Hanoi to Bich Dong Pagoda and Bai Dinh Pagoda: Day trip

The Bich Dong Pagoda was founded in 1705 by two monks who were smitten by the beauty of the natural landscape. The series of three temples were built as Vietnam was transitioning from the Le Dynasty to the Nguyen Dynasty and still followed a traditional Oriental style using wood and tile. From the lotus-covered river, visitors first reach the Ha Temple, a traditional Buddhist temple filled with incense and statues. 100 stone stairs away is the Trung temple, which has a similar facade to the Ha Temple, except the temple interior is a cave. To reach the final temple, visitors first have to pass through the Dark Cave where you’ll find a bell from 1707, before reaching the mountain-top Thuong Temple with its Quan Am Bo Tat shrine and breathtaking panoramic views of the lush landscape.

The Bai Dinh Pagoda is not, one, but two adjacent temple complexes with the same name. The first is the so-called ‘old temple’, located on the slopes of Dinh Mountain. This quiet forest shrine is located in a series of small caves, where the faithful come to both Buddha and mountain spirits like Saint Nguyen and Genie Cao Son. Just under a kilometer away is the ‘New Temple’, a 700 hectare complex of traditional-style buildings built using materials sourced from local villages. Within the many shrines, temples, and pagodas, are over 500 intricately carved Buddha statues are housed, including a 10-meter-tall behemoth. The temple hosts various activities throughout the year, the largest being on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year when there are ritual processions, blessing ceremonies, traditional music, dancing performances, and folk games. If you’d like to stretch your legs a bit more, add time to explore the nearby limestone grottoes and Ba Chua Thuong Ngan forest.