Indochina Today Travel · Hanoi Old Quarter pickup
Not Lan Ha at all: a day from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, where the same limestone towers rise out of rice fields and rivers instead of the sea. Book it as the second day of a northern trip, for the Trang An rowing boats and the view from Mua Cave.
This page is the odd one out on a Lan Ha site, on purpose. Ninh Binh sits about 100 km south of Hanoi, inland. Its karst is the same family of limestone as the bays, which is why the Trang An area gets called Ha Long Bay on land, and why Kong: Skull Island filmed in both. UNESCO inscribed the Trang An Landscape Complex in 2014 as Vietnam's first mixed natural and cultural World Heritage site.
The day runs on a coach or limousine from the Old Quarter (pickup 7:20 to 8:00). You choose one of two mornings: Hoa Lu, Vietnam's 10th-century capital with the temples of King Dinh and King Le and a bike ride through the villages, or Bai Dinh, the huge Buddhist complex with a long arhat corridor, reached by electric car. Then a buffet lunch, the Trang An boat at 13:30 and the Mua Cave climb at 16:00. The Trang An sampans take four people, a rower at the back, through low caves and under limestone arches; Tuoi Tre describes the standard ride as about two hours.
Mua Cave is the hard bit. Ninh Binh's tourism department counts 486 stone steps to the peak, where a statue of Quan Am looks out over Tam Coc and the rice fields. It is steep and crowded at the top, so take it slowly. Entrance fees, the boat, lunch and water are included; drinks, insurance, tips and the Lunar New Year surcharge are not. Back in Hanoi in the evening.
Pickup at your Old Quarter hotel or a set meeting point, with a 15-minute break on the way.
Hoa Lu option: temples of King Dinh and King Le, then cycling through the villages. Bai Dinh option: electric car to the entrance, the big bronze Buddha and the arhat corridor.
A Vietnamese buffet at a local restaurant, with vegetarian dishes.
A wooden sampan, four guests a boat, along the rivers, through caves and under limestone arches.
Climb the stone steps to the peak for the view over Tam Coc and the karst, then the drive back to Hanoi.
★★★★★Overall, we had a fantastic day exploring Ninh Binh with our guide, Quan! [...] The highlight of the trip was definitely the boat ride. It was incredibly scenic and unlike anything we’ve experienced before. We also made the trek up Mua Cave. While it’s quite a lot of steps to reach the top, the panoramic view is absolutely worth the effort.
★★★★★This tour was the highlight of my trip to Vietnam! Sunny was AMAZING. He was so enthusiastic and knowledgeable, but what made him stand out was how he shared everything with humor and made learning fun rather than feeling like a lecture. [...] I booked this tour solo and ended up meeting some amazing people, which made the experience even more special.
★★★★★Greta tour! It’s a usual route so expect to cross paths with other tours! Mua Cave is no mean feat…..make sure you take your time! It’s very unsafe up at the dragon so go careful!
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No. Ninh Binh is inland, about 100 km south of Hanoi. It has the same kind of limestone karst, rising from rice fields and rivers instead of the sea.
Yes. The Trang An Landscape Complex was inscribed in 2014 as Vietnam's first mixed natural and cultural World Heritage site.
Ninh Binh's tourism department counts 486 stone steps to the peak. It is steep, so allow time and wear good shoes.
Hoa Lu gives you the old capital's temples and a village bike ride; Bai Dinh is a vast Buddhist complex reached by electric car. Both continue to Trang An and Mua Cave.
Ready to book
Trang An by rowing boat, Bai Dinh or Hoa Lu, lunch and the Mua Cave viewpoint, with pickup in Hanoi.
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