Ninh Binh Day Trip from Hanoi | Sometimes referred to as the Ha Long Bay on Land, Ninh Binh is a must add to any Vietnam itinerary. Tucked away in rural northern Vietnam, karst mountains are clustered amid marshes and wetlands throughout the Ninh Binh region. Although we only visited Ninh Binh for a day, we quickly realized that this could have easily been a several-days long exploration.

Most of the action is centered in the town of Tam Coc, known for its bright rice fields and unique geographical features. However, second up is the town of Trang An, home to the Trang An Ecotourism Complex – yet another UNESCO World Heritage Site. In this guide, we’ll go over our one-day itinerary in Ninh Binh and what to see.  

Since we were short on time, we decided to trek to Ninh Binh from Hanoi just for a day. Mind you, this was exhausting, and we highly recommend spending the night instead. The trip from Hanoi took roughly 2.5 hours each way.

How to visit Ninh Binh

Depending on where you’re staying, your hotel will most likely offer tour options to and from Ninh Binh. If that’s not an option, we highly recommend taking a tour (this is what we should have done). Transportation in Ninh Binh can be challenging and it’s easier if you have a guide and access to a car to explore the region. This is the one day tour we recommend. Of course, after having visited ourselves, we suggest spending two days. This is a multi-day tour option.

What to do in Ninh Binh

The Mua Cave

Start the day with a steep but short hike. Trekking the Mua Cave was one of the most memorable experiences in Ninh Binh. The intense 500-step climb was well worth the beautiful views of the valley.

From atop the Mua Cave viewpoint, you can see the Ngo Dong River zigzagging through the mountains.The coolest part about visiting the Mua Cave, is that you can actually stay on-site at their ecolodge.

Trang An Ecotourism & Landscape Complex

Perhaps one of the most popular excursions in Ninh Binh is cruising around Trang An via boat tour. Trang An is located in the town of Tam Coc, making it only about 15 minutes away from the Mua Cave. What better way to unwind after an intense hike than a relaxing boat cruise?

There are 3 tour routes through Trang An. Route 1 is the longest and the most comprehensive, whereas routes 2 and 3 are shorter. All of the routes last between 2-3 hours and offer different stops and attractions points.

All tours are guided by a local expert. We were especially impressed by their skills navigating through the narrow channels, tight caves and incredible endurance while rowing for hours. You may even get asked to help a little and paddle yourselves for a bit.

Along the different routes, you’ll have the opportunity to dock and explore small islands with plenty of temples and shrines.Bai Dinh Pagoda

The truth is, we had no intention of visiting the Bai Dinh Pagoda. We were dropped off for two hours to explore what we thought was the Bich Dong Pagoda. We quickly realized that due to a grave error in communication, we had gotten “lost in translation.” Nonetheless, we enjoyed roaming through the complex until our driver was ready to pick us up.

As it turns out, this 3-square mile complex is home to Vietnam’s largest pagoda! Not just that, the compound has many temples, shrines, gardens and a labyrinth of enclosed trails leading to the attractions. Although bearing no historical significance, as many of the temples and structures were built recently, many were incredibly impressive in size and detail.

What We Missed

We wish we had more time to explore the Ancient Capital of Hoa Lu and the Bich Dong Pagoda. Thankfully many travelers have, so if you’re looking for the best things to do in Hoa Lu, check out this detailed guide here. For recommendations on exploring the Bich Dong Pagoda, read this post!

Cycling through Tam Coc & Ninh Binh

There are plenty of scenic biking routes around Tam Coc and Ninh Binh. You could easily grab a bike from your hotel or homestay, rent from a local vendor or book a cycling experience with a tour operator.

Routes typically go through the beautiful rice fields and stop at the popular attractions around town. Plus, who doesn’t like to burn some calories while sightseeing? If you want to do a self-guided biking tour, we highly suggest taking a look at this itinerary here.

Where to stay in Ninh Binh

Although we only did a Ninh Binh day trip from Hanoi, we should have stayed longer. If you’re considering it, here are the best places to stay. We highly recommend staying in Tam Coc at none other than the Wonderland Bungalow. The hotel is simply stunning and directly overlooks the wondrous mountains.

As we mentioned before, if you’re looking for a more unique stay then check out the Mua Caves Ecolodge.

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