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Offered languages
- English
Escape the bustle of Hanoi on this half-day journey to Thay and Tay Phuong Pagodas, two sacred sites located 30 kilometers southwest of the city. Begin at Thay Pagoda, an 11th-century complex set at the foot of a limestone mountain and regarded as the legendary birthplace of Vietnamese water puppetry. Explore its peaceful grounds, admire its traditional wooden architecture, and learn about the caves linked to the monk Tu Dao Hanh.
Continue to nearby Tay Phuong Pagoda, reached by climbing laterite stone steps. Often described as a museum of Buddhist sculpture, it is home to 72 remarkable jackfruit-wood statues from the 17th and 18th centuries. Among them are the famous Arhats, known for their expressive detail and spiritual depth. With insights from your guide along the way, this tour offers a peaceful introduction to the religious heritage, art, and history of Northern Vietnam before returning to Hanoi.
What's Included
Meeting and pickup
We can pick up from only hotels in Hanoi City centre, Transfer outside these areas, supplements apply.
Itinerary
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1
Our English speaking guide and driver will wait for you in the hotel lobby from where we leave the city centre for our tour through Buddhist history in northern Vietnam. Customers have the freedom to choose from a morning or an afternoon excursion to these famous grounds in Vietnamese Buddhism. Located 30 kilometres south-west of Hanoi is the Thay Pagoda (Master's Pagoda). Whilst a temple is a place that worships the dead, a pagoda is a place to worship the Lord Buddha. Thay Pagoda is widely known for its finely carved statues in lacquer and gold of Buddha in his past and present form and its colourful Buddhist ceremonies performed here during auspicious dates of the Lunar calendar.
2 hours • Admission ticket included -
2
The pagoda itself dates back to the 7th century and is also remarkable for its impressive collection of Buddhist wooden statues from the 17th century. Figures representing "The Conditions of Man" are the pagoda’s most celebrated feature – carved from jackfruit wood, many dates from the 18th century. Take the steep steps up to the main pagoda building, then find a path at the back that loops down past the other two pagodas and wander through the adjacent hillside village. The temple complex itself can be rather confusing with lots of hidden corners and smaller parts of the pagoda that tell you yet another story – just follow your guide and you will gain a deeper understanding. The temple is filled with references made by the reincarnations of deities that shaped the foundation of this holy site.
2 hours • Admission ticket included
Additional info
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- This tour is operated on full private basis with English-speaking guide.
- Return transfers for this excursion apply only / are inclusive for customers staying in and inside Hanoi city centre. Transfers outside these areas, including any accommodation outside the capital, harbour and the Hanoi International Airport are excluded. Supplements apply for customers who want to join this excursion outside one of these regions.
- Customers are advised that during the TET celebrations (celebration of Vietnamese New Year), excursions and tours may be subject to supplementary charges and/or may see longer waiting times than normal. We appreciate your understanding on this.
Additional info
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- This tour is operated on full private basis with English-speaking guide.
- Return transfers for this excursion apply only / are inclusive for customers staying in and inside Hanoi city centre. Transfers outside these areas, including any accommodation outside the capital, harbour and the Hanoi International Airport are excluded. Supplements apply for customers who want to join this excursion outside one of these regions.
- Customers are advised that during the TET celebrations (celebration of Vietnamese New Year), excursions and tours may be subject to supplementary charges and/or may see longer waiting times than normal. We appreciate your understanding on this.
- Due to the nature of this tour, we regret to inform you that this excursion is not suitable for wheelchair users.
- We always will make efforts to confirm the exact pick-up time upon reservation. For any operational issues in which are not able to confirm the exact pick-up time in advance, we reserve the right to inform you the day before the departure of the tour.
- Please ensure that you bring sunglasses, a hat /cap and sunblock with a high SPF factor when traveling with us on this tour – even when it is cloudy, the sunrays still have an immense power.
- It is the responsibility of the customer to provide us with the correct hotel information, should pick-up and drop-off services be included in the package. Any changes in accommodation outside 48 hours will be handled accordingly: changes within 48 hours may be on request.
- The Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh City is closed very afternoon, on Mondays and Fridays and during the months of October and November
- Visits to the Mausoleum are restricted to outside visits only and
- This excursion includes obstacles of various kinds that may not make this excursion suitable for wheelchair users
- Guests are advised that some walking is required during this excursion; we always ensure that we take the most comfortable ways from the entrance of the sight to the sight itself
- Please note pickup and drop-off services may not be confirmed for customers staying at private residences, apartment complexes, or other non-registered tourism accommodations. Customers may be asked to meet at a nearby hotel for pick-up and drop off
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Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Cancellation Policy
- For a full refund, you must cancel at least 24 hours before the experience’s start time.
- If you cancel less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time, the amount you paid will not be refunded.
- Any changes made less than 24 hours before the experience’s start time will not be accepted.
Rating
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
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