Bai Dinh Pagoda Ninh Binh – Biggest Pagoda In Vietnam

Introduction

Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh province is one of the most famous Buddhist temples in Vietnam that play a crucial role in Buddhism. With its impressive scale and intricate architecture, the Bai Dinh Pagoda is a religious site that attracts millions of visitors from all over the world.

Let’s learn deeper about what makes Bai Dinh Pagoda Ninh Binh special and why it should be on your must-visit list. You may be interested in our Hoa Lu- Mua Cave- Tam Coc Tour 1 Day, or other Ninh Binh tours to explore the Bai Dinh pagoda.

Where Is Bai Dinh Pagoda Complex

Bai Dinh Pagoda complex is situated in Bai Dinh mountain, Gia Sinh commune, Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh province, about 95km south of Hanoi. The pagoda complex is nestled in a serene valley surrounded by stunning limestone mountains and lush green forests.

Moreover, Bai Dinh Ninh Binh Pagoda is a cultural and spiritual tourist area in the north of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex. It is the first and only dual-world heritage site in Southeast Asia. The pagoda is about 7km from Hoa Lu ancient capital and 15km from Ninh Binh city.

How To Get To The Bai Dinh Pagoda?

You can choose a car, train, or motorbike as a means of transportation. For those who depart to Ninh Binh from Hanoi, then you can also choose a bus to save some travel costs. As for you in the South or Central, then bus, and train are the most appropriate options.

If you transfer by airplane from Danang Airport or other airports in the south of Vietnam, you can only go to Noi Bai Airport since Ninh Binh doesn’t have an airport. After that, from Noi Bai international airport to Ninh Binh by car rentals, taxi, etc.

For the best convenience and save time, you should book our Hanoi To Ninh Binh Private Car, or Hanoi To Ninh Binh Limousine. You may be interested in our Hanoi to Sapa Private Car, Hanoi to Hai Phong Private Car, and Hanoi to Halong Bay Private Car.

Bai Dinh Pagoda Entrance Fee & Opening Hours

You do not need to pay an entrance fee when visiting the Bai Dinh Ninh Binh. However, the overall pagoda area is extremely large, so you need to rent an electric car if you are traveling with young children or elderly people.

The Bai Dinh Pagoda entry fee:

• Bai Dinh pagoda electric car ticket per person: One-way ticket price is 30,000 VND and 60,000 VND for two ways tickets, and free for children under 1m.
• Tickets to visit the Bao Thien Stupa: 50,000 VND/person
• Tour guide ticket price: 300,000 VND/tour applied for the new Bai Dinh pagoda area; 500,000 VND/tour for the new and ancient pagoda areas.

When is Bai Dinh Pagoda open? Bai Dinh Pagoda opening hours: 6:00 am – 10:00 pm daily.

Why is it called Bai Dinh Pagoda? Bai means to worship and Dinh means peak. Thus, Bai Dinh means worshiping heaven and earth, the Buddha, and deities on a high mountain.

Bai Dinh Pagoda History

More than 1000 years ago, the land of Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh became the capital of three successive King dynasties: Dinh, Tien Le, and Ly.

All three of these feudal dynasties were interested in Buddhism and considered it the National religion. Therefore, there are many ancient pagodas in Ninh Binh, the most prominent of which is Bai Dinh Pagoda.

Therefore, the Bai Dinh ancient pagoda bears the architectural style of the Ly dynasty. Moreover, it was built in the style of cave pagoda architecture, which is popular with other ancient pagodas in Ninh Binh.

Bai Dinh Pagoda was built during the Ly Dynasty around 1136. The pagoda is associated with an anecdote about a famous Zen master, Ly Dynasty, Nguyen Minh Khong, who laid the foundation to build and open this Buddhist land.

Legend has it that, on the way to find a cure for the Ly Dynasty Emperor – Duong Hoan, Zen master Nguyen Minh Khong accidentally discovered two beautiful caves located on the top of the mountain.

Therefore, after treating the Duong Hoan emperor (Ly Than Tong), the emperor bestowed the name Ly Quoc Su (National monk). However, he refused and asked to come here to build a temple to worship Buddha to give thanks to Heaven and Earth.

In addition, during the resistance war against France – Japan, this mountainous area belonged to the Quynh Luu war zone. Thus, this was an important revolutionary base in the North. 

In 1997, the ancient Bai Dinh pagoda was recognized as a national historical-cultural- revolutionary relic.

In the early years of the 21st century, Bai Dinh became more and more known when the construction of the largest Buddhist project in Southeast Asia began. The new Bai Dinh Pagoda area was built in 2003.

What To See At The Bai Dinh Pagoda Ninh Binh

The Bai Dinh pagoda has a history of more than 1000 years. Not only has the unique ancient architecture, but the temple also has an important meaning in the history of Buddhism in Vietnam.

Bai Dinh pagoda complex currently has an area of 1700 hectares with the ancient Bai Dinh temple area (27 hectares) and the new Bai Dinh Pagoda area (80 hectares). Besides, there are areas such as Dam Thi Lake area, Release Lake, Buddhist Cultural Park, etc.

You can see the Bai Dinh pagoda map below:

Bai Dinh Ancient Pagoda Area

The ancient Bai Dinh pagoda is located about 800 meters south of Tam The main hall of the new pagoda area. This pagoda area faces the west, nestled behind Bai Dinh Mountain. 

Additionally, the old Bai Dinh pagoda was built in Sinh Duoc cave, this is the harmonious attachment between man and nature. Hence, it creates an idyllic, pure setting in the middle of the green forest.

Moreover, this area consists of a small front house in the middle, and turning to the right is a light cave to worship Buddha. Next, the temple of Cao Son deity is at the end of the back entrance of the morning cave. Turn to the left is the temple of Saint Nguyen and then to the dark cave.

Tam Quan Gate

According to the ancient Vietnamese concept, the Tam Quan gates will be the “Three Gates of Liberation”. That signifies that when people fully comprehend the significance of these three gates, they can get rid of the greed, ill will, and misery of life to find peace in life.

In the middle of the gate of the three-way gate, there are four words “Minh Dinh Danh Lam”. These are four words dedicated by Emperor Le Thanh Tong (1460-1496) and a quatrain in Chinese characters.

Those 4 words implied meaning that this is a very beautiful and valuable Buddhist temple. It is worthy of being inscribed in the inscription on the top of the bronze for everyone to know.

Importantly, you must ascend 300 stone steps via the Tam Quan gate in the heart of Bai Dinh Mountain to reach the pagoda and caverns. Uphill is the junction: on the right is the light cave worshiping Buddhas and deities; and on the left is the dark cave worshiping the mother goddesses and the fairies.

The Light Cave And The Dark Cave

There are also 4 characters “Minh Dinh Danh Lam” carved above the Light cave’s entrance that Le Thanh Tong emperor gave. That phrase means “Save the name of the beautiful scenery”.

Besides, Buddha Cave, also known as Sang Cave, is about 25m long, 15m wide, and 2m high. In front of the cave are two Dharmapalas: a Dharma protector Khuyen Thien and a wrathful deity. 

Inside the middle of the cave is the main altar of the Three Jewels, which worships three statues representing three times: Past, Present, and Future.

All statues here are cast in solid bronze and plated with gold. It can be said that the space here is both sacred and pure, where Buddhists and sentient beings most clearly feel the holiness of the Buddha realm.

The Dark Cave is bigger than Light Cave, including 7 small interconnected caves. There are caves at the top, there are caves at the bottom deep. In the middle of the Dark cave, stalactites are hanging down like a pillar that looks very beautiful.

Prominently, the Dark Cave worships three Mother Goddess statues placed side by side. This custom of worshiping the Mother Goddesses is indigenous to Vietnamese people.

The mother goddess of Heaven (Lieu Hanh mother goddess) with red cloth, represents heaven and earth. Furthermore, she is one of the four most important saints (four immortals) of Vietnamese beliefs.

Next, the Mother Goddess of Mountains and Forests has green clothing, symbolizing the mountains and forests. The mother goddess of Water has white clothing, symbolizing water.

Inside the dark cave, there is a small pond called Fairy pond formed naturally. Water drips down from the ceiling of the cave all year round, so the Tien pond never runs out of water.

Cao Son Deity Temple

Going to the end of the Light cave will lead to a valley with lush green trees and stone steps to the temple of Cao Son deity. The temple was built with its back to the mountain, which is the place to worship the god who ruled the Vu Lam mountain region in the south of Hoa Lu ancient capital.

Legend has it that Cao Son Dai Vuong was Lac General Vu Lam, the 17th son of King Lac Long Quan. He taught and helped people make a living, so the locals built a temple for him.

Besides, there is also a medicinal garden called Sinh Duoc, which means living medicinal garden, a natural medicinal garden. It has an area of ​​about 4 hectares and contains precious medicinal plants such as ginseng.

Nguyen Saint Temple

This is the place to worship Zen Master Nguyen Minh Khong, the founder of the ancient Bai Dinh pagoda. He was conferred a national monk by the emperor and was worshiped by the people as Saint Nguyen.

Daily, the monk gathers and restores bronze casting, which is the pinnacle of Dong Son civilisation, an old Vietnamese civilization. Therefore, he became the ancestor of Vietnamese bronze casting.

Gia Sinh Pearl Well

The pearl well of the Bai Dinh ancient temple is located near the foot of Bai Dinh mountain. Legend has it that this is where Zen master Nguyen Minh Khong took water to make medicine for the people and emperor Ly Than Tong.

Ngoc well has a very wide circle with a diameter of 30m, a depth of 10m, and a water level of 6-7m. Plus, the mouth of the well is built with a stone railing. Besides, the square land around the well has an area of 6000m2.

In addition, surrounded by 4 octagonal pavilions and the well water is jade green. Most importantly, the natural water source has never dried up even though it is located on high terrain.

Bai Dinh New Pagoda Area

The Records Of Bai Dinh New Pagoda

Bai Dinh Pagoda is always mentioned by the world press as a temple of records. As of 6/6/2009, the temple has six recognized records. On February 28, 2012, the pagoda had two more Asian records. The records of Bai Dinh pagoda that have been established include:

1. Bai Dinh Pagoda has the largest inlaid gold Shakyamuni Buddha statue in Asia. The statue is 9.5m high and weighs 100 tons in the Buddha Dharma Lord temple.

2. The largest bronze Maitreya Buddha statue in Southeast Asia is 10m high and weighs 100 tons.

3. The tallest stupa in Asia: Bao Thien stupa has 13 floors and is 100m high.

4. The largest pagoda area in Vietnam with a total of 539 hectares.

5. The largest bronze bell in Vietnam: the Great Bell weighs 36 tons in the Bell Tower.

6. Bai Dinh pagoda has the longest Arhat corridor in Asia and the most Arhat statues in Vietnam. The corridor is nearly 3km long with 500 green stone Arhat statues 2 – 2.5m high and weighing 2 – 2.5 tons.

7. The pagoda complex has the largest well in Vietnam: Gieng Ngoc – 30m in diameter and 10m deep.

8. The pagoda area has the largest number of Bodhi trees in Vietnam. 100 Bodhi trees were extracted from the Indian Bodhi tree on the occasion of Vesak 2008.

In addition, Bai Dinh Pagoda Vietnam also set many other records. The pagoda area has the largest bronze statue of Avalokitevara Bodhisattva in Vietnam. The statue is 9.57m high and 80 tons weighing including the pedestal, etc.

The Three External Gates

Tam Quan (空門三) is three gates, according to Buddhism, they are Khong Quan, Trung Quan, and Jia Quan. Tam Quan also means 3 doors: the suffering door, the impermanence door, and the no-self door. 

On the outside of the three gates are the words mercy – 慈悲 (left gate) and wisdom – 慧智 (right gate). The face inside of Tam Quan Ngoai gate has the words “解脱” meaning to free oneself of worldly worries and “樂安” meaning to live in peace and work happily.

The Three Internal Gates

Tam Quan Noi was built entirely of 550 tons of logs. It is 16.5m high, 13m wide, and 32m long. In front of the three internal gates, there are two stone lions on two sides, representing the power of wisdom.

Inside the three internal gates, on the right is a statue of the Dharma protector Khuyen Thien, and on the left is a statue of the wrathful deity. The bronze statues are 5.5 m high, weigh 12 tons, and have eight Vajrapani statues.

Above the gate, there is an image of the wheel of reincarnation. It symbolizes the samsara of people in Buddhism. In addition, it also has many other meanings. In the middle is the swastika, symbolizing the fire of samadhi (sacred fire). The swastika also represents the Buddha’s wisdom, compassion, and charity.

From the sides of the Three internal gates to the west and east is a system of ancient wooden houses, each side has 16 compartments, and each space is 4.5m long. The length of the wooden houses is nearly 70m, connected to the Arhat corridor on both sides.

Arhat Statute Corridor

The Two Arhat Corridors consist of 234 compartments connected to the two ends of Tam Quan, with 500 Arhat statues.

All are carved with monolithic Ninh Binh green stone up to 2.5 m high, weighing about 4 tons. Each Arhat has a different appearance and emotions to describe earthly life.

Bell Tower

The bell tower was built with an octagonal shape, 3 floors high, with 2 stairs up and down to see the Great Bell and bronze drum.

Prominent in the bell tower is Dai Hong Chung – the largest bronze bell in Vietnam. Hence, the bell weighs 36 tons and is 5.5m high, cast by a Hue artisan in Hue.

Significantly, the Great Bell at Bai Dinh pagoda only vibrates on major holidays such as the opening ceremony of the temple festival, the Buddha’s birthday, etc. When it is rung, the bell rings nearly 10km away.

Additionally, below the great bell is a huge bronze drum. The setting of bells above and drums below shows according to Buddhist philosophy, above is heaven and below is earth, yin and yang are in harmony.

Moreover, this bronze drum weighs 70 tons and is 4.7m high, modeled from the Dong Son bronze drum. The center of the drum is the shape of the sun, surrounded by all things that multiply, including human activities. Shows the Dong Son civilization of Vietnam.

The Kuan-Yin Hall

Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara’s shrine consists of seven compartments. In the middle of the pagoda is a statue of Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara with thousand eyes and thousand hands made of gilding bronze.

Moreover, this 80-ton statue is recognized as the largest gilded Guan Yin statue in Asia. It is like a symbol of the Lady Buddha’s salvation of all sentient beings in the world.

Behind the Avalokitesvara shrine is a release lake, also known as a fairy lake with clear jade water. The lake has an area of ​​about 5000 m2. Plus, there are many bodhi trees around the lake. In addition, at the fairy lake, there are many beautiful Koi carps.

Buddha Dharma Lord Temple

Next is the Phap Chu temple, with a length of 47.7 meters, a width of 45.5 meters, and a height of 30 meters. In the center of the shrine is a bronze statue of Shakyamuni Buddha 10 meters in height and 100 tons in weight.

Therefore, the statue is certified as the largest statue in Vietnam. This statue is cast in pure copper bought from Russia, cast by famous bronze casting artists in Y Yen, Nam Dinh.

On the right and the hall are 2 statues of Ananda and Mahkyapa, each 7.2 meters high and weighing 30 tons. In addition, the two sides of the main hall also have eight Vajrapani statues. They have the duty to protect the Buddha Dharma in the outer circle.

Tam The Temple – The Main Hall

After climbing more than 200 stone steps, you will reach Tam The shrine. This is the tallest, largest, and most monumental hall in Bai Dinh Pagoda, even in the whole of Vietnam. Besides, in front of the main hall is a stone relief carved with four holy animals in Vietnam.

The main hall has three identical Buddha statues, representing the past, present, and future. Hence, the meaning of this set of statues is that the Buddhas of all times are always in succession to teach sentient beings.

Each statue is 7.2 meters in height and 50 tons in weight. On December 12, 2017, the Vietnam Record Book and the National Office of Intellectual Property recognized and granted a certificate that this is the set of 3 largest statues in Vietnam.

Next is the Maitreya Buddha statue located on the hill to the right of Tam The Hall. Therefore, when visiting Bai Dinh Pagoda, you can easily see it. This statue was once confirmed by the Vietnamese record as the largest Maitreya statue in Southeast Asia.

The statue of Maitreya Buddha is 10m high and weighs 80 tons placed on the hill. Maitreya is the absolute symbol of happiness in feng shui. It is believed that the smile of Maitreya Buddha dispels people’s sadness and anger into bliss.

Wherever Buddha goes, there is happiness. Sometimes the Buddha carried a gourd, a symbol of health and longevity, and a wish-fulfilling stick symbolizing power.

Bao Thien Stupa

One of the must-see attractions in Bai Dinh Pagoda is the 100-meter-high Bao Thien stupa. Thus, this is considered the tallest stupa in Southeast Asia. Most importantly, this 13-story stupa keeps the sacred Buddha sariras from India and Myanmar.

This is considered the tallest stupa in Southeast Asia. From the high floors of the stupa, visitors can have a panoramic view of the magnificent Bai Dinh pagoda in the middle of the peaceful ancient capital.

Covering the entire outer part of the stupa are Bat Trang baked bricks with decorative patterns in the Ly dynasty’s artistic style such as clouds, water waves, and lotus petals. In addition, small stone Buddha statues are placed evenly around the stupa.

Especially, right in the center of the stupa’s 1st floor is a brilliant gold-plated Shakyamuni Buddha statue. The statue was placed on a blue stone pedestal with intricate carvings of dragons, lotus flowers, and mascots. 

Furthermore, the six sides of the wall are bas-reliefs depicting the Buddha’s life from birth to righteous practice.

Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival

It is a spring festival that begins on the afternoon of the 1st of the Lunar New Year, and opens on the 6th of the Lunar New Year. Thus the festival will finish at the end of March, starting the pilgrimage to Hoa Lu ancient capital.

The festival consists of two parts:

The ceremony, including the rituals of burning incense to worship the Buddha, commemorates the merits of Saint Nguyen Minh Khong, etc.

Bai Dinh pagoda festival begins with a procession carrying a palanquin to worship Cao Son Deity, Saint Nguyen, and Lieu Hanh Mother Goddess from the old temple area to the new pagoda area.

In addition, it is the activity part, which includes folk games, visiting caves, enjoying the art of chèo singing, etc.

Travel Tips

Best Time To Visit The Pagoda

If you want to enjoy the festive atmosphere and the bustle of the spring season, you can go to the temple from January to March of the lunar calendar.

This is also the time when the spring weather is warm. It is a beautiful time for pilgrimages and New Year’s ceremonies at Bai Dinh Trang An. You can combine spring travel and sightseeing, pagoda ceremony to pray for peace and participate in festivals in Trang An and Bai Dinh Vietnam.

If Trang An festival starts from March 17 to March 21 of the lunar calendar, the Bai Dinh pagoda festival takes place on the first day of the new year on January 6 of the lunar calendar. Hence, it is also the peak festival tourist season, and visitors coming here are very crowded.

Therefore, if you want to enjoy the purity, you can visit the pagoda and travel to Trang An at other times of the year. In general, in each season, Bai Dinh – Trang An pagoda has its own beauty, but the most interesting is the atmosphere of romantic and poetic scenery in autumn.

What To Prepare For Visiting Bai Dinh Vietnam?

When visiting the temple, visitors should wear discreet and polite costumes because the pagoda is a sacred and dignified place. 

Do not burn incense too much and dispose of garbage in designated places.

Significantly, the temple area is extremely large, and visitors will have to walk through steep terrains. Therefore, it is recommended to use sports shoes, flat soles, rubber, and comfortable instead of high heels to protect the feet and facilitate movement.

Additionally, early spring often has drizzle, so you should bring a backup umbrella. In the summer, you need to bring sun protection accessories, such as a hat, sunglasses, sunblock, and water.

Where To Stay In Bai Dinh Trang An?

Located on the campus of the pagoda, the Bai Dinh hotel was built with ancient and luxurious architecture with bold Asian classics. With the majestic quiet space of mountain nature, Bai Dinh Hotel is an ideal place for tourists from all over the world to relax and visit Bai Dinh pagoda in Vietnam.

Designed with deep-toned materials that bring the look of a peaceful place with interiors made from rare woods, stepping into this place is like being lost in a world of absolute calm and relaxation. Feelings of fatigue and frustration with modern life are suddenly dispelled. Instead, immerse yourself in the fresh beauty of nature, occasionally listening to the sound of temple bells.

Most importantly, the Bai Dinh Hotel is only 50 meters from Bai Dinh Vietnam Pagoda. It is 4.7 km from Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, 7 km from Trang An tourist area, and 8.4 km from Bich Dong Pagoda. Moreover, each room and suite is equipped with a flat-screen cable TV, minibar, and work desk. Plus, there is also a seating area and a private bathroom with a shower and free toiletries.

Besides, the hotel has a 24-hour front desk and free private parking. Plus, meeting rooms are available at an extra cost, among other amenities. In addition, you will also enjoy great vegetarian dishes here.

Conclusion

Although the ups and downs of history, the Bai Dinh ancient Pagoda is still peacefully located in the heart of the mountain cave. In the journey to discover Ninh Binh, you should visit this sacred ancient pagoda once to know more about the value of history and culture.

Hoi An Private Taxi hopes this article will help you plan a trip to the land of Buddha. Traveling to Ninh Binh Bai Dinh Pagoda will definitely bring purity to your soul.