I love seeing the sights everywhere I go, but in a place like Ninh Binh, it’s sometimes just as enjoyable to see the non-sights. A walk in the countryside is such a relief for mind and body.
Bich Dong Pagoda, Ninh Binh | Vietnam
Bich Dong Pagoda dates from the 18th century, and features a pre-Nguyen dynasty architectural style. It’s built into a mountainside at three levels, and some shrines are inside dark caves. The steps make it easy to navigate and the views are beautiful; it was not possible for me to do them justice in photos because there’s a lot of greenery blocking them, the main perspective is almost straight up.
Word of warning: Tam Coc has the most aggressive hawkers I’ve encountered in Vietnam, and I’ve been here for two years now. The old women who sell fruit and souvenirs will literally run ahead of you and lock up the temples if you don’t buy from them. $2-6 is enough to pay for a folding fan and some bananas, come armed with small bills.
Tam Coc Boat Tour, Ninh Binh | Vietnam
The Tam Coc boat ride is the most popular in Ninh Binh, because one of the entry points is steps from Tam Coc’s main corner, where restaurants, hotels, minimarts etc. converge. It’s lovely, but shorter and not as interesting as the Trang An boat tour. Tam Coc is also known for having much more aggressive guides, who will essentially refuse to bring you back to shore unless you give them a $20 or $30ish tip on top of the ticket price. The ‘galaxy grotto’ is awful in my opinion; they’ve lit the cave with brightly colored lights, many flashing or swirling.
Trang An Boat Tour, Ninh Binh | Vietnam
Though every village in Ninh Binh seems to have a boat tour, the best by far is the Trang An tour. There are 3 routes; all feature at least a couple caves and temples, and the beautiful mountain scenery of course. Each has its own merits. I chose Route 1, wanting to see the thousand year old temple. It’s so altered there’s nothing old there, so don’t expect much. Route 2 visits the King Kong movie set. They give you a map and time to choose when you buy the ticket, which is quite pricy.
An alternative to the boat tour is renting a kayak and going self-guided. I wish I had done this, because the guides don’t speak English and I didn’t learn anything, and was stuck on a boat with a woman who just wouldn’t shut up. I would have much preferred a few hours of exercise and some peaceful time in nature. There are so many professional guides rowing people around, a solo or duo kayaker could easily follow them along a route and not get lost.
There’s also a small museum in the ticket office with artifacts found in the area. It has some fossils, prehistoric stuff, bat trang pottery, etc.
