Ninh Binh Travel Guide

Ninh Binh has recently become a major tourist attraction in the north of Vietnam in the last ten year. Ninh Binh it is very close to  Tam Coc (9km), Hoa Lu (12km) and Cuc Phuong National Park (45km).

Although it is certainly possible to visit these sights as a day trip from Hanoi, the national park to appreciate the scenery at a more leisurely pace.

Transportation in Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh is 95km south-west of Hanoi. Regular public buses leave almost hourly from the southern bus terminal in Hanoi and make the 21/2 hour run for US$1.60. The bus station in Ninh Binh is across the Van River from the post office.

Ninh Binh is also a hub on the north south 'open tour' bus route, which drops off and picks up passengers at the Thuy Anh or Star hotels..
 
Train Ninh Binh is a scheduled stop for the Reunification Express trains travelling between Hanoi and Saigon

Ninh Binh attractions:

Hoa Lu ancient capital
Hoa Lu is 12km north or Ninh Binh. There is no public transport, so most travellers get there by bicycle, motorbike or car. Hanoi cafe may be able to organize a tour to get you here.

Hoa Lu was the capital of Vietnam during the Dinh Dynasty (968-80) and Early Le Dynasty (980-1009). The site was a suitable choice for a capital city due to its proximity to China and the natural protection afforded by the region's bizarre landscape.

The ancient citadel of Hoa Lu, most of which has been destroyed covered a urea or about 3 sq km. The outer ramparts encompassed temples, shrines and the palace where the king held court. The royal family lived in the inner citadel.

Yen Ngua mountain provides a scenic backdrop for Hoa Lu's two remaining temples. The first temple, Dinh Tien Hoang, was restored in the 17th century and is dedicated to the Dinh Dynasty. Out the front is the stone pedestal of a royal throne; inside are bronze bells and a statue of Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang with his three sons. The second temple, Le Dai Hanh (or Duong Van Nga), commemorates the rulers of the Early Le Dynasty. Inside the main hall are an assortment of drums, gongs, incense burners, candle holders and weapons; to the left of the entrance is a sanctuary dedicated to Confucius. You must climb about 200 steps to reach the sanctuaries, but your efforts will be rewarded with great views.
 
Tam Coc
Tam Coc is 9km south-west of Ninh Binh. Follow National Highway I south and turn west at the Tam Coc turn-off.
Known as 'Halong Bay on land’, 'Halong Bay on the rice paddies' ere, Tam Coc boasts breathtaking scenery. While Halong Bay has huge rock formations jutting out of the sea, Tam Coc has them jutting out of the rice paddies.

The best way to see Tam Coc is by rowboat on the Ngo Dong River. The boats actually row into the caves, und this is a wry peaceful and scenic trip. The boar trip to all three caves takes about three hours, including the stops.
About 2km past Tam Coc is Bich Dong, another cave with a built-in temple. Getting there is easy enough by river or road
There are many restaurants at Tam Coc, including the excellent Anh Dzung Restaurant.

Phat Diem Cathedral
Phat Diem Cathedral is one of Vietnamese architectural masterpieces, covering over two hectares (five acres) and consisting of a lake, a grand Cathedral with jive separate side chapels, three artificial grottoes, and a majestic bell tower named Phuong Dinh. Of special interest for the visitor to this particular Catholic Church, is its unique style of architecture, which resembles a buddhist temple or pagoda, characterized by several tiers of over hanging curved roofs.

Kenh Ga Floating Village
Kenh Ga (Chicken Canal), chickens may not be a prominent part or the villagers' lives, but the canal certainly is. People in Kenh Ga live on boats floating on the Hoang Long River. About the only other place in Vietnam where you can see anything like this is in the Mekong Delta. On the other hand, nowhere in the Mekong Delta will you find as stunning a mountain backdrop as you find at Kenh Ga. Another difference - people in Kenh Ga row boats with their feet.

Cuc Phuong national park
Cuc Phuong National Park, established in 1962, is 'one of Vietnam's most important nature reserves.

The national park is 70km from the sea and covers an area about 25km in length and 11 km in width, covering land in the provinces of Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa The elevation of the park's highest peak, Dinh May Bac (Silver Cloud Peak) is 648m. At the park's lower elevations, the climate is subtropical. (The stone tools of prehistoric humans have been discovered in Con Moong Cave, one of the park's many grottoes).

Though wildlife has suffered a precipitous decline in Vietnam in recent decades, the parks 222 sq kill of primary tropical forest remain home to an amazing variety of animal and plant life, including over 2000 species of flora from 217 families and 749 genera; 1800 species of insect from 30 orders and 200 families; 320 specie, of bird: 36 types of bats; 70 species of mammal; and 80 species of reptile.

An extraordinary variety of life forms exist in the park, including several species discovered here, such as a tree known as Bressiaopsis cucphuongensis and the endemic red-bellied squirrel Callosciurus
erythrinaceus cucphuongensis. The Rhesus macaque (Macaca mullata) can sometimes be seen in the forests. Sadly, once common spotted deer (Cervus nippon) are extinct in the wild, but some 3000 survive captive breeding programs in Vietnam

The best time of year to visit the park is in the dry months from October to March. April to June becomes increasingly hot and wet, and from July to September the rains arrive bringing lots of leeches with them. Visitors in April and May should be blessed with the chance to see literally millions of small white butterflies that breed here.

Excellent hiking opportunities abound in the park and you could spend days trekking through the forest. Popular trails include one to a massive 1000 year old tree, and to Kanh, a Muong village. Park staff can provide you with basic maps to find the well marked trailheads. However, a guide is recommended for day trips and mandatory till' longer treks: it is foolish and risky to attempt a trek alone through the dense jungle.
 
There are three-day treks to Muong villages that can be arranged through travel agencies in Hanoi and Ninh Binh. The 80 or so rangers here are very eco-conscious and are keen to protect wildlife from poaching and trees from illegal logging. A few hundred metres from the park's headquarters is a breeding and research centre for spotted deer. Attempts are being made to reintroduce them into areas from which they were
previously annihilated. Believe it or not, there is also an experiment to determine if the deer can be bred for commercial meat production, as well as for their antlers.

Poaching and habitat destruction is a constant headache till' the rangers. Many native species, such as the black bear, wild cats, birds and reptiles, have perished in the park as a result of human impact. Episodes of
violence have erupted between the Muong and park rangers who have tried to stop people from logging in the park. The government has responded by relocating the villagers to another area further from the park's boundary. However, the high birth rate among the minorities in this area assures that future conflicts are inevitable.

The park is also home to a unique species of tree called Cay Kim Gao (for aspiring horticulturists, the Latin name is Podocarpus fleuryi hickel).

Hoa Lu - Tam Coc Photo Gallery | Tours To Hoa Lu - Tam Coc

Hoa Lu Ancient Capital

Dinh and Le Temples - Ninh Binh

Phat Diem Cathedral - Ninh Binh

Thai Vy Temple - Ninh Binh

Hoa Lu - Tam Coc

Hoa Lu Ancient Capital

Bich Dong - Tam Coc

Yen Cu Festival

Truong Yen Festival

Tap Minh Hamlet Festival

Cuc Phuong National Park

Ninh Binh travel guide

• Hanoi city guide
• Halong bay guide
• Ninh Binh travel guide
• Hai Phong city guide
• Lao Cai travel guide
• Dien Bien Phu travel guide

• Vinh city guide
• Quang Binh travel guide
• Quang Tri travel guide
• Hue travel guide
• Hoi An travel guide
• Da Nang city guide

• Phan Thiet travel guide
• Nha Trang city guide
• Dalat city guide
• Ho Chi Minh city guide
• Can Tho travel guide
• Vung tau travel guide

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