Story: Truong Quy
Photos: Ngoc Vu
From the sacred peaks of Yen Tu to the historic landscapes below, autumn is the perfect season to discover Quang Ninh’s spiritual and cultural heritage.
More than 700 years ago, the rulers of the Tran Dynasty ventured to Yen Tu, and the mountain was later mentioned in the Complete Annals of Dai Viet. The painting Truc Lam Dai Si Xuat Son Do also preserves the image of Emperor-Monk Tran Nhan Tong. With its deep historical roots, Yen Tu has long been considered one of the most sacred peaks in northeastern Vietnam. Autumn here recalls the journey of Tran Nhan Tong, the First Patriarch of the Truc Lam Zen School, who renounced the throne and entered the mountains to meditate. Pine and bamboo line paths veiled in autumn mist. Inspiring poets for centuries, this landscape draws travelers seeking Quang Ninh’s spiritual heritage.
At the foot of Yen Tu lies Dong Trieu, a region closely associated with the Tran royal family. Its imperial tombs and estates once belonged to princes and nobles, and many traces of that era remain today, evoking a golden age of grand pagodas and monumental statues. Various relics in Dong Trieu, together with Yen Tu, form part of the Yen Tu – Vinh Nghiem – Con Son, Kiep Bac Complex of Monuments and Landscapes, which UNESCO has inscribed as a World Cultural Heritage Site. Along with Ha Long Bay, these sites form one of Vietnam’s most concentrated heritage corridors.
From the high mountains, clouds drift toward the bay of a thousand islands, and within a short journey, autumn reveals a different side of Quang Ninh. In Ha Long, the season is captured in the poetic line “autumn waters and the vast sky merging into one hue,” as emerald waters mirror countless limestone islands beneath a veil of seasonal mist. Autumn also draws travelers to the ridgelines of Binh Lieu, where white reed grass blankets the slopes, golden terraced fields carry the scent of ripening rice, and the Tien Yen River embraces a market town once bustling with trade.
The areas once known as An Bang, Quang Yen, and Hai Ninh before they became parts of Quang Ninh resemble a classical painting brushed with autumn gold, now layered with modern touches such as expressways and elegant cruise ships. Amid the rush of everyday journeys, this September Heritage Guide invites travelers to set out on an autumn passage through a land of heritage, where inspiration and renewal begin with moments of calm and unhurried stillness.
