Fun Things To Do In Ninh Binh Vietnam

Ninh Bình is a city located along the Red River Delta in northern Vietnam. It is the capital of Ninh Bình Province. Ninh Bình is around 2 hours from Hanoi. The city has a population of over 160,000 people. Ninh Bình is popular because of its landscape of streams, caves, and hill scenery. What are the things to do in Ninh Binh Vietnam?

In Ninh Bình you can visit the nearby village of Tam Coc where you can enjoy the wonderful scenery of rice fields and rivers. You can also visit the endangered primate rescue center and the nearby temples. There is also a good range of restaurants in the area where you can enjoy the local Vietnamese food.

In this post, we will go through things to do in Ninh Binh Vietnam. Let’s get started!

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• Scams in Vietnam

Is Ninh Binh Worth Visiting?

Ninh Binh is worth visiting but there is not a whole lot to do in the city itself, there is a lot to do in the surrounding areas. The temples and the scenery especially from the Tam Coc Lake and the views are worth seeing.

Things To Do In Ninh Binh Vietnam

Ninh Bình is blessed with the beautiful scenery that surrounds the city. Mountains and rivers surround the city. It is easy to find the rivers and caves.

Here are some of the best things to do in Ninh Bình Vietnam.

Hike In Cuc Phuong National Park

Cuc Phuong National Park is located about an hour from Ninh Binh. Cuc Phuong is the oldest national park in Vietnam, and it was established in 1962. The park is home to some of Asia’s rarest animal and plant species such as the Clouded Leopard, Delacour’s Langur, Owston’s Civet, and Asian Black Bear.

You can do a 6 km hike with a guide that can take up to 3 hours. You would need to be at a medium level of fitness. Plus good hiking shoes will be needed. There is a lot of climbing up and down along rough terrain.

Go To The Endangered Primate Rescue Center

While you are in Cuc Phuong National Park, you can visit the endangered primate rescue center. The rescue center is near the Cuc Phuong National Park entrance and can only be visited with a guide.

It was established in 1993, and the center’s mission is a nonprofit project dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, breeding, research, and conservation of Vietnam’s endangered and critically endangered primate species.

Visit Tam Coc

Located outside of Ninh Binh town, Tam Coc is a small village blessed with the wonderful scenery of rice fields and rivers. Tam Coc is a peaceful place with picturesque thousand-meter-high hills, rice fields, and rivers.

There are boat tours that travel their way between the mountains and through the caves is a wonderful experience. Or you can go for a hike. There are quite a few temples in Tam Coc.

Note that the best time to visit could be around April or May when rice fields are green.

Visit Trang An By Boat

You can visit Trang An by boat. The boat will safely cross the river by using a very small boat. The boat trip takes around 2 hours with Trang An about 6 km from Ninh Binh town.

The reason the trip takes so long is that you have the time to see the temples that are along the lake. You will enter several caves, you need to mind your head, especially if you are taller than 6 inches.

Explore Thang Nam Bird Garden

Living in big cities can make you forget that there are thousands of species of birds. Thung Nham Bird Garden is rarely listed on some tourist guides. It is fairly unbelievable that there are only a few people notice this place.

There are hundreds of tree varieties, with a great number of birds of different species, colors, and sizes. Here, you can also enjoy boat trips, hiking, and camping.

Climb Hang Mua Peak

If you want a real challenge, then there is Hang Mua Peak. As the name implies, it relates to such a demanding effort to reach it. There are more than 300 steps you need to get to the top.

Just go through it and stay hydrated by bringing enough water to keep you energized. Once you reach the peak, then you will not regret it as you can enjoy the stunning scenery from the summit.

Go To The Bich Dong Pagoda

It takes less than 1 hour to reach the Bich Dong Pagoda. Built in 1428 it is a pagoda complex. It is situated on nearby Ngu Nhac Mountain and consists of three separate pagodas which are Hạ, Trung, and Thượng Pagodas.

Beware that there are scammers around here, so beware of the following scams.

• It is FREE to enter the Bich Dong Pagoda. Don’t fall for anyone asking for money or an entrance fee.
• Parking is also FREE. There’s a large parking area on arrival but there are locals who will try and direct you into a secluded area. Try and charge up to 50,000 dongs.

Visit Phat Diem Cathedral

While many people think that Buddha is the main religion here, Christianity also plays an important role in contributing to the country’s culture and evolution. Phát Diệm Cathedral is only one among several churches in Vietnam.

This church is definitely the most sophisticated one in the country, where visitors can observe the Western touch in its architecture. However, there is still a slight influence of local culture on both the interior and exterior. Built with stones and wood, it took two decades to build it.

Wrapping Up

Finally, Ninh Binh is a beautiful and vibrant Vietnamese city that you should visit if you get the chance. Whether you are interested in hiking around Cuc Phuong National Park or exploring temples. Just choose what you want to do and start enjoying what Ninh Binh has to offer.

And that’s it for now! I’d love to know if this guide on the things to do in Ninh Binh Vietnam has helped you. Let me know if you have any questions and let me know if there is more to add.

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