction: to the right is the bright cave for Buddha and Deities worship, while to the left is the dark cave dedicated to Mother Goddess and Fairies.
True to its name, the bright cave is illuminated with natural light, with two imposing deity statues placed just outside the entrance, their faces stern and fierce. Inside, there is a Buddha statue. The cave is approximately 25m long, 15m wide, and over 2m high.
Returning to the intersection at the foot of the slope, take the left turn about 50m to reach the Dark Cave. The Dark Cave is larger than the Bright Cave, consisting of 7 chambers, with various high and low cave formations. Inside the cave, there is a jade well formed by cold water dripping from the cave ceiling. Fairies are worshiped in many alcoves within the cave.
The temple is one of the architectural features of the Bai Dinh Pagoda complex built against the mountain and overlooking the river. Inside the temple is the altar of Zen master Nguyen Minh Khong - the founder of Bai Dinh Pagoda. He was a renowned Zen master and spiritual teacher honored by the King as the National Teacher and revered by the people as the Holy Nguyen.
Legend has it that when he came here to find a medicinal plant to cure the illness called 'transforming tiger' for King Ly Than Tong, he discovered the beautiful caves. Therefore, he built a Buddha temple and a precious medicinal garden to treat the people. He was not only a famous doctor who prescribed medicines to help the people, but also revered as the master of the bronze casting profession.
To commemorate the merits of Zen master - physician Nguyen Minh Khong, the people carved a statue to worship on Bai Dinh Pagoda. The overall architecture of the temple follows the 'Before First, After Labor' style firmly. Inside, there are many ancient architectural features intricately carved, with lively flower patterns, robust dragon and unicorn figures.
Nestled at the foot of Bai Dinh Pagoda mountain, the Jade Well is likened to the pearl bestowed upon this place by the heavens. Legend has it that this is where Zen master Nguyen Minh Khong drew water to make medicine for King Ly Than Tong and the people.
The well is rebuilt in a crescent shape, with a diameter of 30m and a depth of 6m, and it never runs dry. The stone railing around the well's mouth forms a wide circle.
Looking down from above, the Jade Well stands out amidst the vast greenery covering the courtyard. The emerald green water is a highlight amidst the overall scenery of Bai Dinh Pagoda. This is also the temple well recorded as the largest in Vietnam.
7. What to eat when visiting Bai Dinh - Ninh Binh?
Ninh Binh mountain goat meat
The mountain goat meat from Ninh Binh is known for its firm texture, low fat, and aromatic flavor. It is believed that the rocky mountains in Ninh Binh provide ample space for goats to roam and graze, resulting in meat that is firmer and leaner than goats raised on hillsides. Moreover, Ninh Binh's unique landscape of limestone mountains surrounded by water fosters a variety of wild vegetables, herbs, and grasses suitable as feed for goats, contributing to the quality and delicious taste of goat meat.
To enhance the flavors of Ninh Binh goat meat dishes, various wild vegetables are often served as accompaniments. It pairs well with Kim Son wine or Nho Quan bamboo-leaf wine and is typically enjoyed with Ninh Binh crispy rice. Together, they create a harmonious culinary experience when indulging in this local specialty.
Ninh Binh crispy rice
Although not a traditional dish of Ninh Binh, crispy rice has been creatively invented by a native of the ancient capital and has been preserved to this day. It is a humble dish that showcases the ingenuity of the local people, becoming a specialty of the region.
So, finally, we have taken you on a tour around Bai Dinh. Hopefully, through this article, you will gain more useful and interesting knowledge. Wishing you all good health and much happiness in life!
Posted by: Nguyen Huong
Keywords: Exploring Bai Dinh - Ninh Binh tourism details from A to Z
