Option: Private Tour Visit Boi Kha Pagoda, Wartime tunnel and Incense Village
Begin your tour with a visit to Boi Khe Pagoda, a prominent spiritual destination in northern Vietnam. Renowned for its architectural, historical, and cultural significance, Boi Khe Pagoda was officially recognized as a National Special Relic in 2025.
Explore one of the oldest pagodas in the former Ha Tay province, with a sprawling compound covering more than 8,400 square meters. It is considered one of the largest and earliest-established temples in the Red River Delta.
Learn about the temple’s unique dual-worship architectural style, dedicated to both Buddha and Saint Nguyen Binh An - also known to locals as Saint Boi. Discover key features including the tower garden, five-gate entrance, brick bridge, stele house, Buddha shrine, sanctuary, and halls honoring the temple's patriarchs and mother goddesses.
Admire the two heritage trees - a sacred bodhi tree and a 400-year-old banyan - recognized as Vietnamese heritage trees. The grounds also feature three sacred lotus trees symbolic of the temple.
Explore the two main architectural clusters: the Buddha shrine and the sanctuary. The Buddha shrine includes the forecourt (tien duong), incense altar (thieu huong), main worship hall (thuong dien or Tam Bao), two side corridors, and the central worship area (Dai Bai), arranged in a square shape. The rear halls connect to the sanctuary behind, forming a layout that resembles the character “gong”.
The sanctuary follows a two-tiered.
Most notably, Boi Khe Pagoda houses a 3-kilometer-long underground tunnel system. This tunnel, once used by village militia and locals to resist three French colonial assaults, has been partially restored and is now open for visitors to explore.
The tunnels are between 1 and 1.2 meters wide and stand 1.5 to 2 meters tall, offering a vivid glimpse into the village's revolutionary past.
Next, head to Quang Phu Cau, a remarkable destination with tradition, craftsmanship, and roots in Vietnamese heritage. Rows of vividly dyed incense sticks are arranged like blooming flowers.
Option HALF DAY Group Tour : Visit 2 Villages: Conical Hat and Incense Craft Village + Train Street (optional)
Duration: ~ 6 hours
Morning from 7:45~13:30
Afternoon from 11:45~17:30
Start with a pickup from Hanoi’s Old Quarter and head to Chuong, a village that has been well-known for the craft of conical hat-making for over 300 years. Get an observe how conical hats are made and decorate a hat by painting it then bring it home as a souvenir.
Depart for the Quang Phu Cau village, which has been producing incense for more than 100 years. Take a walk to the center of the village and see how locals make incense on the artisanal, family scale. Meet a family who specializes in dyeing incense sticks and take in the colorful bundles of incense.
Back to the city center. First place for drop off: Hanoi Train Street. If you don't want to get drop off here, please wait in the car.
