Two weeks in North Vietnam - 12/21 - 1/3/2023

Day 2-Am Tien Cave, Lake and Pagoda-12/22/2024

 Am Tien Cave is a famous landmark located in  Hoa Lu, the Ancient Capital, surrounded by towering limestone mountains, and right at the foot of the hill is a jade green lake that is often referred as the miniature Ha Long Bay on land.

Dating back over a thousand years, Am Tien Cave played a significant role during the Dinh Dynasty (968-980 AD), when it served as a retreat for monks and a strategic outpost for military defenses. Legend has it that King Đinh Tiên Hoàng established this area as a secluded place for religious practices and meditation, further adding to its mystical allure. Throughout the centuries, Am Tien Cave became known as a spiritual haven for Buddhist monks and nuns. Today, it continues to serve as a place of worship and pilgrimage for those seeking inner peace and reflection.

Road leading to the Am Tien cave.  We saw goats roaming freely on the road.

In the old days Am Tien was only accessible via an arduous climb of 205 stone steps over a steep cliff.  Nowadays two new tunnels have been excavated through the rocky mountain and it is now very easy to access.

Walking inside the tunnel.

As soon as you walk out of the tunnel, you will be so surprise to see a beautiful lake in the center surrounded by limestone mountains.

Here you can see how the mountain was excavated to make room for a tunnel.

A pathway was built around the Am Tien lake for people to enjoy the tranquility of the surrounding.

Another highlight is the tranquil Am Tien Lake.

Am Tien Lake surrounded by mountains.

There are rest areas and restaurants for people that would like to spend time here.

A small coffee shop at the bottom of the mountain.

I love it here.  So serene and so pretty.

 Am Tien Pagoda was the place Queen Duong Van Nga, the wife of both King Dinh Tien Hoang and Le Dai Hanh, lived the last years of her life. Later, under the Ly Dynasty, Minh Khong Monk restored the pagoda and expanded the ground of the pagoda.

Going up the stairs to the Pagoda

The Pagoda is surrounded by mountains and the view here is exquisite.

View of the altar with the mountain in the background.

It is incredible magnificent up here, especially when there are nobody around. 

Lanterns hanging of trees around the lake.

Cute resting area.

We are now on the other side of the lake overlooking where we got in the area.

Here you can see the tunnel on the other side of the lake,

We are now at the tip of the lake.

A series of Altars next to the pedestrian trail.

The sun shining above.  What a gorgeous winter day.

A lady standing at the foot of the lake with lots Koi fish.

I was told that they feed these Koi fish so here they are just waiting for their food.

Water buffalo plays an important role in Vietnam culture so you it is common to see their sculptures.

Natural grotto

Here is another one with a body of water underneath.

We are now done with our visit and we are leaving the area.

NEXT... Bai Dinh Pagoda & Dia Tang Phi Pagoda