Bich Dong Pagoda
Bich Dong Pagoda
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  • Alex H
    Port St. Mary, United Kingdom1,313 contributions
    Unfriendly parking attendants
    Be careful when visiting here as they try to rip you off when you are parking your bicycle or scooter. At first one man tried to charge us 50,000, but when I refused he got angry and started waving a ticket in my face. I asked another tourist how much they paid to park their bicycle, and they had paid 20,000. The man heard me ask this so demanded I then paid 30,000 (different price) because a scooter was more expensive than the bicycle. Eventually we gave in because he was being very aggressive and wouldn’t leave us alone. The pagoda itself isn’t great at all, and there are way better ones throughout Vietnam, so I’d say it’s barely even worth coming here.
    Visited February 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 26 February 2023
  • Yann Renaud
    Switzerland762 contributions
    Impressive temple, built.directly on the mountains
    Nice temple built in the mountains. It is pretty impressive to see. The entrance is free, but the gate closes at 5pm. The place is accessible.on a bike (10-15 minutes). Parking it will cost you 5kD per bike, but they will try to raise it 10kD.
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 10 March 2023
  • Polly
    London, United Kingdom67 contributions
    Peaceful and beautiful
    Beautiful area with temples and a pagoda and view points to explore. You can park your bikes etc for a small fee. There are a few small stall holders in the area. Very peaceful and beautiful, definitely recommend visiting at a quieter for a more peaceful experience. We enjoyed taking the path around the right hand side of the lake where you can climbs up some steps and descend down into a pretty valley with a small body of water and a cave.
    Visited March 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 13 March 2023
  • EarlyRetirementAbroa
    Princeton, New Jersey3,059 contributions
    A rainy day activity
    A nice activity for the rainy day. Since the weather was bad, we didn't see a lot of people at the Pagoda. We slowly walked around the ground level of the complex but didn't climb the steps because of rain and slippery steps. It is a nice well maintained complex with peaceful vibes. However, the sellers at the parking lot are aggressive and it is better to go directly to the Pagoda without paying any attention to them.
    Visited April 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 14 April 2023
  • Shelley M
    Albany, New Zealand766 contributions
    Unique
    I had read about the parking issues and we had gone with a guide, so didn't have to deal with that but did see a group of cyclists getting annoyed about being harassed. So do your homework, ask your accommodation how much is correct and stick to your guns. It is worth seeing in my opinion, I'm not a religious site person, but being 3 levels built into a limestone mountain peeked my interest. The surrounding area is really lovely too. Lots of goats wandering around and it really is quite beautiful.
    Visited March 2023
    Written 12 May 2023
  • Julie A
    15 contributions
    Lovely!
    This is well worth a visit. Make sure you go right to the top as there is a cave temple and we were privileged to be welcomed in to watch the prayers and thanks gving. It was really very special. Beautiful little place to spend a couple of hours. Car park available for bikes or scooters.
    Visited May 2023
    Written 14 July 2023
  • OneTrip with local
    Hanoi, Vietnam119 contributions
    A peaceful pagoda surrounded by trees
    Bich Dong Pagoda is a peaceful pagoda surrounded by trees and beautiful greenery. If you visit during the summer, you can see many lotus flowers. Originally constructed in 1428 during the reign of Emperor Ly Thai To, Bich Dong Pagoda was a small pagoda nestled in Ngu Nhac Mountain. In 1705, Buddhist monks Tri Kien and Tri The discovered the pagoda and reconstructed it into three levels: the Lower Pagoda (Ha Pagoda), the Middle Pagoda (Trung Pagoda), and the Upper Pagoda (Thuong Pagoda). In 1774, Lord Trinh Sam of Dang Ngoai (Outer Land) visited the pagoda and was impressed by the breathtaking panoramic view of nature. The pagoda caught his attention, and he named it Bich Dong (Green Pearl Cave) Pagoda.
    Visited July 2023
    Written 24 July 2023
  • Ali_Royal_2015
    906 contributions
    Tranquil and beautiful at sunset
    We cycled to the pagoda and arrived around 4:30pm. It was very quiet on the road in and we didn’t encounter any hassle or issues, just paid the 10k each to leave our bikes in the official small covered parking area just passed the entrance walkway. There is no entrance fee but remember to save your parking receipt to collect your bike and show you paid when you return. We seemed to arrive at the perfect time as there was hardly anyone there which was perfect as it was easy to relax and enjoy the tranquility of the place without crowds. I took a large sarong to wrap around my shoulders and knees when walking through the temples. The scenery is really beautiful and the temples are interesting to walk between, they felt very calm and spiritual. It definitely made a big difference experiencing the peaceful vibe with hardly any other people around. I would recommend going early morning or later in the afternoon when it’s slightly cooler and less busy.
    Visited July 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 27 July 2023
  • Skram66
    Staffordshire, United Kingdom49 contributions
    Tam Coc, Ninh Binh treasure; oldest pagoda in Ninh Binh I'm told
    Slightly off the beaten track, a short 5-10mminute cycle ride from Tam Coc Amanda Villas, this beautiful secluded oldest pagoda in Ninh Binh is definitely worth a visit. One of my top visits while travelling from North to South Vietnam. Fabulous views from the top. Would recommend the Gao Restaurant, situated in the car park (red & yellow signage, on your right hand side) wherr you can go park you bike, great area to sit & have a nice cool drink, admire the view & soak up the relaxed ambience. Decent climb which takes you through an unlit cave...watch out for uneven surfaces.
    Visited October 2023
    Travelled as a couple
    Written 1 November 2023
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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Nguyễn Thị D
1 contribution
Aug 2023 • Family
Beautifull.Bich Dong Pagoda will forever be a beautiful miracle combining nature and people to form a unique architectural complex, imbued with Vietnamese village culture./.
Written 4 December 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Skram66
Staffordshire, UK49 contributions
Oct 2023 • Couples
Slightly off the beaten track, a short 5-10mminute cycle ride from Tam Coc Amanda Villas, this beautiful secluded oldest pagoda in Ninh Binh is definitely worth a visit. One of my top visits while travelling from North to South Vietnam. Fabulous views from the top. Would recommend the Gao Restaurant, situated in the car park (red & yellow signage, on your right hand side) wherr you can go park you bike, great area to sit & have a nice cool drink, admire the view & soak up the relaxed ambience. Decent climb which takes you through an unlit cave...watch out for uneven surfaces.
Written 1 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Mel W
1 contribution
Oct 2023 • Couples
The outside was quite nice, but it apparently closes at 4.30 or before even though they accept parking tickets. Probably worth a visit
Written 28 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

orrdin
New York883 contributions
Sep 2023 • Couples
The pagoda is partially dug into the mountain and has several levels so the whole climb and view experience was fun and it was interesting to learn about the local religion.
Written 2 October 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Ali_Royal_2015
906 contributions
Jul 2023 • Couples
We cycled to the pagoda and arrived around 4:30pm. It was very quiet on the road in and we didn’t encounter any hassle or issues, just paid the 10k each to leave our bikes in the official small covered parking area just passed the entrance walkway. There is no entrance fee but remember to save your parking receipt to collect your bike and show you paid when you return.

We seemed to arrive at the perfect time as there was hardly anyone there which was perfect as it was easy to relax and enjoy the tranquility of the place without crowds. I took a large sarong to wrap around my shoulders and knees when walking through the temples. The scenery is really beautiful and the temples are interesting to walk between, they felt very calm and spiritual. It definitely made a big difference experiencing the peaceful vibe with hardly any other people around.

I would recommend going early morning or later in the afternoon when it’s slightly cooler and less busy.
Written 27 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

OneTrip with local
Hanoi, Vietnam119 contributions
Jul 2023
Bich Dong Pagoda is a peaceful pagoda surrounded by trees and beautiful greenery. If you visit during the summer, you can see many lotus flowers.

Originally constructed in 1428 during the reign of Emperor Ly Thai To, Bich Dong Pagoda was a small pagoda nestled in Ngu Nhac Mountain.

In 1705, Buddhist monks Tri Kien and Tri The discovered the pagoda and reconstructed it into three levels: the Lower Pagoda (Ha Pagoda), the Middle Pagoda (Trung Pagoda), and the Upper Pagoda (Thuong Pagoda).

In 1774, Lord Trinh Sam of Dang Ngoai (Outer Land) visited the pagoda and was impressed by the breathtaking panoramic view of nature. The pagoda caught his attention, and he named it Bich Dong (Green Pearl Cave) Pagoda.
Written 25 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Julie A
15 contributions
May 2023
This is well worth a visit. Make sure you go right to the top as there is a cave temple and we were privileged to be welcomed in to watch the prayers and thanks gving.
It was really very special. Beautiful little place to spend a couple of hours.

Car park available for bikes or scooters.
Written 14 July 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Shelley M
Albany, New Zealand766 contributions
Mar 2023
I had read about the parking issues and we had gone with a guide, so didn't have to deal with that but did see a group of cyclists getting annoyed about being harassed. So do your homework, ask your accommodation how much is correct and stick to your guns. It is worth seeing in my opinion, I'm not a religious site person, but being 3 levels built into a limestone mountain peeked my interest. The surrounding area is really lovely too. Lots of goats wandering around and it really is quite beautiful.
Written 12 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

ctm7944
Phoenix, AZ16,561 contributions
Apr 2023 • Solo
Rode bicycle from Tam Coc Wonderland Bungalows to Bich Dong Pagoda. 25KVND Bike parking.
Go to the left side of the Pagoda for a hike up to a Temple and Cave.
If you go around the right side. You will see a green oasis. There is a small lake with boat ride operated by a family. Then followed a narrow path, which resembles a game trail. Encountered a couple of goat families eating along the trail. This leads to a hike up the side of the mountain for some very nice views.
Written 9 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

Jaroslav Nečas
Brno, Czech Republic1,408 contributions
Nov 2022
I am not fan religious sites but this place look magical even thought construction works were in progress during my visit.
Small pagoda is surrounded by water between characteristic hills in Tam Coc area.
Written 5 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

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BICH DONG PAGODA: All You Need to Know BEFORE You Go (with Photos)

Frequently Asked Questions about Bich Dong Pagoda