One of the most popular things to do in Ninh Binh is to go on a Trang An Boat Tour. It’s a great way to explore many of the caves and otherwise hidden temples in the area. Here’s everything you need to know before you go!
Trang An Boat Tour Routes
There are three different routes to choose from. When you purchase your tickets, you will receive a brochure with all of the different routes listed. Tickets cost the same for all three routes and they all last the same amount of time (3 hours).
Trang An Boat Tour Route #1
Route #1 will take you through 9 different caves (more than any other route) and you will stop at 3 different temples. This is the one that we chose to do.
Route 1 Sights:
- Trinh Temple
- Toi Cave
- Sang Cave
- Nau Ruou Cave
- Tran Temple
- Ba Giot Cave
- Seo Cave
- Son Duong Cave
- Khong Cave
- Khong Temple – Bao Hieu Pagoda
- Tran Cave
- Quy Hau Cave
Trang An Boat Tour Route #2
Route #2 will take you through 4 different caves and to 3 different temples.
Route 2 Sights:
- Lam Cave
- Thanh Cao Son Temple
- Vang Cave
- Thanh Truot Cave
- Suoi Tien Temple
- Dai Cave
- Vu Lam Royal Steps
Trang An Boat Tour Route #3
Finally, route #3 will take you through 3 different caves and to 3 different temples.
Route 3 Sights:
- Trinh Temple
- Dot Cave
- Van Cave
- Suoi Tien Temple
- Dai Cave
- Vu Lam Royal Steps
All of the routes are explained in the brochure that you receive. There is also a room full of displays and information on the history of the area that you can check out before the tour.
Our Boat Tour Experience
Once you decide which tour you want to take you will head to the wharf (where all of the boats are), tell the person standing there the route number, and they will tell you which boat to get on.
We chose to do route #1 because we figured if all of the tours last the same amount of time we might as well do the one where we will see the most. Our favorite part of the tour was the last temple that we visited (Trinh Temple). We had to climb some stairs up and over a small hill where the temple was and the music that was playing at this temple has been stuck in my head ever since!
We had to share the boat with two others and we, unfortunately, got the seats in the back. While we absolutely did enjoy our boat tour, the people that we shared the boat with were super loud and talking the whole time, which kind of took away from the experience a bit for us. This probably wouldn’t be a big deal for most people but we were hoping for a bit of peace and quiet when going through all of the caves.
Trang An Boat Tour Rules
- You cannot wear shorts or sleeveless shirts when visiting the temples or pagodas.
- No smoking is allowed on any of the boat tours.
- Playing music is not allowed on the tours. You are not allowed to bring speakers with you.
- The guides are not allowed to ask for tips. However, it is up to you if you want to give a tip at the end of the tour or not.
Pricing and Other Info
Tickets for the boat tour cost 200,000 VND per person (100,000 VND for children). This adds up to less than 10 USD each.
Unlike all of the people you will see in the photos on Pinterest or Instagram, you won’t have the boat to yourself. If you’re traveling solo or as a couple, you’ll share the boat with 2-3 others. They like to fill them up! The only way to get the whole boat to yourself is to pay for extra tickets. My advice is to just share the boat and ask for the front seats. This way no one is in the way of your views!
How to Get There
By Train
If you’re coming from Hanoi, a train will be the best option. Tickets are fairly cheap and you can book online through Baolau (we used them for all of our long-haul transportation in Vietnam).
Private Transfer
You can usually book a private transfer through your accommodations or online but it typically won’t be the cheapest option.
By Motorbike
Driving a motorbike in Hanoi can be pretty hectic but it wasn’t bad at all in Ninh Binh. Traffic was much less crazy here.
Trang An Boat Tour Tips
- Bring snacks and drinks with you. Three hours is a long time to spend on a boat and you will get hungry or thirsty. Depending on which route you take, there are a couple of spots where you may be able to buy a drink when you stop at the temples.
- Bring a hat or umbrella. The sun gets very hot and a hat or umbrella will definitely help with that a lot. Sunscreen wouldn’t be a bad idea, either.
- Help your guide row the boat. There are extra paddles in the boat for anyone who wants to help row. You don’t have to row the whole time, but your guide will certainly appreciate it when you do!
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Don’t forget to check out these other Vietnam posts:
- Hiking Mua Caves in Ninh Binh
- Best Places to Visit in Hanoi, Vietnam
- A Ninh Binh, Vietnam Travel Guide
- Photos That Will Inspire You to Visit Northern Vietnam
- Navigating Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi
- How to Spend One Day in Ninh Binh, Vietnam
