Ninh Binh was a place I hadn’t heard anything about until I landed in Vietnam. I guess it’s one of the things I love about traveling solo, I always find people to talk to who give me real-time recommendations.
Anywho, my first week in Vietnam was a mess, as I was hit by one of the worst typhoons the country had seen in almost a decade – typhoon Yagi. Fortunately for me, I was not on the direct path of the storm, so I was able to dodge the worst of the wind’s destruction. Unfortunately, it was the flooding aftermath that caused some immediate threats to people’s lives.
I was on my way up to Sapa when we were turned around and brought back to Hanoi, from there we were stuck for 4 days as the flooding just kept getting worse. Through sheer desperation, I decided to risk the roads turned lakes and make my way to Ninh Binh. I am happy to say, I was utterly amazed by the beauty of it there.
My first stop was the direct center of Ninh Binh, where it’s eerily quiet compared to the hustle and bustle of Hanoi. We decided to try our luck with the night market there, which it turns out, wasn’t really a market. Maybe it was empty because it wasn’t tourist season, or the fact that we were still in the typhoon destruction aftermath. Either way, even without these shops, the place was absolutely beautiful.
There is an amazing temple in the middle of the water that brings such serenity to the surrounding area.
After this, I went to Tam Coc, an area basically a part of Ninh Binh (a 15-minute drive away from Ninh Binh center). If you go, I recommend you spend at least 2 or 3 days in to see it all.
Tam Coc is filled with so much sightseeing, old temples, amazing hikes, and such sweet people. I didn’t get a lot of time here, but it left such an amazing impression on me. I mean, living in the middle of these mountains is something I thought was only in movies.
I can share a map of everything you should consider while in the area:
The Tam Coc Riverboat Ride
The Boat tour right in the middle of Tam Coc is an amazing boat ride through small caves and the rice fields between the high mountain landscapes. I went into this not expecting much considering the start of this is in the center of the little town, however, the tour takes you to areas hidden by the mountains and into valleys between the mountains. It left me shocked! For only 250k VDN (10 USD) it was a steal for a tour like this.
They row the boats with their feet here!
The Trang An River Boat Ride
I didn’t actually go on the Trang An boat tour but this is one of the things I really regret not doing while I was there. Many people speak about this tour with such enthusiasm, mentioning it was even better than the Tam Coc riverboat ride.
It’s about a 15-minute motorbike ride outside of Tam Coc (or 40 cycle ride) that I heard is worth the visit.
The Historic Capital
The historic capital is the oldest capital in Vietnam, dating back over 1500 years!
Mua Cave/Dragon/Lookout Point
The Mua cave actually has much more than just caves. It has an amazing lookout over the rice fields and beautiful surrounding shop areas.
The lookouts are a bit of a hike to get to with about 500 steep stairs up the top of a mountain, but the reward (lookout) at the top is worth every step.
Additionally, there is the famous dragon that looks out to the surrounding landscape which leads to some pretty good photos.
Tam Coc Bird Valley
This place can be quite busy with Vietnamese tourists, and there isn’t a big variety of birds, to be honest BUT, the lands are absolutely amazing, and the number of birds chilling around can be truly huge.
Bich Dong Temple
(yes this is what it is called)
This temple is another one that leads to many steps and amazing sites.
Ps. This photo shows us walking through water to go to the temple. Usually, this is a dry walkway that leads you through the temple, but I visited in the middle of a flood…
To add a cherry on top, cycling is the main form of transportation because everything is close by! Almost every hotel and hostel has motorbikes and bikes you can rent for cheap and visit everything in just a few days.
All in all, this spot is high on my favorites for this country, and a definite recommendation for anyone looking to go to Vietnam.
Vietnam Related Posts
If you’re looking for some unique experience to try in Vietnam, check out The Dark Cave Tour and The Duck Stop – both in Phong Nha!
Vietnam Extras
Tam Coc Accommodation
I use hostel world when looking for hostels or private rooms when I travel. Especially in Vietnam, it has proven to be the easiest and cheapest way for me to book my accommodations.
I have also been recommended to use Agoda by multiple people for hostel/hotel booking in Asia. It is a competitor app for travel booking so it has some amazing prices!
Sim Card
You can buy SIM cards at most airports, but e-sims are easier to get data in other countries. You can buy your plan before you go to any country, and you have data ready for you as soon as you land. Airalo is great for e-sims, it covers over 180 countries and is so easy to use!
Transportation
Grab and Gojek are the “Uber” of Vietnam. They have competing prices so it’s good to check out both!
Vexere is also the local app for booking overnight buses between major cities. It’s half the price of booking transportation with hotels or hostels.
About the Author
Hi, I’m Shannon. A small travel lover with a laptop.
I’m an avid plane rider and backpacker, currently traveling between lots of working days. This year I am making travel my #1 priority, and I plan to document it as much as I can.
