This post has all you need to know to plan your trip to one of the most fascinating places in Vietnam. Don’t miss it!!

It boasts of the most majestic and impressive natural landscapes in Southeast Asia, yet so many travelers overlook it.

Ninh Binh is a fascinating place where apart from an inspiring scenery, you have easy access to the most rural and authentic side Vietnam.

This travel guide of Ninh Binh is packed with the most up to date and reliable information to plan your trip and start making your itinerary. Let’s start!

How to get from Hanoi to Ninh Binh?

From Hanoi, you can reach Ninh Binh city by train, shuttle bus or book a Ninh Binh Day Tour. 

• There are at least 3 southbound trains available (SE5, SE7, SE19)
• There are regular buses from Hanoi bus station ( Giap Bat’) with price around 70,000 vnd.
• Time duration around 2 hours

Best time to visit Ninh Binh

Almost any time of the year is good to visit Ninh Binh.

Like in all the north Vietnam, May to October in Ninh Binh is hot, humid and with high rainfall. The region can be specially vulnerable to typhoons during September. November to April months tend to be cooler and dry.

However, the rainy season is also when the rice fields are at their best vivid green, so there’s really a reason to visit all year around.

Getting around Ninh Binh

• Trang An Grottos (TheWolrd Natural Heritage site). The route will take visitors on a tour passing through 4 splendid limestone caves and 3 spiritual spots including Dia Linh Mountain in the shape of a giant Pen Tower erected in the middle of the river. Then back to the past while exploring a small temple dedicated to Thanh Cao Son, a national hero who had merit teaching the local people irrigation management to boost agricultural development under the reign of the 18th Hung King. Visitors will also learn more about the glorious history of the Tran Dynasty while exploring Vu Lam Royal Steps.
• Hoa Lu Ancient Capital we will visit 2 temples built on the ground of the old royal palace, one is dedicated to King Dinh Tien Hoang, and the other is to King Le Dai Hanh. The visit offers a chance to know more about part of the feudal dynasties and historical periods in Vietnamese history.
• Mua cave is not terribly impressive, but there are panoramic views from the peak above. A stone staircase beside the cave entrance zigzags through the karst (beware the goat droppings) and it’s almost 500 steps to a simple altar to Quan Am (the Goddess of Mercy). Look west for the Ngo Dong River winding through Tam Coc.
• Cuc Phuong National Park from Hanoi with Origin Vietnam. You will have chance to visit Vietnam’s biggest national park and probably the most crucial biodiversity areas in the country. It’s homes to countless species of flora and fauna. Visiting the park is a great opportunity to get a close look at Vietnam’s character and fees generated from tourism help protect the parks wildlife and improve the local community. The perfect time to visit from Nov to Jan.
• Van Long Nature Reserves. Van Long is one of the last wild refuges of the endangered Delacour’s langur, partly because the wetlands keep predators and poachers at bay. Van Long is 2km east of Tran Me, 23km from Ninh Binh along the road to Cuc Phuong.

Ninh Binh: A detailed Travel Guide to Vietnam’s Hidden Gem
Nguyen Thanh Van

Van Long Nature Reserve area belongs to Ninh Binh province and is located around 80 kilometers from Hanoi city, which is also an extrememly interesting spot for one-day trip. If you are planning to travel to this beautiful place, our below experience and instructions for fully exploring Van Long should not be missed

Introduce about Van Long Nature Reserve:

Van Long is the largest waterlogged nature reserve of Northern Delta, belonging to Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh. It has very diversified and unique ecological system and is a favourite residence of many types of fauna, consiting of over 40 kinds of delacours’s langur.

Particularly, Van Long water land also owns very picturesque, simple but very peaceful landscape.  Apart from this, you can also explore rolling mountains and wonderful caves here.

What’s The Best Time for visiting Van Long

What is the most ideal time for visiting Van Long to have great trip? It depends on the speed of rowing boats, which is normally from 1 to 1.5 hour in average that you can explore all of this amazing spot.

You should visit Van long in afternoon if you would like to enjoy a peace of sunset on van long. And you will see a lot of bird on that time

How to travel to Van Long Nature Reserve

This is our instruction to Van Long: From Hanoi you can catch a coach from Giap Bat station or by train at Hanoi garage, which takes you around 2 hours.

What are attractive things about Van Long?

Van Long water land is not a natural one. It is formed by a dike at the left bank of Day river against floods, which turns Van Long into a very large waterlogged area with stunning caves and stone islands.

After going through mountains, the next destination is Ca cave, which is half afloat and half sank and 250 meters in length and 8 meters in height. To watch flying langurs and storks, you should visit in the afternoon at around 3:30 pm to 4:30pm

On the way to Van Long, you will have the opportunity to admire amazing limestone mountains with differently strange shapes like: scratching cat, bookcase, raspberry, etc..

If you intend to take photographs, you can discuss with the rower in advance so that they can take you to all intresting spots at Van Long (taking you around 2 hours)

Tips for visiting to Van Long Nature Reserve

• You should carry your own hat because of the boiling weather in the summer
• You should go on a boat with 3 vistors, more than this is not safe
• You should also show your pleasant attitude to boatmen because they will take you to all places of Van Long water land. Besides, you can also give a tip of around 40.000 VND to 50.000 VND to them.

TRAVEL NINH BINH: VAN LONG NATURE RESERVE IN 2 DAYS 1 NIGHT WITH RUBICON TOURS:

Hoa Lu Ancient Capital – Trang An Grottoes – Bich Dong Pagoda – Van Long Wetland 2 Days 1 Night

Van Long Nature Reserve In Ninh Binh|Vietnam
Nguyen Thanh Van