About Bich Dong Pagoda 

As the second most magnificent grotto in Vietnam, the Bich Dong pagoda is a spot of natural beauty in the Northern provinces. This cave contributes to spiritual tourism development due to its pagodas inside the cave, like other Ninh Binh caves. A 3-kilometer distance to the east of Tam Coc, Bich Dong pagoda, literally the pagoda of Emerald Cave, is situated in the Truong Yen range. Truong Yen range lies in the valley of rice paddy fields and leans on Bich Dong mountain. The only route to get to the pagoda is to step into the steep stone but what is waiting for you is definitely worth visiting. 

The poetic landscapes of this spiritual landmark - Bich Dong 

It consists of 3 pagodas that carry traditional architectural wood and stone styles. The architectural design appeared between the end of the Le Dynasty and the beginning of the Nguyen Dynasty. 

Three spiritual buildings were named after their positions on the mountain of Bich Dong. They include Ha Pagoda (lower pagoda) at the mountain foot, Trung Pagoda (middle one) on the mountainside meanwhile Thuong Pagoda on the top. 

View from Bich Dong Pagoda

The uniqueness of Bich Dong's design is a perfect combination of antique pagodas with covered roofs, natural caves, and marvelous mountains. It has created an impressive panoramic view called “Bich Son Bat Canh” (meaning: an amazing place gathers enough eight magnificence things of the country).  

The history of this historical pagoda 

In 1705, two monks from Nghia Hung district (Nam Dinh province nowadays) met and were tinned with each other. They are the monk Tri Kien and Tri The, devoted to Buddhists. Thus, they wanted to propagate Buddhism to many places and construct temples and pagodas. They realized that in the Bich Dong Mountain area, the sceneries are incredible, and there was also a pagoda. So they decided to repair and restore the existing pagoda due to the donations of locals. 

The 3-story sacred space of Trung Pagoda 

Finally, the monks turned an ancient pagoda into three small ones, including Ha (meaning lower according to the Sino-Vietnamese language), Trung (middle), and Thuong (Upper) pagodas. These ritual places were opened for religious life and ritual ceremonies. Two years later, two monks founded a big bell which is now hung on the Dark Grotto. Amazingly, they carved the circumstance and purpose of building this Bich Dong pagoda. 

In 1774, Lord Trinh San came to this historical pagoda and called it “Bich Ngoc Thanh Son Dong.”  It can be understood as the pagoda made of blue rock will have the beauty of a white pearl. Like many ancient ritual buildings under the Later Le Dynasty, the Bich Dong pagoda has outstanding wooden architecture and brick tile roofs. All roofs feature four curved corners with impressive images of swords, tails of phoenixes, etc. 

Besides, three historical building has a particular position like a Chinese character “Tam” (meaning three) (三). Their backs lean against the mountain ranges. They were constructed from the mountain foot until the top. 

The impressive architecture of the Bich Dong pagoda 

Ha Pagoda’s architecture 

A peaceful atmosphere in front of Ha Pagoda

This pagoda has a floor shape based on a Chinese word - “Dinh” (工). It features five rooms with a large roof. The roof was divided into eight small roofs, whereas its board was built with six pieces of stone. The fence and two gables here were made of stone. Besides, the upper temple of Ha pagoda was constructed from some stone pillars. 

Trung Pagoda architectural design 

The same as Ha Pagoda, Trung Pagoda has a floor shape of  “Dinh” (工). Moreover, this middle pagoda features a 2-story roof, a 3-room upper temple, and a front courtyard. All of them head to the west. Interestingly, the thing that makes it impressive is the blend of traditional Vietnamese pagoda designs. They can be tile roofs, walls surrounding cliffy rocks, and a mysterious space in the mountain cave. 

The impressive architecture of Thuong Pagoda 

The upper pagoda has two vertical rooms that look like houses with a front courtyard and a stone altar in the outer house. Furthermore, there is a remarkable statue of Bodhisattva in the other room. You can see that she sits on the top of the mountain and has impressive hand gestures like preaching. 

How to get to this mysterious building 

By motorbike - Highly recommended 

There are some ways to get to Bich Dong pagoda, and going by bike is one of them. If you’re staying around the area of Tam Coc, getting to this pagoda by bike is the best option. You can hire a motorbike from your hotel or homestay. If not, you can ask other hotels nearby. The rental price in a day is quite reasonable, around VND 120.000 - 150.000. The route to Bich Dong from Tam Coc is easy to access. Thus, going by motorbike is a great way to contemplate stunning rice fields and marvelous mountains on the way. 

By taxi 

Besides going by bike, visiting the Bich Dong pagoda by taxi is another option. If you’re in a big group of people, especially with kids or the elders, taking a taxi is a great choice. You can easily find a taxi in Tam Coc or Ninh Binh province. 

Bich Dong Pagoda Opening Hours & Entrance Fee

• Opening hours: 9:00 a.m - 6:00 p.m 
• Entrance fee: It’s not compulsory for the entrance fee. Tourists can give some money as a small donation to the pagoda. Besides, visitors coming here have to wear elegant and polite clothes since it’s a religious place where locals come to make offerings or worship. Wearing clothes elegantly and politely is a great way to respect the local culture. 

Accommodations near Bich Dong pagoda 

Choosing proper accommodations makes your trip complete. Here are some suggestions about the accommodations with good quality and reasonable prices near this spiritual building: 

• Tam Coc La Montagne Resort & Spa (from VND 1,180,000/ room/ night) 
• Rustic Houses Tam Coc (from VND 1,160,000/ room/ night) 
• Tam Coc Garden Boutique Resort (from VND 2,900,000/ room/ night) 
• Tam Coc Rocky Bungalow (from VND 500,000/ room/ night) 
• Nam Hoa Hotel (from VND 450,000/ room/ night) 
• Windy Field Villa (from VND 400,000/ room/ night) 
• Tam Coc Ngoc Linh Homestay (from VND 340,000/ room/ night) 

With its unique and impressive architectural style according to the Later Le Dynasty, the Bich Dong pagoda is worth visiting. Leave your comments here if you want to share stories or experiences while coming to this historic building. We hope the information above helps you understand more about the Bich Dong pagoda.