NINH BINH – VISITING THE SERENE COUNTRYSIDE BESIDE THE CAPITAL

Located less than 100km from Hanoi, you can step into a land of pristine beauty, and rustic charm, and away from the hustle & bustle of urban life. With its rich history and cultural values representing Vietnam and its breathtaking natural landscapes, Ninh Binh is undoubtedly a fantastic choice when visiting Northern Vietnam.

Escape the urban hustle and bustle, and refresh from within when you step into Ninh Binh. Today, let Lua Viet Tours introduce you to the fascinating attractions in Ninh Binh!

Ninh Binh: A Picture-Perfect Destination

Ninh Binh charms travelers, especially foreigners, with its rich and authentic countryside sensation. From vast rice fields, and flocks of white storks perched along the fields, to fragrant lotus ponds, you will love the unique experiences here. Besides biking along country roads, you can also enjoy bullock cart rides to feel the peaceful scenery and the laborious life of farmers.

Trang An

They are known as the “Halong Bay on Land” with its limestone mountains reflecting on the turquoise water. Visitors can explore Trang An by boat combined with mountain climbing to experience its beauty fully. Starting from the central boat dock, the first stop is the Trinh Temple. Next, visitors take a boat through caves like Dia Linh, Toi, Sang, and Nau Ruou, then climb 500 steps to visit the Tran Temple. 

Known as the “Halong Bay on Land” with its limestone mountains reflecting on the turquoise water.

After that, visitors continue the route to Sinh Cave, Si Cave, Ba Giot Cave, Seo Cave, and Son Duong Cave, and climb to Khong Temple, then continue the journey to Khong Cave, Tran Cave, Quy Hau Cave before returning to the starting point. This is a basic itinerary to explore a round trip of Trang An, Ninh Binh.

Take a boat through the caves of Trang An.

In addition, tourists can explore the diverse ecosystem with many rare species: cranes, white gibbons, herons, etc.

Mua Caves Ecolodge

Mua Cave lies at the foot of Mua Mountain, with a large bell-shaped cave upside down, covering an area of about 800m2, belonging to the scenic complex of Trang An. The name “Mua” means dancing, according to legend, the King Tran Thai Tong often came here to watch female dancers, hence the name Mua Caves Ecolodge.

Great view from Mua Cave from above.

To reach Mua Caves Ecolodge, you have to conquer nearly 500 stone steps to the mountain top, the view from here will surely not disappoint you! From here, you can fully admire the picturesque scenery of Trang An. In summer, lotus flowers bloom profusely along with lush green rice fields. As autumn comes, Trang An will be “dressed” in golden rice fields like silk.

You should visit Mua Caves Ecolodge in the early morning or late afternoon when the sun is not too harsh – the weather is pleasant, making the process of conquering 500 stone steps more comfortable. When moving on the mountain, you should pay attention and be careful to ensure safety during the visit.

Hoa Lu Ancient Capital

This is a tourist destination with many cultural and historical values and possesses extremely attractive natural landscapes. Hoa Lu has a history of over 1000 years, through many ups and downs in Vietnam. Here, there are still many important relics from ancient times.

The Hoa Lu Temple has many cultural, and historical values.

In the area of ​​Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, there are still many temples worshipping the King’s family preserved intact until today. The architecture of these works is very unique: cloud patterns on wooden columns, stone carvings of dragons, fairies, leaves, etc., demonstrating the talent of artisans in the 17th century.

You should visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital in the spring because this is when the weather is cool, the trees are lush, and especially many local festivals take place.

Van Long Lagoon

This is a newly emerging tourist destination with pristine and tranquil beauty. This place is also one of the prominent scenes in the movie Kong – Skull Island by Legendary Entertainment. Van Long is less affected by human hands, so the ecosystem is very diverse and rich.

Van Long is dubbed the “waveless bay”, where visitors can row boats gently and admire the calm water surface like a giant mirror. The water in the lagoon is clear, you can easily see beautiful green algae like corals.

Van Long is less affected by human hands, so the ecosystem is very diverse and rich.

Surrounding Van Long are many funny-shaped limestone mountains: Mam Xoi, Meo Cao, Nghien, Da Ban, etc. From around November onwards, many bird species from the North fly here, creating an extremely impressive scene.

Tam Coc – Bich Dong

Tam Coc possesses a peaceful landscape with an impressive system of limestone caves. Located within the Trang An scenic complex, this is an ideal destination when visiting Ninh Binh.

Tam Coc possesses a peaceful landscape with an impressive system of limestone caves.

Tam Coc consists of three caves: Ca Cave, Hai Cave, and Ba Cave. All three caves are formed by the Ngo Dong River flowing straight through the mountain. If you visit here, you will take a boat along the Ngo Dong River and pass through the mountains.

Within Tam Coc-Bich Dong is the famous Bich Dong Pagoda. This is an ancient pagoda built on the limestone cliffs of Truong Yen from the 14th century. Here, a large bell is still preserved intact.

Cycling Around the Countryside

Cycling tourism is a perfect choice to save costs and improve health, especially in Ninh Binh – a place with gentle air, poetic scenery, and many unique cultural activities.

When traveling at high speeds, you may miss many beautiful scenes along the way. When cycling, you can ride along small country roads and stop whenever you want to fully admire the beauty of Ninh Binh.

Cycling along the countryside roadway so that you won’t be able miss the captivating scenes.

Some beautiful cycling routes in Ninh Binh:

• Along the Day Canal: starting from the Hoa Lu relics area and ending at Trang An.
• Tam Coc – Bich Dong: 5km long, passing through many vast rice fields and visiting many famous landmarks.
• Hoa Lu Ancient Capital – Am Tiem tourist area.
• Gia Vien Canal Road.

Tips For Traveling To Ninh Binh

Let Lua Viet Tours suggest some experiences to make your trip to Ninh Binh safe and enjoyable!

• When traveling here, tourists should not carry too much luggage or valuable items because you have to move a lot.
• When moving on the boat, you should wear a life jacket and follow the instructions of the boatman.
• If you have to climb mountains, you should wear comfortable, breathable clothes, and prepare yourself with a suitable pair of sports shoes. And don’t forget to bring drinking water, you will need it!
• When visiting spiritual places, you should dress politely.
• If you travel to Ninh Binh in the summer, apply plenty of sunscreen because the sun’s rays can be quite harsh. You should check the weather forecast before your trip.

Have the best time of your life sailing down the river at the stunning landscapes of Ninh Binh.

To have a meaningful journey and fully explore the scenic spots of Ninh Binh, you can contact Lua Viet Tours right away. With many years of experience in the tourism industry and a team of enthusiastic, professional tour guides, let us help you plan a memorable trip!