One of the most beautiful places in Vietnam — Ninh Binh Province

- Vietnam -

For many travelers, Vietnam is inevitably associated with warm seas and passive beach holidays. But besides the sea, this country boasts picturesque landscapes reminiscent of scenes from James Cameron's "Avatar" universe. One such place is Ninh Binh province in northern Vietnam, which I had the chance to visit this past February. Here's my account of it.

How to get to the province?

Ninh Binh province is about 100 km from Hanoi, and the journey takes roughly 2–2.5 hours. The only way to get here is by bus or a minivan-limousine (the most comfortable option). Buses depart from local bus stations in Hanoi, of which there are several. You can choose your arrival point when purchasing your ticket, depending on where you need to go. You can also book a one-day tour that covers all the main sights of the province. Tour limousines depart from the Hanoi Opera House building.
Tickets and English-language tours can be booked on Klook.com.

Main sights

The ancient capital Hoa Lư

From 968 to 1009, it was here (not in Hanoi) that the capital of the then-young independent state of Dai Co Viet was located. Today, temples dedicated to the first emperors remain here, along with views of the surrounding mountains, which apparently were one of the reasons the capital was founded in this spot: they naturally shielded the city on three sides.

Temple of Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang

The main temple of the Hoa Lư complex is dedicated to Emperor Dinh Bo Linh, who in the 10th century united the fragmented lands and became the first ruler of independent Dai Co Viet. The building is constructed in traditional Vietnamese style: carved wooden beams, stone dragons at the entrance, and an inner courtyard with a pond.

Trang An

No tour of Ninh Binh is complete without a boat trip through Trang An. The route winds along a narrow river between the cliffs and through several caves, where you need to duck down so as not to bump your forehead on a sharp rock. The scenery here is incredibly cinematic! It's no accident that this location was chosen for filming "Kong: Skull Island."
The rowing is done by local Vietnamese women, and often not with their hands, but with their feet! Quite a skill!

Tam Coc

Located right next to Trang An. Here, visitors typically rent bicycles. There are several cycling routes available: shorter and longer ones. The scenery resembles Trang An, but there are more rice paddies here, and you can sometimes spot water buffalo.

Hang Mua Cave

The name translates as "dancing cave." Actually, no one really goes into the cave itself — people come here to climb Ngoa Long Mountain. There are two options: a climb of 500 steps or 800. I'd certainly recommend the second option. First, it's more interesting, even though the climb isn't easy. Second, the views are more breathtaking.

Compared to bustling Hanoi, Ninh Binh feels like an utterly quiet and peaceful place. I highly recommend making a trip here for a couple of days from Vietnam's capital to enjoy nature and take a break from the hustle and bustle of the city.