Out in the hills of Chí Linh, in Hai Duong province east of Hanoi, the land crumples into low forested ridges after the flat Red River delta, and this is where Nham Duong sits among the trees. The pagoda belongs to a cluster of temples tied to the Trần dynasty and its home-grown school of Zen, the Trúc Lâm tradition, whose three patriarchs taught in these hills during the thirteenth and fourteenth centuries. Thanh Mai, the other pagoda on the same ride, is part of that story too.
Vietnamese pagodas like this are working places, not museums. Incense smoke drifts across the courtyard, monks in grey robes sweep the steps, and families come with offerings of fruit and flowers. The roof lines curl upward, the beams are dark wood, and the carved dragon heads and lotus patterns have been repainted and repaired over the centuries. Expect a hush that surprises you after the roar of the roads. Take your shoes off at the main hall, keep your voice low, and keep shoulders and knees covered.
The ride from Hanoi or Haiphong is pleasant but busy in the delta stretch. National roads are full of lorries, minibuses and scooters, so give yourself time. Once you reach the hills the traffic thins, the road narrows, and lychee orchards line the slopes. Chí Linh and the nearby district of Thanh Hà are known for lychees, which ripen in early summer, and you will see stalls on every verge in June. Winters are cool and often grey with drizzle, and the coolest months can seem surprisingly cold for the tropics.
Hải Dương, twenty-four kilometres away, is the practical choice for fuel and a proper meal, and Uông Bí is nearly as close on the other side. Before the hills there is rarely a long wait between petrol stations. Try the local mung bean cakes from Hải Dương as a snack on the road, and bring a little cash for incense and donations at the temple.