Discovery

Ecological Sights Historic Sights

1) Trang An Eco-tourism Complex 1) Hoa Lu Ancient Capital

2) Tam Coc – Bich Dong 2) Bai Dinh Pagoda

3) Cuc Phuong National Park 3) Phat Diem Stone Cathedral

4) Van Long Natural Reserve 4) But Moc Cave

5) Kenh Ga Floating Village 5) Dich Long Pagoda

6) Van Trinh Cavern

7) Dong Giao Farm

Traditional Handicraft Villages

1) Ninh Van Stone Carving Village

2) My Ha Pottery Village

3) Van Lam Embroidery Village

4) Kim Son Sea-grass Fine Craft Village

5) Trinh Phu Leaf Conical Hat Working Village

Ecological Sights

Trang An Eco-tourism Complex is a potential destination in Ninh Binh. Covering an area of 1,961 hectares, Trang An belongs to the mass of Attraction Relic of Hoa Lu Ancient Capital and includes three main functional subdivisions: Center area for welcoming visitors and festival organization; tourist area of Grottoes with 48 grottoes and caves together 31 large and small valleys; and hallowed cultural area of Bai Dinh Pagoda. The whole complex has 47 historical relics and nearly 100 grottoes stretching around 20km South – North.

Tam Coc – Bich Dong is a very popular and attractive tourist spot community, which is known as ecotourism, culture, history, festivals, spirit, etc. Tam Coc – Bich Dong travel area is 100km of distance to the South from Hanoi, within the scope of Ninh Hai region, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province. There is still natural original feature here, with natural and simple beauty of the country, with many caves, which bring man to be sunk in nature with many historical monuments, culture, which are well known such as Thai Vi temple, Bich Dong pagoda, Tam Coc cave, Tien cave, Linh Coc pagoda.

Cuc Phuong National Park is located 100km south of Hanoi in Ninh Binh and it is on the borders of three provinces of Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa. Cuc Phuong National Park is surrounded by several limestone cliffs, the highest is May Bac, meaning "silver cloud peak," with a height of 656m. The best time to visit Cuc Phuong National Park is during the dry season, from December to April. When the hard forest rain accounting for 90% of the annual rainfall is over. The park is conveniently located on the route to several tourist attractions, including Bich Dong Pagoda, Hoa Lu, and Sam Son Beach. It was officially opened in 1962 as the first national park in Vietnam.

Van Long Nature Reserve is known as the "Preserved Nature Area" of Ninh Binh, it offers wonderful views of landscapes and rural life. Compared to Tam Coc - the used-to favorite site, Van Long is much more primitive and completely untouched. River, mountains, grottos, rice paddies, old houses, friendly locals, tiny-bamboo boat riding, ect., all contribute to make Van Long a must-see for the connoisseurs of traveling. Tourists who come to admire the reserve will have the opportunity to view rich flora and fauna within the most bio-diversified wetland in Vietnam, according to research by national and international scientists.

Set on the banks of the Hoang Long River, Kenh Ga Floating Village is a remarkable place, not only because it is surrounded by the same massive rocks that dominate Hoa Lu, but also because for most of the year the entire community lives on the water itself. The floating village of Kenh Ga receives relatively few visitors compared to nearby Hoa Lu and the peoples" aquatic way of life has changed little over the centuries. The area is known as one of the most rural area in the Red River Delta. It offers a combination of unrigged countryside landscapes, traditional rural lifestyle and well-known friendly local folk. Touring the area would be really relaxing and fascinating as you are seating in a rowed-by-feet boat with scenes of people fishing, children rowing boats to school, simple houses clinging to limestone cliffs, etc. along the canal.

Historic sights

Hoa Lu is the legendary ancient capital of Viet Nam. The old capital was built more than 10 centuries ago under the reign of Dinh Dynasty and Le Dynasty. It was its capital for just 41 years (968-1009). The capital then was moved to Thang Long under the Ly Dynasty (1010). With the size of 3000ha, Hoa Lu is protected by a natural wall with surrounding Trang An limestone mountains and Hoang Long river. The combination between mountains and rivers make Hoa Lu surroundings very picturesque. Hoa Lu is famous for the number of palaces, pagodas, tombs and pavilions that were built by different dynasties. Bao Thien Tue Palace that was plated with gold and silver is very popular with its architecture. There were also two famous temples that were built in the 11th century to dedicate King Dinh Tien Hoang and his successor Le Dai Hanh

Bai Dinh Pagoda is famous for its great size and imposingness. The pagoda will be also set more record for the owner of the most Arhat Statues in ASEAN with 500 Arhat statues made of stone and stand higher than human’s head. Its back leans against the Bai Dinh Mountain with the height of 200m. The area for constructing Ba Dinh Pagoda is 80ha, which is located on the mass of “Bai Dinh Pagoda hallowed culture” belonging to Trang An Tourism Area. Currently, this mass is executing many items of Pagoda including Tam The (Past, Present and Future) Temple, Sanctuary and Bodhisattva Kwan Yin statue, Dharma Temple, Bell-tower, Three-door temple gate, and dormitory area for Buddhist monks, etc.

Phat Diem Cathedral is was built between 1875 and 1899 with four roofs and six sets of iron wooden pillars and consists of a network of ponds, lakes, churches, and artificial caves. On both sides of the church are four smaller churches of different styles. Phuong Dinh Church, part of the Phat Diem complex, is a giant building entirely made of stone. Numerous stone sculptures are on the inside and outside walls. A large bell cast in the 1890s weighing nearly 2 tons is found in the bell tower. On the extreme north corner are three stone caves. The most beautiful of these caves is Lo Duc Grotto. Unlike these structures, built by Europeans and resembling typical churches of the era, Phat Diem Cathedral was designed by a Vietnamese priest, known as Father Sau.