Hanoi To Ninh Binh Day Trip + 1-3 Days Itinerary

Lesser-known that bustling Hanoi, quaint Hoi An and historic Ho Chi Minh, enter picturesque Ninh Binh! In this guide, I’ll share how to take a Ninh Binh day trip from Hanoi and everything to do in this beautiful region of Vietnam.

My recent trip was my second and I enjoyed it just as much this time. Although the city is nothing to speak of, its surrounded by beautiful countryside and limestone peaks. Exploring the breathtaking region is easily one of the best things to do in Southeast Asia!

You could spend between one day and three exploring the area.

How to take a Hanoi to Ninh Binh day trip

Just under two hours’ drive from Hanoi, you can choose to visit Ninh Binh as an organised return day trip or do it yourself.

Ninh Binh day tours

Self-travel to Ninh Binh

Ninh Binh is well placed on the Southeast Asia backpacking route. If you’re travelling north through Vietnam, you can visit Ninh Binh en route to Hanoi, and if you’re travelling south, you can visit before Phong Nha, Hue or Hoi An.

Local buses start at $5. You can do a Hanoi to Ninh Binh day trip by bus but you’d leave early and return late so, if visiting without a tour, consider staying over. There are plenty of accommodation options in Ninh Binh including hotels and hostels.

How to get around Ninh Binh

All the key things to do in Ninh Binh are spread across the countryside. If you are visiting independently, you can either hire a scooter or go on the back of a guide’s.

If you opt for the latter, they’ll likely have some ideas for a set route but you can also tell them what you’d like to do.

Best to visit during a Ninh Binh day trip

Let’s get stuck into the attractions and how to see them during a day trip. Assuming you have one day in Ninh Binh, I would suggest…

Ninh Binh day tours call at Tam Coc, the most iconic place in the region. The distinctive cliffs that jut up out of the countryside are often called ‘Ha Long Bay on land’ and are synonymous with the region.

When you arrive at Tam Coc, a fleet of boats will be ready to take you on a 1.5-hour expedition along the waterways and through a series of caves.

Entrance fee: 120,000 VND National Park fee per person and 150,000 VND per boat (up to 2 foreigners per boat).

Top tip: Pair up in the boats to save money and split the 150,000 VND. If you’re travelling solo, hang around at the entrance for a few minutes and you’re bound to find someone to share.

Got extra days in Ninh Binh?

After your day trip to Ninh Binh, why not stay overnight to see more of the region? With an extra day, you can see more of the countryside as well as some impressive temples.

Day 2 morning – Trang An

If you search for things to do in Ninh Binh, you might see Trang An mentioned. This is known as the Tam Coc alternative as it’s slightly lesser-visited, only declared a UNESCO site in 2014. It’s another place to row through the craggy cliffs.

If you just have 1 day to see Ninh Binh, consider taking a Trang An tour rather than the Tam Coc alternative.

The biggest pagoda in Vietnam is a 30-minute drive from Ninh Binh centre. Don’t expect an ancient temple (it was built in 2003) but do expect some impressive monuments, Buddha statues and a giant bell tower.

Entrance fee: 30,000 VND plus parking.

Hoa Lu

Unlike the new and shiny Bai Dinh, this ancient site dates back to the 11th century. It was the ancient capital of the Dinh and Le dynasties but now it’s fairly crumbled. It’s not the most impressive temple but if you hire a tour guide to show you around, you’ll pick up some facts about its rich history.

Entrance fee: 20,000 VND.

When I visited Ninh Binh in 2015 I visited Cuc Phuong National Park which is 45km from Ninh Binh.

Here you can do some trekking in the forest and see the 1,000-year-old tree. I wouldn’t say this was the highlight of Ninh Binh for me but it was a nice day trip and worth it alone for the views of the countryside and rice paddies along the way.

The drive from Ninh Binh to the park is 1 hour 45 minutes. Hire a scooter (usually 100,000 VND for the day) or a scooter driver for around 250,000 VND.

If you have time, finish your Hanoi to Ninh Binh day trip with a hearty meal. Pictured above is an amazing spread of bahn xeo (Vietnamese omelette with beansprouts) and fresh spring rolls with pork and veg which we rolled ourselves. We paid 30,000 VND including drinks! I forget the name of the restaurant but you’ll find similar ones everywhere.

If you’re craving a Western feed, Chookie’s is where it’s at. Main dish prices are about 100,000 VND and you can get oozy bacon cheeseburgers or healthy food like avocado and falafel salad. We all need a pho break sometimes, right?!