NINH BINH - WHY IT SHOULD BE IN YOUR BUCKET LIST
- Coco Mymy
- Jan 11, 2019
- 6 min read
Vietnam's hidden germ and tranquil retreat in the mid of Nature Reserve
Ninh Binh is a MUST if you are in Northern Vietnam, even if it is just for a day. There is so much beauty in this countryside range. When I think about Vietnam, the Ninh Binh countryside is what comes to mind. It is surrounded by rice paddy fields and limestone cliffs towering from the ground – the Halong Bay on land.🌟 This place is growing fast in popularity after being featured as the location from the hit movie, Kong Skull Island. Come see it before the tourism explodes.
Ninh Binh (pronounced Ning Bing) is truly a magical avatar escape, full of towering limestone mountains, expansive caves and secret river ways. All of this awesome is located only two hours away from Vietnam’s capital of Hanoi. This peaceful little town is full of rice paddies, water buffaloes and some of the most stunning views you’ve ever seen. A trip to Ninh Binh is an absolute must if you are visiting Hanoi!
Getting to Ninh Binh:
Ninh Binh was the ancient capital of Vietnam and can easily be reached by car or train from Hanoi in around 2 hours. You’ll be immersed in an area that is known for rolling green valleys and an imposing karst landscape which will create the perfect backdrop for your holiday.
Getting to this little rural paradise is actually quite easy! From Hanoi there is a train (Ga Hanoi) that departs every day, it takes about two hours, has A/C, chargers for your phone and is only about five US dollars! When you arrive you can book your ticket back! Easy peasy.
What to do:
For being a provincial town there is actually loads of things to do that are packed with adventure and history! Here are my top picks for your weekend escape:
Trang An Boat Tour:
This little boat tour is quite impressive! You will paddle through caves, and float through some of the most breathtaking mountain scenes. For about eight USD you get a around three hours of blissful exploration. You will stop off at a number of different pagodas and temples only accessible by boat! Bring a little snack if you are prone to getting hungry, there are few options for food along the way, and as it did for us – three hours began to feel very long without a snack!
Bich Dong – A Charming Pagoda from Three Tiered Cave
Bich Dong temple was built on a limestone mountain that was formed millions of years ago and it was named in the 18th century after the beautiful white limestone which exists only in this area.
This pagoda is a great one to visit if you are short on time! There is no hike or boat required. Just bike up to where it is and walk in! It’s striking archway at the front is what draws many visitors along with the pond it sits on, which in the summer explodes in pink lotus flowers!
Bich Dong Pagoda was built by the collective and missionary works of 2 Buddhist monks: Tri Kien and Tri The. All three pagodas of Bich Dong have wooden architecture due to the architectural style of the time at the end of Le Dynasty and in the beginning of Nguyen Dynasty. They were arranged according to ascending order of the position of Bich Dong Mountain like a Chinese letter: “Tam”. Ha Pagoda (Lower Pagoda) is located at the foot of the mountain, Trung Pagoda (Middle Pagoda) is on a mountainside and Thuong Pagoda (Upper Pagoda) is situated on top of the mountain. All 3 pagodas backs leaning against the mountain.
Mua Caves Hike:
This hike up around 400 stairs will take you to the BEST view of Ninh Binh there is! Photos don’t do it justice, you will have to just experience it for yourself! There also are some caves there but meh – the hike and view take the cake!
Van Long Natural Reserve
Set amid glorious limestone pinnacles, this tranquil reserve comprises a reedy wetland that’s popular with bird-watchers. Among the bird species that have been spotted here are the rare black-faced spoonbill, cotton pygmy goose and white-browed crake. Van Long is also one of the last wild refuges of the endangered Delacour’s langur, partly because the wetlands keep predators and poachers at bay. Langurs are not easy to spot; try your luck early in the morning or in the evening.
Where to stay in Ninh Binh?
First rule is allow yourself at least 2 full days in Ninh Binh. Most travelers come here on a day trip from Hanoi which it’s a shame. You can’t even scratch the surface of how beautiful this place is in only a few hours in the most packed touristy places.Second rule is to skip staying in Ninh Binh city. I can’t understand how people come to such a nature-gifted place and stay in an uninspiring and ugly city.Instead, base yourself close to Van Long Nature Reserve and you’ll find yourself riding bicycle to explore the beautiful countryside and breathtaking scenery. I can’t describe how incredibly scenic it is – surrounded by limestone terraces, open green fields, and various waterways.
The peaceful village next to Van Long Natural Reserve might be a better location because it is near all of the activities. By far the best option in town is Emeralda Ninh Binh Resort & Spa which is located alongside the serene and stunning Van Long Nature Reserve, just a short 20 minute drive to Trang An UNESCO natural heritage and other main attractions. 🌱🌿🌾 Waking up in our Deluxe Room we were greeted with ornate carved wood panels, exposed beams high up in the arches and plenty of natural light flowing in through multiple windows. I love the King bed, gracefully placed on a large wooden platform with perfect mattress that made me sleep like on Cloud Nice. Our huge bathroom with walk in shower, twin sinks and stand alone bath tub even had a private garden complete with an outdoor shower.
Love our Deluxe Room with ornate carved wood panels and high ceiling engraved Vietnamese traditional patterns, exposed beams high up in the arches and plenty of natural light flowing in through multiple windows
The resort designer has done a great job in maintaining an ancient look and feel in the villas and houses, transforming guests back into the time of Imperial period when Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh was still Vietnam's capital.
Very lovely outdoor pool with mountain view on the backdrop...
Love cozy wooden tone interior style of all the rooms here...
Private swimming pools for each villa group...
Vietnamese traditional ancient house with yellow walls, local brick red roof, and single palm tree in the front.
The main building, the lobby reminded me of the ancient castle with high walls around of Vietnam mornach back in time...
Our Deluxe Room was spacious with large bathroom, a private terrace where we can stretch out on a comfortable armchair and sip a cup of tea among nature. There are large outdoor pool and also indoor pool available although we had a great smaller pool close by with nobody else there. What a peaceful and comfortable place for relax, chill, and just enjoy the gardens, pools (amazing indoor heated one for the winter), sunbathing and just DO-NOTHING. I'm particularly in love with the huge bathroom with outdoor shower in the garden at the backyard. They have done a great job in bringing the nature and Vietnam traditional style into the interior design with wooden carved ceiling, wooden ceiling fan, local tiles that bring the cool touch on the floor.
This vast resort was a pleasant surprise. Once you get use to the maze of pathways to your villa and find your way to the pool and spa and restaurant it’s a fantastic place to be. The beauty of this resort is that the villas and rooms are all single story and well spread out so you can’t see or hear others. The rooms are very generous. We treated ourselves to a massage which was good after a long ride in bus. The Organic restaurant was also at a very good standard as were the staffs, they were very friendly and professional. As a noodle lover, I always chose Vietnamese "Pho" for my breakfast/lunch/dinner and was very satisfied with Vietnamese beef "Pho" served at Organic Restaurant.
The broth was perfect, very pleasant to taste with umami and richness of the beef, as well as the meat was very tender with soft noodles. What I liked that they served Pho with abundance of local herbs and vegetables, so healthy as the name of the restaurant suggests: "Organic"! 🥒🌽🍓
When we woke up, the only sound we heard was the song of the birds chirping around in the garden. What an oasis of calm in the first imperial capital of Vietnam, Ninh Binh; perhaps the most historic province in northern Vietnam. It's only 90 kilometres from Hanoi’s centre so it's a perfect weekend getaway retreat for family and couples as well as travellers who seek things to do around Hanoi.
EMERALDA RESORT NINH BINH
Address: Van Long Reserve, Gia Van Commune,Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province, Vietnam
Hotline: +84 968 699 690
Tel: +84 2293 658 333
Fax:+84 2293 658 223
Email: info@emeraldaresort.com
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