Bai Dinh is two places in one. On the hillside are the old Bai Dinh cave shrines, linked by tradition to the Ly-dynasty monk Nguyen Minh Khong. Below them, a vast new complex was built from 2003 and opened in 2010, and it is now one of the main Buddhist pilgrimage sites in northern Vietnam.<\/p>\n
The new pagoda climbs the hill in a series of halls joined by long covered galleries. Around 500 carved stone arhats line the galleries, each with its own face and pose. The main halls hold very large bronze Buddha statues \u2013 the one in the Phap Chu hall is often quoted at around 100 tonnes \u2013 and a bronze bell of about 36 tonnes hangs in its own tower.<\/p>\n
Walk up through the arhat galleries rather than taking a shortcut: the long rows of stone figures are the most memorable part of the visit. Then see the bell tower, the main halls and, at the top, the views over the lake and the hills. If you still have energy, follow the path to the old cave pagoda above the new complex \u2013 small, dim and atmospheric, and nothing like the scale below.<\/p>\n