It is the second pagoda located on the pilgrimage route to Yen Tu. The pagoda sits on a piece of land shaped like the head of a turtle. Legend has it that after crossing the Cửa Ngăn slope into Yên Tử, Buddha King Tran Nhan Tong and his disciple Bao Sai passed by this area, where the wildflowers of various colors were blooming, the forest birds were singing, and the stream was babbling with a clear, melodious sound. They stopped to bathe in the stream. The clear, cool water washed away the dust of their journey, flowing from the mountain into the river and the sea. Since then, the stream has been called “Vua Ngự Tắm Stream” (The King’s Bathing Stream), or simply “Suối Tắm” (The Bathing Stream).

In the past, the pagoda was a small shrine dedicated to the Saint Hoàng Nguyệt Nga. She was honored as “Phúc Đẳng Thần,” the guardian deity of the forest, standing at the boundary between the human world and the Buddhist realm. In the folk song “Du xuân Yên Tử” (Spring Tour to Yên Tử), written during the reign of Emperor Khải Định (1916–1925) of the Nguyễn Dynasty, this shrine was mentioned: “At a glance, I see the small shrine, Descending to the Bathing Stream, no more mundane life.”

In the early 20th century, the businessman Bạch Thái Bưởi established a coal mine in this mountain area. To thank the mountain spirit, he and his wife built a larger shrine with an arched roof and stone walls. During the French resistance, the Cầm Thực Pagoda was destroyed by the French. The bell, statues, and worship items from Cầm Thực Pagoda were moved to this shrine. Since then, the shrine housing the Buddha statue became a pagoda.

The stream and the pagoda, named Suối Tắm (Bathing Stream), symbolize the purification of the body from the dust of the mundane world, making one’s body pure and peaceful before entering the Buddhist realm. The ancient Suối Tắm Pagoda has preserved many valuable historical statues, ritual objects, and altars. In 2009, with state investment and the contributions of the people, a new main hall (Chính Điện) and Ancestor Hall (Nhà Tổ) were built next to the old pagoda, with a more spacious design.

The statues enshrined in the Main Hall and Ancestor Hall are arranged in the same style as those in Bí Thượng Pagoda: Main Hall (Chính Điện):

• The top row of statues: Three Buddhas of the Past, Present, and Future.
• The second row: The Three Amitabha Buddhas.
• The third row: One Buddha and two venerable disciples.
• The fourth row: Avalokiteshvara (Quan Âm) and Cundi Bodhisattva.
• The fifth row: The Throne of Nine Dragons.

The Front Hall of the Main Hall:

• On the right side is the altar dedicated to Đức Chúa Ông (The Holy Lord).
• On the left side is the altar for Đức Thánh Hiền (The Holy Sage).
• On both sides are statues of the Dharma protectors: one promoting goodness (Khuyến Thiện) and one eliminating evil (Trừng Ác).
• In front of the altar of Đức Thánh Hiền is a statue of Kṣitigarbha Bodhisattva (Địa Tạng Vương).

The Ancestor Hall enshrines the Three Founding Masters of the Trúc Lâm Zen sect and also honors the Mother Goddess (Mẫu) and Đức Thánh Trần, a popular folk deity. From the entrance gate of the pagoda, looking down, you can see Suối Tắm Pagoda nestled beneath the canopy of towering trees. In front of the pagoda is the Bathing Stream. Unlike other pagodas in Yên Tử, where one has to climb many steps to reach the top, Suối Tắm Pagoda is situated lower, requiring visitors to descend several dozen stone steps. The ancient banyan tree by the stream in front of the pagoda has five branches, resembling the outstretched hand of the Buddha, providing shelter and protection.