Trang An Grottoes - Tourism Complex

Covering an area of 1,961 hectares, Trang An Grottoes ecotourism complex has five function zones: Hoa Lu ancient capital - particularly restricted area; the reception center; the grottoes area; the tourist service area; Bai Dinh pagoda spiritually cultural area. The whole complex has 47 historical relics and nearly 100 grottoes stretching around 20km South – North.

Trang An is the key tourism zone of Ninh Binh which is still under construction and investment in infrastructure. When the project is completed and opened by the year 2010, Trang An will become a national and international tourism complex of Vietnam with all tourism types such as historical tour, cultural tour, eco tour, festival tour, religious tour, grottoe discovery tour, adventure tour (rock climbing, trekking), entertainment tour, vacation, MICE tour, kayak, and historical - cultural research...

Trang An Grottoes area is located 4km Southwest of Hoa Lu ancient capital inside Trang An Eco tourism complex. The Trang An Grottoes has an area of 1,500 hectares; including: limestone ranges, valleys, caves and rivers. All these factors make a fanciful and romantic atmostphere. There is a system of unique grottoes like Ba Giot, Dia Linh, Toi (Dark Cave), Sang (Bright Cave), Ao Trai Cave and Seo Cave. There are many valleys like Tran Temple valley, May valley, Khong Valley, Nau Ruou Valley (Wine brewing valley).

In archealogical excavations, people discovered valuable relics like bows, dishes, pots, bricks, tiles and ancient money. Moreover, Trang An Grottoes Area also has old architectural constructions like Vuc Vong temple, Khong residence. The Beauty of New Long trans-water grottoes will surprise tourists.

Trang An Grottoes Area is considered as a great rock – garden locating in a vast lake. It is said that, this is the place where Dinh Bo Linh trained his navy soldiers. All the scenes seem to be mingled with which create a particular and interesting space awaking a wide range of mythical imagination.

Bai Dinh Pagoda

It is only 6km away from Hoa Lu ancient capital to the northwest, Bai Dinh Pagoda Mountain is one of the most important attractions of Trang An Eco tourist complex. Bai Dinh Pagoda Mountain has many sites to visit, such as the “Voi phuc tho Duc ong mat do” Cave (the elephant lies prostrate to worship the red-face-Master); the Buddhism Cave (or called Sang Cave); and Tien Cave (or called Toi Cave) which worships Thuong Ngan Queen with many beautiful stalactites, making tourists feel that they are in a fairy place.

Bai Dinh Pagoda Mountain is 200m high. It lies between a half – mountain, half – plain with the area of nearly 150,000m2. This is an outstanding tourist site in Ninh Binh because of its cultural and historical values as well as its diverse ecological system. In 1997, Bai Dinh Pagoda Mountain was recognized as a cultural and historical heritage of Vietnam.

Due to its historical and culutural value, especailly its ideal location in term of geomoncy. A new Bai Dinh pagoda was built next to the old one facing South East. So far, the new one has proudly recieved the Great statue of the Buddha Sakyamuni made of bronze and weighs 100-tons, three bronze statues Tam The (50 tons for each), two huge bronze bells, one weighs 27 tons, the other weighs 36 tons and 500 statues of “La Han” (Arhats) sculptured by Ninh Van craftmans. When the new Bai Dinh Pagoda is completed, it will be a big religious tourist site of Vietnam in general and Ninh Binh in particular.

Noi Lam Temple (Tran Temple)

Located at the Southern part of Trang An grottoes complex, Noi Lam temple (internal forest) belongs to the mountainous area of Van Lam hamlet, Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, it is both accessible from Tam Coc and Trang An.

To reach Noi Lam temple, tourists can take a 40 minutes rowing boat or trek one hour through up and down four challenging slopes while contemplating the unspoiled scenery, and discovering natural mystery and historical vestiges of the golden era in the 10th century. According to the legend, the temple was built in memory of the genius Tran Quy Minh - a general of King Hung and his wife from which the other name Tran temple originated.

Remarkably, Noi Lam temple’s transverse bars, thresholds, pillars and eaves were all made of stone. The four eaves sided pillars were embossed with clouded dragons in the middle, phoenix and fish becoming phoenix in the top, turtles, anabas, carps, etc underneath. They were all carved in an extremely elaborate, fine and lively way by talented artisans. In addition to its spectacular features in term of architecture and carvings, the temple has long been known as a sacred place. In or around 7th of every lunar January, visitors from all parts of the country gather to pray to gods and the genius for a lucky and happy year.