Things to do in Tam Coc, Ninh Binh: 5 fun activities
Ninh Binh was our favourite place to visit in Northern Vietnam. It is a beautiful natural area filled with limestone karsts, temples, rice fields and charming rivers. If you love nature, you are definitely going to have an amazing time here.
How to get to Tam Coc, Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh is easy to reach from Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. It is located just under 100 kilometres away, meaning the journey usually takes around two to three hours. The exact travel time depends on traffic and your chosen mode of transport. We booked a comfortable minivan transfer from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, which dropped us off directly at our hotel. It cost us €13 per person and included drinking water and Wi-Fi on board. Ideal!
Where to stay in Ninh Binh
The moment we arrived in Ninh Binh, we were amazed by the scenery. We stayed at a beautiful hotel in Tam Coc, surrounded by mountains. The rooftop restaurant offered incredible views of the area. We also found Tam Coc to be the best place to stay in Ninh Binh. It is a charming little town with plenty of lovely hotels and restaurants, without feeling too crowded.
How many days do you need in Ninh Binh?
We spent three full days in Tam Coc and Ninh Binh, which gave us enough time to visit several beautiful places. However, if you would like to explore more of the surrounding area or prefer to take things at a slower pace, five days is the perfect amount of time to spend in Ninh Binh.
Rent a scooter and explore the area
The first thing we did was rent a scooter through our hotel. This allowed us to visit the sights in Ninh Binh and the surrounding area independently. Although traffic in Vietnam can be chaotic, Ninh Binh is much quieter. As long as you ride carefully, it is a great place to explore by scooter. Having our own transport also gave us the freedom to search for the most beautiful mountain viewpoints in the area.
Renting a scooter is easy. Most hotels know a local rental company, and the scooter can often be delivered directly to your accommodation. We rented ours for our entire stay in Ninh Binh, and it only cost us a few euros per day. Petrol stations are quite rare in this area. However, you will often see bottles of petrol for sale at small shops along the road. The shop owner will usually pour the petrol into your scooter for you.
Of course, you can also rent a bicycle if you would rather not ride a scooter. We visited Ninh Binh in July, when the weather was extremely hot and humid. The breeze while riding the scooter was very welcome and helped us cool down every now and then.
Take a boat trip through Tam Coc
Because we were staying in Tam Coc, we decided to take a boat trip along the Tam Coc River the following day. The journey takes you along the river, past countless rice fields and impressive limestone karsts. We had a small boat to ourselves, along with a very friendly guide who rowed us along the river for almost two hours. The route follows one long, straight stretch of river. About halfway through, the boat turns around and travels back along the same route. Along the way, we passed a floating shop where we bought some snacks for ourselves and our guide. To thank us, he took us to a viewpoint on the way back. We had to climb several ladders attached to the mountainside, but our efforts were rewarded with a beautiful view of the river and surrounding rice fields.
One of the most unusual things about this boat trip is that the guides do not row with their hands. Instead, they use their feet. It is quite a sight to see!
Take a Trang An boat trip
The next day, we rode our scooter to Trang An to take another boat trip. Many people choose between the Tam Coc and Trang An boat tours, but we really enjoyed both. We were very glad that we made the effort to visit Trang An as well. The scooter ride from Tam Coc to Trang An takes around 20 minutes, making it an easy day trip.
Tam Coc or Trang An: which is better?
The Trang An boat trip is quite different from the boat tour in Tam Coc. First of all, the Trang An tour takes a little longer. The boats are also larger, so you share them with several other visitors. However, you stop at a number of places along the way, which was one of our favourite parts of the experience. We travelled through caves and stopped at beautiful pagodas. The landscape is slightly different too. In Tam Coc, you mainly travel past rice fields, while in Trang An, the route takes you much closer to the mountains. Parts of the movie Kong: Skull Island were filmed in this area, so we recognised several of the locations.
In short, both boat trips are enjoyable and definitely worth doing if you have enough time in Ninh Binh.
Visit Bich Dong Pagoda
Bich Dong Pagoda is one of the best-known pagodas in the area, making it a must-see during your visit. This beautiful temple complex is built against a mountainside and is reached by crossing a small bridge over the water. Once inside, you can climb to the different levels and enjoy lovely views of the surrounding landscape.
Climb to the Hang Mua viewpoint
Hang Mua, also known as Mua Cave, is an incredible viewpoint that can be reached by climbing around 500 steps. We set off as early as possible to avoid the heat and the crowds. Even so, we found the climb quite challenging because it was already very hot and humid. Make sure you bring plenty of water, sunscreen and some snacks.
About halfway up, the path splits into two routes, each leading to a different viewpoint. We chose the path leading to the viewpoint with the large stone dragon. From here, we had a beautiful view of the Tam Coc River and the surrounding rice fields. We could also see the other viewpoint on the opposite peak.
