When to travel?
Spring has come with other famous landscapes in the North Vietnam, Ninh Binh is an ideal pilgrimage destination for visitors, with sacred pagodas and poetic mountains and rivers. If you are interested in festival atmosphere, travel to Ninh Binh in the period of time from lunar January to March to go on a pilgrimage to Bai Dinh pagoda, to pray for happiness at the beginning of the year. If desired to look for safe and sound feeling, you should travel in the period of time from May to November of solar calendar, the weather will be cool, it is not so crowded, and you will not have to hustle.
What to prepare?
Almost tourist destinations in Ninh Binh are on waters such as Trang An, Tam Coc, Van Long…the weather is cool, and a little bit cold, you should bring with you thin coat, scarf.
As sailing on boat, you should put on wide brim hat, or umbrella, bring with you some food to eat a bite.
Prepare anti-mosquito cream, insect treatment medicine, and other medicine for common diseases, tent, and coat if you intend to go camping.
Bring with you light footwear and tidy clothes because you will have to walk a lot. Correct clothing when visiting temples, pagodas, and church..
How to reach there?
From Hanoi
Ninh Binh is about 90km far from Hanoi. You can select means of transport:
- High quality coach: From Giap Bat Coach Station, you can get on coach of different firms such as Hoang Long, Minh Long, Cat Loi, depart from 6h to 18h every day, 30 minutes per coach, contact (04) 3864 1467.
- Open Tour car: Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Hue – Ho Chi Minh City, depart at 19h every day at the ancient quarter, contact: (04) 3926 1979.
- Train: From Hanoi Railway Station, there are about 4 to 5 trips to Ninh Binh.
- If traveling in group, it is more flexible if you can hire a car. If traveling by motorbike, it is either saved and comfortable. From the city center, ride on Giai Phong street, about 3km passing over Hanoi Southern Coach station, turn left 1km to Phap Van – Cau Gie highway, then Cau Gie – Phu Ly – Ninh Binh. After over one hour, you can be present in Ninh Binh.
From Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh city is about 15km far from Bai Dinh pagoda. You can reach Bai Dinh pagoda by taxi or by bus at Ninh Binh Coach Station – No. 207 Le Dai Hanh.
It is about 5km from Bai Dinh pagoda to Trang An eco-tourism complex, road is not in good condition so that you can reach there by taxi or hiring a car. Entry ticket and boat ticket cost about VND 100,000 per pax.
Tam Coc – Bich Dong is about 8km far from Ninh Binh city, situated in Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district. Return ticket to visit Tam Coc is about VND 70,000 per pax within 2 hours.
Where to stay?
At the city center and Tam Coc tourist destination, there are a lot of good quality hotels. In peak seasons and holidays, you should book for room in advance to avoid full house and price squeezing. Contact: Guest House Kim Lien 1*(030. 6250 800), Kinh Do Hotel Ninh Binh 2*(030. 3899 152), Dai An Hotel Ninh Binh 3* (030. 6280 555), Queen Hotel Ninh Binh 3* (030. 389 3535)… rental ranges from VND 216,000 to 500,000 per night.
Cuc Phuong National Park: Cuc Phuong resort & spa 4* (030. 3848 888) rental ranges from VND 850,000 per night.
Tam Coc: Chau Son Hotel (030. 3623 879), Yen Nhi Ninh Binh 3* (030. 361 8865) The Long 3* (030. 3618 077), Quang Dung 3* (030. 3619 619)… rental ranges from VND 475,000 per night.
What food to enjoy?
The most well-known speciality is mountain-raised goat meat processed in different dishes such as: half-done goat meat, roasted goat meat, steamed goat meat, etc…Goat meat is very delicious. Address: Duc De Restaurant (No. 29 Doan Ket street) by the side of national road No. 1A, Cao Son restaurant (near Bai Dinh pagoda), Ma Yen Quan in front of King Dinh Temple and Kinh Le temple…In addition, you cannot ignore Tong Truong anabas, Gia Vien shrimp paste, wine drunk out of jar through a stem of Nho Quan…in big restaurants in the city.
Where to travel?
Bai Dinh pagoda
This is the biggest pagoda in Vietnam, covering an area of 700ha, in Gia Sinh commune, Gia Vien district, about 15km from Ninh Binh city. Bai Dinh pagoda has been recognized for many records by Vietnam Record Book Center. In order to fully feel sacredness, visit both the new pagoda and the ancient pagoda in worship of Buddha, mountain God, and forest God…
Trang An eco-tourism complex
Trang An includes 31 small valleys, and nearly 50 caves in length of over 10km in north-south direction. It is regarded as an outdoor geological museum with romantic landscape and imposing mountains and miraculous stalactite caves.
Hoa Lu ancient capital
It is the national special relic site of three dynasties namely Dinh – Tien Le – Ly. Most typically are the King Dinh temple, the Kinh Le temple and other relics such as: Phat Kim princess temple, Nhat Tru pagoda, Vuon Thien mansion, Cau Dien stela, Kim Ngan pagoda, Bim cave under the special protection area of 3km².
Tam Coc – Bich Dong tourist destination
Situated in Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, Tam Coc is regarded as “Ha Long Bay on land” with unique water submerged topography, quietness of green fields, and imposing mountains. Bich Dong is regarded as “The second best cave of the South” with many abrupt caves attractive as Elysium.
Van Long Pond
Situated in Gia Vien district, each mountain, each cave bear a mystery beauty. Van Long is also a spiritual tourist destination with 600-year-old decandrous persimmon tree, Chi Le pagoda, Mai Trung pagoda, Dich Long pagoda and cave, King Dinh Tien Hoang temple….
Thien Ha cave
Situated in the Tuong mountain range in Nho Quan district, through 700m, you are attracted to miraculous stalactite world, light shines down to stalactites which are imagined as fox, kneeling elephant, tiger lying in wait for prey, monkey climbing up a tree, or Buddha…
Phat Diem Stone Cathedral
About 28km far from Ninh Binh city in the southeastern direction, Phat Diem Stone Cathedral is a famous work with special architecture: an elegant combination of Oriental – Occident culture. The cathedral complex includes many work items: lake, statue, bell tower, big hall, Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic hall, stone cave…
Cuc Phuong National Park
About 45 km far from Ninh Binh city in the northwestern direction, Cuc Phuong National Park preserves the most diversified fauna – flora on limestone mountains in Vietnam. At Cuc Phuong National Park, you can walk, venture or climb up mountains…
What to buy?
In front of Bai Dinh pagoda, or at other tourist areas, local people sell a lot of specialities: scorched rice, longan cake, pineapple etc..If desired to buy scorched rice, you should find the one that is fully packed, in term of use and available with address of producer, and it should be new. You should purchase such specialities at a restaurant where you come in for meal. Don’t ignore Gia Vien shrimp paste, wine drunk out of jar through a stem of Nho Quan, fermented pork roll of Yen Mac, Lai Thanh wine of Kim Son…If you are interested in fine-arts handicraft articles, visit Kim Son rush mat handicraft village (in Kim Son district) to purchase mat, carpet, hand-basket, tray, box, dish, glass, bag, hat…which are made of rush and look very attractive. You can find to buy at souvenirs shops near the stone cathedral or along Phat Diem townlet.
Collected by Phuong Anh
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