Ninh Binh is a very famous tourist city in Northern Vietnam, once the capital of Vietnam from 968 to 1010, and also has two areas: world heritage and the world biosphere reserve. Although I have been to Ninh Binh many times, this is the first time I spent 2 days here to learn and explore more deeply this beautiful land. Before the trip, I also spent a lot of time looking for photo locations, and scheduling the trip to best suit my personality.
And through this article, I will share my detailed 2-day itinerary to explore Ninh Binh, starting from Hanoi. Let's follow along!
DAY ONE
- Ksitigarbha Phi Lai Temple
When looking for directions to Tam Coc - Trang An from Hanoi, I saw that I had to pass through Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva, an extremely beautiful and peaceful temple in Ha Nam, so I added the temple to my Ninh Binh exploration schedule, both to rest after a long drive, and to visit and take photos at this temple.
Address of Dizang Phi Lai Temple: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ds4zD3jvvfzAdPY17
I also have a very detailed article about Dia Tang Phi Lai Tu Pagoda. To see more photos I took as well as information about the pagoda, you can review my article at HERE .
I left Hanoi at 7am, came here to visit and take pictures until 11am, then traveled the rest of the way to Ninh Binh and had lunch.
I chose rice noodles with perch (a special type of thick noodles with perch and optional vegetables), one of Ninh Binh’s specialties for lunch. I ate at a local restaurant, located at 163 Tay Thanh, Tan Thanh, Ninh Binh. The restaurant is very delicious and clean, but it only opens until about 1-2 pm, so everyone should pay attention to go early.
Restaurant address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/CE88Ksyd1XRCdp9y7
After eating, I checked in the homestay, rested and prepared for the afternoon trip. There are many homestays in Ninh Binh, and the prices are also extremely affordable, only from 200k / 1 person for 1 night.
2. Tam Coc - Bich Dong.
This is a small part of the Tam Coc – Trang An scenic complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A very beautiful place, must go when coming to Ninh Binh which I have written in detail on the Blog before.
Bich Dong Pagoda Address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/fxnEEnJUayiX546m9
Coming to Tam Coc, you can experience the scenery of mountains, rivers, and caves on a boat. This place is more worth going than Trang An, in my personal opinion.
Address of boat ticket office in Tam Coc: https://maps.app.goo.gl/ng9uvJanKssbVY8e6
You can review my detailed article about how to get there and beautiful photo spots in Tam Coc - Bich Dong at HERE .
I left at 2pm, and finished exploring Tam Coc – Bich Dong at 6pm. And next, was a Ninh Binh specialties but surely you not to be missed, it is goat meat.
The restaurant I chose today is De Chinh Thu restaurant, which is highly rated by many people when coming to Ninh Binh.
Address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/5JwFXFRVFWXDATew6
3. Hoa Lu Ancient Town.
A great place to go out at night in Ninh Binh. Everything here is lit up beautifully.
Address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/3KbTrfjkfTNBUXXaA
There are many attractive night activities in Hoa Lu ancient town, such as boating to see the scenery at Ky Lan lake, walking street, restaurants, souvenir shops are also many along the roads around the ancient town.
DAY TWO
- Trang An
Starting the second day of exploring Ninh Binh, I arrived at Trang An early, because the total time to explore Trang An on the boat is about 3 hours, so if you leave late in the morning, you will end the tour quite hungry and tired, everyone should pay attention to go early.
Trang An has up to 48 caves (discovered), some of which are up to 2km long. Because the area is so large, Trang An is divided into 3 different sightseeing routes, you can choose any route that suits your needs. The ticket price is 250k VND for adults (2024).
Trang An route number 1: You will pass through 9 caves and 3 spiritual sites, with a travel time of about 3.5 - 4.5 hours. This is also the route with the longest boat ride time in Trang An.
Trang An route number 2: You will go through 4 caves and 3 spiritual sites, with a travel time of about 2.5 - 3 hours. And this is the route I chose to take today.
Trang An route number 3: You will go through 3 caves and 3 spiritual sites with a stalactite system longer than 1000 meters, with a travel time of about 3 - 3.5 hours.
What to wear when going to Trang An? The answer is that you should choose clothes with light tones, avoid wearing dark colors, which do not stand out when taking pictures with caves, mountains and spiritual places here.
You can stop at any location along the way. If you see a beautiful view ahead and want to stop and take a photo, just tell the boatman and he will be happy to stop for you to enjoy the view or take a photo.
After 3 hours of exploring Trang An, I returned to the homestay to rest and check out, before going to lunch. The restaurant I chose for lunch today was “Com nieu Viet xua”, a restaurant selling traditional dishes of ancient Vietnam located near Hoa Lu ancient town.
Restaurant address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/oTZVcuGG2iTdQmb2A
2. Van Long Lagoon.
The last destination on my Ninh Binh exploration trip was Van Long lagoon, the largest wetland reserve in the Northern Delta and one of the famous eco-tourism destinations in Vietnam.
Address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/DbfmyehwYwZfg4Sk6
Here, people can also admire the scenery on the boat like Tam Coc and Trang An. The boat ticket price is 100k VND / 1 adult.
Van Long Lagoon has a wild, quiet landscape with majestic limestone mountains, interspersed with fields of reeds and a mirror-like surface of water. Most of the photos I took here have the effect of the shadows of the mountains, very beautiful.
This place has not been much touristed, very wild (it is a nature reserve), so it may be quite boring for many people. However, Van Long lagoon is extremely loved by landscape photographers. The best time to come here is autumn, when the grass is in full bloom.
What attracts photographers here is not only the beautiful natural scenery, but also the habitat of many species of birds, storks, and many rare animals such as the Delacour's langur - a primate endemic to Vietnam, listed in the World Red Book.
In addition, there is also a photo area with sheep, only 40k VND per person. However, the sheep are not always in a state of full wool 😀
And above is my entire 2-day itinerary to explore Ninh Binh, starting from Hanoi, the itinerary is entirely based on personal preferences. If you have more time in Ninh Binh, you can also visit Bai Dinh Pagoda with many Vietnamese and Asian records, or Cuc Phuong National Park - a huge nature reserve in Ninh Binh as well as Vietnam.
Bai Dinh Pagoda Address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/9QoCvzBHPBehz1Cq6
Cuc Phuong National Park Address: https://maps.app.goo.gl/cNyE3njJTQWBWsLq8
Don't forget to Follow me on Instagram ( travel.w.minh_photo ) or Subscribe to receive notifications every time I have a new article.
***************************************************************************************************************
Explore our useful services in Japan:
- Taking photos of individuals, couples, and families in Osaka, Kyoto, Nara: See more HERE
- Plan and schedule your trip to Japan: See more HERE
- eSim data, pocket wifi travel in Japan: See more HERE
***************************************************************************************************************
*** Please read the requirements carefully Copyright & Collaboration before copying or quoting Blog content and images. Thank you.