Ninh Binh is a fascinating place and lies about 100km southeast of Hanoi. Apart from stunning scenery, you can also get a glimpse of Vietnam’s rural side. Hundreds of limestones emerge from the ground and are scattered across the rice paddies. This is the reason why the area is also called HaLong Bay on land. It looks just like HaLong Bay but on land instead of water.
Ninh Binh is one of those places you absolutely need to get your own motorbike/bicycles. Otherwise you’ll miss out tremendously. Since I feel quite anxious about driving a motorbike in Asia, I took a bicycle and made my way through the rice paddies. It’s simply the best way to explore your surroundings. Vietnamese can be quite crazy on the road and you’ll certainly hear a lot of people beeping the horn – Don’t worry; you are not doing anything wrong. They seem to just like to announce their presence to everyone else on the road.
Take a boat tour in Trang An
Trang An is a complex of mountains and caves which you can only get to by water. The area is home to delacour’s langur, a critically endangered species of monkey. We were lucky enough to see two of those monkeys, who are considered to be one of the world’s most endangered species. Unfortunately, I was not quick enough to take a picture of them. Speaking of monkeys, this is also the place where the movie “Kong: Skull Island” was shot.
Climb up Mua Cave
In the middle of rice paddies is the Mua Cave from where you have an elevated view of the surrounding limestone mountains, rice fields and rivers. After a steep climb of around 500 quite uneven steps, you are rewarded with an unforgettable view and the opportunity to take amazing shots for your photo albums (If you are old-fashioned, like me, and still create them after your travels) Make sure you bring enough water and your camera.
