Yen Tu mountain overview

The complex of Yen Tu monuments and landscape is located in Uong Bi city, Quang Ninh at 1,068m above sea level. This mountain is about 14km from the center of Uong Bi town (Quang Ninh), which belongs to Dong Trieu Mountain range at the intersection of two provinces: Quang Ninh and Bac Giang. It takes 2-3 hours to drive from Ha Noi. In 2014, Yen Tu was listed by the local authority in the list of UNESCO Heritage nominations. 

Back in time, Yen Tu was known as “Bach Van Son”  meaning a lot of huge clouds surrounding the mountain. Visiting the mountain, you also can see various shapes of a mountain that looks like a giant elephant, a turtle ,... From the top of Yen Tu Mount, travelers can enjoy the beautiful view of the East including Halong Bay. The poetic scenery of thousands of limestone islands will show you the best of this mountain. There are three main groups of the relics you need to know: Yen Tu mountain (Uong Bi city, Quang Ninh), The Tran dynasty in Dong Trieu (Dong Trieu district, Quang Ninh), West Yen Tu (Son Dong district, Bac Giang province).   

Historical site

According to historical books, the Tran dynasty invested in the architectural complex of large scale pagoda temples in this area. King Tran Nhan Tong (Tran Canh) who first visited and implemented Yen Tu in Aprile 1236 then was continued by King Tran Nhan Tong (Tran Kham), who was a national hero in the two wars against the invader Nguyen Mong in 1285 and 1288. 

After the country was peaceful and the dynasty was led to property, he decided to hand over the throne to his son. He left it all behind and went to Yen Tu mountain in order to emphasize researching and practicing Buddhism. He was also considered the first master of Truc Lam Zen Buddhism because of his big contribution. In 1831, The Tran dynasty moved its empire from Thai Binh to Dong Trieu in order to protect tombs from being robbed and ruined by Cham people. Then Dong Trieu is home to many historical and cultural heritage sites of The Tran dynasty. You can visit the complex of graves of Kings, tombs, temples, pagodas, shrines and plenty of distinctive cultural centers. 

Weather 

In comparison to other places in Quang Ninh, Yen Tu also has four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. However, the climate is always pleasant so you can visit Yen Tu at any time of the year. Thanks to Dong Trieu mountainous area, there are various dense bamboo and pine forests to absorb harmful carbon from the atmosphere and clean the air we breathe. You can enjoy the atmosphere here as the annual average temperature in Yen Tu is 22 degrees Celsius. You should avoid June, July, and August because it rains mostly. Some tips for you to visit Yen Tu. 

There is a 3-month festival in the mountain from January to March, so this is the best time to worship, pray and wish for a new year at the temples, pagodas,... 

The residents organize a lot of Buddhist festivals and traditional activities as well for both residents and visitors. Springtime is also the best time to enjoy the breathtaking view of the mountain and take photos. Especially in February, when people go home to welcome The Lunar New Year, you may see the beautiful mountain less crowded by people. If you don’t want to join the festival, you can better visit the mountain from September to December. There are not many tourists there, so you can contemplate the peaceful, quiet atmosphere here. The weather is so great at this time, so you can go there for sightseeing purposes, climb the grand mountain peak. 

How to get there 

It’s not hard to reach there from Hanoi or Quang Ninh. There are so many ways and have enough information for you on the internet. You can consider getting Yen Tu mountain by shuttle bus, private car or motorbike. The shuttle bus is very economical transportation. You can easily pick a shuttle bus because they are always available in some big stations. If you start in Hanoi, you should get on the shuttle bus which has a route from Hanoi to Quang Ninh but remember to tell the driver your destination is Yen Tu. 

If you get in a taxi or private car, the price is so expensive but you won’t be disturbed and it takes less time than the shuttle bus. Using a motorbike is a dangerous way to get there but your experience is so worthy of it. It is very easy and cheap to rent a motorbike. And a lot of visitors want to have an experience like locals. But consider choosing this way, only make it happen if you are a skillful motorbike driver and you have known the way to Yen Tu mount. It is great if you have local friends to support you. 

Where to go in Yen Tu mountain

Let’s think about getting around Yen Tu mountain on foot! Have you tried it? You will hike up thousands of step stones to the peak, pass through the green bamboo forests and enjoy the challenge to get to the top of the mountain by walking. You can see a lot of natural spring water on the side of the road. You can wash your face, hands or drink the freshwater. It takes you around 3 hours to pass all the temples, pagodas,... 

You should check your health condition first and choose a comfortable pair of walking shoes as the stones are very slippery during the spring and summer. You can also take the cable car most of the way to the top, don’t worry if your health doesn't allow you to walk. On the top you can see The Statue of Buddhist King Tran Nhan Tong in a meditative pose, 138 tonnes in weight, is the largest copper statue in Vietnam. You will be amazed by Dong Pagoda at the peak of Yen Tu Mountain, 1.068m above sea level has been recognized as “a bronze pagoda on the highest mountain in Asia” by the Asian Record Organisation. This holy site was built in 1299 by a Vietnamese king after winning the war from Mongols.You also can visit such as Truc Lam Yen Ty Zen Sect, Giai Oan Stream, Hoa Yen Pagoda, Dong Pagoda,...

 All of them make Yen Tu become the most sacred place in Vietnam. 

Because of its mystic beauty and sacredness, Yen Tu is one of the best historical heritage and marvelous landscapes in Vietnam. Don’t miss it!