Top 11 famous tourist attractions in Ninh Binh, Vietnam
Ninh Binh is the tourist destination in the country that draws the most visitors because it is favored by nature to provide the untainted scenery and young, hospitable water. Visitors to Ninh Binh tourist destinations share their impressions of the region's landscape and historical significance. Ninh Binh is located about 100 km south of Hanoi.
Many tourists who visit Ninh Binh will immediately think of popular tourist destinations such as Trang An, Hoa Lu, Tam Coc Bich Dong... This land of spiritual masterpieces, however, has many other very appealing destinations. The following is a list of Ninh Binh tourist attractions that every visitor should see at least once in their lifetime.
1. Cuc Phuong National Park
Cuc Phuong National Park, also known as Cuc Phuong Forest, is a 25,000-hectare nature reserve that is a popular ecotourism destination for hundreds of thousands of visitors. Visitors will discover a diverse flora and fauna system, as well as beautiful natural scenery. They can also participate in ecotourism programs, resorts, campfires, adventure, research, and historical culture.
Furthermore, the thousand-year-old tree (Parashorea chinensis) is the most famous in Cuc Phuong, and especially Cuc Phuong from April to May is the butterfly season, which draws visitors year after year. Visitors can spend 2-3 days exploring the forest, and the best time to visit is at the start of the rainy season in June-July each year.
- Tickets are 60,000 VND; students are 20,000 VND; and children are 10,000 VND.
- Location: Cuc Phuong Commune, Nho Quan District, Ninh Binh Province.
- How to get there: From Hanoi, take National Highway 1A towards Ninh Binh, to the junction of Gian Khau (10 km from Ninh Binh city), turn right along National Highway 12A, pass through Nho Quan town for 2 kilometers, and turn left into Cuc Phuong.
2. Trang An Complex
When it comes to Ninh Binh, it is impossible to overlook Trang An ecotourism area, which has the most beautiful landscape and limestone mountains interspersed to create large-scale caves and temple buildings. Trang An - Ninh Binh is designated by UNESCO as a natural and cultural heritage site because of its pristine natural beauty.
When viewed from above, the scenery is even more beautiful, with winding rivers flowing through the limestone mountains, creating countless golden magical and mysterious natural caves that attract visitors. To see the mountain nature of Trang An, visitors must take a boat down the water. Each season brings something unique to Trang An: spring is bustling with festivals, golden summers ripening rice, and autumn brings a different feeling: green, still, and clear.
- Tickets: 200,000 VND - Children under the height of 1.4m: 100,000 VND
- Location: Ninh Xuan Commune, Hoa Lu District, Ninh Binh Province.
- How to get there: Visitors should take the French Van - Cau Gie highway, then QL1A to Ninh Binh City. Visitors who notice the path after arriving in Ninh Binh city will see the turn into Trang An on the right hand side. Turn right onto this road and continue for another 6-7 kilometers to Trang An.
3. Tam Cốc – Bích Động
Tam Coc - Bich Dong is known as "Ha Long Bay on Land" or "Southern Heavenly 2nd Movement." It is a significant national scenic area with cave nets, limestone mountains, and numerous historical sites. Visitors to Tam Coc, like those to Trang An, will be able to take a boat ride along the romantic Ngo Dong stream to see the mountains and golden rice fields. The poetic scenery here will undoubtedly please every visitor.
Visitors can also visit Bich Dong, which consists of a dry cave on the mountain's halfway side and a hydrodynamic piercing. Bich Dong Pagoda is an ancient temple on the mountain that spans three mountain floors. The temple welcomes visitors to light incense and pray.
- Entrance ticket price: 120,000 VND/adult, 60,000 VND/child.
- Boat ticket price: 150,000 VND to carry 4 people.
4. Ancient Capital of Hoa Lu
Hoa Lu ancient capital is a particularly significant national monument complex in Vietnam, as well as one of the four core areas of the UNESCO-recognized Trang An World Heritage complex. This monument contains the King Dinh temple, the King Le temple, and numerous other items. Currently, the Hoa Lu ancient complex is a popular tourist destination, particularly for those interested in history and attending the good luck ceremony.
Visitors to Hoa Lu Ancient Capital will be able to see the impressive king temple relics. The monuments in Hoa Lu's ancient capital are no longer intact after more than 1,000 years of history, but some relics have been preserved to this day. When visiting Ninh Binh to The Ancient Capital Hoa Lu, visitors should see the temples of King Dinh Tien Hoang and King Le Thanh Tong, which are the two most prominent and impressive monuments.
- Tickets: VND 20,000/person
- Location: Truong Yen Commune, Hoa Lu District, Ninh Binh Province
5. Hang Múa (Dance Cave)
Located at the foot of the Múa Mountain in the Dau Ha village, Ninh Xuan commune, Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh ecotourism area complex. The road leading to the top of The Múa Mountain, built modeled after the architecture of the Great Wall, is the highlight of this tourist destination, in addition to the beautiful scenery. This is a great challenge for visitors who want to conquer the top of the mountain.
Although not as well-known as many other landmarks in Ninh Binh, The Múa Cave has won the hearts of many visitors due to its majestic natural scenery, which is devoid of the jostling and bustling that characterizes other well-known sites. Visitors can see the stone steps stretching up to the top of The Múa Mountain from the foot of the mountain. At the top of The Múa Mountain, visitors can see the view of the ripe rice fields as miniature into sight, in the distance are small boats that are descending the paddle low on the water.
- Ticket price: 100,000 VND
- Location: Ninh Xuan Commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province.
- How to get there: Visitors depart from Hanoi and then follow National Highway 1A straight down to Ninh Binh or travel by bus for about 2 hours with a ticket price of 50,000 - 100,000 VND and rent a motorbike in Ninh Binh.
6. Phat Diem Stone Church
Phat Diem Stone Church, also known as Phat Diem Cathedral, is a 22-hectare catholic church complex in Phat Diem town, Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province. Phat Diem Stone Church is regarded as one of the most beautiful churches in Vietnam and has been dubbed the "Catholic capital." This is the main church of the large Diocese of Phat Diem in Vietnam's northwestern region.
Phat Diem Stone Church was constructed entirely of wood, beginning in 1875 and finishing in 1898. The church's unique feature is that it is modeled after traditional Vietnamese temple structures. Father Phêrô Trần Lục (also known as Mr. Sáu) - priest in Phat Diem diocese since 1865 with Catholic parishioners for more than 30 years - gradually built this structure.
- Tickets: Free to visit
- Location: Phat Diem TT, Kim Son District, Ninh Binh Province
- How to Get There: From Hanoi, visitors travel approximately 95 kilometers to Ninh Binh town. Visitors should take Route 10 for about 28 kilometers to Phat Diem town. The Ancient Tile Bridge can be found on the left side of 10th Street. Continue for about 200 meters, then turn right to continue for another 250 meters to the church.
7. Bai Dinh Pagoda
Bai Dinh Pagoda Resort holds many records, including being the largest temple complex in Vietnam and Asia. The tourist area is located on national highway 38B, in Gia Sinh commune, Gia Vien, Ninh Binh, 15 kilometers from Ninh Binh city and 95 kilometers from Hanoi. The temple complex includes the ancient Bai Dinh Pagoda as well as the new Bai Dinh Pagoda, which holds many Asian and Southeast Asian records, including the largest gold-plated bronze Buddha statue in Asia, the temple with the largest bronze statue in Southeast Asia, and the temple with the longest La Han corridor in Asia. Bai Dinh Pagoda, with the most, promises to be the most appealing spiritual tourist destination.
This is a pilgrimage site for visitors who sincerely contemplate the prostration ceremony. The scenery is reminiscent of a fairytale, and visitors who set foot here can sense the purity and peace of the space.
- Tickets: Free to visit
- Location: Gia Sinh Commune, Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province
8. Am Tien Cave – Tuyet Tinh Coc
Am Tien Cave is one of many scenic spots and charming mountains in Ninh Binh. Am Tien Cave, also known as Tuyet Tinh Coc in Ninh Binh, has a poetic beauty with a touch of gloom from the time stamp, resulting in a very unique beauty. Two deep tunnels through the mountain lead to the cave, opening up a flooded valley. Visitors must climb more than 200 steps to reach Am Tien cave and enjoy the panoramic view of Tuyet Tinh Coc.
The first thing that visitors notice when they arrive is a flooded lake surrounded by rocky mountains. Visitors will notice that the cave resembles the mouth of a dragon, so people are also known as dragon caves. Am Tien Cave is a must-see for anyone who appreciates peaceful, poetic natural scenery mixed with a touch of sadness. This place is completely different from the outside world; everything is tinged with time, with the old cultural values that have been passed down through the generations.
- Time: 3 hours.
- Ticket price: 20,000 / person.
- Parking: 10,000/1 car.
9. Van Long Lagoon
Van Long Lagoon is an ideal destination for nature lovers. The largest wetland nature reserve in the Northern Delta, Van Long Dam is surrounded by mountains and natural mangrove water below. It is also home to many of the country's most white-butted langurs, as well as a variety of other animals.
Visitors will leisurely walk through the ravines, limestone blocks with strange names like Mèo Cào (Cat Scratch) Mountain, Mâm Xôi (Raspberry) Mountain, Hòm Sách (Book Box) Mountain,... while sitting on the old bamboo boat. Visitors who are fortunate enough to visit on a beautiful day will see white butt langurs running down the mountainside.
- Scenic ticket: VND 20,000/guest.
- Boat ticket: 60,000 VND/boat/2 pax.
- Location: Gia Van commune, Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh province.
10. Thung Nham Bird Garden
This is home to many species of birds, about 40 species in size and more than 50 thousand live, and is located in a key tourist cluster in Ninh Binh province, including Tam Coc - Bich Dong - Thai Vi Temple - Thung Nắng (Sun Valley) - Thung Nham Bird Garden. The best time to visit this location is around 5 p.m., when the birds go to feed. However, if visitors come in the winter, the birds will forage closer and return to the nest earlier, so keep this in mind if you want to visit this place in the winter.
Thung Nham Bird Garden is also a popular tourist destination in Ninh Binh, with a variety of cultural, spiritual, and biodiversity elements. The area is surrounded by tropical forests on limestone mountains, as well as numerous caves and valleys that blend with nature and plants.
- Tickets to the Resort: 100,000 VND / guest - Children under 0.8m free - Children from 0.8 - 1.3m: 50% of the fare - Children from 1.3m or more as adults.
- Boat ticket to visit Bird Garden: 20,000 VND/pax
- But cave ticket: 20,000 VND/pax
11. Động Thiên Hà - Galactic Cave
Động Thiên Hà - Galactic Cave is a natural landmark located in the General Mountain Range at an altitude of nearly 200m. It is part of a solid natural wall that surrounds, protecting the southwest of Hoa Luu capital in the 10th century, and is associated with many historical and cultural landmarks such as Bến thuyền Nhà Lê, Thửa Ruộng Đấu Lính, Núi Phật Đầu Sơn…
Thiên Hà Cave is a beautiful cave with both dry and wet caves as well as a diverse stalactite system. The Milky Way in the Mountain Bed is another name for the Galactic Cave. Thiên Hà Cave is currently invested in tourism exploitation and has become a well-known tourist destination in the Ninh Binh tourism industry.
- Address: Son Ha commune, Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh province
- Ticket price: 120,000 VND/person.
12. Other Tourist Destinations in Ninh Binh
- Đồng Chương lake
- Yên Quang lake
- Non Nước mountain
- Ninh Binh Museum
- Vân Trình cave
- Nham Hao cave
- Thạch Bích – Thung Nắng
- Van Long Tourist Area
The above is a list of the most popular tourist destinations in Ninh Binh, the land of talented people. Visitors can discover the beauty of history, culture, and many mysteries in this region, which is not only known for its natural beauty, beautiful landscapes, or pilgrimage sites. Hopefully, the above tourist destinations will provide visitors with an exciting journey to discover Ninh Binh.