Chua Du Hang in Hai Phong: A Traveler's Guide

Chua Du Hang is a working Buddhist pagoda in the middle of Hai Phong that has been standing, in one form or another, since the late 17th century. It doesn't draw tour buses or feature on most itineraries, which is exactly why it's worth a stop if you're passing through Vietnam (베트남 / 越南 / ベトナム)'s third-largest city.

What it is and how it got here

Formally known as Phuc Lam Tu, Chua Du Hang sits in Le Chan district on Du Hang Kenh street — the neighborhood that gave the pagoda its common name. The earliest records trace it back to around 1672 during the Later Le dynasty, though the complex has been rebuilt and expanded several times since. The current layout follows a classic northern Vietnamese pagoda design: a triple-gate entrance, a front hall for worship, a main sanctuary, and a rear hall housing ancestral tablets.

The pagoda was recognized as a national historical-cultural relic in 1986. Its woodwork, particularly the carved dragons and phoenixes on the main altar, dates to the 18th and 19th centuries. There's a notable bronze bell from the Nguyen dynasty era and a collection of around 70 Buddhist statues across the complex, some carved from jackfruit wood — a material that ages into a deep, warm tone you won't mistake for anything modern.

Why travelers go

Chua Du Hang isn't a monument you queue up for. It's the kind of place where you walk in, realize the courtyard is genuinely peaceful, and end up staying longer than planned. The appeal is threefold: the architecture is a well-preserved example of northern Buddhist temple design, the grounds are a pocket of green in an otherwise concrete-heavy city, and there are almost no other tourists. On a weekday morning, you might share the space with a handful of locals burning incense and a couple of monks going about their day.

For anyone who has visited Tran Quoc Pagoda in Hanoi and enjoyed it, Chua Du Hang offers a similar atmosphere with none of the crowd pressure.

Best time to visit

Hai Phong's weather is most comfortable from October through December — dry, cooler (20-26°C), and low humidity by Vietnamese standards. The pagoda grounds look their best in this window, with the frangipani trees in the courtyard still green but the oppressive summer heat gone.

If you want to see the pagoda active, time your visit around the first or fifteenth day of the lunar month, when local Buddhists come to pray. During Tet, the complex fills with incense smoke and visitors making offerings for the new year — it's atmospheric, though significantly busier. The annual pagoda festival typically falls in the second lunar month (usually March) and brings traditional music and ceremonies.

How to get there

From Hanoi (하노이 / 河内 / ハノイ), Hai Phong is about 120 km east along the Hanoi–Hai Phong Expressway. Options:

• Bus: Frequent departures from Gia Lam or Nuoc Ngam bus stations. Expect 90-100 minutes and 90,000-120,000 VND per seat. Buses drop you at Niem Nghia station in Hai Phong; from there, a Grab to Chua Du Hang is about 15 minutes and 30,000-40,000 VND.
• Train: The Hanoi–Hai Phong line runs several times daily from Long Bien or Hanoi station. It takes roughly 2.5 hours and costs 75,000-100,000 VND depending on seat class. Slower, but the route passes through flat delta scenery and the old Le Chan station is only 2 km from the pagoda.
• Motorbike/car: The expressway toll is around 160,000 VND for a car (one way). The ride is straightforward — mostly highway.

Once in Hai Phong, the pagoda is on Du Hang Kenh street in Le Chan district. Any local xe om or Grab driver knows it.

Photo by Hồng Quang Official on Pexels

What to do

Walk the full complex, front to back

Don't just peek into the main hall and leave. The rear sections house the oldest statues and the ancestral hall, which most casual visitors skip. The carved wooden panels along the corridor between the main and rear halls are some of the finest woodwork in the complex.

Look up at the roof ornamentation

The ridgeline of the main sanctuary features ceramic dragon motifs that are distinctly northern in style — less colorful than Hue's imperial ceramics, more restrained. The layered tile roofing is original in places.

Sit in the courtyard garden

The central courtyard has a small lotus pond and several old trees. There's a stone stele with Chinese characters recording the pagoda's history. Benches are scattered around — take ten minutes. This is where the visit actually lands.

Check the bell tower

The bronze bell is housed in a small tower to the side. It dates to the Nguyen era and is still occasionally rung. The inscription on it is worth a look if you read Chinese characters.

Visit during a ceremony

If your timing lines up with a prayer session (typically early morning or late afternoon), you'll hear chanting and see the altar fully lit with candles and incense. It adds a layer of context that an empty hall can't replicate.

Where to eat nearby

Hai Phong is famous for "banh da cua" — a crab noodle soup made with flat, reddish-brown rice noodles. It's the city's signature dish, and you'll find good bowls within a 10-minute walk of the pagoda along the Le Chan district streets. A bowl runs 35,000-50,000 VND. Look for places that are busy at lunch — Hai Phong locals are particular about their crab soup.

Also worth trying: "banh mi" in Hai Phong tends to be crispier and slightly different from the Saigon or Hoi An (호이안 / 会安 / ホイアン) versions. Street carts near Tam Bac lake (about 1.5 km from the pagoda) sell solid ones for 15,000-25,000 VND. Pair it with a glass of "ca phe sua da" from any local cafe.

Where to stay

Most travelers use Hai Phong as a day trip from Hanoi or a stopover en route to Cat Ba island. But if you're staying:

• Budget: Guesthouses around the central market area start at 250,000-350,000 VND/night. Basic but clean.
• Mid-range: Three-star hotels near the waterfront or Lach Tray street run 500,000-800,000 VND/night with air conditioning, decent Wi-Fi, and breakfast.
• Higher-end: A few international-brand hotels in the city center charge 1,200,000-1,800,000 VND/night.

Photo by Quang Nguyen Vinh on Pexels

Practical tips locals would tell you

• Dress modestly. Shoulders and knees covered. This is an active place of worship, not a ruin. Monks live here.
• Remove shoes before entering any hall. There's usually a rack or mat at the entrance — follow what locals do.
• Incense is available at the small shop near the entrance gate, usually 5,000-10,000 VND for a bundle. You don't need to buy it, but if you light some, place it in the designated urns.
• Photography is generally fine in the courtyards and exterior, but ask before photographing inside the main hall, especially during prayer. A nod toward a monk or attendant is enough.
• Early morning (7-8 AM) is the best time for quiet and good light. By midday it can feel hot and flat.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Rushing through in 15 minutes. The pagoda is small enough to walk quickly, but you'll miss the details. Give it 45 minutes to an hour.
• Skipping Hai Phong entirely. Most travelers beeline to Cat Ba or Ha Long Bay (하롱베이 / 下龙湾 / ハロン湾) without stopping. Hai Phong has genuine character — a French-colonial downtown, a lively market scene at Dong Xuan Market's smaller cousin Sat Market, and food that's distinctly its own.
• Visiting only on weekends. Weekdays are quieter and better for actually absorbing the space. Weekends and lunar holidays bring families and more noise.
• Expecting English signage. There's very little. A basic Vietnamese phrasebook or translation app goes a long way.

Practical notes

Chua Du Hang is free to enter and open daily, generally from early morning until around 5 PM. Combine it with a walk through Le Chan district's older streets for a half-day in Hai Phong that feels genuinely unhurried. If you're heading onward to Cat Ba, the Binh ferry terminal is about 20 minutes away by taxi.