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Bai Dinh Pagoda, a magnificent spiritual complex in Ninh Binh, has officially been honored in the Travellers' Choice Awards 2025 list, presented by TripAdvisor, the world's leading travel platform.
This is not only the only Vietnamese destination to make this prestigious list, but it is also a vivid testament to the appeal of spiritual and cultural tourism in this S-shaped country.
A sacred and unique space.
With millions of nominations from around the world, Bai Dinh Pagoda receiving the "Outstanding Destination" title and the "verified blue checkmark" is international recognition of the quality of the experience and value of this landmark.
To date, the Bai Dinh Pagoda complex consists of an ancient pagoda area and a new pagoda area built since 2003.
This award not only affirms the position of Bai Dinh Pagoda but also serves as a solid stepping stone, opening the door to entering the top 1% of the world's leading destinations with the prestigious Best of the Best award. More than 1000 years ago, the three feudal dynasties of Dinh, Early Le, and Ly all paid great attention to and considered Buddhism as the national religion, so they built many ancient pagodas, including Bai Dinh Pagoda located on the Trang An mountain range.
The pagoda has a history dating back to the Dinh Dynasty, but many architectural details and artifacts still bear the distinct mark of the Ly Dynasty. It is situated in a region considered auspicious according to Vietnamese folk beliefs, a land believed to give birth to kings, saints, and deities. The ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda mountain was once the place where Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang established an altar to pray for favorable weather and rain, and where Emperor Quang Trung chose to perform a flag-waving ceremony to motivate his soldiers before marching to Thang Long to decisively defeat the Qing army.
The pagoda stands majestically on the mountainside, overlooking the emerald green lake and rocky mountains. Notably, it is located right at the western gateway to the ancient capital of Hoa Lu.
In 1997, Bai Dinh Pagoda was recognized as a national historical, cultural, and revolutionary relic. Because of its special and sacred significance, the pagoda attracts a large number of tourists and Buddhist followers every year. If you have the opportunity, please come and experience this land of outstanding people.
With an age of over 1000 years, the temple's architecture retains the distinctive, ancient beauty of bygone eras.
Buddhism has been introduced and flourished in Vietnam for a long time, leaving its mark through many unique and sacred architectural works. Among them, the Bai Dinh Pagoda complex stands out with its unique beauty and proudly holds many records in the region and continent. Whether you are a Buddhist or simply want to find a tranquil space, Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh will surely be an ideal destination to experience and feel peace in your soul.
Bai Dinh Pagoda boasts a massive scale and unique architecture, making it the largest Buddhist center in Southeast Asia. The complex consists of two parts: the ancient pagoda area and the new, modern pagoda area, spread across hundreds of hectares.
Despite the appearance of a new temple complex, designed and built on a grand and imposing scale, it still harmonizes with traditional identity.
This place is home to many impressive records, such as the largest bronze Maitreya Buddha statue in Southeast Asia, the longest Arhat corridor in Asia with 500 exquisitely carved stone statues, and the tallest bell tower in Vietnam. In particular, the 100-ton, 10-meter-tall gilded bronze statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in the Main Hall has been recognized by the Asian Record Center as the largest gilded bronze Buddha statue in the continent.
Visitors to this area can not only admire precious Buddhist artifacts but also enjoy a boat trip on the Sao Khe River, taking in the majestic scenery of the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex - a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
More than just a tourist destination, Bai Dinh Pagoda is also an important cultural and spiritual center. Every year, especially during the Spring Festival, millions of Buddhist followers and visitors from all over flock here on pilgrimage, praying for good fortune.
Beyond being a place of religious worship, Bai Dinh Pagoda has gradually become a famous eco-tourism and spiritual destination.
The Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival lasts from the 6th day of the first lunar month to the end of the third lunar month, featuring many unique traditional activities that create a distinctive cultural atmosphere. Located adjacent to the Trang An - Tam Coc - Bich Dong complex, Bai Dinh Pagoda offers a unique "dual" heritage exploration journey, combining natural beauty with profound spiritual and cultural values.
The breakthrough of Bai Dinh Pagoda in particular and Ninh Binh in general is clearly demonstrated by impressive figures, with over 14.7 million tourists and revenue of 13,340 billion VND in the first 7 months of 2025. The Travellers' Choice 2025 award is not only a source of pride for the province but also a symbol of Vietnamese tourism, opening up a promising future for the country's tourism industry.
