Journey to the pagoda in the clouds

Ngoa Van Pagoda means "Pagoda in the Clouds". At an altitude of 600 metres above sea level, the pagoda has beautiful landscape, leaning against the cloud-covered Ngoa Van peak.

Ngoa Van is a sacred pagoda located on Bao Dai Mountain, in the territory of two communes, An Sinh and Binh Khe, in Quang Ninh Province. Built during the Tran Dynasty (1225-1400), the pagoda was the final destination in King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong’s journey of Buddhist practice and enlightenment.

From the foot of the mountain to the Ngoa Van summit, researchers have found countless traces of ancient architecture and culture throughout different times, such as from the Tran, La and Nguyen dynasties.

The most impressive examples are probably the architecture found in the Da Chong area, where archaeologists recently unearthed and discovered multiple layers of relics of the Le Trung Hung (Restored Le) era from the foot to half-way up the hill.

The tower of Buddhist King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong on the top of Bao Dai Mountain is a place containing many mysteries and is visited by pilgrims every year.

Ngoa Van Pagoda means "Pagoda in the Clouds". At an altitude of 600 metres above sea level, the pagoda has beautiful landscape, leaning against the cloud-covered Ngoa Van peak.

Surrounded by two mountain ranges on both sides and a beautiful valley in front, this sacred place is a perfect destination for those who want to find inner peace.

As a most sacred place, Ngoa Van Pagoda has been developed as one of 14 tourism destinations in Quảng Ninh to meet the demand for spiritual tourism of monks and pilgrims across the country.

To create a chance for pilgrims and visitors to show respect and gratitude to Tran Nhan Tong, and to pray for a happy and peaceful year and to attract more tourists, the provincial authorities have worked hard to turn the location into an ideal destination for tourists.

A traditional path to the pagoda was paved and a cable car system was built to let visitors contemplate the peaceful atmosphere and the breathtaking beauty.

The pagoda relic complex includes four areas: Thong Dan, Ngoa Van, Da Chong and Ba Bac, with 15 groups of different temples and towers. Ngoa Van pgoda is the central part of the complex. In the past, people had to walk along a slippery, rocky path to get to the pagoda by starting from An Sinh Temple, going along Phu Am Tram stream to Do Kieu slope and crossing Thong Da.

A pilgrimage to Ngoa Van Pagoda in winter has special meaning for Buddhists. Under the mist on the top of the mountain and the golden rays of the sun, visitors can feel the cold of winter, peace of mind, and an absolute purity when standing on the top of the mountain looking down.

The landscape here is also extremely airy. Those who have stayed at the temple in autumn during the moonlit nights find the scenery here like that of a fairyland.

Those who have knowledge of feng shui claim that the area has an extremely good location as there is "a blue dragon on the left and a white tiger on the right", mountains in front and behind, and water far away.

In order to preserve and promote the complex, in December 2020, on the 713th anniversary of King-Monk Tran Nhan Tong attaining nirvana, the People's Committee of Quang Ninh approved a project to restore Ngoa Van Shrine thanks to a donation from the Thien Tam Fund of Vingroup. The project was carried out with the principle of preserving the antiquity of this Buddhist work. The construction was carried out under the strict supervision of archaeologists to ensure accuracy.

Ngoa Van Pagoda was officially inaugurated on December 4, after the renovation. It is now ready to welcome Buddhists and others to visit this holy land of Truc Lam Buddhism.