Ninh Binh is a small city with impressive and majestic natural landscape that is easily combined with many different fun and enjoyable activities. Beyond the things to explore like the national parks, caves, mountains and rivers, there are also plenty of towns, churches and pagodas. This northern city and its local surroundings have more than enough to keep tourists entertained if staying for 48 hours.

Let's take a look at a few of the things to include on a well-planning tour itinerary:

Day 1:
Start day one in Ninh Binh with a Trang An boat trip. Trang An is a very spectacular and scenic region with landscape dotted with karst mountains. Many of the karst mountains are on land, others are submerged in the water. Additionally, the natural streams have created plenty of beautiful caves to pass through. A trip to Trang An on the Vietnam tour package is a great alternative to Tam Coc which gets more of the tourist attention. An early morning trip can help to keep the crowds to a minimum. A typical cost for a boat tour of up to three hours is in the region of $8/$9 which is likely to include plenty of stops such as the caves.

Other attractions to explore in the afternoon include the Bai Dinh pagoda. There is plenty to see at this Buddhist Centre, which is easily explored by taking a ride on one of the electric cars. A fascinating historical site to explore is the Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel, which dates to the 10th and 11th centuries. The old remnants and temples have a backdrop of rice fields and mountains.

The Hoa Lu citadel, Bai Dinh pagoda and Trang An grottoes are located relatively close together, which makes it very convenient to visit on the same day.

Day 2:
A great start to the second day in Ninh Binh on the tours of Vietnam is a visit to the fascinating countryside of Tam Coc. Even though it does attract more tourists than Trang An, this is a great place to explore on a boat trip that includes passing through three caves (Hang Ba cave, Hang Hai cave and Hang Ca cave). However, it is best to begin the tour very early in the morning to avoid much of the tourist crowds.

After spending the morning on a relaxing boat tour, the rest of the day can include other local attractions, such as the nearby Bich Dong pagoda. This is a complex of pagodas that is well worth exploring when in the local area. Additionally, the Hang Mua Cave is a great place to visit to get the perfect views of the local landscape. A trek to the top of the mountain can be a little challenging with 400 steps to climb, but on arriving at the summit the panoramic views are very impressive and great for taking photographic memories.

After exploring the sites in Ninh Binh province it is worth heading back to town to fully relax and get prepared for the next part of the Vietnam tour itinerary.

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