Ninh Binh is a relatively easy journey from Hanoi with a 2 hour journey time by road or rail and once there you will get to appreciate the many religious, historical and natural sites. Many tourists visit this region of the country on the Vietnam family holiday with its dotted mountain landscape that is much like Halong Bay, but on land. Also, there are plenty of activities to enjoy such as enjoyable treks, interesting cycling routes and scenic boat rides.

Let's take a look at just a few of the highlights to experience when visiting Ninh Binh:

Trang An Eco-tourism Complex
The Trang An landscape is a fascinating mixture of natural and cultural heritage. It is best explored on a boat trip that follows the route of the river with its local landscape consisting of the limestone mountain peaks, the many cave systems to explore, and land excursions to see ancient pagodas and temples.

Mua cave
Mua cave is a great place to visit for trekking opportunities and the ability to conquer the mountain's peak to fully appreciate the panoramic views of the local landscape. Any visitors to Tam Coc or Trang An can easily be combined with Mua cave for the stunning views to take the photo memories. A great time to see the perfect views from the peak is late April and early May when the rice fields are looking the most striking.

Tam Coc, Bich Dong and Thung Nang
One of the most popular tourist routes in Ninh Binh is likely to include the Tam Coc, Bich Dong and Thung Nang region. They are able to create a truly stunning landscape with limestone karst peaks that are perfectly complemented with a trip on a rowing boat. Alternatively, there is also the option to hire a bicycle and explore much of the local area by land with plenty of trails that pass the paddy fields.

A typical boat tour will take in the three caves which is less than Trang An, but gives greater opportunity to appreciate the local landscape. However, an alternative route can be taken in the Thung Nang area which includes two caves and a lotus farm.

Hoa Lu ancient capital
The top historical attraction in Ninh Binh will likely include a trip to the Hoa Lu ancient capital, which dates to the 10th and 11th century and was once the heart of Vietnam. A local tour on the Vietnam travel will see travellers visiting several of the ancient temples and royal palaces.

Van Long nature reserve
A visit to the Van Long Nature Reserve gives access to a vast area of wetland and the biggest in northern Vietnam. A striking characteristic of this nature reserve is the limestone outcrops that rise from the swamps. A boat trip is the best way to get around which can include seeing many of the different wildlife such as the Delacour Langur which is a rare type of monkey. Also, for tourists on the Vietnam travel packages visiting in the winter – November to April – there will be plenty of migrating birds to see.

See our: Ninh Binh tour packages