My favourite place in Northern Vietnam is Ninh Binh, despite it being the place I knew the least about before visiting. If you’re thinking of going but feel unsure if it’s worth your time, hopefully this guide will help you make up your mind.
Ninh Binh is located less than two hours away from Hanoi, so it’s easy to reach and requires little effort. Before initially going there, the decision felt like a gamble because I actually chose it over the much more popular Ha Long Bay.
For years I had dreamed of seeing the famous peaks of Ha Long Bay, but the more I started reading reviews, the less I felt inclined to visit. I didn’t want to see a place of natural beauty overrun with tourists.
However, fortune was on my side. After looking for alternative places, I read about Ninh Binh, nicknamed the “Ha Long Bay on land”. I was intrigued. I wanted somewhere that offered beautiful scenery, but wasn’t super touristy. Ninh Binh seemed to fit the bill.
Overview of Ninh Binh
Renowned for its limestone karst landscapes and lush rice paddies, Ninh Binh is the perfect nature retreat. It offers a serene escape from Vietnam’s busier cities. You’ll find endless hiking trails, ancient attractions and an array of super cool caves to explore.
Within Ninh Binh, there are several places to base yourself. You can’t really go wrong staying in either Tam Coc, Trang An and Hoa Lu.
While peaceful, the area is on the rise among travellers so you will find new accommodations and places to eat cropping up as well as some day-trip group tours coming in from Hanoi. However, the region is sprawling so it’s easy to head off on the beaten track, particularly when you’ve got your foot down on the peddle of a motorbike or bicycle.
Tip: I really encourage you rent a moped or motorbike. It adds a whole new level of adventure. If you’re a bit nervous like I was, avoid renting one in big cities like Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi, where the roads are more intimidating. However, renting a moped is ideal in places like Ninh Binh, where there’s much less traffic and the feeling of freedom you get
Keeping reading as this guide will show you the best experiences this region has to offer.
Getting There
Ninh Binh is conveniently located about 100 kilometres south of Hanoi, making it easily accessible by various modes of transportation.
Mini bus transfer aka ‘limousine’: This is the method I used and it’s the preferred method by many. Lots of hotels in Hanoi offer this service so be sure to enquire about this service if you’re heading Ninh Binh afterwards. I’m not sure why they call them ‘limousines’, in reality, they are more like plush minibuses. The service drops you off at your accommodation and the journey takes around 1.5 – 2 hours depending on your pick up and drop off point.
Taxi: Taxis are available for those who prioritise comfort and convenience. Your accommodation can make the arrangements for you. Alternatively, you can download Grab. It’s the most popular ride app in Vietnam. Whether you decide to get a taxi or not, I’d still advise you to download Grab as it will come in handy throughout your trip across Vietnam. For short distances they are quick and affordable to use.
By Motorbike: For the more adventurous, renting a motorbike in Hanoi and riding to Ninh Binh provides a scenic journey through the Vietnamese countryside. I’ll warn driving in Hanoi is not for the faint-hearted so you should only do this if you feel confident on the road.
By Train: Regular trains run from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, offering a comfortable journey of approximately 2 hours 15 minutes. The train departs from Hanoi Railway Station and arrives in Ninh Binh Railway Station. You can check times and buy tickets via vietnametraintickets.info.
Best Time to Visit
The ideal time to visit Ninh Binh is during the dry season, from November to April, when the weather is cooler and rainfall is minimal. Visiting between May and July offers the added beauty of lotus flowers in full bloom, enhancing the picturesque landscapes.
I visited in February and the temperature ranged from 16 -22 degrees. I found this to be the perfect climate for exploring and doing some light hiking. The weather ranged from blue skies and sunny to overcast and the occasional burst for rain. Even with grey skies the beauty of Ninh Binh shines through. Typically in the Northern Vietnam it can be quite a lot cooler than the south so pack a rain jacket.
My favourite attractions and things to do in Ninh Binh
I spent 5 days in Ninh Binh and I enjoyed these attractions and activities the most:
Climb Hang Mua
There are 500 stone steps to the top. You’ll sweat and huff and puff your way to the top but the views are absolutely worth it. At the summit, a stone dragon sprawls across the ridge like it owns the place – which, honestly, it kind of does. It’s huge. You’ll see rice fields stretching like a green sea and the Ngo Dong River slicing through the karsts.
Arrive in the late afternoon when the temperature drops a little and golden hour begins to kick in. Hopefully you’ll be blessed with an almighty sunset. Admittedly it was rather misty when I arrived but that hardly diminished the beauty of it all.
Entry fee: 100.000 VND
Visit Bich Dong Pagoda
Three tier temples carved into a cliffside. Bich Dong Pagoda begins at scenic lake and the trail takes you up ancient steps lined within a forest and moss-covered statues. The higher you go, the more majestic everything becomes.
The middle pagoda is wedged in the side of a cave filled with stalactites and stalagmites, lit only by daylight and incense smoke. It’s hard to believe that something like this exits until you’re standing right in front of it. The final pagoda stands out in the open at the top overlooking a sprawling green view of paddy fields and mountains.
Entry fee: free
Discover the hidden treasures of Vai Gioi Cave
There are a lot of caves in Ninh Binh, but Vai Gioi Cave is the most spectacular. Despite this, it’s also one of the least visited. Before heading there, I asked the owner of my accommodation about it, and even she had never heard of it. So, yeh, I think this attraction qualifies as a hidden gem.
You’ll find this place located at the entrance of Thung Nham Bird Valley. From the bottom to the entrance of the cave you have to climb 450 steps. The steps are located on your right – keep your own peeled for the sign because they are easy to miss. Once you reach the top and enter inside, you are greeted with a cathedral-size cavern spilt across three floors. The cave is dripping with stalagmites and anthropomorphic shapes . If you love geology or simply the natural world – this place should not be missed.
Trang An boat tour
There are several boat tours in Ninh Binh and this one in Trang An is the most famous and lasts the longest at around 3 hours. It’s the Ninh Binh you see in postcards. You’ll drift through a maze of flooded caves, jungle-covered cliffs, and ancient shrines tucked inside grottoes.
The boat winds through 9–10 caves depending on the route you take. There are 3 or 4 routes to choose from – this article covers them more in-depth.
The only downside to taking this tour is that is can get busy. During my stay in Ninh Binh, this was the only time I had to queue in line for something. Some sections of the journey felt more crowded too. However, the views are stunning so that’s to be expected. Try and minimise the number of boats you see along the way by joining either one of the earliest tours in the morning or one of the later ones in the afternoon.
Cost of tickets: Approx 250,000
Tam Coc boat ride
A boat tour that rivals Trang An is Tam Coc. The ride last for approximately 1.5 hours, a great option if you’re just visiting for Ninh Binh for the day and don’t have the additional time to factor in Trang An. Furthermore, it’s also a bit cheaper so ideal for budget travellers.
The main thing that differentiates this boat tour is that the boats are powered by feet. Yep, the rowers use their feet to paddle through the water. This traditional method might seem unnatural to the likes of you and I, but the propulsion you get from your leg muscles is much stronger than your arms which makes the job much easier.
The only place I had seen something similar to this was in Lake Inle in Myanmar which is famed for the leg-rowing fishermen. However, unlike the fishermen of Inle, who do everything standing up, the guides in Tam Coc sit back and row with comparative ease.
So if you add this traditional rowing technique together with the views, and that it was much quieter than Trang An (I did hop on the very last boat that departed at around 5pm), I think overall I enjoyed my ride in Tam Coc the most. However, I think I might be in the minority here, so I recommend doing both boat tours is you have the time.
Explore Thung Nham Ecotourism Area
Also known as Thung Nham Bird Valley, this ecotourism area is undergoing a lot of renovation. Previously it wasn’t very well visited, but a lot of investment had been put attracting new tourism. You’ll find beautiful gardens, boat tours, underground caves and temples. Previously, people came for the birdlife, but the work that has gone into enhancing everything else means it had opened itself up to an audience beyond birdwatchers. Hopefully it won’t become too commercial, but I have a feeling it might.
After purchasing your ticket, you will have access to the whole park and an included boat tour. It’s big and if you weren’t pressed for time, it’s one of the places where you could spend the whole day. Highlights for me included all the beautiful flowers and Mermaid Cave which is really fun to explore (tip: watch out for your head – the ceilings are really, really low!). Vai Gioi Cave is also included with your entry ticket, but it’s a bit further away from the main park area so don’t forget to visit.
Entry fee: 150,000 VND
Soak up the beauty of Tuyet Tinh Coc
I was pleasantly surprised by this place – there was hardly anyone there despite it feeling like there should be. To reach the lake, you first have to walk through a tunnel painted with brightly-coloured murals depicting scenes from Vietnamese culture.
Once you exit the tunnel you are greeted with an enclosed lake beautifully surrounded by mountains. If it were not for the temples, I would have sworn I was in Norway. It feels like a hidden oasis where you will find a striking lone temple carved into the side of the mountain. Go inside and at the back you will find set of stairs that lead down to a small cave with a pool inside and a shrine of buddha.
Opposite the temple, across the lake, is a very photogenic and ornate pagoda gate build from stone. I can’t tell you much about it but the monument looks like its been sitting there for centuries as a look-out tower.
Ticket fee: 20,000 VND
Hoa Lu Ancient Town
To be honest, I expected a bit more from this place, after all its name alludes to something greater. It used to be the capital of Vietnam 968 to 1009. However, I’m putting this in here because it’s located opposite the entrance of Tuyet Tinh Coc so it’s easy to visit without going out of your way.
The entrance gate is very photogenic, and there are a few structures inside worth taking a look at, but it doesn’t have that calm and scenic appeal that most of the other places have on this list. Saying all this, I did attempt to visit while there was a festival going on, so admittedly, my experience was probably marred by chorus of crowds and loud noises. I’ve head the best time to go is during the evening when the whole place is set alight with beautiful lanterns – so go for this time and maybe you will have a better experience than me!
Where I stayed – Fairy Mountain Retreat
I stayed at Fairy Mountain Retreat and I would recommend this place in a heartbeat. The setting is beyond beautiful, and as the name suggests, it really does feel like a retreat. The place is super quiet. It’s just you and the sound of nature. Real relaxation. Imagine wooden cabins with in a lush, tropical backdrop. At the centre of the garden is a natural swimming pool and surrounding the retreat are views of the karst mountains.
The staff are super welcoming and attentive. The food is also very good, serving both local and international dishes straight from the kitchen. I mainly opted for the local dishes – the pink grapefruit and prawn salad is a must. So refreshing!
If I ever go back to Ninh Binh (which I hope I do), I wouldn’t think twice about staying here again.
