Yen Tu Mountain

Bach Giang Nguyen · CC BY-SA 4.0

The Buddhist capital of Dai Viet — where King Tran Nhan Tong left the throne to found the Truc Lam Zen school.

In 1299 a king who had twice defeated the Mongols took off his royal robe and walked up a mountain to become a monk. Tran Nhan Tong chose Yen Tu to found Truc Lam — the first purely Vietnamese Zen lineage — and the whole mountain became a complex of pagodas and stupas strung along the ascent. The pilgrim path passes Giai Oan Stream, the Hue Quang stupa garden with its dozens of moss-covered stone towers, Hoa Yen Pagoda under bamboo, and finally the Bronze Pagoda cast in solid bronze, perched above a thousand metres. Walking takes about six hours; even cable-car riders must climb the last stretch, in cold wind with cloud around their knees.

Visitor information

When is the best time to visit Yen Tu Mountain?

October to December, or April to June

How much does it cost to visit Yen Tu Mountain?

40,000₫ (cable car extra)

How long do you need at Yen Tu Mountain?

Full day

What are the opening hours of Yen Tu Mountain?

05:00 - 20:00

Did you know

King Tran Nhan Tong came to Yen Tu to practise in 1299 and founded the Truc Lam Zen school.
The summit Bronze Pagoda stands at about 1,068m and is cast entirely in bronze.
The complex holds dozens of pagodas, hermitages and stupas along the ascent.
The Yen Tu range spans Quang Ninh, Bac Giang and Hai Duong.
The spring festival runs from the 10th of the first lunar month through the third month.

Travel tips

Skip the first lunar month if you dislike crowds — festival days draw tens of thousands.
Ride the cable car up and walk down the ancient pine path past the Hue Quang stupas.

Source: https://vi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yên_Tử

Updated: 2026-08-05