Ninh Binh One Day Excursion

Ninh Binh Vietnam

If you are in Hanoi and want to find peaceful and beautiful places for a one-day tour, Ninh Binh is a great suggestion. Ninh Binh is home to many historical and cultural relics, as well as amazing landscapes for customers to discover. There are many famous natural sites: Trang An Complex, Mua Cave, Tam Coc, Tuyet Tinh Coc, Van Long Natural Reserve, Thung Nham Bird Park, and also cultural & historical sites: Hoa Lu ancient capital, King Dinh & Le Temple, Bai Dinh pagoda, Bich Dong pagod…The one day trip to Ninh Binh is best choice for any tourist who has not much time in the northern Vietnam. Travel with us – leave your worry behind.

The distance between Ninh Binh and Hanoi is about 95 kilometers, which only takes about 2 hours to cover by road. Whether you take a Ninh Binh tour from Hanoi or any other location, there are many prominent tourist attractions to be added to your itinerary as below:

1. Tam Coc – Bich Dong
Tam Coc – Bich Dong is a unique natural and spiritual tourist attraction in Ninh Binh. Tam Coc, often likened to Ha Long Bay on land, features a system of caves, mountains, and historical relics. Here, visitors can take a Tam Coc boat tour to admire the serene natural landscapes of the countryside. With rice fields on both sides, you will pass through majestic limestone cliffs and enter three caves adorned with impressive stalactite formations.

Afterward, tourists can explore Bich Dong Pagoda, a complex renowned for the second most beautiful cave in Vietnam with a sacred space surrounded by towering mountains. Here, visitors can explore the cave with its natural stalactite formations and the pagoda situated high on the mountain peak. Bich Dong Pagoda provides an ideal vantage point to admire the surrounding scenery – a picturesque landscape of harmonious mountains and waters.

2. Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex

Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, recognized by UNESCO, is an ecotourism attraction that combines spirituality and culture. Spanning over 2,000 hectares, it presents a breathtaking landscape of limestone karsts intertwined with valleys, submerged forests, archaeological remnants, temples, and pagodas. Visitors can choose to explore the area by kayaking or taking a traditional sampan ride guided by local rowers. The natural scenery here is sure to leave you mesmerized, with a harmonious blend of green mountains, azure waters, clear skies, and golden rice paddies. Besides immersing yourself in nature, don’t forget to explore iconic sites such as Ba Giot Cave, Bright Cave, Dark Cave, and Tran Temple.

3. Hoa Lu Ancient Capital

For a delightful Ninh Binh one-day tour, you must not overlook Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, a distinctive attraction imbued with cultural and historical significance. Built a thousand years ago, the ancient capital is surrounded by majestic mountains and interwoven streams. Here, visitors can explore two temples dedicated to King Dinh Tien Hoang and King Le Dai Hanh, showcasing traditional Vietnamese architecture adorned with dragon, cloud, and floral motifs. This site also boasts many unique artifacts like the Long Sang, a national treasure carved from solid green stones with exquisite craftsmanship. Additionally, don’t forget to visit the museum exhibiting historical relics excavated from archaeological sites and gain a deeper understanding of Vietnam’s history.

4. Bai Dinh Pagoda

Bai Dinh Pagoda is a spiritual attraction in Ninh Binh that anyone seeking Buddhist teachings or simply a peaceful corner cannot miss out on in their Ninh Binh one-day tour. This pagoda complex consists of an old temple area, which exudes ancient beauty, and a new temple area, built in a grand fashion. Upon arrival, you will experience an incredibly cool atmosphere with rows of bodhi trees brought from India. Here, there are some notable highlights that hold records in Vietnam and Asia, such as the largest bronze bell in Vietnam, the longest corridor with Arhat statues in Asia, the tallest and heaviest statue of Buddha Shakyamuni in Asia, and the largest bronze statue of the Laughing Buddha in Southeast Asia.

5. Mua Caves

Spending a Ninh Binh one-day tour to discover Mua Caves brings an opportunity to admire the poetic beauty of Tam Coc from above. This cave features millions of years of history and a unique geological structure. Nestled on a mountain peak, the way to the cave is adorned with carved stone statues on both sides of the stairs. From here, you can behold the entire peaceful beauty of Tam Coc with endless rice fields, majestic mountain ranges, and boats drifting along the Ngo Dong River. Trekking to Mua Caves, you will get to witness the beautiful natural scenery, take Instagram-worthy photos, and breathe in the fresh air to your heart’s content.

6. Cuc Phuong National Park

Cuc Phuong National Park covers a broad area of 22,200 ha and is nestle among three provinces: Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa. It’s located 130km from southwest of Hanoi and 55km from northwest of Ninh Binh City.

Cuc Phuong National Park is definitely a perfect option for nature lovers, who are finding a short escape from Hanoi’s bustle and hustle for true wilderness. Known as the green lung of Northern Vietnam, Cuc Phuong National Park gets its fame as a large natural museum with rich ecosystem, conservation center of endangered species; as well as home to Muong ethnic minority with their unique culture.

Being the country’s largest and first national park, Cuc Phuong consists of dense forest of millennia-old trees, botanical gardens, a wide range of birds, mammals, reptiles and colorful butterflies along with two animal sanctuaries which are worth exploring.