7 best things to do in Ninh Binh

Just a few hours South of Hanoi, Ninh Binh is fast becoming one of the best loved destinations in Northern Vietnam. If you’ve seen the most recent rendition of Kong – Skull Island – you’ll have glimpsed some of the epic landscapes around this area. In real life it is just as beautiful, minus any oversized angry creatures. There are so many places to explore and things to do in Ninh Binh that you could spend a week here and not do it all. Especially, as you’ll also want plenty of time to simply relax and take in the scenery. So, let us take you through all that Ninh Binh has to offer so you can create your perfect itinerary.

Cycle around the rice paddies

The best way to see Ninh Binh is from the seat of a bicycle. Many hotels will have free bicycles or ones to rent for a few dollars. If yours doesn’t, check at nearby hotels and shops. Getting around the central main attractions near Tam Coc is really easy and it is always nice to simply go where the wind takes you. The paths between the rice paddies are especially pretty.

Take a Tam Coc Boat Trip

A boat trip through the rice paddies, between the karst hills is a must-do in Ninh Binh. The ladies row the boats with their feet which makes for a slow and relaxing journey. The scenery is absolutely beautiful and the journey will take you beneath 3 caves carved into the rock by the river. Make sure to go in the early morning or late afternoon for the best light and to escape the crowds of day-trippers from Hanoi.

Be aware that the ladies selling crafts and snacks inside the caves can be rather boisterous. Be polite and smile if you are going to let them down.

Visit pagodas

In Ninh Binh, there are a number of pagodas and temples that you could visit. Bai Dinh is currently the largest pagoda of Vietnam boasting hundreds of Buddhist statues. There is also Bich Dong pagoda, which is an ancient one built into the limestone mountain. Bich Dong is smaller in size but has its uniqueness and less crowded. You can also visit Phat Diem Church that is a Christian church built in the style that is mixed between Catholic Church and Buddhist Pagoda.

Ride boat on Van Long swamp

Van Long is the largest wetland nature reserve in the delta. This nature reserve is located in the northeast of Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh province.

Van Long is known as "no wave bay" because when you go on a boat on the lagoon, visitors will see the water surface as a giant mirror. The watercolor painting reflects clearly the strong lines of the limestone mountains bearing the shape of the name of Mèo Bar, Mâm Xôi Mountain, Mount Books, Da Ban Mountain, Nghien Mountain, Mồ Côi Mountain Fairy ... However, the water here is not the blue color of the sea, but in clear express the layers of moss on the bottom. Van Long has 1000 beautiful caves for example many large caves are worth the development of tourism such as Fish Cave, Shadow Cave, Tortoise Cave, Chanh Cave.

Explore Mua Cave

This is one of our favourite areas in Ninh Ninh with plenty to see. Make sure to head as far as you can into the Spring Cave. The road to the top of the mountain was built in the Great Wall architecture with nearly 500 stone steps.

From here, visitors can admire the beautiful scenery of Tam Coc, famous scenic spots in Ninh Binh. Through another cave, you can meander beside the rice paddies all the way out to near the Tam Coc river route.

Watch birds in Thung Nham

Thung Nham bird sanctuary is about 12km east of Ninh Binh city, located in the core zone of the Trang An complex, next to the famous Tam Coc - Bich Dong resort.

This place has the living of 40 birds (about 50 thousand) such as stork, cauldron, leek, leeches, fire pricks, flute .Thung Nham garden is the most beautiful at sunset, each flock, each flock of white storks hovering, sheltering a wetland, visitors will feel the primordial beauty that can hardly seen in any other places

Hiking

If you are a nature lover, you should make a trip to Cuc Phuong National Park which is the first national park of Vietnam and the preservation center for endangered species like pangolins and some types of primates. Cuc Phuong National Park is also the home of a 1000-year-old tree and thousands of insects and animals. The trip to Cuc Phuong will most likely take up at least a full day.

Another option is to take a light hiking up a mountain top in Mua Cave which is around 500 steps. From there you could have the panoramic view of the whole Tam Coc. There you will also find many mountainous goats climbing and hanging from the cliffs. It will be a fun activity if you are fit and your knees can hold up for it!