NGOA VAN ZEN VILLAGE: A CLOUD-HIDDEN SANCTUARY JUST TWO HOURS FROM HANOI

What is Ngoa Van? Why is this place so special?

In Sino-Vietnamese, Ngoa Van means "lying in the clouds". And this is not an ordinary poetic image: it is a land covered in clouds all year round, where over 700 years ago, the most illustrious Buddhist King in Vietnamese history chose as his place of ascetic practice and passing into Nirvana.

In May 1307, Buddhist Emperor Tran Nhan Tong the wise king who twice led the people to defeat the Mongol army, the most powerful military force in the world at that time left the throne and ascended Bao Dai mountain to build a hermitage for ascetic practice. He named it Ngoa Van Hermitage, entered Nirvana here, and became the First Patriarch of the Truc Lam Zen Secta purely Vietnamese engaged Zen lineage that still exists today.

"Living in the world, joyful in the Way, let things take their natural course. When hungry, eat; when tired, sleep. The treasure is already in the house, stop searching outside. Facing the world with an unattached mind, ask not about Zen."

— Buddhist Emperor Tran Nhan Tong —

Therefore, Ngoa Van is not just a tourist destination. It is the most sacred sanctuary of Vietnamese Buddhism the place that witnessed the Buddhist Emperor's ascetic practice, passing, cremation ceremony (jhāpita), and the preservation of his sarira (relics) at the Buddhist Emperor Stupa to this day.

Ngoa Van Zen Village: When a 700-Year Heritage Meets Modern Life

Located at the foot of Ngoa Van mountain, Ngoa Van Zen Village was built as a vibrant spiritual and cultural space, where the spirit of Truc Lam Buddhism is continued and spread to every visitor who steps inside.

The architecture of the Zen village blends into pristine nature: bamboo rows arching into a roof, wood and bamboo intertwining with flowing streams and pine hills all creating a sense of peace from the very first step. A special highlight is the Truc Lam Zen Hall featuring the lacquer painting "Supreme Wisdom and Freedom" a space for visitors to meditate, listen to their inner selves, and receive the light of the Buddha Dharma.

Not only a place of pilgrimage, the Zen village is also a cultural center hosting important festivals throughout the year, such as:

• Ngoa Van Spring Festival Opening Ceremony
• Commemoration of the Buddhist Emperor's Nirvana and Birthday
• Monthly online meditation activities named "Living in the world, joyful in the Way"
• Cultural exchanges for artists and writers nationwide

Journey to Discover Ngoa Van From the Mountain Foot to the Cloud Peak

Ngoa Van Cable Car An Experience of Flying Amidst the Clouds

The 52-cabin cable car system (Poma, France) is a unique highlight of Ngoa Van Zen Village. From an altitude of 500–700m above sea level, visitors can admire the panoramic view of overlapping mountains and forests in a thin mist. In spring, you truly feel like you are lying in the clouds true to the name Ngoa Van.

The Pagoda and Hermitage Complex Where History Still Breathes

The relic site is divided into 3 tiers from the foot to the peak of the mountain:

The first tier - The mountain foot: Relics along the walking path: Tan Long, Phu Am Tra (Am Tra Shrine), Do Kieu, Thong Dan... each place carries a historical story passed down in folklore.

The second tier - The mountainside (588–644m): Middle Ngoa Van Pagoda was restored in 2014, featuring a "Nhi" (二) character architecture with a statue of the Buddhist Emperor made of red jade, the Three Jewels altar, and the two Bodhisattvas Samantabhadra and Manjushri.

The highest tier - The sacred peak: The convergence point of Ngoa Van Hermitage (the bronze statue pedestal of the Buddhist Emperor in Nirvana posture), Upper Ngoa Van Pagoda (where He practiced asceticism and attained Buddhahood), the Buddhist Emperor Stupa (housing his sarira), and Ban Co Peak where legend has it that Dieu Ngu played a "Chess game of Life" for the nation of Dai Viet.

Khoi Nguyen Slope - The Path of the Determined

From Ngoa Van Hermitage to Ban Co Peak, visitors walk through Khoi Nguyen Slope - a slope cutting through a year-round green bamboo forest, hidden in the mist like a boundary between the secular world and the Buddha's realm. In the past, many scholars climbed this slope to pray for success and academic achievement. Today, this is a journey for you to rediscover yourself.

Experiences at Ngoa Van Zen Village

Meditation 

Morning at Ngoa Van begins with the temple bell and a thin mist draping through the pine canopies. Visitors can participate in meditation sessions in the Truc Lam Zen Hall, or simply sit by the stream, listen to the flowing water, and let go of all sorrows.

This is how the spirit of Truc Lam Buddhism remains alive not detached from reality, but bringing peace into every moment of daily life.

Tea Meditation - The Ritual of Tranquility

One of the most signature experiences at the Zen village is tea meditation: practicing drinking tea in mindfulness, observing every movement of pouring the tea, smelling the aroma, raising the cup, and feeling complete presence in this very moment. There is no place more suitable for tea meditation than the cloud-covered sacred mountains of Ngoa Van.

Vegetarian Cuisine - Inner Purification

The Ngoa Van Kitchen offers pure vegan and macrobiotic dishes as a method of nutritional balance and body purification. In particular, visitors will be delighted to enjoy sweet potato vegan pizza and corn pizza  a unique combination of modern cuisine and traditional vegan philosophy.

Relaxation Amidst Nature

The resort area of Ngoa Van Zen Village combines the rustic charm of wood and bamboo with a pristine natural space. Each room is a small peaceful corner where you truly rest, not just sleep.

Pilgrimage Information - A Practical Guide

Address: 

• Ngoa Van Pagoda and Hermitage - World Cultural Heritage

• Ngoa Van Zen Village, Trai Loc area, An Sinh Ward, Quang Ninh Province.

How to get there from Hanoi:

• Travel by car along the Hanoi - Ha Long expressway: about 1.5–2 hours
• Arrive at Trai Loc → take the cable car up to Ngoa Van Pagoda and Hermitage

Notes when visiting:

• Wear polite, modest attire when entering the pagoda and hermitage areas
• You should arrive early in the morning to see the misty clouds and avoid the crowds
• Spring (January–March) is the most beautiful time, coinciding with the Ngoa Van Spring Festival
• Wear flat shoes if you want to hike up to the sacred relics

A Trip to Return to Yourself

Ngoa Van does not promise you will find anything grand. But in the moment of sitting amidst the white clouds covering Ngoa Van Hermitage, hearing the echoing bell amidst the bamboo forest, or sipping a cup of Zen tea in the Truc Lam Zen Hall you might rediscover what modern life has long taken away: inner tranquility.

Just as the Buddhist Emperor taught: "The treasure is already in the house, stop searching outside."

Arriving at Ngoa Van Zen Village takes just 2 hours from Hanoi, but it is a whole other world.