The Lunar New Year marks the beginning of a new year with hopes for better things. During this occasion, Vietnamese people often visit temples at the starting of the year. This has become an indispensable tradition and a beautiful spiritual practice of the Vietnamese people during the early days of a new year.
Ninh Binh with magnificent landscapes and UNESCO-recognized natural heritage, is always an ideal destination for tourists both domestically and internationally. Not only it’s home to stunning scenery, but it’s also well-known for many sacred temples and cultural and spiritual sites. During the Lunar New Year, from the 1st to the 10th day of the year, pagodas in Ninh Binh are often crowded with pilgrims and visitors seeking blessings for health, peace, and good fortune. If you're in Ninh Binh spring, don't miss these top 3 Temples for your New Year.
Bich Dong Pagoda
Bich Dong Pagoda is one of the oldest temples in Ninh Binh, consisting of three separate pagodas: Ha (Lower), Trung (Middle), and Thuong (Upper) Pagodas, it’s positioned from low to high on the mountain. Built leaning against the mountain, it creates a serene and peaceful scene.
A sacred temple steeped in ancient charm with moss-covered tiled roofs, rows of old green trees, and blooming lotuses on the pond leading to the temple. In the coolness of early spring, stopping here, everyone has their own wishes—praying for peace, health, career success, and prosperity. This temple is a place to send hopes and joys for a new year filled with new possibilities.
Bai Dinh Pagoda
Bai Dinh Pagoda is one of the largest temples in Vietnam, located within the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex in Ninh Binh. The pagoda is renowned for sacred and reverent atmosphere. Every Lunar New Year, people flock here to worship, pray for wealth, blessings, and good fortune, wishing for a peaceful and prosperous new year for themselves and their families. The Bai Dinh Pagoda Festival typically begins on the afternoon of the first day of Tet, officially opening on the sixth day of Tet, and continues until the end of the third lunar month.
In addition, when visiting Bai Dinh, tourists can combine their early spring trip with exploring the famous scenic spots in Ninh Binh, such as taking a boat ride along the gentle paddling oars to admire the picturesque beauty of Trang An – a harmonious blend of mountains and rivers.
Non Nuoc Pagoda
Non Nuoc Pagoda is also one of the ancient, long-standing, and famous temples in Ninh Binh. Built during the reign of King Ly Nhan Tong, it’s located at the foot of Non Nuoc Mountain, amidst picturesque and tranquil scenery beside the gentle Day River. The pagoda is surrounded by lush greenery, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere. It’s not only a sacred place to pray for peace and good fortune at the start of the new year but it’s also an excellent destination to admire the beauty of Ninh Binh's rivers and landscapes.
Above are the top 3 famous and sacred Temples in Ninh Binh that many tourists and locals choose to visit at the beginning of the new year. Visiting temples during the early spring is not only the way to show reverence but it’s also an opportunity to experience the profound cultural and spiritual values of Vietnam. Let each pilgrimage become a meaningful moment, marking the beginning of a new year filled with a lot of energy and joy.