Main Entrance, Bai Dinh Pagoda, Ninh Binh Province |
Citadel of Ho Dynasty is located in Thanh Hoa Province, but easier to visit from Hanoi - Ninh Binh. Moreover, Ninh Binh is tourist town with the A-List destination as Halong on Land and is on the North-South open bus route also.
After visiting Citadel of
Ho Dynasty, stayed overnight at Ninh Binh town and had 6 hour left for other
places. I chose to Bai Dinh Pagoda and Trang An by private car with driver from
hotel's tour desk.
For Half Day Trip choose
one from three options:
Bai Dinh Pagoda 25min
drive of Ninh Binh
Trang An Natural Site 7km
NW of Ninh Binh
Trang An is on way to Bai
Dinh
Tam Coc Natural Site, 9km
SW of Ninh Binh
Hoa Lu Ancient Capital,
12km NW of Ninh Binh
There is a road link Tam
Coc with Hoa Lu
Cuc Phuong National Park
45km of Ninh Binh
Viharn and 13th Level Tower, Bai Dinh Pagoda |
Bai Dinh Pagoda
Claimed one of the largest
Buddhist temples in Asia
At least 2hrs. for visit
I do not know much about
this place of worship. This is the ancient Mahayana temple since 10th Century
but has created a very large new section based on Feng Shui principle, as well
as many palaces and temples in Vietnam. The river on the front, the mountain
lies behind and inside is decorated according to the Mahayana notion about ten
thousand Buddha.
Giantic entrance leads to
the ground of a large open-air market selling food and goods. Pilgrims are
almost all Vietnamese. The enclosure was built along the long corridors to walk
up a hundred of stairs to upper religious buildings where are situated on the
five-level plains in the valley.
Along the long corridors
are decorated with hundreds of carved stone Buddhist Saint statues and
thousands of small Buddha images decorated on the walls of the terraces. On
middle ground of second level is the Bell Tower. The third level is the viharn
of Thousand Hand Goddess of Mercy (I guess). At the back of viharn is a pond.
One of Three Presiding Buddha, Bai Dinh Pagoda |
One Thousand Hand Goddess of Mercy, Bai Dinh Pagoda |
Buddhists' Saint Statues along the Corridor, Bai Dinh Pagoda |
Next to the pond are stone
staircases up to the fourth floor courtyard of the giantic bronze bell. There is
the viharn of Sitting Buddha flanked by Standing Buddhist Saint images. Fifth
level is the location of the largest viharn where is enshrined by Three Buddha
images and Buddha Gaya replica. I guess again three Buddha are Past Buddha,
Present Buddha and Future Buddha.
On the left of viharn of
Three Buddha is a high Standing Buddha outdoor monument with 145 steps
staircase. Opposite is octagonal traditional style 13 levels concrete tower
that construction is not completed yet.
Among the mist in the cold
day, wet and muddy, packed with a thousand of Vietnamese pilgrims and a hundred
of street vendors, I was also thrilled with the large religious buildings,
Buddha images, Buddhist Saint statues and beautiful painting-style scenery
around this temple.
Bai Dinh Pagoda does not
display the history, any information and no English speaking officials the
same as other temples and some attractions in Vietnam. One thing is unusual I
did not see even a single monk in the huge temple territory.
Beside food and snacks
available at open-air market, there is a cheap and yummy vegetarian food court
at the ground floor of viharn of Three Buddha.
Getting there:
Day tour from Ninh Binh
town or Hanoi
Taxi, moto taxi, private
car or motobike rental
There is no public
transport
Trang An Natural Site, Ninh Binh Province |
**Now Trang An have been inscripted as UNESCO WHS on year 2014**
Please click the title on the right menu.
Please click the title on the right menu.