Ninh Binh Tours
130km from Hanoi and 2-hour drive from Halong Bay, Ninh Binh boasts amongst Northern Vietnam’s most significant riverine landscapes. From here, visitors can easily access to pristine land of Tam Coc, Trang An and the ancient capital, Hoa Lu by paddleboat. Along the tranquil rive, numerous limestone mountains, once featured in famous blockbuster King Kong, rise spectacularly from underwater, creating an ethereal, picturesque scenery as quintessence of Mother Nature. The variety of historical relics, tropical forests and ecosystems is also a tremendous highlight for the boat trip. Finding forgone vestiges of palaces, temples, pagodas, tombs related to the three dynasties of Dinh, Le and Ly, trekking to fairylike Bich Dong (the second best cave of the South) or reveling in Cuc Phuong National Park should conclude Ninh Binh journey excellently.
Best time to visit:
– March – May: Calm spring weather, lots of New Year Festivals
– September – November: Best sunlight, less crowded and stunning harvest time
Things to do:
– Paddle through Trang An river branches, gently go through many river caves
– Have dinner among the rice field
– Visit the famous riverside Bai Dinh Temple (the largest pagoda in Southeast Asia)
– Conquer the top of Hang Mua (Mua Cave), the most photogenic spot of Ninh Binh that heat up Instagram for years
– Taking a boat trip through floating rice paddies inTam Coc – Bich Dong
– Spend an afternoon at Van Long Nature Reserve trip
– Stay one night in Cuc Phuong National Park to join more hiking and night-spotting
– Try out the delicious Ninh Binh’s specialty “com chay” (rice crust)
– Can not miss out the Bich Dong pagoda, beautiful pagoda sit on a karst mountain and can only access it through a stone bridge
Where to stay:
– Luxury accommodation: Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh with wonderful pool view
– Ecolodge: Tam Coc Garden
– Bungalows: Nguyen Shack, Limestone Homestay
How to get there:
– Local bus or private car from Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Trang An
– Taking the train from Hanoi Station to Ninh Binh Station, the train quality is good. Take a taxi from train station to your Hotel
– Flight arrival at Thanh Hoa Airport, 1-hour drive from Thanh Hoa to Ninh Binh – Trang An
– From Ninh Binh, you can rent a bike or bicycle to reach Trang An – 7km away.