Ninh Binh is one of my favorite spots in Northern Vietnam. There are so many caves, temples, and mountains to explore. And, it offers some of the best views in Vietnam. Here’s everything you need to know for your trip. Things to do, where to eat, and other Vietnam travel tips!
This post contains affiliate links which means that if you click through and make a purchase, I may receive a small portion of the sale at no extra cost to you. Any profits made will contribute to my travels and making this blog awesome for you to read!
Things to Do in Ninh Binh
Hang Mua Caves
Hiking Mua Caves is probably the most popular thing to do in Ninh Binh. It’s an easy hike and the views from the top are amazing. There is a stone dragon at the top, a viewpoint with 360 degree views of Ninh Binh, and a tall stone pagoda. All of which are great photo spots!
Don’t forget to check out my other post: Hiking Mua Caves in Ninh Binh, Vietnam.
The entrance for the hike to Mua Caves is located at the Mua Caves Ecolodge. I would highly recommend staying here if you’re wanting to do the hike early in the morning as you can’t get any closer than this! The Ecolodge itself is worth a visit as well. There are gorgeous rice fields, a lotus garden with a bamboo walkway, and tons of other spots worth checking out!
Bich Dong Pagoda
One of my favorite spots in Ninh Binh (and the most instagrammable!) is Bich Dong Pagoda. You would never guess by looking at the photo but it’s actually located right on the side of a (somewhat) busy road. But, this spot wasn’t nearly as touristy as we expected it to be! We came right in the middle of the day and there were hardly any other people there. We practically had the whole place to ourselves!
Trang An Boat Ride
Don’t forget to check out my other post: Trang An Boat Tours in Ninh Binh.
Going for a boat ride in Trang An is a great way to see many of the otherwise hidden caves and temples in the area. There are three different routes that you can choose from and tours last three hours. We chose a route that took us through 9 different caves and to 3 different temples. Our favorite part was going through all of the caves!
Visit Local Temples
There are so many temples and pagodas to explore! We loved just driving around with no direction seeing which ones we could find. The most popular temple in the area is probably Bai Dinh Temple which is the largest temple in Vietnam!
Explore Ninh Binh on a Motorbike
Our favorite part of Ninh Binh was just driving around and exploring the area on our motorbike. Traffic is much less crazy in Ninh Binh than it is in bigger cities like Hanoi so we were pretty comfortable with driving here. Our rental was super cheap and it made it so much easier to get from place to place!
Try Local Restaurants
Our favorite was Mona Lisa Pizza! We just happened to find this place while driving down a side street and we’re so glad we stopped for lunch. We tried the goat pizza and the spaghetti carbonara with passion fruit cheesecake for dessert. Hands down, best dessert I’ve ever had (seriously, I’m still thinking about it weeks later)!
Ninh Binh Travel Tips
- Rent a motorbike. Most hotels have motorbikes available to rent at the property or you can have a rental company deliver yours to the train station when you arrive. It’s the easiest way to get around Ninh Binh.
- Use Baolau to book transportation. You can book train tickets, bus tickets, and even private transportation. We used them for all of our long-haul transportation.
- Stay longer than one day. Spend one day exploring all of the attractions and a second day to just relax at a local villa. Trust me, it’s worth it!
What are some of your favorite spots in Ninh Binh? Share in a comment below!
Like it? Pin it!
Don’t forget to check out these other Vietnam posts:
- Hiking Mua Caves in Ninh Binh
- Trang An Boat Tour
- Where to Eat in Hanoi
- Best Places to Visit in Hanoi, Vietnam
- Navigating Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi
I loved Ninh Binh! My favorite thing was definitely the boat ride in Trang An, and I loved getting lost among the limestones on my scooter. What a great place!
I’ve been wanting to go to Vietnam but I didn’t know anything about this area. Thanks for the really great post!
Author
I’m so glad you liked it! I hope you make it here someday 😁