Best things to do in Ninh Binh for 3 days

Just 3 days things to do in Ninh Binh. You can totally discover the historical land possessing tourist attractions and famous grottoes. The below is the suggested itinerary.

Cuc Phuong National Park for the first day – Things to do in Ninh Binh

The first things to do in Ninh Binh is the full day activities include staying overnight and camping in the forest. The place looks like a large natural museum housing the most diversity of flora and fauna on karstic mountains in Vietnam. Coming to Cuc Phuong, tourists have a chance to contemplate century-old trees. Especially species of plants and valuable birds dating back to the Tertiary –  the third period.

05:00 AM: depart from Hanoi heading for Cuc Phuong. Bus ticket: VND 60,000 – 80,000/ person.

Set off the journey getting insight the forest of high trees, caves and century-old trees.

Firstly, you visit the Cave of Prehistoric Man is a precious heritage of Cuc Phuong. In there, prehistoric people lived and laid to rest 7,000-12, 5000 years ago.

And then, you walk 2 km from the Cave of Prehistoric Man is Dang tree – the ancient tree up to 45 m in height and 5 m in diameter.

Finally, you see the giant Cho tree can be embraced by more than 20 people.

Thousand-years old Cho giant tree

Even more, there are other options for your excursion in the forest of high trees: Cuc Phuong Botanical Garden, Cuc Phuong tourist centre, Cuc Phuong Endanger Primate Rescue Centre, Muong ethnic commune, the summit of Silver Cloud Mountain, Yen Quang Lake, Pho Ma Cave, etc.

Visit the museum of rare and valuable animals

Not only a preserve and scientific research centre. But also Cuc Phuong Endangered Primate Rescue Centre is an ideal destination for nature lovers observing activities. Especially special traits of each primate and collecting useful knowledge. As the result, the centre is home to about 160 creatures from 15 species of gibbon, langur and loris.

18.30: dinner at restaurant in Cuc Phuong forest.

19.00: join night activities in the forest.

Additionally, coming to Cuc Phuong National Park, you can choose one of three areas to stay: the crowded garden gate, Mac Lake and wildlife centre.

Note: In wet season, you are easily exposed to insects like a kind of jungle mosquito at Cuc Phuong. Hence, you should apply DEP ointment to the sensitive parts like head, back of the neck, collar, wrist, shin and waist. The smell of burning from DEP ointment frightens these mosquitoes.

Sightseeing ticket for Cuc Phuong National Park: VND 60,000/ person ~ 2.6 USD/person.

Hoa Lu Citadel – Bai Dinh Pagoda – Trang An Grottos for the second day – Things to do in Ninh Binh

06:30 AM: 20 km drive from Cuc Phuong to Hoa Lu

Originally, Hoa Lu Ancient Capital attached to three imperial dynasties of Vietnam (Dinh – Le – Ly) as a sacred land of Vietnamese celebrity. In 968, the local warlord Dinh Bo Linh ascended to the throne, and established the first centralized feudal state of Vietnam and its capital was Hoa Lu. Therefore, few vestiges of palaces, temples, pagoda, tombs, etc remain to this day.

Hoa Lu Ancient Capital

Located Truong Yen Village, Hoa Lu rural district are two temples worshipping King Dinh and King Le at 500-metre intervals. In there, you can learn about the history of Dinh and Le monarchs. Additionally, some of beautiful pagodas are still in existence like Ngan Xuyen Pagoda (near the foot of Ma Yen Mountain) and Nhat Tru Pagoda (200 metres apart from the Temple of King Le).

Sightseeing ticket for Hoa Lu Ancient Capital Complex:  VND 20,000/ adult, VND 5,000/ child

Enjoy landscapes of Bai Dinh Pagoda on electric cars.

As we know, this is the complex of Buddhist temples set more records for the owner of the largest pagoda area. Consequently, the biggest bronze Budha statues, the largest number of Arhat statues and Bodhi trees, etc.

500 Arhat stautes are made of monolithic white-stone. Each one engraved lively by artisans has a unique face.

Therefore, Bai Dinh Pagoda has lots of Buddhist temples located on high mountains and far away from each others, the best way to visit is using electric cars.

Ticket for electric car: VND 30,000/ person.

11.30 AM: taste Ninh Binh scorched rice (elderberry)

Don’t leave out a dish of scorched rice or goat meat – the rustic dainties of this land. The moreish scorched rice must go with rich sauce made of beef or pig’s heart, kidney frying with onion, carrot and tomato. You can eat it on the road or near the tourist area.

Sightseeing tour of Trang An on boat

First of all, it takes about 25 minutes to drive from Hoa Lu to Trang An tourist area.

Respectively, exploring caves and feeling the fresh and tranquil ambiance of scenery while sitting on a boat downstream the emerald water will become your treasured memories. The journey through nine amazing and unique caves like Sang (Bright) Cave, Seo Cave, Toi (Dark) Cave or Nau Ruoi (Wine-brewing) Cave… is very impressive. On the way, travelers will visit mysterious temples and shrines or sanctuaries covered by mountain breeze and thick cloud.

Visit Trang An Complex by boat

16.00: have dinner, take a rest

Kenh Ga hot spring – Phat Diem Cathedral and back to Hanoi is things to do in Ninh Binh for the third day

Kenh Ga Hot Spring

7.00 AM: From Trang An, go to Kenh Ga (chicken canal) pier. There, you buy a boat-ticket cruising along Hoang Long river and 15 minutes later you reach Kenh Ga Floating Village. Hence, you will have a whole morning soaking in natural water of hot springs.

Duration: about 4 hours. Boat ticket: VND 25,000; bathing ticket: VND 170,000/ person

Phat Diem stone church

Locally, Kim Son parish with beautiful scenery and stone church – the quintesence of nature has long attract tourists all over the world, especially the god-fearing.

28 km to Southeast of Ninh Binh City, Phat Diem stone cathedral, an original masterpiece, is a cross between the West and Orient. Erected a decade ago, the entire church was built of large cubic meter of stone and uniquely incredible shapes were engraved inside.

On another way ,you can change your schedule visiting the stone church on Sunday to attend the mass at 9.30 weekly. Sightseeing and photographing duration is about 3 hours. Have lunch with floating cake, Kim Son fish snake eel salad and take a rest near the stone church.

At the time departing for Hanoi, you can take a trip around Ninh Binh city to buy something and taste sidewalk dainties at night.

19.00: come back to Hanoi