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Bai Dinh Pagoda is a spiritual place and the largest Buddhist complex in Southeast Asia. There are dozens of temples and over 500 Buddha statues, in different sizes and materials. It is one of the most impressive temples in Vietnam you can visit.
The impressive Tam Quan Gate (Three-entrance gate), is the official entrance of the Bai Ding Pagoda complex.
There are two main temples of the Bai Dinh complex having the same name, but are referred to as to Old Bai Dinh Pagoda and the New Bai Dinh Pagoda. The first one is situated on the slopes of the mountain. You can get there by walking up a stairs with 300 stone steps. The second temple is a tower with a great view over the stunning landscape in and around the temple complex, around 800 meter from the new pagoda.
In total, the complex comprises four temples: three of them representing past, present and future; the fourth is dedicated to the Goddess of Mercy. From the valley behind the magnificent entrance gate, two stairs (500 steps each) lead up to the temples. Along the stairs are hundreds of white alabaster statues: larger than life monuments of enlightened Buddhas. On the wall rest hundreds more golden Buddha figures in small niches.
In the heart of the complex is an oversized bell tower with the largest bell in Vietnam. At the top of the mountain is the main square, with the triple-roofed Phap Chu Pagoda. In it a 10 meter high bronze Buddha is worshiped.
The new Bai Dinh Pagoda is also famous for many large-scale items in. The largest bronze bell in Vietnam has a height of 5.5 m, a diameter of 3.5 m and has a volume of up to 36 tons. This copper bell is carved with many different ancient symbols and Chinese characters such as vivid dragon images.
Light Cave (Hang Sang) and Dark Cave (Dong Toi) are right at the first main temple after walking up the stairs. Both caves are small and full of statues of gods and Buddha. There are also a few other caves around the complex.
The Gieng Ngoc well is one of the oldest part of the complex. The well was built in the shape of the moon and is around 6 meter deep and 300 meters in diameter. It was the inexhaustible source for water.
Price: Free
Because the complex is so large, there are electric golf carts that drive around. It cost 30,000 VND per person to ride along.
Opening hours Bai Dinh Pagoda: daily from 7:00 AM to 6:00 PM.
From January to March in the spring, when the weather is warm and dry is the best time to visit Bai Dinh Trang An. This is also the time of Bai Dinh festival, on the sixth day of the Lunar New Year. There are ritual ceremonies, folk games you can participate in and traditional dance and music performances. However, this is also the peak tourist season, so it can get very crowded. So if you do not like this, it is better to visit Bai Dinh pagoda outside the tourist season.
Another way to skip the tourist crowds is to visit the pagoda in the early morning. Many people visit this place as part of a day trip from Hanoi, arriving here either later in the morning or in the afternoon.
Bai Dinh Pagoda is a temple complex located on the Bai Dinh mountain, 8 km from Hoa Lu ancient capital and 20 km from Ninh Binh city.
From Ninh Binh it is around 20 km to Bai Dinh. You can rent either motorbikes or bicycles. Cycling in Ninh Binh is very popular, as the area between the steep karst mountains are flat and there are many roads to the countryside. If you don’t want to bike or ride a motorbike/scooter, you take a taxi or go by tour.
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