4 h

Private

Instant confirmation

About this activity

Rich in Buddhism, the north of Vietnam is home to the country's most colourful and revered pagodas and temples. On this trip, we will visit the Thay pagoda, located 30 kilometers southwest of Hanoi and built in the 11th century. A picturesque pond in front of the pagoda brings peace and tranquility into the scene and serves as a natural venue for water puppet shows during festivals. This half day excursion is all about finding one of the most serene spots in the country, intertwined with what may be one of the country’s most revered forms of folkloristic story telling.

Our English speaking guide and driver will wait for you in the hotel lobby from where we leave the city center 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 40 kilometres southwest of Hanoi is the Thay Pagoda (Master's Pagoda). Whilst a temple is a place 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 for its colourful Buddhist ceremonies performed here during auspicious dates of the Lunar calendar.

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 date 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 the reincarnations of deities that shaped the foundation of this holy site.

After this full immersion into local culture and day-to-day life off the beaten tracks, we safely will bring you back to your booked hotel in Hanoi. If you happen to be in Hanoi and plan to visit this temple in March, try to match your dates with the Pagoda’s annual festival (held from the fifth until the 7th day of the 3rd lunar month). The temple grounds are filled with festivities and water puppet performance.

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Included

Hotel pickup and drop-off in Hanoi
A half day tour with a professional English-speaking guide.
Transportation by car / mini-van / coach with professional driver.
All applicable taxes and service charges

Not included

Surcharge for guide during TET (Vietnamese New Year)
Tours, inclusions of any kind and other services that are not outlined in the tour description
Personal expenses such as meals, drinks, tips and gratuities, shopping, portage fees and optional tours, unless otherwise stated
Hotel accommodation in the destination of commencement.
Compulsory Christmas and/or New Year dinner at included hotels
Any airline tickets, visa fees, additional transportation cost from and to the general meeting point
Transfers for customers arriving or departing from any airport or resorts located outside the general pick-up and drop-off locations, otherwise supplementary charges will be applied
Hotel expenses of a personal nature, should an overnight be included: this includes mini-bar consumption, laundry, room service, any telephone or other communication cost not mentioned in the program
Travel insurance coverage for customers (highly recommendable)

Additional

Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Based on minimum 2 adults
Price for a child between 2-11 years old can be applied for only 1 child per booking, otherwise they will be subject to the adult rate
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.