Ha Long to Yen Tu Mountain and Uong Bi: Private day trip

In Buddhism’s long history in Vietnam, few locations are held in the same regard as Yen Tu Mountain. In 1299, King Tran Nhan Tong abandoned his royal palace to lead the life of an ascetic, founding the Truc Lam Zen sect, and earning himself the title of the “Buddhist King”. Over the centuries, a number of shrines, temples, and pagodas were erected on the mountaintop, making it both a spiritual and cultural center. Pilgrims will take the several-hour hike up the mountain, which has some fantastic sights along the way, including the serene Hue Quang Tower Garden, and 11th century Hoa Yen Pagoda. Laymen, however, will want to take the cable-car, which provides fantastic views on the way up, and makes it easy to access the amazing 15th century, cast-copper Dong Pagoda, and statue of King Tran Nhan Tong - the largest copper statue in Vietnam.