The Ba Danh Pagoda, which has been neglected by tourists for many years, is becoming a more popular attraction.

There is also a bridge linking Highway 21 to the pagoda

Among the Vietnamese, the temple has been knows as the “Deserted Pagoda” for a long time. But now things are changing. Nowadays the pagoda has been playing host to many visitors.

To get to the pagoda, located in Ha Nam Province, you must take an 8km boat ride.

Although it has been passed over for a long time, it is still considered one of the nicest temples in the country because of the seaside views and the mountainous surroundings, as well as the architecture of the pagoda itself.

Actually, more than a pagoda, it is more of a complex, covering 10ha and more than 40 separate structures.

In the 7th century, the pagoda was a small temple, which was upgraded during the Le Dynasty. In 1994, Ba Danh Pagoda was granted a certificate as a national historic monument by the Ministry of Culture.

In 2007, the province invested another VND20 billion (USD956,937) into the restoration.

Last September, the pagoda opened a large guesthouse to serve tourists.

Monk Thich Dam Dam said “The pagoda is no longer deserted. Sometimes we receive hundreds of visitors a day. Many of them come back over and over.”

Ba Danh Pagoda’s festival is held on March 25 and 26.

In photos: Ba Danh Pagoda:

View from the bridge

No longer “deserted”

Quiet prayer

Some of the carvings

Lake near the pagoda

The tree-lined path

Rocky outcropping