Bai Dinh Pagoda

Only 10 km to the west of Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, Bai Dinh Pagoda is the largest and most famous pagoda in Ninh Binh. The pagoda spans over 539 hectares, with its back lying on Dinh Mountain. It holds many outstanding national and international records that no other pagoda in Vietnam has broken until now, such as the largest bronze bell in Vietnam, the tallest and heaviest Buddha Shakyamuni statue in Asia, and so on.

Little do travelers know that the original Bai Dinh was built more than 1000 years ago. It wasn’t until 2003 that people decided to rebuild and expand Bai Dinh Pagoda and make it one of the biggest pagodas, not just in Vietnam but in Southeast Asia.

History

Bai Dinh Pagoda was built 1,000 years ago, during the reigns of the Đinh, Early Le, and Ly dynasties. At that time, Vietnam’s devotion to Buddhism led to the construction of numerous temples and pagodas, including the Old Bai Dinh Pagoda. “Bai” signifies prayer, while “Dinh” refers to the name of the mountain on which it stood. Since then, the pagoda has stood still through many ups and downs in the country, becoming an important ritual place for locals in Ninh Binh.

By 2003, Bai Dinh Pagoda expansion plan was officially started by Xuan Truong, a local group. Now, the plan is complete, and what we have today is a massive complex of New Bai Dinh Pagoda. 

Getting there 

From Hanoi, there’re various ways to get to Bai Dinh Pagoda. Most people choose to do a daily tour, which will cover Bai Dinh. These tours not just cover Bai Dinh, but also others attractions of Ninh Binh such as Mua Cave or Tam Coc boat rides.

If you’d like to travel on your own, it’s better to take a limousine like Duy Khang. These limousine will depart every 1 hour from Hanoi and drop you off in Ninh Binh. The cost is about 250,000vnd (10USD) per person per way. If you have experiences and driver license, you could also travel by motorbike by follow this route. However, keep in mind that driving in Vietnam is never easy.

Good to know

Bai Dinh Pagoda opens from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. every day. There’s no entrance fee, but you might have to pay 50,000 vnd per person if you’d like to visit the stupa. Besides, the distance from the gate to the Bai Dinh Pagoda center is about 3.5 km, so if you’re not in the mood for walking, there’s an electric car service for 30,000 vnd per person/way. 

Best time to visit

For the best weather, visit Bai Dinh Pagoda from January to March. This is spring in Ninh Binh, with a little bit of sunny weather (temperatures ranging from 25 to 27 degrees Celsius), fresh air, and little rain. Additionally, this time holds the biggest festival of the pagoda, – Bai Dinh festival.

Notes: Spring is the peak tourist season in Ninh Binh, and Bai Dinh Pagoda is often overloaded. Therefore, if you are not fond of crowds, it is better for you to visit early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

Besides, from October to December is also another suitable time to travel to Bai Dinh. During this period, the weather is autumnal, not too sunny, with cool and slightly chilly air. The average temperature is only 28°C.

Highlights

Bai Dinh Stupa

Bai Dinh Stupa, located on the east side of the pagoda, is 100 meters tall and consists of 13 storeys (representing 13 Buddhist lives). This is Asia’s tallest stupa and a place to worship a portion of Shakyamuni Buddha’s relics (ashes). The exterior of the stupa is covered with red bricks, with each side featuring a Buddha statue and many meticulously carved details. Inside the Stupa is a large gold-plated Buddha statue, sitting majestically.

Ride the elevator to the 12th floor, you can enjoy an entire panoramic view of the Bai Dinh Pagoda complex. Above you now, the 13th floor, the highest floor of the stupa, is where the relics (ashes) of Shakyamuni Buddha are enshrined.

Bell Tower

The Bell Tower is located just after the entrance (the Three Doors). It is designed in a 3-tiered octagonal shape, inspired by the form of a lotus flower.  It housed the largest bronze bell (Dai Hong Chung) and bronze drum in Vietnam.

The bell weighs 36 tons and stands 5.5 meters tall. It was cast by a craftsman from Hue and is only rung at important events: the temple’s opening festival, Buddha’s birthday, etc., with its sound reaching nearly 10 kilometers. Right beneath the large bronze bell is a 70-ton bronze drum. On the surface of the drum carved a bright sun in the center, together with images of the daily lives of Vietnamese, signifying “harmony between yin and yang” in Buddhism. 

The Bell Tower also offers a wonderful view of Bai Dinh Pagoda. 

Arhat Corridors

The Arhat Corridors, with a total length of 1,700 meters, run from the entrance to Bai Dinh Pagoda’s Main Hall and represent the journey to becoming Budhha. Both sides of the corridors are home to 700 statues of Arhat Buddha. Made of green stone, each Arhat statue weighs between 2 and 4 tons and depicts human life with a different expression.

This is also the longest Arhat Corridor in Asia. 

Note: You are not allowed to touch the Arhat statues.

Old Bai Dinh Pagoda

Often outfame by the new-shining pagoda, not many travelers know that there’s an Old Bai Dinh hidden behind the southern part of the complex. 

To visit the Old Bai Dinh Complex, you’ll have to climb 300 stone steps. At the top of the climb, you will reach a fork. To the right is the Bright Cave, which enshrines Buddha and deities, and to the left is the Dark Grotto, which honors the Mother Goddess and Immortals. 

Looking around, there are various attractions scattered along the mountain, such as the Jade Well (Gieng Ngoc), the Temple of Saint Nguyen, and the Temple of Cao Son.

Dress code and packing

As a way of showing respect to the pagoda, we recommend wearing long clothes that are not too tight or revealing. Besides, since Bai Dinh Pagoda is very large (539 hectares), it might take you up to 4.5 hours to visit the entire area. Prepare for a long walk with sporty shoes and clothes.

Nearby hotel

Bai Dinh Hotel is located right within the Bai Dinh pagoda and consists of 55 rooms designed in the style of Vietnam’s pagoda. One of this property’s signatures is vegetarian food in Buddhist style. Daily, you could enjoy the sound of the bell resonating from the Bell Tower. 

Another luxury option to consider is Bai Dinh Garden Resort. Living up to its name, the resort lies among the mountains and the beautiful scenery of Ninh Binh. You could find anything you need for a relaxing stay, from an outdoor pool to gyms, an excellent Vietnamese restaurant, and a spa.