The most attractive pilgrimage sites in the North

Tay Ho Palace (Hanoi)

Tay Ho Palace is located in Quang An Ward, Tay Ho District, about 4km west of the capital city center. This place worships Lady Lieu Hanh, considered one of the sacred places in the system of pagodas in Hanoi. Not only at the beginning of the new year but also on every full moon and first day of the lunar month, Tay Ho Palace is crowded with visitors coming to pray for fortune. Then at the end of the year, the palace is crowded like a festival with pilgrims from all over the country.

In addition to offering incense and giving thanks, visitors to Tay Ho Palace can also combine sightseeing and enjoying the beautiful scenery of the immense mountains and rivers.

Perfume Pagoda (Hanoi)

Huong Pagoda is a popular saying, in fact Huong Pagoda or Huong Son is a whole Vietnamese cultural and religious complex, including dozens of Buddhist pagodas, several temples, communal houses, and agricultural beliefs. The center of Huong Pagoda is located in Huong Son commune, My Duc district, Hanoi, on the right bank of the Day River.

The Perfume Pagoda Festival takes place on the 6th day of the first lunar month and lasts until the 3rd month of the lunar calendar. One day before the festival, all temples, pagodas, communal houses, and shrines are filled with incense smoke, and the festive atmosphere covers the entire Huong Son commune. On this occasion, millions of pilgrims from all over the country flock to attend the festival.

According to legend, this is where Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara appeared to practice. Besides, Huong Pagoda or Huong Son is also a famous pilgrimage site because of its charming scenery. Visitors will have the opportunity to float on boats across the poetic Yen stream, admire the mountains with spring colors overflowing in every treetop and blade of grass.

Bai Dinh (Ninh Binh)

Bai Dinh Pagoda is a large pagoda complex and holds the most records in Vietnam: the pagoda has the largest gilded bronze Buddha statue in Asia, the pagoda has the longest La Han corridor in Asia, the pagoda has the largest bronze Maitreya statue in Southeast Asia... The pagoda is located at the western gateway of the Hoa Lu ancient capital relic site, on Highway 38B, in Gia Sinh commune - Gia Vien - Ninh Binh, 15 km from Ninh Binh city, 95 km from Hanoi. Bai Dinh Pagoda is located in the north of the Trang An world heritage complex.

Bai Dinh Pagoda is a favorite place for many people to pray for good luck at the beginning of the year. When going to pray for good luck at this pagoda, many businessmen often combine it with a trip to the Trang An scenic area.

Ba Chua Kho Temple (Bac Ninh)

Ba Chua Kho Temple is located halfway up Kho Mountain, Co Me area, Vu Ninh commune, Bac Ninh city. It is a memorial place for a Vietnamese woman who helped the royal court look after elephants storing food at Kho Mountain (Bac Ninh province) and died in the resistance war against the Song army on January 12, Dinh Ty year (1077). This is not only a historical site but also a place where people from all over the country make a pilgrimage every year to ask for good luck, and to show their respect, people come to pay their respects to her every year.

According to folklore, people who go to Ba Chua Kho Temple at the beginning of the year to borrow money to do business in the new year to have a year of making a lot of money and doing business smoothly.

Tran Temple (Nam Dinh)

Tran Temple is a temple complex on Tran Thua Street, Loc Vuong Ward, Nam Dinh City (next to Highway 10), a place to worship the Tran Dynasty kings and mandarins who contributed to the Tran Dynasty. Tran Temple was built in 1695, on the site of the old Thai Temple of the Tran Dynasty which was destroyed by the Ming army in the 15th century.

Every year on the 14th day of the first lunar month, Nam Dinh city holds the Tran Temple Seal Opening Ceremony. Every year, Tran Temple is crowded with visitors coming to ask for the seal because many people believe that having the Tran Temple Seal will bring them promotion and success in their careers.

In addition to asking for seals and offering incense, visitors to the temple on the opening day can also experience unique cultural activities such as cockfighting, martial arts performances, and folk singing... To avoid crowds, many visitors choose to go to the temple a day in advance.

Yen Tu (Quang Ninh)

When talking about the most familiar and attractive pilgrimage sites in the North, we cannot fail to mention Yen Tu Pagoda. Yen Tu Pagoda is located on Yen Tu Mountain, at an altitude of 1,068m, in Uong Bi District, Quang Ninh Province. During the reign of King Tran Nhan Tong around the 13th century, this place became the center of Buddhism in Vietnam because King Tran Nhan Tong founded the Truc Lam Yen Zen sect, with the dharma name Dieu Ngu Giac Hoang Tran Nhan Tong.

Nowadays, Yen Tu Pagoda has become a pilgrimage destination for many Buddhists and followers of Buddhism. At the beginning of the new year, visitors come here to sightsee and pray for good luck.

Ngoc Anh (TH)

The Thanh