Crowds jostle in line to go to Dong Pagoda
According to reporters' records on the 5th and 6th days of Binh Ngo Tet, Yen Tu scenic relic area (Yen Tu ward, Quang Ninh province) welcomed a large number of people and tourists from all directions to worship and enjoy spring. From early morning, crowds flocked to the relic area, concentrated in the cable car area and main pagoda points.
The exemption of parking fees and entrance fees (0 VND/time/person) in Yen Tu from now until the end of 2026 is considered one of the factors contributing to stimulating the demand for spring travel and praying for peace at the beginning of the year. However, the sudden increase in the number of visitors also caused many areas to fall into local congestion.
Taking advantage of the 9-day holiday, Mr. Nguyen Quang Tho's family (Bac Ninh) chose Yen Tu as a spiritual destination at the beginning of the year.
We started at 3 am, and were present at about 5:30 am. Although we chose the round-trip cable car, it was not until 10:30 am that my family reached the flagpole area. The number of people was too large, so we moved slowly" - Mr. Tho said.
According to him, the road to the tourist attractions is relatively convenient, but due to the large flow of people, traveling is difficult.
Today is both the 5th day of Tet and the end of the week, so the number of visitors exceeded expectations. My family went up to near Dong Pagoda but because it was too crowded, we couldn't squeeze in, so we just prayed and moved down" - Mr. Tho added.
Similarly, Ms. Vu Huong Giang (Dong Trieu, Quang Ninh) said that she had to move small steps to enter points such as Hoa Yen Pagoda, Mot Mai Pagoda, and Dong Pagoda. This is the third time she has returned to Yen Tu but the most crowded time she has ever witnessed.
Before, I used to climb the entire route on foot when there was no cable car. In recent years, I often combine walking and cable car to save time. However, today, waiting in line for the cable car is very long, it may take 5-7 hours to reach the destination" - Ms. Giang shared.
As one of the volunteers at Hoa Yen Pagoda, Ms. Pham Thi Minh (26 years old, Quang Ninh) said that the 5th day of Tet is the peak day since the beginning of the festival season. "I started participating from the 3rd day of Tet, the main job is to clean the altar, record donations. The number of people increased sharply, so many times I could not manage" - Ms. Minh expressed.
Starting from a student monastic course, she continued to be attached to charity work with the desire to contribute to preserving the solemn space at the Buddha's gate.
Price increases according to "altitude
Besides pilgrimage activities, some small businesses along the road to Dong Pagoda have seen prices increase according to "altitude".
Friend M.N. L (22 years old, Hanoi) said that the prices of some items have increased significantly compared to the foot of the mountain area. "The bamboo tree to support mountain climbing at the entrance is priced at 5,000 VND, but up to near cable car station 1 it has doubled. Some snacks such as sausages are priced at 20,000 VND/piece" - friend L informed.
In the opposite direction, hired porters - often called "porters" - are still diligently making a living. Mr. B.X. P (74 years old, Quang Ninh) said that each trip carries about 100kg of goods, with a wage of 200,000 VND.
If sending goods by cable car, the cost is high, considering it no longer profitable, so I still have to bear it" - Mr. P said.
The sharp increase in the number of visitors shows the great attraction of Yen Tu every early spring, especially in the context of the free sightseeing policy being implemented. However, the sudden increase in the number of people flocking to spiritual tourist destinations in the first days of the year has caused congestion and localized overload in some areas such as cable car stations, entrances to Hoa Yen Pagoda, and Dong Pagoda.
This reality raises the requirement to strengthen traffic diversion, regulate visitor flows, control business and service activities and ensure safety for tourists. In addition, the awareness of queuing, complying with management instructions, maintaining environmental hygiene and civilized behavior in solemn places is also an important factor for each pilgrimage at the beginning of the year to take place fully, safely and in accordance with its inherent spiritual meaning.
