Just around 100km from Hanoi, with royal ruins, limestone mountains, caves and crystal rivers, Ninh Binh Province has nearly everything a visitor could want, including nature, culture, and history.
Gorgeous grottoes
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| Photo by Tho Nau |
Slotted for upcoming development, the Trang An Grottoes Eco-tourism Complex consists of limestone mountain ranges, valleys and rivers which blend harmoniously together in a wash of green.
Not quite spelunking
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| Photo by Francisco Anzola |
Not far from Ninh Binh Township I encountered another must-see attraction: the caves of Tam Coc, the "Ha Long Bay on Land."
A stunning set of three low-hanging caves along the muddy Ngo Dong River, Tam Coc lies at the southern entrance of the dramatic Karst mountain range.
Tam Coc literally means Three Grottoes, also called the Xuyen Thuy (or Water Tunnel-Caves), named the waterways which centuries of erosion have created.
Wet and wild
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| Photo by collect on the internet |
The truly adventurous can explore a more remote area by visiting the Van Long wetland conservation area, 15km north-west of Ninh Binh Township. It is the largest wetland reserve in the north of Viet Nam with an area of nearly 3,000ha, located in Gia Vien District.
Land of Kings
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| Photo by Jean-Pierre Dalbéra |
In a place brimming with rich history, the natural landmarks often link to past events, so that the landscape itself tells the story. For example, first-time visitors are frequently mesmerised at Hoa Lu by the jagged limestone outcrops, which once acted as natural defences for the former national capital.
The sacred
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| Photo by Vũ Hùng |
The 200m-high Bai Dinh Pagoda Mountain, with its many caves and areas of worship, is part of the larger Trang An Grottoes eco-tourist complex and is slotted for serious improvements.
Ecologically and historically rich, much like the rest of the province, in 1997, the Bai Dinh Pagoda Mountain area was recognised as a cultural and historical heritage site.
A recently undertaken project for the 107ha area will involve the construction of a 100 tonne bronze statue of the Great Buddha Sakyamuni, three bronze statues Tam The (50 tonnes each) and 500 statues of La Han (Arhats) made of Ninh Van stones.
Bai Dinh Pagoda will become the largest religious tourist centre in Viet Nam upon completion in 2010 to celebrate the 1,000th anniversary of Hoa Lu-Thang Long-Ha Noi capital.
Local flavour
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| Photo by collect on the internet |
Ninh Binh is also known for its unique cultural components. The Van Lam embroidery village has fine clothes and linens and Kim Son sea-grass is made into baskets and mats. The tradition of Ninh Van stone carving continues in the village even today, but it is a point of historical pride as well, with stone-engraved masterpieces at Phat Diem Stone Cathedral and Thai Vi Temple, to name a few.
For those looking for some local nosh and sips, there’s Gia Vien shrimp paste, com chay (rice crust), tai de (rare goat), Yen Mac fermented pork rolls, the alluring Nho Quan pine wine and Kim Son alcohol.
Ninh Binh tour from Hanoi has many different discovery routes, to meet the needs and preferences of each traveler, please see the journey details to select the appropriate itinerary best: http://vietnamtypicaltours.com/location/ninh-binh-tours/