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Located in Ba Sao town, Kim Bang district, Ha Nam province, Tam Chuc Pagoda is considered the largest pagoda in the world to date. Situated about 70 km from Hanoi, this pagoda occupies 144 hectares within the 5,100-hectare Tam Chuc National Tourist Area, attracting a large number of tourists from all over the world.
This is a large-scale tourist destination combining spiritual, ecological, and recreational tourism. Upon arriving at Tam Chúc, you'll be captivated by the lake and surrounded by lush green natural forests, a place of rare tranquility and romance.
Located 12 km from Phu Ly city and about 60 km from Hanoi, Tam Chuc tourist area is situated in Ba Sao town, Kim Bang district.
Hoang Thuy Duong (Duong Duong Blog) recently took a trip to Tam Chuc Pagoda. Notably, during this time she also participated in the 2023 Ha Nam Culture and Tourism Week and the Hot Air Balloon Festival held at the Tam Chuc Tourist Area.
"Exploring Tam Chuc Pagoda felt both strange and familiar. Stepping through the massive, majestic Tam Quan gate felt like traveling back in time to bygone eras. It's truly a sacred Buddhist land; a sense of peace washes over you. Boarding the boat for the tour felt like being in Ha Long Bay, completely immersed in the breathtaking scenery. In the distance, the majestic and solemn main hall gradually appeared before my eyes. I truly have to exclaim: the location is absolutely amazing!", Thuy Duong shared.
Hoang Thuy Duong (Duong Duong Blog) recently took a trip to Tam Chuc Pagoda.
According to Thuy Duong, the Tam Chuc Pagoda complex is very large, encompassing a reception area, a spiritual area, and an experiential area. The spiritual area alone has 24 points of interest, and the experiential area has 35 destinations – enough to spend an entire day exploring. If you follow the itinerary and have enough time, you can visit the structures in sequence, such as the Tam Quan Gate, the Sutra Pillar Garden, the Quan Am Temple, the Pháp Chủ Temple, the Tam Thế Temple, and the Jade Pagoda. It takes approximately 1 hour 30 minutes to 2 hours to explore the entire complex.
The ideal time to visit Tam Chuc Pagoda is during spring and autumn. The weather is cool and pleasant, perfect for a relaxing trip. The pagoda is also very busy on major holidays such as Buddha's Birthday (15th day of the 4th lunar month), Vu Lan Festival (15th day of the 7th lunar month), Mid-Autumn Festival (15th day of the 8th lunar month), or on the 1st and 15th days of the lunar month and New Year. However, on major holidays or weekends, the number of visitors can be quite large. If you only want to sightsee and take photos, choose a weekday or a regular day.
The price of tickets to visit Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam is a question many tourists are interested in. In reality, tourists visiting Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam do not have to pay an entrance fee, but they will need to choose one of two modes of transportation: electric car or boat.
The boat trip takes approximately 30 minutes.
The round-trip electric tram ticket (from the Tam Chuc Pagoda gate to the main hall and back) costs 90,000 VND per person. Afterwards, visitors will explore the pagoda on foot.
If you choose the one-way boat tour, it costs 200,000 VND per person, while the VIP boat ticket is 240,000 VND per person. You will get to explore Tam Chuc fully with the following itinerary: Vesak International Convention Center, to the boat dock, board a boat to tour the lake, Tam Chuc Pagoda, and the boat dock in front of the Inner Tam Quan Gate (by boat, 30 minutes). Afterwards, you continue your tour by land: Kinh Garden, Quan Am Temple, Phap Chu Temple, Tam Bao Temple, Ngoc Pagoda, then to Tam Quan Gate, and take an electric tram to the temple gate area.
In addition, Tam Chuc Pagoda offers many tourist services. A tea party on a boat takes place daily from 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. Visitors will have the opportunity to watch the sunset over Luc Nhac Lake. This is also the only place in Ha Nam where you can witness the sunset disappearing below the water's surface.
Hot Air Balloon Festival 2023
Things to note when visiting Tam Chuc Pagoda
The Tam Chuc Pagoda complex in Ha Nam province is a spiritual tourism destination that is receiving a lot of attention from young people and Buddhists nationwide. Visiting Tam Chuc Pagoda offers many interesting experiences and diverse, unique landscapes.
The Tam Chuc Pagoda tourist area is vast, so be sure to carefully review the map of the different areas before you go to avoid wasting time finding your way around, and wear comfortable walking shoes. Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam is a spiritual tourist complex, so you should choose modest and respectful clothing and walk quietly. During holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year), it gets very crowded, and security is not guaranteed, so be careful to avoid pickpocketing or theft.
The Tam Chuc spiritual tourism complex covers a total area of 5,100 hectares.
Visitors to Tam Chuc Pagoda should note that when entering the temple's shrines, they should use the side entrance, not the main central entrance, and should not step on the threshold but rather step over it. Incense should only be lit at the incense burners outside; lighting incense inside the temple should be avoided as it may damage Buddha statues and religious artifacts. Only one incense stick should be placed in the incense burner; do not place incense indiscriminately on the hands of statues, tree roots, or offerings. Furthermore, photography is only permitted outside, not inside the worship areas.
The fireworks display at the 2023 Ha Nam Culture and Tourism Week and the Hot Air Balloon Festival took place at the Tam Chuc Tourist Area.
A trip to Tam Chuc Pagoda in Ha Nam is an exciting experience, combining a pilgrimage to worship Buddha with exploring the unique architecture and culture of this pagoda, which boasts some of the most picturesque scenery in Northern Vietnam.
