Ninh Binh
Vietnam
In the north of Vietnam, 90 kilometers south of the city of Hanoi, we find the province of Ninh Binh. Situated in the Red River Delta, Ninh Binh is a favourite spot for tourists visiting Vietnam, largely due to Tam Coc, known as Halong Bay on land. However, Ninh Binh has much more to offer visitors.
What can you see in Ninh Binh? The province of Ninh Binh (and also the city of Ninh Binh) has many sights to see, the highlight being Tam Coc, Bich Dong, Trang An, Thung Nang, Phat Diem, Hoa Lu, Bai Dinh Pagoda, Dinh Temple, Le Temple and Cuc Phuong Natural Park.
Tam Coc is the most famous part of Ninh Binh. It's a natural spot, which the Vietnamese refer to as Halong Bay on land, located 7 kilometers west of the city where we can take a rowing boat (known as a sampan) along the Ngo Dong river, which winds its way through rice paddies, rock formations and caves.
More information about Tam Coc.
Close to the caves of Tam Coc, we find the area of Bich Dong, where a pagoda from the year 1428 still stands, built into the mountain.
Almost as impressive as Tam Coc but less crowded with tourists, we have the natural eco-park Trang An, very close to the ancient capital Hoa Lu. Trang An is a site of 1400 square kilometers of crystal clear waters, vegetation, wildlife, temples, caves and grottoes.
The Trang An walk, very similar to Tam Coc, offers a spectacular stop at the Trinh, Tran and Khong temples, temples that date back to Vietnam's Tran dynasty.
In Kim Son Village, 29 kilometers from Ninh Binh, we find Phat Diem Cathedral. Constructed at the end of the 19th century, the cathedral, built of wood and stone, took 29 years to complete.
Phat Diem is one of the most important Catholic cathedrals in Vietnam and is considered one of the masterpieces of Sino-Vietnamese architecture. Although most of the buildings and chapels are closed to the public, the area around Phat Diem is beautiful, as it is surrounded by an ornamental lake, presided over by a statue of Jesus Christ with open arms that rises in the middle of an artificial island in the centre of the lake. Entry to Phat Diem is free and it is open from 7:00 to 17:30 without interruption.
In the province of Ninh Binh we find Hoa Lu, the citadel and the ancient capital of Vietnam from the tenth century, established by the kings Dinh and Le. Both kings are considered heroes in Vietnam and founders of cities such as Hanoi, where we find a statue in their honour next to Hoan Kiem Lake. In Hoa Lu, three Vietnamese dynasties were united: the Dinh dynasty, the Le dynasty and the Ly dynasty, temples, pagodas, relics, weapons and ceramics form part of the ancestral capital Hoa Lu.
Today, Hoa Lu, with 14 square kilometers, has largely been reduced to dust and ashes, with the temples dedicated to King Ding, King Le Temple and Bai Dinh pagoda being the only structures in good condition.
The citadel of Hoa Lu rises at the foot of the Ma Yen mountains, from where we have a privileged view of the ancient capital and the Le and Dinh Temples.
