Discover UNESCO treasures close to Hanoi

To start the nearly 100 km journey from the center of Hanoi, visitors have two convenient transportation options. If traveling by personal car, the route along Highway 5 towards Hai Duong and then turn onto Highway 37 towards Chi Linh is the most popular choice.

If you like the feeling of freedom on winding roads, Highway 18 through Bac Ninh and Pha Lai will be suitable for motorbike enthusiasts. No matter which means of transportation you choose, going through Sao Do intersection to enter the core area of ​​the relic is always an unforgettable experience, opening up a space different from the city.

One journey, five destinations

For tourists who have two full days of rest, a tour to explore five typical heritage sites costs about 1,899,000 VND.

The journey begins at Kiep Bac Temple in the early morning, where visitors not only offer incense to commemorate Hung Dao Dai Vuong but also experience making Van Yen pottery or painting lotus flowers on conical hats. After lunch at the locality, the afternoon will be a quiet time at Con Son Pagoda with the ceremony of spinning the sacred Cuu Pham Lotus tree.

On the second day, the journey to Thanh Mai pagoda allows visitors to get lost in the red maple forest and learn how to make banh banh of the San Diu ethnic people. The ending point at Kinh Chu cave and Nham Duong pagoda will open a mysterious archaeological world, where ghost steles and magnificent caves tell the story of prehistoric people.

Following in the footsteps of Tam To Truc Lam

If your time is limited to just one day, the spiritual journey following the footsteps of Tam To Truc Lam with a cost of 865,000 VND will help visitors find balance in their souls.

Starting from Sung Nghiem Pagoda to hear about the first steps of the First Patriarch Tran Nhan Tong, visitors will then move to the ancient Thanh Mai Pagoda in the deep forest. Here, taking a sip of herbal tea in the quiet space, all worries seem to disappear. In the afternoon, walking on the stone steps of Con Son, visitors can leisurely visit Nguyen Trai temple, experience woodblock printing or try themselves in formal costumes to capture beautiful moments.

Explore Ngu Nhac peak and Ban Co Tien

For those who love to conquer, the 2 day 1 night tour focusing on mountain climbing and campfire activities for 1,699,000 VND is an option not to be missed.

After a long day of visiting temples, in the evening there will be a campfire, connecting travelers through lyrics and singing in the middle of the mountains and forests. The next morning, visitors will conquer Ngu Nhac peak and Ban Co Tien. Standing on the highest peak, looking out into the distance to see the “Luc Dau Giang” area, visitors feel the smallness of humans before nature and the profoundness of Bach Van Am – a place of meditation to find the self.

Heritage cuisine and notes

The heritage journey would not be complete without the culinary flavors of Chi Linh and Kinh Mon lands. Meals here are often prepared with 9 to 11 specialties, from hill chicken to fragrant sticky silver cake, at a cost of about 200,000 VND per meal. In addition to the main attractions, visitors can visit the temple of “eternal teacher” Chu Van An or Chu Dau pottery village not far away to enrich their experience.

Before setting off, visitors need to prepare polite clothes and a pair of walking shoes to conquer the thousand-year-old stone steps. When returning, visitors can buy Con Son forest honey or green bean cakes as gifts for relatives.

According to local people, the best time to experience the journey is during the Spring Festival (January) or Fall Festival (August of the lunar calendar). However, if you want to avoid crowds, you can go on weekends throughout the year.