Belongs to the Red River Delta. Thai Binh City is 110km from Hanoi, 70km from Haiphong, 18km from Nam Dinh. Annual average temperature is 23.5ºC. Coming to Thai Binh, tourists enjoy visiting inshore sandbanks where rare birds stops, seeing natural beauty in mangrove forest, swimming in beach, and joining interesting traditional festivals. This province is rich of traditional handicraft villages. 

Thai Binh Highlights:

++ Keo Pagoda

Location: Keo Pagoda is located at Dung Nhue Hamlet, Duy Nhat Commune, Vu Thu District, Thai Binh Province.
Characteristics: The pagoda was built during 1133-1154 by Monk Duong Khong Lo on an area of 7,200m2

Monk Duong Khong Lo is a monk and famous doctor who successfully treated King Ly Than Tong (1133-1138) from a serious disease. He was then honoured by the King with the title of Quoc Su (Prince’s Master), and provided with money and land to build the pagoda.

Passing a large area and a lake, visitors will see a three-entrance gate opening; shrines of Buddha and his disciples. Then the temple comes into view, it is dedicated to Duong Khong Lo, and included several shrines such as the Gia Roi, Thien Huong Phuc Quoc and Thuong Dien. The two passages, which separate the pagoda and temple areas, have curved roofs that join together at the bell tower. The pagoda has got 17 structures composed of 128 compartments. The three-storey bell tower is 11.06m in height and has got 12 roofs with 12 charming curved corners. This is an original architectural work, evoking a freshly boomed lotus rising by the straight high areca trees. The pagoda displays the artistic features of wood installation. On the first storey of the bell tower, a 1.87m wide musical stone instrument (khanh) is hung over. On the second storey, there is a bell cast in 1686, and on the third and the highest storeys are bells cast in 1796.

The offerings in the temple are carved or engraved with elaborate designs. Some designs of four centimeters diameter contain nine engraved dragons. The Keo Pagoda, with a total of 120 chambers, has the appearance of a blooming lotus. It is now a tourist attraction and a pride and joy for the Vietnamese architects.

At present, the pagoda preserves many valuable votive objects. At its back sanctuary, there is a statue of a zen master made of aloe wood, a bell cast in the Le Dynasty, and khanh and porcelain. The Keo Pagoda festival (held on the fifteen of the ninth lunar) is a big cultural event, which attracts many pilgrims and tourists. 

++ Dong Xam Temple

Location: Dong Xam Temple is situated in Hong Thai Commune, Kien Xuong District, Thai Binh Province.
Characteristics: The temple covers an area of 1,000m2, dedicated to Nguyen Kim Lau � the founder of silver engraving work.

It consists of a number of the magnificent and beautiful architecture works such as Vong Lau, Thuy Toa, Hoanh Ma, worshipping yard, Front House...

++ Vong Lau is a house used for viewing the landscape.
Thuy Toa is a hexagonal house comprising 6 curve doors, which turn to different directions. From this house, tourists can view the whole scene of the worshipping yard and the boat races on the river when Festivals are held.

The Font House of the temple is a great temple with the height of 13m and consists of 5 large partitions. It is the large size and magnificent architecture that make it different from others.

The Back House of the temple is structured into two linked parts: a 5-partition temple and a Kham partition (to place the statutes in). The front of the back house is harmoniously decorated with big Chinese words, the parallel sentences, letter scrolls and carved wooden gates.

Kham partition in the back house is considered as a masterpiece of the traditional occupation village. It is covered with the sheets of copper carved with such subjects as four animals (dragon, unicorn, tortoise, and phoenix), four plants (pine, apricot, chrysanthemum, and bamboo), etc. The statues of King Trieu Vu and Queen Trinh Thi placed in Kham partition are casted in copper and gilded.

In conclusion, both the architecture and things remained in Dong Xam Temple create a great collection of carved wooden, stone, metal articles in Vietnam from Nguyen Dynasty. 

++ Bach Thuan Garden Village

Location: Bach Thuan is located in Vu Thu District, approximately 20km from Thai Binh City.
Characteristics: Flowers and fruits are specialties of this village where gardening has become an art. 

It is a rich and populous garden village, the edge of which is an alluvial field, which serves for the cultivation of mulberry, banana and sugarcane. Inside the village are fruit tree and ornamental plant gardens. There are various flowers and fruits during all four seasons: apples, guavas, plums, lemons, longans, sapodillas, oranges, tangerines, bananas and jack fruits.

At times of high tide, Bach Thuan’s roads flood and become small rivers. From one house to another visitors and locals must take boats.

 Travel Guides in 67cities and Provinces of Vietnam:

Hanoi|Hochiminh(Saigon)|Halong|Hue|Hoian|Haiphong|Catba|Hoabinh|Caobang|laocai|Maichau|
Sapa|Sonla|Dienbienphu|Thainguyen|Phutho|Babe-Backan|Hagiang|langson|Bacninh|Hatay|
Haiduong|NinhBinh|Thaibinh|Quangninh|DongHoi|QuangBinh|Quangtri|Phuyen|Phutho|Thanhhoa|
Nghean|Hatinh|Danang|Taynguyen|Kontum|Gialai|Daknong|Daklak|Dalat|BinhDinh|Nhatrang|
PhanThiet|Muine|Vungtau|KienGiang|Phuquoc|Tayninh|Vinhlong|Travinh|Dongthap|Tiengiang|
Angiang|Cantho|Bentre|Camau|