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Bai Dinh Pagoda is a spiritual landmark located within the Bai Dinh - Trang An ecological tourism complex, with a history spanning over 1000 years intertwined with the land of many feudal dynasties from the Dinh, Pre-Le, to the Ly dynasty. Let's explore the experiences of visiting Bai Dinh Pagoda - the foremost spiritual landmark in Ninh Binh through the following article with Vntrip.vn.
Overview of Bai Dinh Pagoda (Photo: ST)
Comprehensive Guide to Visiting Bai Dinh Pagoda
Where is Bai Dinh Pagoda Located?
Bai Dinh Pagoda is a temple complex situated on Bai Dinh Mountain in Gia Sinh commune, Gia Vien district, 5km northwest of the ancient capital Hoa Lu, and 12km from Ninh Binh city. Bai Dinh Pagoda covers an area of 539 hectares, including 27 hectares for the ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda and 80 hectares for the new Bai Dinh Pagoda. Every year, it proudly welcomes thousands of pilgrims.
Path to the gate of the ancient temple (Photo: ST)
Best Time to Visit Bai Dinh Trang An
The period from January to March in the lunar calendar, when the weather is warm spring, is also the best time to visit Bai Dinh Trang An. You can combine sightseeing, temple worship, and participating in major festivals in both Trang An and Bai Dinh. However, this is also the peak festival tourism season, so visitors here are very crowded, causing overcrowding and congestion. Therefore, if you don't like crowds and noise, you can also visit Bai Dinh Pagoda at other times of the year.
Ticket Prices to Bai Dinh Pagoda
The Bai Dinh Pagoda complex is very spacious. If you are limited in time, you can take an electric car to the temple. The electric car ticket at Bai Dinh Pagoda is 30,000 VND per trip.
To explore the scenic Trang An, you will spend over 3 hours by boat. Typically, each boat can accommodate about 4 - 5 people. The boat ticket price is 150,000 VND per person. During the peak season, there are often many tourists coming here to visit, so there is usually overcrowding and congestion at ticketing points and boat docks. You need to be vigilant against theft and pickpocketing.
Introduction to Bai Dinh Pagoda
Looking at the overall architecture of Bai Dinh resembles a standard feature of ancient temple architecture in Vietnam, especially the inviting temple area with monumental structures. The main temple roof is extremely beautiful, consisting of 3 tiers with 12 curved roofs shaped like axe heads, covered with traditional tiled roofs. The steps are adorned with dragon-shaped stones in the style of the Ly dynasty, and the spacious stone yard overlooks the jade well.
The main hall consists of 3 tiers and 13 majestic roofs (Photo: ST)
The temple's three gates seen from the inside (Photo: ST)
Surrounding the corridor are rows of Arhat statues enclosing the temple's courtyard. Inside the temple are small gardens with green trees, the most planted tree being the Bodhi tree, which originated from temples in India. The space of Bai Dinh temple is extremely serene and cool, ideal for venerable monks and Buddhist followers to come for worship and meditation.
Refreshing greenery creating a soothing atmosphere (Photo: ST)
Places to visit around Bai Dinh Pagoda
When visiting Bai Dinh Pagoda, you can prioritize exploring some prominent spots with fascinating mythical stories.
Light caves, dark caves
After climbing 300 stone steps to the triple gate entrance, before turning into the gate, hurriedly glance to the side of the slope where there's a fork leading to the light cave and the dark cave. The light cave is a place of worship for Deities and Buddhas, true to its name, the cave is naturally illuminated, right outside the entrance stand statues of two imposing deities with stern expressions, deep inside is where the Buddha statue is placed. The cave is about 25m deep, 15m wide, and over 2m high, upon reaching the end of the cave, you'll come to the revered shrine of the High Mountain Deity.
Altar of Buddha inside the cave (photo collection)
On the dark cave side, a system of lighting creates a rather mystical scene, above are layers of stalactites formed by underground water streams. The steps of the path are vividly decorated with twisting dragon figures. In the middle, there's a natural water well regulating the air, giving visitors a refreshing feeling upon entering the cave. This place houses statues of Mother Deity and celestial beings, with many altar statues placed deep within the stone niches, each with their own worship items.
Shrine of the Holy Nguyen
Also from the intersection at the foot of the slope (towards the triple gate entrance), heading in leads to the Shrine of Saint Nguyen. The shrine is an architectural component of the Bai Dinh Pagoda complex built against the mountains and facing the river. Inside the shrine sits the statue honoring Zen master Nguyen Minh Khong. Once while climbing the mountain to seek medicinal herbs for the king, he accidentally discovered a beautiful cave, which led to the construction of a Buddha temple. He was not only a famous doctor who provided medical care to the people, but also revered as a master in the craft of bronze casting. For a long time, he diligently researched and studied the origins of the Dong Son civilization during ancient Vietnam, collecting ancient bronze artifacts with the aim of reviving the traditional bronze casting profession that had long been forgotten.
The Shrine of Saint Nguyen is where Zen master Nguyen Minh Khong is worshipped (photo collection)
In remembrance and appreciation of the contributions of Zen master - physician Nguyen Minh Khong, the people have erected a statue in his honor at Bai Dinh Pagoda. Additionally, he is also worshipped in many places throughout Ninh Binh province.
The overall architecture of the shrine follows the preeminence and posteriority style. The front part is designed in the shape of the word 'First', while the rear part is designed in the shape of the word 'Cong', creating a solid and harmonious traditional architectural form. Inside, there are many ancient architectural elements intricately carved, with vibrant floral patterns, and powerful dragon and lion figures.
Pearl Well
Legend has it that Zen master Nguyen Minh Khong used water from this well to make medicinal potions for the king and the people. Surrounding the stone railing is a large circular area, standing from the main hall overlooking the Pearl Well, which stands out amidst the vast greenery covering the Bai Dinh Pagoda complex. This is also the well recognized as the largest recorded well in Vietnam.
The well's water is as green as jade (Photo: ST)
Explore the largest bronze bell in Vietnam
Bai Dinh Pagoda is renowned for its numerous monumental constructions of large scale in the Southeast Asia region. The largest bronze bell in Vietnam stands at a towering height of 5.5 meters, with a diameter of 3.5 meters and weighing up to 36 tons. The bronze bell is intricately carved with ancient Chinese characters and adorned with vividly depicted dragons.
The largest bronze bell in Vietnam (Photo: ST)
The largest statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in Asia is solemnly enshrined in the Main Hall of Bai Dinh Pagoda, weighing a staggering 100 tons and standing at 9.5 meters tall. Standing before the statue, you'll feel overwhelmed by the grandeur and splendor of the colossal figure.
The longest Arhat corridor in Vietnam (Photo: ST)
The Records of Bai Dinh Pagoda
With its unique architecture and long history, Bai Dinh Pagoda has become a renowned ecotourism and spiritual destination in the North, particularly in Ninh Binh. Bai Dinh Pagoda holds 8 records in Vietnam and Asia, such as the largest bronze bell in Vietnam, the tallest and heaviest statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in Asia, the largest set of bronze statues of the Three Refuges with gold-plating in Vietnam, the largest bronze statue of Maitreya Buddha in Southeast Asia, the pagoda with the largest Arhat corridor in Vietnam, and the pagoda with the most bodhi trees in Vietnam...
Things to Note When Visiting Bai Dinh Trang An
- It's advisable to wear comfortable sports shoes instead of high heels or ballet flats to protect your feet and facilitate movement as there will be a lot of mountain climbing and temple visits. Choose appropriate attire when entering the pagoda; wear comfortable clothes, avoid tight-fitting garments, and non-breathable fabrics.
- There are many souvenir shops and attractive local specialties at Bai Dinh Pagoda. However, prices on the mountain are much higher than outside. Therefore, if you want to buy local specialties as gifts, it's better to go down the mountain to find cheaper prices.
- During the early spring, there may be light drizzles, so it's advisable to bring a small foldable umbrella as a precaution.
- Remember to bring small change when visiting the pagoda and making donations. Avoid placing money on Buddha statues, which may disrupt the aesthetic of the pagoda. Instead, place your donations in the designated charity boxes.
Above are all the tips for visiting Bai Dinh Pagoda that VNtrip.vn has compiled. We wish you a meaningful pilgrimage here.
