Bac Ninh Travel Guide

In addition to cultural depth, Bac Ninh also owns peaceful, poetic countryside with beautiful natural landscapes. Vast fruit farms, immense lakes and pristine scenery. It gives you a feeling of relaxation, close to nature. Let’s explore Bac Ninh with Origin Vietnam – an ancient land, rich in identity and full of charm in the heart of Northern Vietnam.

1. Where is Bac Ninh?

Bac Ninh is a province located in the Northeast region of Vietnam. It has diverse terrain, from highlands to midlands and plains. It is about 55 km northeast of Hanoi. Geographical location:

• Northern borders Lang Son province.
• Western borders Thai Nguyen province.
• Southwestern borders Hanoi city.
• Eastern borders Quang Ninh province.
• Southern borders Hai Phong city and Quang Ninh province.

2. How is Bac Ninh unique?

Bac Ninh is a special land with a strong cultural and historical identity of the Kinh Bac region. This is the cradle of Quan Ho folk songs – an intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO. With 23 ancient Quan Ho villages still preserved to this day. Not only famous for Quan Ho melodies, Bac Ninh also owns a rich historical relic system, ancient pagodas and unique traditional festivals. It reflects the long-standing spiritual and cultural life of the people here.

In addition, Bac Ninh possesses a peaceful beauty with clear blue lakes, cool forests and endless fruit farms. You can immerse yourself in the pristine natural space, and relax in eco-tourism areas. Or visit the long-standing traditional craft villages such as Dong Ho paintings, Phu Lang pottery village, etc. With a harmonious combination of unique culture, long history and rich nature, Bac Ninh offers a unique and attractive travel experience. It deserves to be an ideal destination for those who love to explore the cultural depth and peaceful beauty of the Northern countryside of Vietnam.

3. When is the best time to visit Bac Ninh?

Bac Ninh is a destination that you can visit all year round thanks to its diversity in natural scenery and typical cultural activities. However, the most ideal time to explore this land:

• Spring (from January to March) is the season of traditional festivals, typically the Lim festival. Where you can enjoy smooth Quan Ho melodies on the boat. And you have the opportunity to interact with Lien Anh and Lien Chi in the festival atmosphere imbued with Kinh Bac culture. The weather at this time is cool, sometimes with light spring rain. It creates a scene that is both poetic and profound.
• Autumn (from September to November)brings fresh air, mild chill, very suitable for visiting traditional craft villages, historical sites and exploring indigenous culture.

In addition, if you love nature and outdoor activities, summer (June to July) is also a time worth considering. This is when the lychee gardens in the surrounding areas enter their peak season. It creates a brilliant scene with crimson roads under green foliage. The dry weather during this season is also favorable for traveling and exploring. No matter what season you come to, Bac Ninh always brings you unique experiences. It harmoniously combines cultural and historical values ​​and unique natural beauty.

4. How to get to Bac Ninh?

Bac Ninh is not too far from Hanoi, only about 50km. Moreover, the traffic infrastructure here is quite developed and convenient. Therefore, you can easily travel to Bac Ninh by personal vehicle. However, if you want to ensure safety or take time to rest while traveling, public transport such as buses or trains are suitable choices.

• If you depart from distant provinces such as Central or Southern Vietnam. Traveling by plane is the optimal choice, it will save you time and health for the journey ahead. After landing at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you can rent a tourist car or taxi to continue traveling to Bac Ninh.
• Or you can also take the train to Bac Ninh on 2 train routes that pass through here. Those are the Hanoi – Dong Dang train and the Yen Vien – Ha Long train. Furthermore, you can also send your motorbike along the train for convenient sightseeing and exploration.
• Starting from the center of Hanoi, you travel along Highway 5A about 10 km to the East. From here, you will see a roundabout intersecting with Highway 1A, you turn left onto this road. Then, you continue traveling along Highway 1A about 50 km more to reach the center of Bac Ninh city.

5. Sightseeings in Bac Ninh

5.1 Lim Festival

Lim Festival is the most unique festival held on the 13th day of the first lunar month every year. Moreover, this is a festival imbued with the folk culture of Kinh Bac region. The most prominent feature of the Lim Festival is the Lien Anh and Lien Chi in traditional costumes exchanging love songs through smooth Quan Ho songs. In addition, the festival also attracts tourists with many folk games such as wrestling, swinging, blindfolded goat catching, human chess, etc.

5.2 Dong Ho Painting Village

Dong Ho Painting Village is located in Song Ho Commune, Thuan Thanh. In particular, Dong Ho paintings have a history of hundreds of years, and have been an indispensable cultural feature in life. The characteristic of the paintings lies in the materials and woodblock printing techniques. They printed the paintings on Do paper, covered with shiny mulberry. Moreover, they use colors completely from nature such as bamboo charcoal (black), yellow wood (yellow), seashells (white), indigo leaves (green),… The paintings are not only aesthetic but also contain profound meanings about life and philosophy of life.

5.3 Dau Pagoda

Dau Pagoda is the oldest Buddhist pagoda in Vietnam, built in the 2nd century under the reign of Si Nhiep. In addition, this is an important Buddhist center of the ancient Luy Lau region. The most prominent feature of the pagoda is the 17m high Hoa Phong tower, built with ancient bricks. Inside the pagoda, they worshiped Buddha Mother Man Nuong, a sacred deity according to Northern folk beliefs.

5.4 Do Temple

Do Temple, or Ly Bat De Temple, is located in Dinh Bang Ward, Tu Son City. This is the temple to worship the first 8 kings of the Ly Dynasty. The temple was built in the 11th century, right in the hometown of King Ly Cong Uan. Furthermore, Do Temple has an ancient and majestic architecture, with Ngu Long Mon Gate, Dai Dinh, Tien Te House and the main hall worshiping 8 kings. In addition, the temple grounds are spacious, surrounded by trees and lakes, creating a peaceful space.

5.5 Dinh Bang Communal House

Dinh Bang Communal House is one of the most beautiful and majestic ancient communal houses in Vietnam. People built it in the late 17th century (1700). The communal house is a typical architectural work of communal houses in Northern Vietnam. The communal house has a large scale with 5 rooms, 2 wings, and a solid ironwood structure. In particular, Dinh Bang Communal House stands out with its elaborately carved rafters of dragons, phoenixes, and flowers. The communal house worships Cao Son Dai Vuong, Thuy Ba Dai Vuong and Bach Le Dai Vuong, three gods who have contributed to protecting this land.

5.6 Phat Tich Pagoda

Phat Tich Pagoda is also a Bac Ninh tourist destination that many tourists love. Moreover, this is also one of the most ancient and famous pagodas in Bac Ninh. The pagoda has a history dating back to the reign of King Ly Thanh Tong (1057). The most prominent feature of the pagoda is the largest stone statue of Amitabha Buddha in the Ly Dynasty, 27m high, located on the top of Phat Tich Mountain. In particular, the pagoda also owns many precious artifacts such as ancient towers, stone animal statues and a system of elaborately carved stone pedestals.

5.7 Cung Temple – Ngoc Well

Cung Temple – Ngoc Well is associated with the legend of Saint Giong. According to legend, after quelling the rebellion, Saint Giong stopped in this area. He drank water from the Ngoc Well, leaving a horse’s hoofprint on the stone slab before ascending to heaven. Therefore, Ngoc Well is a sacred source of water, clear all year round, never running out. This complex of relics is where visitors often come to pray for health and luck.

5.8 Phu Lang Pottery Village

Phu Lang Pottery Village is one of the oldest pottery villages in Vietnam. The pottery craft here dates back to the Tran Dynasty and has been maintained and developed through many generations. In particular, Phu Lang pottery uses smooth, soft red clay, fired at high temperatures in a gourd kiln. Therefore, the pottery has a natural eel-skin glaze color, yellow-brown, red-brown or dark brown. The ceramic products mainly include jars, pots, vases, basins, vases, etc.

5.9 Le Chi Vien Relic Site

Le Chi Vien Relic Site is a place associated with the unjust case of Le Chi Vien. The famous historical case in the Le Dynasty, which caused the great mandarin Nguyen Trai to have his entire family exterminated. Le Chi Vien used to be a shady lychee garden, where in 1442, King Le Thai Tong stopped by to rest. That night, the king suddenly passed away, and Nguyen Trai and his wife, the rite scholar Nguyen Thi Lo, were falsely accused of being the masterminds. Today, the relic site includes Nguyen Trai’s temple and memorial works to commemorate his contributions.

5.10 But Thap Pagoda

But Thap Pagoda is one of the most famous ancient pagodas in Kinh Bac region. The pagoda has a history dating back to the Tran Dynasty. But people built and developed it strongly during the Later Le Dynasty. Moreover, the pagoda’s architecture is imbued with the style of ancient Vietnamese pagodas with a system of carved ironwood. In particular, the pagoda is famous for its Pen Tower, a pen-shaped stone tower about 13m high. In addition, the pagoda also owns the largest wooden statue of the Thousand-Eyed and Thousand-Armed Bodhisattva in Vietnam.

5.11 Dai Bai Bronze Casting Village

Dai Bai Bronze Casting Village maintains the traditional craft of manual bronze casting. Today, Dai Bai is known as a strongly developing traditional craft village. Here, bronze casting has brought the people of this area a stable economic source and the main income from this job.

5.12 Kinh Duong Vuong Temple

Kinh Duong Vuong Temple has a unique architecture with many sophisticated lines. It was built based on ancient Vietnamese architectural standards. In particular, the temple also preserves many relics and documents related to King Kinh Duong Vuong. And there are also many religious activities taking place on major holidays of the year.

5.13 Khe Ro Primitive Forest

If you are a lover of the wild and majestic beauty of mountains and forests. Khe Ro Primitive Forest is the most suitable tourist destination in Bac Ninh. The climate here is extremely fresh and cool in the summer, and relatively warm in the winter. Next to it are small streams flowing clear and murmuring. It creates a watercolor painting that attracts a large number of tourists to visit.

5.14 Tay Yen Tu Conservation Area

An impressive tourist destination in Bac Ninh amidst the vast green space and hills. Tay Yen Tu Conservation Area is like a beautiful natural picture, a harmony between diverse flora and fauna. Besides, this is also a scenic area with a series of relics remaining from the Ly – Tran dynasties such as Am Vai, Ho Bac, Huyen Son, Kham Lang, … It has the characteristics of Buddhism belonging to the Truc Lam Zen sect.

5.15 Suoi Mo Tourist Area

In the middle of the vast forest and mountains, there are also rocky mountains. Next to it, the Mo stream flows through Huyen Dinh valley and creates an extremely romantic waterfall.

In particular, Suoi Mo Tourist Area also has 5 waterfalls, affectionately called by local people as the mother and child waterfall. Moreover, this tourist destination is also famous because this place used to worship Princess Que My Nuong during the Hung King period.

5.16 Thac Tien Tourist Area

Thac Tien Tourist Area is also known by another name, Wedding Land Amusement Park. It covers an area of ​​up to 10 hectares with a landscape like an attractive green paradise. When visiting here, you will admire the gardens growing a lot of fruits. Such as: sour plum, mango, jackfruit, watermelon, … to shade trees such as: pine, si, banyan, morning glory …

If you want to take photos to check in, you can go to miniature landscapes with bold classical architecture. Such as the landscape in the West, Korea, Japan or Hoi An. There is also a beautiful Tien waterfall like a soft white silk strip pouring down from a height of 25m.

5.17 Vinh Nghiem Pagoda

This ancient pagoda stands out with its unique architecture, including 4 buildings located right in the middle of an extremely large space. With rows of green bamboo surrounding it. In addition to worshiping Buddha, Vinh Nghiem Pagoda is also a place to worship Truc Lam Tam To of the Tran Dynasty. In particular, the pagoda still preserves many valuable artifacts such as: Buddha statues, stone steles, worshiping objects, … Every year, this place attracts a large number of visitors to come and worship or take pictures to save many impressive pictures.

5.18 Tho Ha Communal House

Tho Ha Communal House is also one of the few temples that still records its date. According to the stele inscriptions, the communal house was built in 1685 and still exists today. Moreover, the architecture of Tho Ha Communal House is quite unique, consisting of 3 houses: Tien Te, Dai Dinh and finally Hau Cung.

5.19 Bo Da Pagoda

Bo Da Pagoda has long been one of the most famous spiritual tourist destinations in the Northern region in general and Bac Ninh in particular. The pagoda was built during the Ly Dynasty with baked bricks, tiles, soil, etc. With its unique architecture, art, historical and cultural values, Bo Da Pagoda is still visited by many visitors to learn and explore.

5.20 Ve Pagoda

When coming to this unique tourist destination, you can easily see the exquisite La Han statues spread along both sides of the corridor. Ve Pagoda was built by King Le Loi to commemorate the villagers’ contributions to helping the insurgents defeat the Ming invaders that day.

5.21 Xuong Giang Citadel

Xuong Giang Citadel is a unique tourist destination, a place that preserves many heroic historical memories of the nation. Although the architecture here is no longer intact, it is still an ideal check-in location, proving the sacred strength of the Vietnamese people.

5.22 Khuon Than Lake

Khuon Than Lake is often compared to a green gem in the middle of a lush pine and cajuput forest. In particular, in the heart of the lake are 5 islands rising and falling on the water surface and is often compared to the “green lungs of Luc Ngan”. When the rainy season comes, the lake will form a waterfall pouring down from the top of Khuon Than dam, creating an extremely majestic landscape.

5.23 Dong Cao Plateau

Dong Cao Plateau is located at an altitude of about 1,000m, possessing a large space with irresistible mountains. On the top of Dong Cao, there is Hang Vua, often associated with mysterious ancient stories. It is often called the “house of the wind” when the wind always flows from everywhere. When coming to Dong Dao, you will visit the place where the gentle and hospitable Dao ethnic people live.

5.24 Tho Ha Village

This is the oldest ancient village in Bac Ninh and carries the breath of Northern Vietnamese culture. With the image of banyan trees, water wharves, communal houses, … In particular, when visiting here, you will experience craft villages such as making rice paper, making pottery, …

5.25 Bao Son Pineapple Hill

Bao Son Pineapple Hill is probably not too strange to tourists in Bac Ninh. Every year, when the pineapples are ripe, the fields here are more bustling than ever. With a sweet background of green mixed with yellow. We recommend that visitors wear long clothes to avoid being cut by the pineapple.

5.26 Dinh Huong Tomb

Dinh Huong Tomb is a famous tourist destination in Dinh Huong village, Duc Thang, Hiep Hoa, Bac Ninh. This is an ancient stone mausoleum complex divided into three main parts. There is a burial part in the middle, a worship part on the left, and a stele on the right, all beautifully decorated.

In particular, the statues depicting people and objects here are made of green stone. With very sophisticated and vivid craftsmanship, and a variety of shapes from small to large sizes, thick, round, rectangular, … are all available. It is known that these are historical vestiges from the Later Le Dynasty. Therefore, this place was recognized as a national historical relic very early, in 1965.

5.27 Ngo Family Tomb

This is considered one of the most beautiful ancient structures in Bac Ninh because of its extremely delicate but equally majestic designs. This place worships Duke Ngo Van Que, who was previously an admiral of the Le Dynasty. He was highly respected by King Le Hy Tong, who assigned him to many important positions in the royal court at that time.

Moreover, the tomb was built by him and only restored once, showing the solidity of the ancient design. In particular, the patterns are carved in an extremely unique way on the stone foundation. Despite a long history, the precious antiques in the stone tomb are almost completely preserved.

5.28 Cam Son Lake

Cam Son Lake stands out like a bright fairy lake surrounded by the vast and pristine nature of the mountains and forests. When you come here, you can have a picnic with your loved ones, row a boat on the lake. Or enjoy fishing in the vast and quiet space.

5.29 Danh Mountain

Known for its wild landscape, Danh Mountain is an ideal destination for those who love trekking. And for those who want to learn about the culture of local ethnic minorities. With an altitude of more than 1,000m above sea level, Danh mountain is a place with a cool, fresh climate all year round. With a wild natural landscape, green pine forests and gentle streams. Therefore, this is an ideal place for you to enjoy the peaceful space, find the dawn and immerse yourself in the majestic nature.

5.30 Ban Ven Eco-tourism Area

Ban Ven is a peaceful coordinate in Yen The. This place is favored by Mother Nature with many rich products such as tea, wild honey, … Besides, Ban Ven attracts many tourists to come on weekends. They come here to enjoy the cool green space, find inspiration to work for a new week.

6. Specialties when traveling to Bac Ninh

The land of Kinh Bac with its hometown specialties will make it hard for you to forget. Let’s follow Origin Vietnam to explore Bac Ninh cuisine.

6.1 Dinh To ash cake:

Not only Dinh To soy sauce, Dinh To ash cake is also very famous in Bac Ninh thanks to its delicious flavor. The cake is made from sticky rice, ash water, wrapped in banana leaves or dong leaves and added with molasses, so it has a beautiful golden brown color. When enjoying, you will feel the soft cake, the sweet and fragrant aroma, attractive.

6.2 Steamed beef wrapped in rice paper:

This is a delicious dish that is highly appreciated by many diners when coming to Bac Ninh and having the opportunity to enjoy it. Steamed beef wrapped in rice paper is simple but brings a strange appeal. Moreover, the beef is steamed just right so it is still sweet and soft. The thinly sliced ​​meat wrapped in rice paper, herbs, wild vegetables and dipped with a little fish sauce is perfect.

6.3 Banh te lang Cho:

The cake is made from rice flour, wrapped in dong leaves. The cake has a soft, chewy, delicious outer shell that is not too mushy. A hot cake will win over any guest.

6.4 Nem Bui Ninh Xa:

Nem Bui has a golden color and a unique flavor. It is a combination of the fatty taste of pork, the aroma of rice powder, and the rich taste of fig leaves, conquering diners from near and far.

6.5 Banh tro:

Banh tro is a rustic dish, made from sticky rice and mistletoe leaf ash water. The cake is soft, fragrant, and has a refreshing taste that is very attractive when eaten. This dish will be more delicious when combined with sugar or molasses.

6.6 Luc Ngan ant egg sticky rice:

When mentioning Bac Ninh, it is impossible not to mention Luc Ngan ant egg sticky rice. This is a unique and strange dish, with a unique flavor that is unmatched anywhere. The tiny ant eggs in the sticky rice dish make many people feel hesitant when enjoying it for the first time. But once you have the courage to try it, you will surely find it hard to forget the delicious and fatty flavor of this dish.

6.7 Dong Quan rice cake:

Dong Quan rice cake is one of the rustic dishes made from fragrant sticky rice. The rice cake is soft, has a fragrant coconut scent mixed with the rich taste of peanuts, and is very delicious. Especially, if eaten with banh ban sauce, you will be overwhelmed by the delicious taste of the cake.

6.8 Yen The hill chicken:

Yen The hill chicken is one of the most famous specialties in Bac Ninh. They are raised naturally, so the meat is chewy, fragrant and sweet. If you have the opportunity to come to Bac Ninh, you shouldn’t miss this attractive boiled chicken with salt and pepper.

7. Accommodation when traveling to Bac Ninh

When coming to this historic and ancient land, you can refer to some of the following accommodations:

• Muong Thanh Grand Hotel. Address: Square, 3/2, Bac Giang City, Bac Ninh.
• Marina Hotel. Address: 162 Nguyen Thi Luu, Ngo Quyen Ward, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh.
• Ravatel Luxury Hotel. Address: Hung Vuong 1 Street, Le Loi Ward, Bac Ninh.
• Lynn Hotel. Address: 218 Nguyen Thi Luu, Ngo Quyen Ward, Bac Ninh.
• Sojo Hotel. Address: 8 Nguyen Van Cu, Tran Phu Ward, Bac Ninh.
• Mandala Hotel & Spa. Address: 2 Kinh Duong Vuong Street, Suoi Hoa, Bac Ninh.
• Grand Phoenix Hotel. Address: 25 Ly Thai To Street, Nga Sau, Bac Ninh.
• Senna Wellness Retreat. Address: 122 Tran Luu, Thi Cau Ward, Bac Ninh.

With updated and useful information about the Bac Ninh travel experience. That Origin Vietnam – a professional tour operator, has just shared in the above article. Hopefully, it will help your upcoming vacation in Vietnam. We will accompany you on the Vietnam tour to explore this ancient land, imbued with national identity with the most interesting experiences.