Bai Dinh Pagoda (Chua Bai Dinh) Tours and Tickets

There are plenty of ways to experience Bai Dinh Pagoda. Looking at ratings and reviews previously given by customers, these are the best tours available right now:

• Ninh Binh Day Trip: Bai Dinh - Trang An - Mua Cave, Buffet, Boat, Bus

• Ninh Binh Highlights Hoa Lu/Bai Dinh - Trang An/Tam Coc - Mua Cave

• Day Tours From Hanoi City (PRIVATE TOUR)

• Bai Dinh Trang An Mua Cave Day Tour From Hanoi

• Exploring Bai Dinh Pagoda - Trang An - Mua Cave With Buffet Lunch 1 Day From Hanoi

While you can visit Bai Dinh Pagoda on your own for free, most people visit as part of a day tour, which typically bundles the pagoda with other Ninh Binh highlights, such as Trang An and Mua Cave. Day tours from Ninh Binh start at US$20, while tours from Hanoi start at around US$30. Expect to pay higher prices for private and overnight trips (starting around US$110); tours of the region spanning multiple days cost much more.

Yes, Bai Dinh Pagoda is well worth visiting. Vietnam's largest pagoda complex features a vast corridor lined with giant stone statues, one of the largest bronze Buddha statues in Vietnam, and some incredible views of the Ninh Binh landscape. An electric car ferries you around the site, so you can cover it all without hiking the complex on foot. Most people visit as part of a day trip that also includes Trang An and Mua Cave, plus transportation and a guide.

Per one customer who booked the Ninh Binh Highlights Hoa Lu/Bai Dinh - Trang An/Tam Coc - Mua Cave tour, "Really loved this tour. You got a nice mix of history and then stunning scenery. It was also really handy being taken from site to site, and Henry, our guide, was full of information! We were staying in Ninh Binh so had as long as we wanted at the last stop, which was ideal to explore it all and chill at the top for sunset."

The original Bai Dinh Pagoda dates back to the 11th century and the Dinh dynasty. In 2003, a new spiritual complex was built at its base; combined, the two form one of the largest Buddhist complexes in the world. It’s become quite the pilgrimage destination for both domestic and international visitors.

The Bai Dinh Pagoda Spiritual Complex is situated in Vietnam’s Ninh Binh province, about 15 miles (25 kilometers) from the nearest city, Ninh Binh, and 55 miles (90 kilometers) south of Hanoi, the capital city. Most visitors access the complex via motorbike, car, or organized tour and then explore on foot.

The Bai Dinh Pagoda complex has two parts: the old and the new. The 11th-century pagoda can be found in the foothills—built into caves, actually—about 300 steps from the 21st-century side, which has a “fairy lake,” the largest gilded bronze Buddha in Asia, the tallest stupa in Asia, the longest Arhat corridor in Asia, and more.

While the dress code isn’t consistently enforced, Bai Dinh Pagoda is a religious place, and it’s suggested visitors cover their shoulders and knees—avoid short shorts and tank tops. As for footwear, ensure you have comfortable shoes, as you’ll be doing a fair bit of walking.

Yes, the Bai Dinh Pagoda is in a tourist-filled area of Vietnam. It is about a 30-minute drive from the village of Tam Coc and the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, a UNESCO site that looks like an inland Ha Long Bay. Most visitors explore the spectacular cliffs, caves, and waters via organized boat tours.

There are tons of things to do when you're done visiting Bai Dinh Pagoda. According to travelers, these are some of the top attractions in Northern Vietnam:

• Ha Long Bay

• Ninh Binh

• Lan Ha Bay

• Hanoi Old Quarter

• Tam Coc

View Viator's guide to all the best attractions in Northern Vietnam.