Best Things to Do in Ninh Binh, Vietnam

Trang An Boat Trip

The Trang An scenic area is the highlight of the region, a maze of karst peaks, flooded valleys, and caves threaded together by rivers. The traditional rowboat trip, in which a local rows you through a series of dark caves and past small temples and rice paddies, lasts a couple of hours and is as peaceful as it sounds. The oar strikes the water, the cliffs loom overhead, and the silence inside the cave is total except for the echoes. It is the first thing I recommend anyone do in Ninh Binh.

Tam Coc Boat Ride

Tam Coc, meaning three caves, is the other classic river trip, and it is often grouped with two options. The boat ride glides through tunnels and between rice fields, with the same limestone wall around you, and seasonal lotus flowers fill the water in summer. Some travelers prefer Tam Coc for its rice-field scenery and others prefer Trang An for its scale and temples. Do one, and if you have time and energy, do both on separate days for two versions of the same magic.

Hang Mua Viewpoint

For the postcard view of Ninh Binh, climb Hang Mua. A long staircase, several hundred steps and steep at points, leads to a peak with a dragon arch and a sweeping panorama over the Ngo Dong river, the paddies, and a tall pagoda below. The climb is sweaty but short enough that almost anyone can manage it with rests. Arrive early in the morning or late in the afternoon for the best light and the fewest people, and bring water.

Bai Dinh Pagoda

Bai Dinh is one of the largest Buddhist complexes in Vietnam, a sprawling hillside of temples, bell towers, and a huge bronze Buddha, with an electric car or long walkway taking you between the main sites. The scale is impressive and the views over the plains from the upper terraces are enormous. Give it half a day if you want to see it properly, and expect it to be busier than the rivers, since it draws big tour groups.

Hoa Lu Ancient Capital

A short drive from the boats, the old courtyard of Hoa Lu is the site of the ancient Vietnamese capital of the tenth century. What remains are temples dedicated to the former emperors, the stone turtles, and the quiet grounds at the base of the peaks, with a small museum at the ticket area explaining the site’s history across a few well labelled rooms. It is a calm, historic contrast to the natural scenery, and its size means you can walk it in under an hour. I like pairing it with a drive through the rice fields nearby.

Bich Dong Pagoda and Cycling the Countryside

The Bich Dong pagoda, which is centuries old, sits built into the hillside above Tam Coc, reached by stone steps through a cave and up past small shrines with fine views over the paddies. Around it, the whole region is made for slow cycling. Rent a bike, follow the narrow lanes between the karst towers, and pass temples, lotus ponds, and farmers working the green fields. My favorite afternoon in Ninh Binh was spent exactly this way, with no destination at all, and I came back dusty and happy in equal measure.

The Cuc Phuong National Park

If you have an extra day and love wildlife, Cuc Phuong, Vietnam’s oldest national park, sits just west of Ninh Binh on the border with the mountains. It holds hiking trails through primary forest, an endangered primate rescue center, and in the wet season, spectacular fireflies in the forest at night. It is a longer day trip but a wonderful escape from the paddies into deep green jungle, and the quieter trails feel like your own discovery.

Final Thoughts

Ninh Binh is best done slowly. Take a boat through the caves, climb the steps, soak up the temple courtyards, and then put your feet up and cycle a road that looks like not much else in Vietnam. Two nights is enough for the highlights and three lets you relax, though after a week I still had lanes I wanted to ride down in the evenings, given the time. The peaks do the drama; you just have to show up early with water and a hat in your bag, and let the boats and the bicycles carry you through the rest.