After expanding its interregional development space, the Hung Temple Historical Relic Site has taken on a completely different appearance. When night falls, the area becomes calm and contemplative.
Visitors holding lanterns slowly make their way up Nghia Linh Mountain, passing through Lower Temple, Middle Temple, and Upper Temple, and ending at Well Temple.
The sounds of wind, rustling leaves, and soft footsteps on stone encourage each person to pause and reflect for a moment. Nguyen Thi Thuy Lan, a tourist from Hanoi, said: “I’ve visited Hung Temple many times before, but this is my first night tour. It’s a very emotional journey. Phu Tho has introduced many new and interesting elements in this tour.”
Visitors are told stories of the past and take part in incense-offering rituals in the stillness of the night. The lighting is dim, just enough to illuminate the path while preserving the solemn and sacred atmosphere.
At Upper Temple atop the mountain, visitors gaze out over the vast landscape and admire the starry sky. Nguyen Thi Thanh Hoa, a Hanoi traveler, said: “This is my first night tour. I’ve visited the Hung Temple during the day many times. The night atmosphere is very peaceful. I feel as if all my worries have been left behind. The walking night tour is deeply relaxing.”
The “Hung Temple – Sacred Ancestral Land” night tour is a highlight of the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day this year, which falls on April 26. Bui Xuan Truong, Deputy Director of the Phu Tho Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said: “It aims to develop our night-time economy, let visitors experience our heritage in a new setting, and promote the culture of our ancestral land.”
Taking the Hung Temple night tour gives Vietnamese tourists a moment to slow down, reflect, reconnect, and feel a deep sense of belonging as they return to their roots and their own inner self.
