Ninh Binh Travel Guide (8 Amazing Things to Do + Map)
TL;DR
Complete Ninh Binh travel guide including how to get there, where to stay, and what to do.
When you think of Ninh Binh, think of limestone mountains popping out of rice paddies, peaceful boat rides through caves, and ancient temples hiding in lush landscapes. If you're wondering what to do in Ninh Binh and how to make the most of your time here, this blog post has got you covered!
Our Ninh Binh travel guide will give you all the insider tips – like where to find the most epic views (hint: Mua Cave!), less touristy boat tour spots, and how to explore the area like a pro.
- Ninh Binh Travel Guide
- Map Ninh Binh
- Is Ninh Binh Worth Visiting?
- Where to Stay – Ninh Binh or Tam Coc
- How to Get to Ninh Binh
- How to Get Around Ninh Binh
- Where We Stayed in Ninh Binh
- 8 Ninh Binh Things to Do
- How Many Days in Ninh Binh
- Ninh Binh Itinerary
- Where to Eat in Ninh Binh
- Infrastructure in Ninh Binh
- Our Ninh Binh Budget
Ninh Binh Travel Guide
Map Ninh Binh
Is Ninh Binh Worth Visiting?
Ninh Bing is absolutely worth visiting! It is dubbed Halong Bay on land for a reason. The scenery is covered in limestone mountains sticking out of rice paddies. You can go on boat rides and explore caves – we loved it.
Speaking of Halong Bay: Here’s our review of our overnight cruise:
Where to Stay – Ninh Binh or Tam Coc
Ninh Binh is a huge city with over a million inhabitants. Many travellers choose to stay in the smaller village Tam Coc instead which is located about 5 km or (3 mi) west of Ninh Binh. It’s a lot more low-key but still offers every bit of tourist infrastructure one might need. Plus you’re closer to many of the sights!
How to Get to Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh does have a train station. If you want to travel to Tam Coc, your best bet is to take one of the amazing Vietnamese buses. You can book connections to all major places in Vietnam e.g.:
- Hanoi to Ninh Binh, ~ 2h, ~ 5$
- Cat Ba to Ninh Binh, ~ 4h, ~ 10$
- Phong Nha to Ninh Binh, ~ 7h, ~ 15$
You can compare more destinations, schedules, and prices on 12Go:
How to Get Around Ninh Binh
- The best way to explore attractions close to Ninh Binh is by renting your own set of wheels – be it a scooter or a bicycle.
- If you want to go further like Hoa Lu Ancient Capital or Bai Dinh Pagoda, you can take a Grab or a taxi.
- You can always opt to do a guided tour:
Where We Stayed in Ninh Binh
We stayed at Quang Quang Garden Bonsai Homestay and could not recommend it any more. The location in Tam Coc is great and the room is comfy. The owners were amazing – we even had dinner with them. They also have bicycles for rent.
We have written a full guide on how to find your perfect Vietnam homestay – including the Quang Quang Garden Bonsai Homestay in Ninh Binh:
Travel Planing
How to Find your Perfect Vietnam Homestay
Homestay Vietnam Guide - including the best places to stay!
Carina
8 Ninh Binh Things to Do
For our top 8 Ninh Binh things to see, we mostly focus on things you can explore by bicycle:
1. Cycling or Biking Around Ninh Binh
The single best thing to do in Ninh Bihn is to grab your own two wheels and explore the area. Fortunately, many sights are quite close together so if you’re not brave enough to ride a scooter (like us) you can easily explore the area on a bicycle.
2. Ninh Binh Boat Tour
The two most popular places for a Ninh Binh boat ride are:
- Trang An
- Tam Coc
As these places can be quite crowded, our homestay host recommended we do our boat ride in Linh Coc instead (we have marked the spot on our map). We loved our experience riding along the waterways and through the caves – and beating the crowds.
3. Mua Cave and Viewpoint
When you research Ninh Binh, the first thing that will probably pop up is the Instagram-famous dragon viewpoint at the Mua Cave. The views from up here are amazing!
To get to the dragon viewpoint, you have to pay an entrance fee which will give you access to a larger area including different viewpoints as well as caves like the Mua Cave and Tiger Cave.
You can also check out the lotus lake boardwalk and some other photo spots like swings around a pond.
4. Bich Dong Pagoda
Bich Dong Pagoda is a series of mountain temples which were built in 1428. It consists of three separate temples: Hạ, Trung, and Thong Temple, in ascending order. Don’t forget to check out the views!
5. Thung Nham Bird Valley
Thung Nham Bird Park is a natural haven of lush forests, serene lakes, and striking karst landscapes. Home to over 45 bird species and ancient caves, this hidden gem offers birdwatching, hiking, and stunning scenery – a must-visit for nature enthusiasts.
It is a recommendation of our homestay host.
6. Hoa Lu Ancient Capital
Hoa Lu was Vietnam's capital for only 41 years from 968 to 1009. Once spanning 300 hectares with citadels, palaces, and temples, little remains today. Among others, visitors can explore temples honouring emperors Dinh Tien Hoang and Le Dai Hanh, as well as their tombs.
7. Thai Vi Temple
The Thai Vi Temple from the 13th century might not be the highlight of your time in Ninh Binh but it’s one of those nice hidden gems you can discover while riding through the countryside.
8. Bai Dinh Pagoda
Bai Dinh Pagoda, a renowned Buddhist temple complex, features both an ancient temple and a newly constructed larger one. Recognised as one of Vietnam's largest Buddhist temples, it has become a significant pilgrimage destination for Buddhists nationwide.
We didn’t make it here ourselves because it was too far for us to go by bicycle (roughly 20 km or 12 mi per way).
How Many Days in Ninh Binh
You can see all the main sights of Ninh Bihn on a day trip from Hanoi.
We still recommend you to spend at least two nights here – especially if you want to travel further south anyway. This is the best way to beat the crowds!
We have budgeted two days in Ninh Binh on our 7 day North Vietnam itinerary:
Ninh Binh Itinerary
Ninh Binh Itinerary 1 Day
- Boat ride in Linh Coc
- Bich Dong Pagoda
- Mua Cave
Ninh Binh Itinerary 2 Days
- Day 1 – Boat Trip, Bich Dong Pagoda, and Thung Nham Bird Valley
- Day 2 – Mua Cave, Trang An, and Hoa Lu Ancient Capital
We have written a complete 2 day Ninh Binh itinerary if you want more details:
Where to Eat in Ninh Binh
There are plenty of tourist-friendly cafes and restaurants along the main street of Ninh Binh.
Three of our favourites are:
- Hoang Cuisine (for Vietnamese food)
- Banhmi Minh Khoi (for Banhmi)
- T-Pub Restaurant (for Western food)
Infrastructure in Ninh Binh
Internet in Ninh Binh
We had fast WiFi in our homestay. There were also some cafes with WiFi in town and our local SIM card worked fine as well.
ATMs in Ninh Binh
Currently, there are two ATMs in town. We recommend using the Tpbank one because there are no fees for many foreign cards.
Safety in Ninh Binh
Personally, we felt very safe in Ninh Binh. Crime levels are generally low here.
Our Ninh Binh Budget
Ninh Binh was a seriously cheap stop for us. We only paid around 20$ per person per day.
- Homestay: 7$
- Activities: 7$
- Food: 6$
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