Bai Dinh Pagoda, near Ninh Binh, is presented as the largest Buddhist complex in Vietnam: a succession of courtyards, halls and long colonnaded galleries on the side of a mountain, with hundreds of statues, a bronze Buddha, a large bell and a 13-storey pagoda tower. The complex is very large and is covered on foot or by electric cart; allow 2 to 3 hours. Entry to the complex is free; the round-trip cart costs 100,000 VND per adult and entry to the pagoda tower 60,000 VND (Ninh Binh tourism office prices, March 2025).
Highlights
The whole complex seen from above
From the pagoda tower, you see the succession of courtyards and pavilions, then the limestone mountains of the region. The dimensions are such that you need to plan your route: the complex includes the old pagoda, at the foot of the mountain, and the new one, much larger, built from the 2000s. The published area figures vary a lot from one source to another (from several hundred to over a thousand hectares); just remember that it is very large.
The main hall and the bronze Buddha
The bronze Buddha, about 10 metres high and weighing around 100 tonnes according to sources (some give more), occupies the hall known as "Pháp Chủ". Nearby, the large bronze bell weighs more than 30 tonnes. Shoes off at the hall entrance if a sign says so, and keep quiet: these are active places of worship.
The 13-storey pagoda tower
The tallest structure on the site, the tower is visited with a separate ticket (60,000 VND). You go up by lift or by the stairs to the upper floors; the view over the surroundings is open. The combined cart plus tower ticket costs 150,000 VND per adult on the March 2025 table.
The corridor of the 500 arhats
Long galleries lined with stone statues of arhats (disciples of the Buddha) form a large cloister around the courtyards. It is the most photogenic part of the site; each statue has a different expression.
Prices
Entry to the complex is free. Round-trip electric cart: 100,000 VND per adult, 70,000 VND per child; pagoda tower: 60,000 VND adult, 40,000 VND child; combined cart plus tower: 150,000 VND adult, 100,000 VND child. Free under 1 m; over 1.3 m, adult price (official table of 4 March 2025; to be confirmed on site).
Practical info
Tips
- Bai Dinh is a place of worship: shoulders and knees covered, no loud voices, no photos of monks at prayer. The cart saves long walks on the upper part of the site, especially in hot weather, but the galleries and the stairs are done on foot. During Tet and the following weeks, the site welcomes crowds of Vietnamese pilgrims: come on a weekday or off season if you want calm. Bai Dinh is a few kilometres from Trang An, and the two combine easily: see Trang An, Tam Coc and Ninh Binh in a day from Hanoi. Prices seen in October 2026 on the latest official table available (March 2025).
How to get there
Bai Dinh Pagoda, Ninh Binh, about 100 km from Hanoi and a few kilometres from Trang An. From Ninh Binh station, a taxi or a Grab takes about 20 to 30 minutes; on a tour, the pagoda is often combined with Trang An in day programmes from the Old Quarter (see Ninh Binh in a day from Hanoi). The car park is at the foot of the complex; the cart leaves from the main entrance.
Opening hours
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