Ninh Binh

Food & Drink

• Bãi sỏi Hoa Lư – a little lakeside restaurant on the ride from Hoa Lu to Trang An
• Chookie's Beer Garden – Western-style dining in a nice setting (Tam Coc)
• Tiki Bar Big Garden – lively open-air bar with ping pong, darts, games, and music, right next to Chookie's (Tam Coc)
• A local Vietnamese spot on the corner next to Trang An Skyline Pub, where I ate three times (Trang An)

Sights

• Dragon Hill – a popular viewpoint hike with several hundred stairs and breathtaking views
• Chua Ky Lan – a beautiful lake and temple complex with a walking street, near the bus stop into and out of Ninh Binh

Experiences

• Trang An boat tour – a paddle boat through the mountains, rivers, and lakes
• Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, Vietnam's capital dating back to the 10th century (a guided tour would have helped)
• Renting a motorbike or pedal bike to explore the landscapes and national parks at your own pace

Getting Around

• Rent a motorbike or bicycle — it's the best way to see this area, which is touristed but not crowded like Hanoi

Travel Tips

• Visit near the end of February if you can, when the surrounding rice fields turn a stunning green before harvest
• Slow down here — it's a great place to take a break from the pace of bigger cities
• If you get sick on the road (it happens), this is a fine place to hole up and recover

Overall Review

A relaxed, scenic region of Vietnam, with towering rock ‘mountain’ formations rising out of the ground and beautiful river valleys on the flat ground below — think Ha Long Bay, but on land. The towns of Tam Coc and Trang An are surrounded by endless rice fields that, near harvest season at the end of February, turn into a stunning green spectacle. I spent 6 days here, 3 of which I was extremely sick for, and I still don't regret a minute of it. 3 days is enough to take in the beauty and sights the area is known for, but you could stay any length of time and leave satisfied. I recommend renting a motorbike or pedal bike to get a real feel for the area.