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Located in Northern Vietnam, Ninh Binh is one of the most famous tourist places thanks to its natural diversity, cultural attractions, and religious site. These include the Cuc Phuong National Park, the caves and rivers of Trang An, Tam Coc - Bich Dong, Mua Caves, historical monuments in the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, Bai Dinh Pagoda, the Phat Diem Cathedral with its impressive architectural style, and so much more are waiting for you to explore.
Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh, Vietnam
If you come to Vietnam, consider taking a day trip to a day trip to Ninh Binh from Hanoi to see this place for yourself. Feel free to contact us on Vietnam Travels to book the trip to Ninh Binh with local experts.
Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh was once chosen to be the capital of Vietnam thanks to its geographical advantages that greatly helped guard people against invasion by other countries. Nowadays, the geographical advantage still serves a purpose by giving this magical atmosphere of a hidden gem - where nature seems to be stuck once upon a time. The majestic yet undiscovered feeling of this place is also why it's given the name "Halong Bay on Land" and chosen as one of the three filming locations for "Kong: Skull Island."
Kong: Skull Island scene- Trang An, Ninh Binh
Bai Dinh Pagoda in Ninh Binh is the largest complex of Buddhist temples in Vietnam, making this place the unofficial center for Buddhist pilgrimages from across Vietnam. The pagoda has possessed many records inside and outside of Vietnam, including the most enormous gold-plated copper statue of Buddha in Asia, the most giant Maitreya statue in SEA, the largest bell tower in Vietnam, etc.
If you have a chance to come to Ninh Binh anywhere from January to March, you might be able to catch one of the four most famous festivals - Nguyen Cong Tru Temple Festival, Hoa Lu Festival, Bai Dinh Festival, and Trang An Festival.
Hoa Lu festival in Ninh Binh, Vietnam
Bus: Ninh Binh is only about 90km from Hanoi; therefore, tourists can choose to get here by bus. Bus lines to Ninh Binh are operated regularly, making this the cheapest way to travel.
Train: Similarly, trains from Hanoi Station to Ninh Binh are organized daily and are also a very cheap transportation option.
Private Car: The quickest and most common way to Ninh Binh is by private car. You can use this transfer service from Hanoi Noi Bai Airport to Ninh Binh City via luxurious d-car limousines and experienced drivers.
Airport Transfer
Book a tour: Want even more convenience? Book a Ninh Binh day tour from Hanoi with Vietnam Travels to make your journey in Ninh Binh as hassle-free as possible. Let us accompany you on your most memorable journey in Vietnam.
Being the home of the Viet and Muong people, the cuisine of Ninh Binh is significant and special in its own way. Here are some of our recommendations for when you are in Ninh Binh.
The first thing you have to try is rice crust. Rice crust used to only refer to the burnt rice at the bottom of the cooker, which poor people who couldn't afford rice would eat to satisfy their hunger. Nowadays, this has become the most famous dish of Ninh Binh, and people coming to this place are always expected to bring home Ninh Binh's rice crust. You can find this dish everywhere in Ninh Binh, from tourist souvenir spots and local food stalls to fancy restaurants.
Rice crust in Ninh Binh- Specialty of Ninh Binh, Vietnam
Another delicacy to try is goat meat. Ninh Binh mountain goat meat is delicious, and the texture of the meat is very different because the goats are all raised on the hills and fed mainly natural-grown and organic food.
Dishes made of Ninh Binh mountain snails are another option for foodies in Ninh Binh. This type of snail can only be found from April to August on limestone mountains in Tam Diep town, Yen Mo, Nho Quan; it has a tougher and crunchier texture than other snails, making it a very significant specialty of Ninh Binh destination.
Last from our recommendation is sticky rice with ants' eggs. This is another wonderful gift from the Nho Quan limestone mountains, where the brown ant nests are harvested and made into this unforgettable dish. However, due to the difficulty in finding and harvesting, as well as the only time they can hunt eggs is in the second lunar month, it is unexpectedly more pricey than other specialties.
Goat meat in Ninh Binh- Special food in Ninh Binh, Vietnam
In the daytime, Ninh Binh looks as beautiful as a picture, with marvelous mountains and rivers, along with fields stretching 'till the horizon and lotus flowers. But what can you do here during the nighttime?
Contrary to what people may think, some popular tourist destinations are still open for guests late at night. Bai Dinh Pagoda and Golden Pagoda are fully lit during the night, making them all the more majestic and sacred. Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel is another destination that opens at night; visitors can come here and see famous traditional products of craft villages such as Ninh Van fine art stone village, Bo Bat pottery village, Van Lam embroidery, Bodhi leaf paintings, Dong Ho painting village, Y Yen lacquerware and so on. This place is to recreate and restore the beauty of ancient architecture and culture, which is clearly shown in the traditional culture of Dai Viet in the 10th century.
Bai Dinh Pagoda at night
In case you want some adventures, then you cannot miss out on exploring Thien Ha Cave and Cuc Phuong National Park at night. Thien Ha is Vietnamese for "galaxy", describing the sparkling beauty of this place at night. In the past, Thien Ha Cave was the natural wall of defense for the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, meaning the cave is not only significant just for its look but also for it being a historical and cultural site during the 10th century of Vietnam.
Meanwhile, Cuc Phuong National Park has some hidden charms of its own during the night. Camping here overnight will let you fully emerge in the forest, with fresh air and songs by nature. This is also an ideal time for observing and studying wildlife.
Cuc Phuong National Park at night
And if you don't want to leave the city, fear not 'cause the nightlife of Ninh Binh is just as busy as you expect. Two famous spots with young people are Cu Chinh Lan Street (or 8th Street) and Dao Duy Tu Walking Street; they both have various types of entertainment and are perfect places for street food tours in Ninh Binh.
Ninh Binh owns many beautiful and special landscapes, with each place is significant in its own way. Cuc Phuong National Park is home to various strange flora and fauna, especially the three most famous scenic points - Cay Dang Co Thu (Ancient Dang Tree), Cay Sau Co Thu (Ancient Indochina Dragonplum Tree), Cay Cho Xanh Ngan Nam (Thousand-year-old Parashorea Chinensis Tree).
Tam Coc is another famous spot where you can sail along the Ngo Dong River, passing thousands of limestone mountains along the river and creating majestic scenery, caves, and especially rice fields on both sides.
Trang An, recognized by UNESCO as a world natural and cultural heritage, is created by the river running through the limestone mountains, interwoven with fanciful, mysterious caves. Therefore, first-time tourists might find it difficult to plan an itinerary to Ninh Binh. With that in mind, here are some of our offered package trips to Ninh Binh:
Tam Coc Ninh Binh Vietnam
To see Ninh Binh in a single day, the most ideal way is to book a Ninh Binh full-day trip with a one-day itinerary that includes transportation from Hanoi. With tour packages from Hanoi by Vietnam Travels, we can ensure that you will be taken to as many popular visiting spots as possible and experience Ninh Binh.
Trang An landscape complex in Ninh Binh
With more time in hand, tourist attractions will be divided into 2 days. On the first day, you will get to visit and experience historical and cultural sites within the city, then on the next day, be transferred to natural landscapes, including the famous filming location of "Kong: Skull Island" and so much more.
Halong Bay and Ninh Binh are roughly 200km from each other and take around 3.5 hours to travel by private car.
Go kayaking in Halong Bay
The distance is about 410km from Ninh Binh to Sapa. The cheapest way to travel directly from Ninh Binh to Sapa is by bus yet the most convenient way must be booking a private car. You can also consider going by train but there is only an indirect train option to go from Ninh Binh to Sapa, which involves going from Ninh Binh to Hanoi, then from Hanoi to Lao Cai, then another transfer to reach Sapa.
Visiting Sapa in Vietnam
The distance between Ninh Binh and Hue is 575km; our suggestion is to go by night train or plane, both involving an amount of transfer to the locations of your choice. However, you won't be able to have a direct flight from Ninh Binh to Da Nang; instead, you will have to reach Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi, and then take a flight to Da Nang Airport.
Visiting Hue in Vietnam
Ninh Binh is about 670km away from Da Nang, similar to Hue; our suggestion is to go by night train or plane, meaning you will have to reach Hanoi Airport, and then take a flight to Hue.
Try sky diving in Danang.
Visiting Hoian in Vietnam
When traveling the 700km distance from Ninh Binh to Hoi An, you can either take a train or fly to Hoi An. Flight is similar to that from Ninh Binh to Hue and Ninh Binh to Da Nang. The closest railway station to Hoi An is in Da Nang, so to reach there, you will have to go from Ninh Binh to Da Nang railway; then from there, you can continue by public bus to Hoi An center.
If you choose to travel by train, it is ideal to combine your trip from Ninh Binh to Da Nang destination and Ninh Binh to Hoi An place.
