Ninh Binh is a region located at 80km from Hanoi and is part of the Red River Delta. The area is famous for its stunning landscapes made of rice fields and karstic mountains, including the Trang An site and the “Ha Long Bay on Land”.
Tam Coc
Tam Coc (the “Three Grottoes” in Vietnamese) is a “postcard” region of Vietnam. The Ngo Dong River winds through a narrow valley covered with rice fields and surrounded by limestone cliffs. The river runs through three caves, hence the name of this place. Tourists can rent small boats to explore the stunning landscape.
Tam Coc is also known for the architecture of its very typical pagodas, built in caves or at the foot of karst peaks.
Hoa Lu
Hoa Lu was the capital of Vietnam during the Dinh and Le dynasties. In 1010, King Ly Thai To took the decision to move the capital to Thang Long (now Hanoi). A lot of monuments can be visited in Hoa Lu, such as temples dedicated to the kings of Dinh and Le dynasties.
Trang An caves
Trang An is a network of multiple caves that is accessible by rowboat. It is similar to Tam Coc, but Trang An has more grottoes, the landscapes are even more picturesque and you can cruise by sampan following a circuit where, in contrast to Tam Coc, there’s no need to come back on your trail to return to the starting point. The Trang An site is classified as World Heritage by UNESCO, most notably due to the incredible richness of this natural place, blessed with beautiful flora and fauna. Aside from the nine amazing grottoes, there are beautiful valleys with dense forests and where many animal species may be encountered. Rare species can be found there, such as the earth phoenix, or the monkey with white trousers, an animal unfortunately classified in the Red Book that lists endangered species.
Van Long Reserve
This natural reserve is surrounded by limestone mountains. By coming to the Van Long reserve, nature lovers won’t be disappointed: this site is home to more than 722 different kinds of plants and 39 animal species, some of which are unfortunately listed in the Red Book as endangered species. More than a hundred species of birds live there together and at dusk, flocks of birds head to the marshes and rice fields looking for their food.
But the real star of Van Long reserve is the Delacour langur, a monkey which is listed since 2000 as one of the 25 most endangered species of primates in the world. This species currently exists only in the North of Vietnam, and only around forty individuals are currently residing in Van Long.
A two-hour sampan ride through this area will leave you with pleasant memories.
Galaxy Cave (Thien Ha)
You will have to take a sampan from Tam Coc in order to access to this cave, which has been open to tourists only recently. The Galaxy grotto has two parts: one dry (200m) and the other flooded (500m).
In order to visit the flooded part of the cave, it is necessary to take a rowing boat to go on the river that runs inside the cave. During your trip, you will be able to see beautiful mineral formations illuminated by lamps. This is an interesting and unforgettable experience!
Phat Diem Cathedral
This cathedral is located in the town of Phat Diem in Kim Son district, at 30 km from the Ninh Binh’s capital. This monument made in stone is unique due to its architecture combining the influences of both a pagoda and a church. It was built by Father Sau, a Vietnamese priest.
Nearby the cathedral, you can also visit several handicraft villages and a bridge covered by tiles.
Bai Dinh Pagoda
This monument was built in the early 20th century and is famous for being the largest pagoda in Vietnam. You can find 500 stone statues representing arhats and also an imposing bronze statue of Buddha weighing nearly 100 tons.
Cuc Phuong National Park
Cuc Phuong is the oldest and largest of Vietnam's national parks. Today, it is also an important site for biodiversity preservation. The forest is home to over 2,000 different plants, 122 species of reptiles and amphibians, 308 species of birds and 135 species of mammals, including the clouded leopards, the Delacour langurs, the Owston civets and the Asian black bears. Large mammals are rarely seen, but the gibbon monkeys and flying squirrels can be found aplenty. In April and May, butterflies swarm, giving even more beauty to this incredible place.
The Cuc Phuong National Park has a botanical garden and two rescue centers, one for turtles and the other for endangered primates.
