Tam Coc, a fairy-tale Vietnamese version of Disneyland with dramatic, jagged limestone rocks jutting out of watery rice fields. Tam Coc means “Three grottoes”.
These grottoes were made due to the transformation of geology, seawater and rainwater that have worn cliffs in a long period of millions of years. The three grottoes are situated on Ngo Dong River and are permeated by the water of this river, so they are also called the “Three Trans Grottoes”. The longer we travel on the rowing boat, the more beautiful, fanciful and poetic the scenery becomes; the air becomes fresher as we are far away from the bustling and dusty atmosphere of streets. On either side of the boats, there are green rice fields and lotus puddles. Rapids have developed in he Ngo Dong river by the accumulation of falling rock.
In 1774, Tinh Do Vuong Trinh Sam (1767-1782) visited the temple and named Bich Dong Pagoda. Bich Dong Cave mean Green Grotto, Bich Dong Grotto has been said that the second most beautiful cave in Vietnam.
Bich Dong pagoda is on the short drive to the South of Tam Coc, it was built on the Truong Yen limestone mountains range, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province. Bich Dong pagoda includes three palaces on three levels: Lower, Middle and Upper pagoda.
The Low pagoda has five compartments built on the ground at the foot of mountain. From the Low pagoda up to 120 steps is the impressive Middle pagoda with a half of it was carved into mountain including three compartments. Up to 40 steps is the Upper pagoda located on the highest point nearby the top of The Bich Dong mountain. From here you can have the wonderful perspective view of the Bich Dong pagoda area.
All three pagodas of Bich Dong have wooden architecture due to the architectural style of the time at the end of Le Dynasty and in the beginning of Nguyen Dynasty.