On February 17th (the 8th day of the Lunar New Year), tens of thousands of tourists from all over the place flocked to Tam Chuc Pagoda (Kim Bang District, Ha Nam Province) to celebrate the new year and visit during the first few days of the Year of the Wood Horse, 2024.
A crowd of people flocking to Tam Chuc Pagoda to celebrate the new year on February 17th
Tam Chuc Pagoda is said to be the largest pagoda in Vietnam, holding many world records and attracting tourists and Buddhists from all over the country. During the Lunar New Year of the Wood Horse, 2024, Tam Chuc Pagoda welcomed nearly one million visitors.
In previous years, during the first few days of the new year, Tam Chuc would often be overwhelmed with an overflow of tourists, causing long queues and congested roads, with tourists impatiently waiting to buy tickets and pushing and shoving on boats. However, this year, there were no such scenes.
According to observations made by “Người Lao Động” newspaper on February 17th, there were still many tourists flocking to the pagoda, but they only concentrated in the morning, from 9am to 11am. After 12pm, the number of visitors decreased, and tourists could easily buy tickets and board boats without the crowds.
Images of tourists celebrating the new year and visiting Tam Chuc Pagoda on February 17th
Tourists crowding to Tam Chuc Pagoda to celebrate the new year on February 17th (the 8th day of the Lunar New Year)
No more squeezing and pushing as before
Tourists lining up to go through the ticket checkpoint and board boats
To avoid congestion, the management board organized separate queues from the waiting area outside to the inside
There were still congestion issues, but only during a short period in the morning
After 12pm, the number of tourists coming to Tam Chuc Pagoda decreased, and the process of buying tickets and boarding boats was relatively easy
Tourists boarding boats to visit Tam Chuc Pagoda
No more pushing and shoving when boarding boats like in previous years
Boats carrying tourists for sightseeing on Tam Chuc Lake
View of Tam Chuc Pagoda complex from Tam Chuc Lake
Standing on the bell tower overlooking Tam Chuc Lake
A representative from Tam Chuc Pagoda Management Board stated that from the 3rd to the 7th day of the Lunar New Year, around ten thousand tourists visited the pagoda each day. On February 17th, the pagoda was expected to welcome about twenty thousand visitors.
Many tourists bringing flowers and offerings to the pagoda
Tourists and Buddhists paying respects and making offerings inside the pagoda
Tourists visiting and taking souvenir photos
Tourists casually strolling inside the largest pagoda in Vietnam on the afternoon of February 17th
A male tourist from South Africa visiting Tam Chuc Pagoda on the afternoon of February 17th
It is known that on the 12th day of the first lunar month (February 21st), the Tam Chuc Pagoda Spring Festival 2024 will take place
The Tam Chuc Pagoda complex, with a total area of nearly 5,100 hectares including a lake, mountains, and natural forests, holds the title of the largest pagoda in the world. It is likened to Halong Bay on land, surrounded by seven mystical mountains, with Tam Chuc Lake in front. The pagoda was built with an investment of billions of Vietnamese dong by businessman Xuan Truong (Nam Dinh).
