Top 14 Must-See Tourist Destinations in Hai Duong

The Chu Van An Temple is located on Phuong Hoang Mountain in Chi Linh District, a place dedicated to the revered teacher whose legacy has endured through the ages. This picturesque site is surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty, with towering mountains, serene pine forests, and clear rushing streams. To reach the temple, visitors must climb over 100 stone steps, leading to the shrine situated on an elevated and sacred plot of land. The temple's architecture follows the 'Nhị' style, reminiscent of the Nguyen Dynasty, with two tiers and eight roofs.

The Chu Van An Temple is a popular spiritual and educational destination for many visitors, including educators, students, and travelers from all over the country. Those who visit the temple often bring offerings of food and books, hoping for good fortune in their careers, exams, and academic pursuits.

Located around 600 meters from the temple is the tomb of Chu Van An. According to legend, the tomb lies at the head of a Phoenix, symbolizing the pinnacle of justice and virtue. About 50 meters west of the tomb is a small well, and visitors often drink from its waters, believing it to carry the sacred energy of the land, which enhances their own spiritual well-being.

The Kinh Chu Cave, also known as the Duong Nham Cave, is located on the southern slopes of Duong Nham Mountain in Kinh Mon District, Hai Duong Province. This magnificent cave is considered one of the six most beautiful caves in Vietnam, offering breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape. Standing 20 meters above the rice fields at the base of the mountain, the cave remains cool in the summer and warm in the winter, making it an ideal destination for visitors seeking an experience that feels like standing in mid-air, gazing down below.

The Kinh Chu Cave is nestled on the side of the limestone mountain range called Duong Nham, Bo Da, or Xuyen Chau. This mountain range overlooks the Kinh Thay River, with its graceful slopes reflecting in the water below. The cave's entrance faces south, where it catches the refreshing summer breeze. From here, visitors can enjoy views of the towering Choi Troi Mountain and the iconic Pen Tower, as well as the An Phu Peak with its Trần Liễu Temple and Cao Pagoda. The fertile fields, rural villages, and the bustling town of Kinh Mon lie in the distance.

Inside the cave, visitors are often amazed by nature's craftsmanship, which has shaped two bell-shaped caverns with high, soaring arches. Deep within, there is a crystal-clear stream, cool to the touch, whose exact source remains a mystery. This cave was once home to a colony of thousands of bats, whose wings would beat noisily in the twilight as they flew out in search of food. The cave also served as a shelter for the Hai Phong shipbuilding factory during the Vietnam War. Inside the cave is a temple dedicated to the Buddha and King Ly Than Tong. A branch of the cave, facing west and situated at a lower elevation, leads visitors to the sacred Mẫu Tam Phủ shrine.

The Tran Temple, also known as the Quan Lon Tuan Tran Temple, is located in Tran Xuyen village, Dong Tam commune, Ninh Giang district. The temple is closely associated with the legend of Quan Lon Tuan Tran, a former magistrate of Ninh Giang. According to the tale, two fierce snakes would often cause trouble for the local villagers at the Tran River dock. One day, they kidnapped the beautiful wife of the magistrate. In response, the magistrate filed a complaint with Long Vuong, the ruler of oceans and rivers. The snakes were defeated and had to move their entire clan away, bringing peace to the river. Grateful for the magistrate's actions, the villagers built a temple in his honor, worshiping him as the protector of the river, ensuring safe travels for boats and traders.

The Tran Temple was built on the site of an ancient shrine dating back to the Hung Kings period, originally known as the Tranh Giang Dai Vuong Temple, located by the Tran River dock near Ninh Giang town. During the Nguyen Dynasty (19th century), the temple was expanded with elaborate carvings and the majestic statue of Quan Lon Tuan Tran. Due to frequent riverbank erosion, a new temple was constructed in 1935 at Tran Xuyen village (now part of Ninh Giang town). In the 1940s, the temple was further renovated with a larger structure and additional halls. In the 1960s, the temple was moved northward, approximately 300 meters from its original location, now situated in Tran Xuyen village, Dong Tam commune, Ninh Giang district.

The Mao Dien Literature Temple is one of the few remaining literature temples in Vietnam, with a long history and impressive scale, second only to the Temple of Literature in Hanoi. Located in Cam Dien commune, Cam Giang district, Hai Duong province, the temple was built as a magnificent cultural structure with a vast courtyard and intricate carvings. The Mao Dien Literature Temple is an ideal destination for those who appreciate history, culture, and wish to learn about the deep-rooted traditions of Confucianism in Vietnamese society.

This temple is dedicated to Confucius and eight of Vietnam's greatest Confucian scholars: Nguyen Trai, Nguyen Binh Khiem, Chu Van An, Mac Dinh Chi, Vu Huu, Nguyen Thi Due, Pham Su Manh, and Tue Tinh. Visitors to the temple can explore the rich history and culture of Vietnam, learning about the lives and legacies of these outstanding scholars, deepening their own knowledge in the process. The Mao Dien Literature Temple is not only a unique architectural marvel but also holds immense historical and cultural value. It stands as a testament to Vietnam's long-standing respect for learning, teaching, and scholarly achievement. Despite the challenges of history, the Mao Dien Literature Temple has preserved its significance and continues to attract visitors from both within Vietnam and abroad.

The Root Flower Field is located about 70 km from Hanoi, at the foot of Con Son Mountain, just over 1 km from the Con Son historical site. The lush green roots sway gracefully in the breeze, creating an inviting sight that makes you want to remove your shoes and walk barefoot across the beautiful, wave-like field. The scent of the plant is especially captivating—a subtle, herbal aroma that lingers lightly in the air. As you walk, a sudden gust of wind brings a refreshing, delicate fragrance from the roots.

The green, vibrant roots dancing in the wind create an almost hypnotic effect. Even after the harvest, the bare tree stumps standing along the path still exude a rustic charm. Known locally as the 'Thanh Hao' plant, these roots are commonly used for making brooms, which are often employed by villagers to sweep rice fields or clean up rice husks. The pleasant scent of the roots also has medicinal properties—locals burn the dried root brooms and inhale the fragrance to cure stomach ailments. If you're ever in the area, don't miss the opportunity to visit the Root Flower Field and enjoy its natural beauty and healing qualities.

If you're looking for a place to take a leisurely stroll and have fun in Hải Dương, Bạch Đằng Park is the perfect destination. Often referred to as the city's green lung, this park attracts both locals and tourists who come to relax and unwind every day.

Bạch Đằng Park is famous for its vast, serene Bạch Đằng Lake. The crystal-clear, calm water is surrounded by weeping willows that gently sway in the breeze, creating a romantic and peaceful atmosphere. Visitors can take a walk along the lake's edge, enjoy the fresh, cool air, or participate in various recreational activities like paddle boating and rowing.

The park also boasts spacious, open areas filled with towering trees. Under the shade of these trees, guests can rest, relax, or engage in physical activities like jogging or yoga.

Moreover, Bạch Đằng Park features numerous entertainment areas for children, fitness zones, and event spaces, ensuring there’s something for everyone to enjoy.

Bạch Đằng Park is the ideal spot for those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and seek a peaceful green space to relax. Especially on weekends, the park comes alive with vibrant activities and events, making it even more lively and exciting.

The sunflower garden is located in the western urban area, in the Trường Thịnh sub-zone, along Trường Chinh street, Tan Binh ward, Hải Dương City. This plot of land has been designated by the city for the purpose of planting flowers and greenery to enhance the city's landscape. After more than two months of planting, the vibrant yellow sunflowers have now fully bloomed, creating a beautiful sight.

The garden spans over an area of more than one hectare and is owned by Mr. Hoàng Văn Hạnh. The garden primarily grows chrysanthemums and sunflowers. Initially, Mr. Hạnh's family cultivated the flowers for sale, but as more and more visitors came to admire the flowers and take photos, he decided to open the garden to the public for tours and photography. This spot has become a popular 'selfie' paradise for the younger generation. The sunflower field is not only an ideal location for relaxation and photography but also serves as a hands-on learning experience for schoolchildren to explore nature and discover different types of flowers. With its stunning beauty and strong appeal, the sunflower garden is sure to become a must-visit destination for travelers in Hải Dương.

When visiting Chu Đậu, visitors will have the opportunity to explore various forms of cultural tourism, including archaeological research, village craft tourism, and the ancient art of pottery-making. One of the highlights is the chance to actively participate in the pottery production process, from shaping and decorating to signing the pieces. You can also enjoy the serene, peaceful natural landscape of a village in the Red River Delta.

Experts highly appreciate the quality of Chu Đậu ceramics for their form, glaze, and intricate patterns. The pottery is made with precision, showcasing a wide range of techniques such as painting, carving, and molding, all of which reflect the harmony, elegance, and delicacy of the craft. The designs often depict the beauty of nature and daily life in the Red River Delta, such as scenes of cattle herding, birds perched on branches, fish swimming, and thatched houses by the river. The craftsmanship is advanced, using methods such as wheel-throwing, shaping, assembling, and finishing the products. The ceramics are made using high-quality glazes like white-blue, jade, and tri-color. If you ever visit Hải Dương, be sure to stop by the Chu Đậu Ceramic Village to learn more about the people and their ceramic creations.

Located about 80km northeast of Hanoi, Red Maple Forest lies on Tam Ban Mountain, within the grounds of Thanh Mai Pagoda, in Hoàng Hoa Thám, Chí Linh, Hải Dương. This forest is one of the five largest red maple forests in Vietnam. However, simply visiting during the cold season doesn't guarantee you'll witness the striking red leaves. Typically, the best time to view the vibrant foliage is late December to early January, though this can extend until the end of January, depending on weather conditions.

As you venture deeper into the red maple forest, the paths are covered by a carpet of red and yellow maple leaves. The maple trees of Thanh Mai Pagoda don't all turn bright red like those in colder regions, but the mix of green, red, and yellow leaves creates a unique and enchanting beauty. The forest also carries a subtle fragrance, similar to incense, wafting through the air. The monk at Thanh Mai Pagoda shares that not only the trunks but also the sap from the maple trees has a distinctive scent, which is distilled into syrup with medicinal properties.

Hải Dương Museum spans over 8,000 square meters, featuring a main exhibition hall, a ceramic display hall, and an outdoor exhibition area showcasing a wide range of well-organized and captivating artifacts. The museum houses nearly 50,000 items that reflect the history and development of Hải Dương’s people and land throughout Vietnam’s national history.

The museum has both indoor and outdoor exhibits. The indoor section follows a chronological order, displaying themes such as natural geography, administration, and cultural history artifacts. The outdoor section showcases the 19th-century home of scholar Nguyễn Quý Tân, as well as collections of ancient tombs, including boat tombs, wooden coffins, vaulted tombs, composite tombs, and various grave goods. One notable feature is the collection of cannons dating back to the 13th year of Emperor Minh Mệnh's reign (1832).

The museum also preserves over 42,000 artifacts, including a significant collection of ancient coins, as well as the Hữu Chung bronze drum, considered one of the most beautiful of its kind in Vietnam. Of particular interest is the Chu Đậu pottery collection, which highlights one of the largest ceramic production centers of the 15th–17th centuries, known for its scholarly ceramics. The ceramic exhibition hall at the museum was inaugurated in 2010.

Hải Dương Museum holds a rank of II within the Vietnamese museum system and is recognized as one of the two provincial research museums in the country, offering a comprehensive range of activities. It plays a crucial role in educating the people of Hải Dương, preserving cultural heritage, promoting the province's image, and contributing to the region’s socio-economic and cultural development in the age of globalization.

The art of wood carving in Đông Giao has a history spanning over 300 years. In the past, artisans from Đông Giao were renowned for crafting religious artifacts. Additionally, their skilled hands left marks on many famous architectural works across the country. More than just a famous wood carving village, Đông Giao is also a rural area rich in cultural traditions and history.

Today, in Đông Giao, along with modern buildings reflecting the times, one can still find ancient historical sites such as temples, pagodas, and shrines that have been preserved and restored. The Đông Giao communal house, built in the fourth year of the Vĩnh Hựu reign (1738), stands as a testament to the village’s rich cultural heritage. Just outside its entrance, a large stone stele, erected in 1738, records the history of the communal house's construction and honors the contributors. Inside the main hall, the altar is flanked by two magnificent horse-dragons, nearly life-sized, carved by Đông Giao artisans in the late 19th century. These intricate carvings showcase the exceptional skill of the village's craftsmen. On either side of the altar, there are two scroll-shaped decorations from the 19th century. To the left of the altar is a shrine to the village's patron, Vũ Xuân Ngôn, who was honored as the patron saint of wood carving in the village in 1992, with a statue erected in his honor at the communal house.

The Côn Sơn - Kiếp Bạc complex is a nationally significant heritage site, attracting countless visitors each year with its breathtaking landscapes. This historic area is deeply tied to the glorious victories of the Trần Dynasty, who triumphed over the Mongol invasions in the 13th century, and the ten-year resistance of the Lam Sơn insurgents against the Ming forces in the 15th century.

Côn Sơn is a sacred land, closely associated with the renowned scholar Nguyễn Trãi. Visitors to Côn Sơn can marvel at the majestic mountains and the serene beauty of the streams winding through the hills. When climbing to the summit, you’ll find a stone resembling a celestial chessboard, with clouds surrounding the mountaintop, giving you a sense of touching the sky. If you’re in Hải Dương, Côn Sơn is a must-see stop on your journey.

Kiếp Bạc Temple, located about 5 kilometers from Côn Sơn, is dedicated to General Trần Quốc Tuấn, also known as Hưng Đạo Đại Vương. The name 'Kiếp Bạc' comes from the temple’s location in a valley between the villages of Vạn Yên (Kiếp) and Dược Sơn (Bạc). Kiếp Bạc Temple boasts a prime location overlooking the Thương River, with the imposing Rồng Mountain behind it, and North Star Mountain and South Tào Mountain flanking it. The temple complex includes the Tam Quan Gate, the Ngọc Well, the halls dedicated to Hưng Đạo Vương, Phạm Ngũ Lão, Princess Thiên Thành (wife of Hưng Đạo Vương), and his two daughters, as well as seven valuable bronze statues with deep cultural and spiritual significance.

The Chi Lăng Nam Bird Sanctuary spans 31,673 hectares and serves as a haven for a variety of bird species, including storks, herons, and waterfowl. Within the An Dương Lake, it is also home to rare fish species such as carp, catfish, snakehead, bass, and eel, along with various crustaceans and aquatic plants. Currently, the sanctuary houses around 16,000 storks and 6,000 herons. Every year, as the autumn winds begin to blow in September, thousands of storks, herons, and other migratory birds return to the sanctuary, staying until April the following year.

This sanctuary is home to six species of storks, including the white stork, the black-necked stork, the little egret, the heron, the great egret, and the pond heron, with the pond heron being the most numerous. In addition to storks, it is also a refuge for various herons and birds like the gray heron, kingfisher, fishing owl, and other wild species. For this reason, it has long been a popular destination for field trips and research studies by local schools.

The Chi Lăng Nam Bird Island is now part of a planned eco-tourism area, aiming to attract visitors with its natural beauty. Early mornings and late afternoons are the best times to visit, when you can witness thousands of white storks soaring over the waters of An Dương Lake. The most stunning view occurs at sunset, as the golden light reflects on the lake’s surface, and the storks return to their nests, creating a picturesque scene. Visitors can also enjoy a peaceful and rustic atmosphere, cruising along the lake in a small boat as the calls of the birds echo across the wild landscape, fostering a deeper appreciation for nature's beauty.

Located in Sao Đỏ, Chí Linh, the Chi Linh Golf Course is renowned as the 'star-studded golf course' of the region, covering an expansive 325 hectares. Set in a picturesque valley surrounded by rolling hills and lush forests, the course is complemented by a large lake and winding streams. Even if you're not an avid golfer, a visit to Chi Linh Golf Course promises a memorable experience with its breathtaking natural scenery, offering a perfect backdrop for creating lasting memories with friends.

The course was built with the motto 'The best place to play golf' in mind. It features the latest state-of-the-art technologies and top-quality materials. For instance, high-quality Turf grass, specially imported from Australia, covers the fairways, and a RainBird irrigation system from the USA is used for efficient watering. The course's maintenance equipment is from Toro, also a leading brand in the golf industry. Designed and constructed by IGCS, an Australian company, the course meets international professional standards while preserving and enhancing the area's natural beauty.