Hoa Lu, the ancient Capital of Vietnam, was the first centralized feudal state of Vietnam, which was set up as the capital under the Dinh, early Le and Ly dynasties. Hoa Lu, the ancient capital, has much important historical architecture with traditional festivals that make people curious.

Where Is Hoa Lu And How To Get There

Hoa Lu is located about 100km from Hanoi, 12km from Ninh Binh’s city center and 10km from Tam Coc and surrounded by Truong An karst mountains and rice fields. A tour to Hoa Lu citadel is an inseparable part of a tour to Ninh Binh—"Halong Bay on land"—from Hanoi. It is easy to reach Hoa Lu by cycling or motorbike from the city center or Tam Coc. Regarding accommodation or tour service, you can get it all from a travel agency in Hanoi.

There are some options for your travel to Ninh Binh from Hanoi:

By Bus

This is a cheap option and often chosen by many travelers, especially since it is just around 2 hours driving. Get on the bus from Giap Bat bus station on Giai Phong Road but it is not comfortable and not easy to reach all the tourist sites that you want to visit in Ninh Binh.

By Train

This option might be convenient for those who stay in central areas in Hanoi, such as Hoan Kiem and Ba Dinh, but it often takes longer with some stops on the way and there are fewer time options. Get on train SE7, SE9, or SE19 at Hanoi railway station on Le Duan street.

What Is The Best Time To Visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital?

You can visit Hoa Lu any time because the landscape is very beautiful and peaceful, like paintings. However, there are some best periods that you should visit this area:

In the spring (from February to April), you should visit Hoa Lu ancient combined with tour to other places in Ninh Binh such as  Tam Coc, Trang An, Bich Dong pagoda… Because, it is not too cold, and in particular, this time is Vietnamese New Year (Tet), you may see traditional festivals from pagodas that offer you interesting experiences and knowledge about the destinationn, such a Bai Dinh Pagoda…

In the early summer (May): this period is also a great time to visit Hoa Lu because it is the harvesting season, so the whole area is beautified by yellow rice fields and you can get involved in the daily life of the locals.

In general, February to May is considered the best time to visit the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, when you can both enjoy the wonderful landscape and experience traditional festivals.

History of Hoa Lu, The Ancient Capital Of Vietnam

From 968 to 1010, Hoa Lu was the capital of three dynasties, including Dinh, early Le and Ly. In the short time, it witnessed many historical events that formed a free country after the “anarchy of 12 warlords” event, the war against the Tong dynasty (from China) and especially the foundation of the Thang Long citadel (currently known as Hanoi).

Going back in history, after a long domination by the Chinese, King Ngo Quyen defeated Nam Han with the victory of the Bach Dang river and set up the capital in Co Loa, Hanoi. In 963, after the death of Ngo Quyen, the country was in the anarchy of 12 warlords. However, Dinh Bo Linh, who was the man of victories, put down the rebellion and reunified the nation under his rule. In 968, Dinh Bo Linh proclaimed himself emperor under the name Dinh Tien Hoang and founded Dai Co Viet, setting up the capital in Hoa Lu because he recognized Hoa Lu was a perfect area to protect a newly established state. After his death in 979 and the assassination of his oldest son, general Le Hoan, who was the right hand of King Dinh in all battles, became king, opening up a new dynasty—the early Le. King Le Hoan still remained in the capital in Hoa Lu until 1009 Ly Cong Uan took over the throne under the name of Ly Thai To and moved the capital to Thang Long (Hanoi) in 1010. King Ly Thai To later built a temple in Hoa Lu to dedicate 2 national heroes: Dinh Tien Hoang and Le Hoan. However, over time the temple was destroyed so the locals rebuilt two separate temples, one for King Dinh and another for King Le.

Hoa Lu’s Architecture

Because Hoa Lu owned a perfect location, which is covered by a large natural fence from karst mountain ranges along with the Hoang Long river and enormous fields, creating an undefeatable ditch system.

There were 3 layers in Hoa Lu: inner, outer and Southern citadels (in the population of the Trang An eco-tourism complex). The outer citadel was situated outside the Phi Van mountain range. This was the center of the ancient capital where the palaces under king Dinh and king Le were built. There are now temples of king Dinh and king Le. Meanwhile, the inner citadel was located inside Phi Van, which was the place of living of kings. There are now 30 antique items, relics kept at the museum next to the kinh Le’s temple. The most important and most visited places are 2 temples of king Dinh and king Le which were rebuilt in the 17th century. 

Visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital And Its Nearby

At the central Ninh Binh’s outskirts, you will see the western entrance gate of the ancient capital Hoa Lu. Crossing the bridge is the three-entrance gate, which was perfectly restored. Behind the gate are the significant things waiting for your visit.

Temples Of King Dinh Tien Hoang And King Le Dai Hanh

The temples are located at the center of the citadel, facing Ma Yen mountain. The temples are dedicated to the kings, queen mother and their princesses, making them the most unique ones in Vietnam. The temple of king Dinh is located on the left and the king Le’s is in the other direction. As soon as you pass the temple of King Dinh’s gate, you will see the “stone dragon beds,” which are the national treasures. At the end of the temple is the place for worshiping king Dinh and his three princesses with the symmetric and solemn design. Located 300m from the temple of king Dinh is the temple of king Le, in which the architecture is fairly the same as the king Dinh’s temple. The difference is that Le Dai Hanh’s temple is smaller than the one of Dinh Tien Hoang to express the honor to the king (Le Hoan was the commander-in-chief and the right hand of King Dinh Tien Hoang before taking the throne and opening up his dynasty—early Le).

Note: you are kindly advised to were properly for visits to any spiritual places in Vietnam (shoulders and legs should be covered)

Nhat Tru Pagoda

Nhat Tru pagoda was built in 995 and is locally known as the “One-pillar” pagoda. It was the place for gatherings of mandarins who later played a very important role in consulting the kings. The name was originally taken from its octagonal shape so it is not similar to the famous “one-pillar pagoda” in Hanoi. The pagoda is keeping many antique items associated with the history of the Hoa Lu foundation. In particular, the most remarkable feature in the pagoda is the stone pillar with Buddhist law carved on it, which is the national treasure.

Am Tien Cave (Tuyet Tinh Coc)

Am Tien cave is located about 400m from Dinh Tien Hoang’s temple. It is also the name of the pagoda in the cave. After passing 205 stone steps, the pagoda shows up in front of you. The largest area of Am Tien cave is a watery valley covered by karst mountains. The cave under the Dinh dynasty was the place for keeping tigers to kill the guilty.

In the last years of life, the queen mother, Duong Van Nga became a monk and lived at Am Tien. Until the Ly dynasty, zen master Nguyen Minh Khong lived in the cave and built Buddha platforms in the cave. Currently, the pagoda is dedicated to buddhas and zen master Nguyen Minh Khong and the celebrities under the Dinh dynasty.

=> Day Tour to Ninh Binh from Hanoi