Top 15 Best Things to see and do in Ninh Binh

Located to the Southeast of Hanoi, Ninh Binh is an adventure playground for travelers and a haven for nature enthusiasts. Regarded as “Ha Long Bay on land”, Ninh Binh is well-known for breathtakingly beautiful scenery, splendid landscapes of striking limestone karsts, mossy ancient pagodas, and hidden caves. Vietnam’s first capital was established here; at present, the area has been a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site. Apart from mesmerizing natural beauty, Ninh Binh also makes tourists captivating by long-standing culture and history. Therefore, Ninh Binh has been a famous tourist attraction in Vietnam.  The following is the top 15 best things to do and visit in Ninh Binh, which offers a perfect and memorable trip for tourists. 

1. Cuc Phuong National Park

Cuc Phuong National Park is one of the must-visits in Ninh Binh since it is the first national park in Vietnam, owning to the diversity of flora and fauna. Established in 1962, the park is a testament to the beauty of Vietnam’s nature. As the largest nature conservation area in the country, Cuc Phuong National Park is a home to a plethora of wildlife, including 307 species of birds, 133 species of mammals, 122 types of reptiles and over 2000 floral species. Apart from its biodiversity, Cuc Phuong National Park is famous for mesmerizing scenery, ancient trees and excavated caves. Coming here, tourists will be certainly amazed at the diverse ecosystem, the stunning landscapes and pleasant weather all year round. The park is an ideal place for trekking, and other outdoor teamwork activities to exploring the unique beauty of the land.

2. Van Long Nature Reserve

Van Long Nature Reserve is the largest wetland area in Northern Vietnam. Regarded as Ninh Binh's diamond in the rough, the nature reserve is endowed with stunning limestone mountains, paddy fields stretching to the horizon and sublime topography; thus it is certainly a must-visit destination. Van Long Nature Reserve is also a home to 39 animal species, 722 plant species, many of which are listed in the Red Book. It is a special place for rehabilitation of animals; then, animals will be released back into the wild after treatment. Arriving here, tourist should taste local specialties as goat meat, burned rice, mountain snails. The best way to explore Van Long Nature Reserve is by taking a boat ride to explore the charming beauty of the nature and the diversity of ecosystem.

3. Thien Ha Caves

Deeply hidden in the Trang An mountain range, Thien Ha cave complex has the total length of 700 meter and its large space is up to 12,000 square meters. The place may be a heaven for caves because there are dry caves, water caves, skylights, and underground rivers through caves and limestone stalactites shining over the river. Regarded as a “living” cave, geological layers and the stalactite system in Thien Ha Caves are diverse and continue developing. In Thien Ha Caves, many traces of mollusks, hewing tools, raw ceramic fragments, animal bones, turtle shells and bibs, are founded by archaeologists, which confirm the existence of ancient Vietnamese residents. Coming here, tourists will be stunned at the charming beauty of the wonder and the great creation of the Mother Nature.

4. Sampan Ride in Thung Nang

For those loving the tranquil beauty of untouched natural sceneries, Thung Nang is certainly an ideal choice. The destination is newly exploited yet it makes tourists captivating by beautiful hidden caves and magnificent limestone karst.  In such gorgeous and dream setting, taking a sampan ride in Thung Nang is a memorable experience.  Here, the sun shines through leaves, through the rustic roofs along the shore, and down to the bottom of the sapphire river, creating brilliant and peaceful scenery. Crossing a 3-kilometer waterway, along with whispering rice fields and overlapping mountains on both sides, underneath the clear water is a rich flora and fauna. The more tourists go insides, the more they are mesmerized at the breathtaking beauty of the cave system with colorful stalactites.

5. Thung Nham Bird park

Thung Nham Bird Park is a beautiful and peaceful bird garden. Located in the mountains, Thung Nham Bird Park is endowed with gorgeous limestone caves, orchard gardens, and the valley of love. This valley is a large wetland area and also a home to 50,000 birds of over 40 species including heron, cranes, phoenix, stork, bittern, mallard and some rare breeds listed in the Red Book. Bird watching at Thung Nham Bird Garden is a perfect experience for families with young children because it enables children to explore wild nature and animals they only watch on television. For adults, enjoying the peaceful space with unspoiled scenery helps them to relax and find new inspiration. Apart from birds, tourists can go fishing in the park and can even camp here, which brings an unforgettable trip.

6. Tam Coc

Known as the “Ha Long Bay on land”, Tam Coc is one of the best nature destinations in North of Viet Nam. In Tam Coc, tourists will be amaze at gorgeous karst landscapes, and scenic limestone hills, dotted amongst emerald green rice paddies. In the spring from January to April, tourists coming here can admire the magnificent karst mountains surrounded by immense green rice fields and wild nature with pleasant weather. In harvest season, from May to July, or from September to October, the beauty of Tam Coc looks like a young lady’s long, soft and yellow hair. Apart from rocky mountains and yellow-green rice fields, tourists also have chances to contemplate the fabulous forest of lotus and its perfume in Tam Coc Grotto. By taking a boat, visitors can explore the breathtaking natural beauty of this mountainous region.

7. Bich Dong Cave

Far from Tam Coc 2 kilometers, Bich Dong is known as the “green cave”, is the second most beautiful cave in the South. Bich Dong contains a dry cave located halfway up the mountain (called Bich Dong pagoda) and a water cave piercing the mountain (known as Xuyen Thuy cave). In front of Bich Dong cave, there is Ngo Dong River winding on the side of the mountain, and immense rice fields across the river. As a dark and flooded cave, Xuyen Thuy looks like a 350-meter semicircular stone pipe, winding from the east to the west. The average width of Xuyen Thuy Dong is 6 meter while the widest place is up to 15 meter. Being a pagoda in a cave, Bich Dong Pagoda is a historical and cultural relic belonging to the Tam Coc - Bich Dong Trang An Scenic Complex, which is recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site. The pagoda still retains its ancient beauty, combined the sacred space with traditional cultural architecture.

8. Hang Mua (Mua cave)

Hang Mua Peak, also called Mua Cave, is situated at the foot of Mua Mountain, in the ecotourism complex of Khe Ha Ha village, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh. For those who love climbing, here is the ideal destination. Tourists coming here have to climb 486 stone steps to the Ngoa Long Mountain, leading them to a temple on top of the mountain, where visitors can capture the stunning panoramic view of Tam Coc Valley with towering mountains, and breathtaking rice fields. Hiking to the highest peak at Hang Mua is one of the wonderful experiences because it is all worth when visitors reach to the top to capture the stunning scenery of the Red River Delta and magnificent landscapes. .

9. Dinh and Le King Temples

Refer to the ancient capital of Hoa Lu in Ninh Binh, it will be immediately thought about Dinh and Le King Temples. Constructed by the traditional architectural style, Dinh King temple was the former main palace of royal citadel, with main gate, lotus pond, flower garden, three courthouses, incense burning house and harem. In the King Dinh Temple, there is a beautifully-carved Long Sang (a berth for the King), Thieu Huong house to dedicate the country heroes and the statue of King Dinh Tien Hoang and his son. About 500 meters from Dinh King Temple, Le King temple is smaller, with three parts, Bai Duong (main yard), Thieu Huong (incense burning house, and the main palace to dedicateKing Le Dai Hanh. The temple still retains ancient architectural vestiges with elaborate sculptures and keeps some ancient ceramics and precious objects.

10. Van Lam Embroidery Village

Regarded as The Kingdom of Embroidery, Van Lam Embroidery Village is located next to the center of Tam Coc- Bich Dong tourist area. Thus, the village has become a popular tourist destination due to its rich historical, cultural values and traditional embroidery craft. The embroidery here is believed to have existed for around 800 years, since the Tran Dynasty. According to historical record, Mrs. Tran Thi Dung, the wife of mandarin Tran Thu Do, was the one conveying lace embroidery to the local in the village. By using thin thread, colorful narrow and wide cloth with clever hand, lace embroidery performers make vivid and high-quality art works. The embroidery products are diverse, range from clothes, bed sheet, curtain, pillow, and tablecloth to picture and painting, which captivates both domestic and foreign tourists.

11. Phat Diem Cathedral

Located in the middle of some scenic canals and rice paddies, Phat Diem Cathedral is an attractive tourist destination for those loving spiritual tourism and exploring unique culture. Regarded as “the catholic capital of Vietnam”, the church is a long-standing architectural artwork, lasting more than 100 years old, and being constructed during 30 years.The cathedral is the typical combination between Western architecture and Vietnamese religious buildings, creating a sacred and artistic space. The entire architecture contains a lake, a cathedral, a stone church, Phuong Dinh building (bell house) and three artificial grottoes with total acreage of 22 hectares. Coming here, tourists will be surprised at the extremely unique architecture, majestic stone carvings and wood carvings. Each architectural feature here is considered an architectural masterpiece with perfectly harmonious combination in its entirety.

12. Bike rides or ox cart rides in Ninh Binh

To explore pristine natural beauty and stunning architectural features in Ninh Binh, taking a bike tour or ox cart ride is a must-try experience when reaching Vietnam’s ancient capital. By riding a bike or ox cart, tourists have chance to enjoy the untouched natural beauty of gorgeous landscape, hidden caves, tropical rainforests, and wide animals.  It is also a great way to discover history monuments and religious sites of the ancient land. Riding through small local villages and immense green rice fields along the road, tourists can deeply immerse into the countryside scenery, understand the cultural, historical values and talk to hospitable local people. Taking a bike ride or ox cart ride to explore Ninh Binh will offer visitors an unforgettable experience in their trip.

13. Night homestay experience in Yen Mac village

For a wonderful trip to Ninh Binh, spending an overnight at homestay in Yen Mac village is a must-try experience. Homestay in Yen Mac village will offer tourists a peaceful and cozy space, which is suitable for those wanting to escape from the bustling and hustling of city life. Spending a night at homestay of the local, travelers have chance to admire the unique architecture of the local building, talk to the friendly locals and understand more about their culture and tradition. Here visitors can take a walk to pagodas in Yen Mac, which are the typical symbols of traditional village in Vietnam. Especially, tourists can participate in daily activities with the locals, have dinner with them, enjoy a cup of hot tea, and taste Nem Chua (Vietnamese fermented pork roll), one of the Vietnamese’s most famous specialties. All of these will bring visitors unforgettably fantastic experience.

14. Trang An and Bai Dinh

Recognized as an UNESCO’s World Heritage, Trang An tourism Complex is one of the most famous eco-attraction, with the total area of 2000 ha, divided into five main parts, including Hoa Lu Ancient Captial, the center, caves area, service and travel area, and Bai Dinh pagoda. To explore the pristine beauty of scenic mountains and gorgeous landscapes, tourists should take a small sampan to visit cave complex of Trang An, such as Sang Cave, Toi Cave, Ba Giot Cave, Nau Ruou in mysterious and poetic scenery of mountain and rivers. In the Trang An Scenic Landscape complex, Bai Dinh Pagoda is the largest one in Vietnam, consisting of 500 La Han statues, and the biggest bronze Buddha statue. It is also the biggest Buddhism center of South East Asia. Coming here, tourists will be amazed at the marvelous and majestic architecture, yet bringing traditional features of Vietnamese religious buildings.

15. Cooking class in Ninh Binh

Ninh Binh is not only famous for gorgeous landscapes and unique architecture but also delicious cuisine. Among above-mentioned destination, taking a cooking class is a perfect experience to explore delicious local food in Ninh Binh and Vietnamese cuisine culture.  This course is a hands-on class, with an introduction to Vietnam’s food culture. By participating in cooking class, visitors have chances to visit local markets to seek fresh ingredients for your cooking class. Throughout the class, tourists are supported or guided by an expert chief to fully understand Vietnamese food culture and price negotiation. Besides, visitors can further discover handy techniques, cooking skills and boost your culinary creation. After the interesting cooking session, tourists enjoy a satisfying and delicious authentic Vietnamese meal. After the class, travelers can broaden knowledge about Vietnamese cuisine, get small souvenirs and certification of the class; and improve your cooking skills.

In conclusion, Ninh Binh is a not-to-miss destination for every tourist when reaching the S-shaped country. Being endowed with breathtakingly magnificent landscapes and unique long-standing architecture, Ninh Binh is an oasis for nature and culture lovers.  Coming here, tourists will certainly impressed by pristine scenery, peaceful atmosphere, stunning ancient buildings, delicious cuisine and friendly people, which makes your trip rewarding and memorable. That’s why Ninh Binh is always on the top listing of tourist attractions in Vietnam. The top 15 things mentioned above are the ideal suggestions for a perfect trip to Ninh Binh.