Ninh Binh Travel: A to Z Guide

Less than 100 kilometers from Hanoi, Ninh Binh has become a popular destination for many travelers, offering beautiful landscapes and sites of historical significance.

Ninh Binh Travel Overview

Ninh Binh is an attractive destination in the S-shaped land of Vietnam. It boasts a rich array of tourism resources, including many historical and cultural relics, famous scenic spots, and a valuable natural ecological environment. Ninh Binh features diverse terrain, with mountains, plains, and coastal areas, reflecting the full range of Vietnam’s landscapes.

Best Time to Visit Ninh Binh

You can visit Ninh Binh during any season of the year. However, the best time to go is from January to March according to the lunar calendar. During spring, the weather is neither too cold nor too hot, and visitors can combine sightseeing with temple visits and praying for good fortune. Additionally, late May to early June is the time when the rice fields in Tam Coc are ripe, making it an ideal time for photography enthusiasts.

Transportation to Ninh Binh

If you travel by car from downtown Hanoi to Ninh Binh city center, it takes about 1 hour and 29 minutes. The trip from Hanoi to Bai Dinh Pagoda takes about 1 hour and 44 minutes. From Hanoi, if you want to visit the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex by car, it will take about 1 hour and 36 minutes. It takes approximately 1 hour and 40 minutes to reach Tam Coc – Bich Dong.

When traveling to Ninh Binh, you can choose from various modes of transportation from Hanoi, such as motorbikes, cars, or buses, depending on your personal needs and budget.

Accommodation

Couples, groups of friends, or solo travelers visiting Ninh Binh can choose to stay at homestays near the tourist attractions, offering tranquil green spaces and friendly service. Some popular and conveniently located options include Ninh Binh Friendly Homestay, Hang Mua Ecolodge, Diep’s House, Ninh Binh Palm Homestay, ChezBeo Homestay, among others. The cost ranges around 8 to 9 USD per person per night.

Tourist Attractions in Ninh Binh

Trang An

This place attracts visitors with its majestic mountainous scenery, winding small rivers, and pristine valleys. The entrance fee to visit Trang An is approximately 10 USD for adults and around 4 USD for children under 1.4 meters tall. A tour guide will cost about 12 USD per tour.

Here, you can choose one of three boat tours to explore the caves. The first route takes visitors through 9 caves, Trinh Temple, Tran Temple, and Khong Palace. The second route passes through 4 caves and includes Cao Son Temple, Vu Lam Palace, and Tran Temple by Tien Stream. The third route includes 3 caves, Trinh Temple, Tran Temple by Tien Stream, and Vu Lam Palace. Each tour lasts between 2 to 3 hours.

Tam Coc – Bich Dong

Visitors typically start by visiting Bich Dong Pagoda, known as the “Second Most Beautiful Cave in Vietnam,” to take in the panoramic views from above. Afterward, they can take a boat ride along the Ngo Dong River to explore Tam Coc. Tam Coc means “Three Caves”: Hang Ca, Hang Hai, and Hang Ba. Tam Coc captivates visitors with its towering limestone mountains, the fascinating shapes of the caves, and the golden rice fields on either side. The entrance fee is approximately 5 USD per person, and the boat ride along the Tam Coc route costs about 6 USD per trip.

Hang Mua

Located about a 15-minute drive from Trang An, the Hang Mua tourist area sits at the foot of a mountain. The entrance fee is approximately 4 USD per adult. This is a popular check-in spot for visitors to Ninh Binh. To reach the top of Hang Mua, visitors must climb about 500 stone steps. Since it can get quite hot, it’s advisable to bring water. From the top, you can enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of Ninh Binh, with winding rivers, rice fields, and majestic mountains. Visitors can spend about 2 to 3 hours exploring the area and taking photos.

Hoa Lu Ancient Capital

Hoa Lu served as the capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1010, spanning the Đinh, Early Lê, and Early Lý dynasties. It is one of the four core areas of the Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex, recognized by UNESCO. Here, visitors can explore the temples dedicated to King Đinh (Đinh Tiên Hoàng) and King Lê (Lê Đại Hành), as well as a museum preserving historical artifacts. These two temples were built around the 17th century and are surrounded by lush greenery. Visitors are recommended to register for a guided tour to better understand the historical significance of this site. The entrance fee is approximately 1 USD per person.

Bai Dinh Pagoda

The Bai Dinh Pagoda Complex, built in 2003, covers an area of over 500 hectares, surrounded by majestic limestone mountains. The pagoda is divided into two sections: the New Pagoda and the Ancient Pagoda. Visitors can walk around the site or travel by electric car (costing about 1.25 USD per person per ride). Popular sites within the complex include the Phap Chu Pagoda (which has 5 sections, with a central Buddha Shakyamuni statue that stands 10 meters tall and weighs 100 tons), the Tam The Hall, and the Bell Tower, where you can admire the Great Bell, which weighs 36 tons.

Phat Diem Stone Church

Located 28 kilometers from Ninh Binh city, Phat Diem Stone Church features a unique architectural style. Although it is a Catholic structure, its design mimics traditional Vietnamese pagodas with boat-shaped curved roofs. The Phat Diem Church complex includes a large church and five smaller ones (one of which is built entirely of natural stone, known as the Stone Church), a bell tower, ponds, and three artificial caves.

Cuc Phuong National Park

Located in Nho Quan District, Ninh Binh Province, the park borders three provinces: Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh, and Thanh Hoa. It is Vietnam’s first national park, covering an area of about 22,000 hectares, and it attracts numerous visitors with its diverse tourism offerings, ranging from ecotourism and research to adventure. Visitors to Cuc Phuong can explore the primeval forest, caves with fascinating formations, and caves containing ancient cultural and historical relics such as Crescent Moon Cave, Chua Cave, Thuy Tien Cave, and Ancient Man Cave. The park also features hot springs, a rich ecosystem of flora and fauna, ancient trees like the thousand-year-old chò tree, and a wildlife conservation area.

Thung Nham Bird Garden

Located about 12 kilometers from Ninh Binh city, the Thung Nham Bird Garden is home to a variety of bird species, with around 40 species and more than 50,000 birds living there. The best time to observe flocks of birds returning from foraging is around 5 PM. The entrance fee is approximately 4 USD per person, and the boat ride to explore the Bird Garden costs about 1 USD per person.

Van Long Wetland

Nicknamed the “Bay Without Waves,” Van Long Wetland offers visitors a serene experience, as the water remains calm and smooth, without a single ripple. The water isn’t green like the sea but is crystal clear, revealing the layers of algae below. This area also holds two records from the Vietnam Book of Records in 2010: it has the largest population of Delacour’s langurs and the largest natural picture. The entrance fee is approximately 1 USD per person, and the boat fee is about 2.50 USD for two people.

Am Tien Cave

Part of the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital national relic complex, Am Tien Cave is located in Truong Yen Commune, Hoa Lu District, more than 10 kilometers from Ninh Binh city center. The area is surrounded by towering limestone mountains like a fortress, with a cool, green lake in the middle. Visitors often describe it as having a poetic yet somewhat melancholic and mysterious beauty. In the past, the only way to reach this place was by climbing the mountain, which is why Am Tien is nicknamed “Tuyệt Tình Cốc” (The Valley of Lost Love). Nowadays, visitors can travel through a tunnel that cuts through the mountain, then hike up to visit the temple, offer incense, and admire the cave with its stunning stalactites. The entrance fee is approximately 1 USD per person.

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