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Ninh Binh Highlights Tour: Full-day Exploration of Northern Vietnamese Countryside from Hanoi
4.7
14 Ratings
Hoàn Kiếm
Escape busy Hanoi for a day and immerse yourself in the beautiful Northern Vietnamese countryside. Visit Bai Dinh Pagoda and explore the stunning karst mountain landscapes of Trang An. A must-do tour for nature and culture lovers!
Escape busy Hanoi for a day and immerse yourself in the beautiful Northern Vietnamese countryside. Visit Bai Dinh Pagoda and explore the stunning karst mountain landscapes of Trang An. A must-do tour for nature and culture lovers!
Duration:
12 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Old Quarter - 1- Guests are picked up exclusively from the Hanoi Old Quarter Area or the Hanoi Opera House if they are outside this area. 2- The journey from the Hanoi Old Quarter to Ninh Binh takes approximately 2 to 2.5 hours, including a short break along the way.
- Bai Dinh Pagoda - FOR GUESTS WHO BOOK A TOUR INCLUDING BAI DINH PAGODA:…
- Old Quarter - 1- Guests are picked up exclusively from the Hanoi Old Quarter Area or the Hanoi Opera House if they are outside this area. 2- The journey from the Hanoi Old Quarter to Ninh Binh takes approximately 2 to 2.5 hours, including a short break along the way.
- Bai Dinh Pagoda - FOR GUESTS WHO BOOK A TOUR INCLUDING BAI DINH PAGODA: Guests will visit Bai Dinh Pagoda, the largest pagoda in Vietnam, featuring 500 La Han statues and the largest bronze Buddha statue in Vietnam, standing 10 meters tall and weighing 100 tons. Guests will take an electric car from the parking area to the Tam Quan Gate (main gate) and then walk with the tour guide to explore the pagoda and learn more about Buddhism.
- Trang An Grottoes - FOR GUESTS WHO BOOK A TOUR INCLUDING TRANG AN: Guests will visit Trang An, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2014. Trang An boasts a stunning tunnel cave system, which was chosen by the Kong Movie Group for the 2016 film “Skull Island.” The two-hour boat trip will captivate guests with its beauty.
- Hoa Lu Ancient Capital - FOR GUESTS WHO BOOK A TOUR INCLUDING HOA LU: Guests will visit Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam. They will explore the Dinh King temple and Le King temple from the 10th century, learning about the heroic histories of these two kings during the Chinese Wars.
- Tam Coc - FOR GUESTS WHO BOOK A TOUR INCLUDING TAM COC: Guests will visit Tam Coc, where they will take a sampan along the Ngo Dong River to explore three different caves. A biking tour around the Tam Coc area will follow, allowing guests to see the countryside village (approximately 30-45 minutes).
- Mua Caves - FOR GUESTS WHO BOOK A TOUR INCLUDING MUA CAVE: Guests will visit Mua Cave (Dancing Cave), where they can climb nearly 500 steps to reach the top of Lying Dragon Mountain and enjoy a breathtaking panoramic view of Tam Coc.
- Old Quarter - At the end of the day, guests will bid farewell to Ninh Binh and board the bus for a 2.5-hour drive back to Hanoi, where they will be dropped off at their hotels or accommodations in the Hanoi Old Quarter Area. The tour concludes here.
What's Included
- Buffet Lunch Meal, Speaking Tour Guide & Entrance Fees as program
- Transfer by Limousine Bus with Pick Up/Drop Off in Old Quarter Area Only
- Hike to Mua Cave top to see whole view of local area (If guests book tour included)
- Visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital (If guests book tour included)
- Electric car at Bai Dinh pagoda for main route (If guests book…
- Buffet Lunch Meal, Speaking Tour Guide & Entrance Fees as program
- Transfer by Limousine Bus with Pick Up/Drop Off in Old Quarter Area Only
- Hike to Mua Cave top to see whole view of local area (If guests book tour included)
- Visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital (If guests book tour included)
- Electric car at Bai Dinh pagoda for main route (If guests book tour included)
- Boat Trip at Trang An Cave Complex (If guests book tour included)
- Bottled water on roundtrip transfer
- Bike and Boat Trip at Tam Coc (If guests book tour included)
What's Not Included
- Beverages, Personal Expenses AND Tips for Guide/Driver/Local Service
- Holiday Surcharge
- Beverages, Personal Expenses AND Tips for Guide/Driver/Local Service
- Holiday Surcharge
Additional Information
For those seeking a day trip away from the hustle and bustle of Hanoi, this group tour offers a perfect escape to the serene and authentic countryside villages. This private tour will guide you through renowned sites in the Ninh Binh Gateway, providing enriching experiences such as visiting Bai Dinh Pagoda, the largest pagoda in Vietnam, exploring Trang…
For those seeking a day trip away from the hustle and bustle of Hanoi, this group tour offers a perfect escape to the serene and authentic countryside villages. This private tour will guide you through renowned sites in the Ninh Binh Gateway, providing enriching experiences such as visiting Bai Dinh Pagoda, the largest pagoda in Vietnam, exploring Trang An Eco with a boat trip, and hiking up Mua Cave for a panoramic view of the local area. Additionally, explore the ancient capital of Hoa Lu and enjoy a nearly two-hour boat journey along the Ngo Dong River to visit Tam Coc, known as the Three Caves.
Location
Hanoi Opera House
Tràng Tiền
If you stay outside of OlD QUARTER AREA, please come to Hanoi Opera House for pick up point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(14 Ratings)
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Linda_s
Apr 19, 2026
Ninh Binh - Not to be missed. - What a great day! For those who like to be active there was hiking, biking and paddling. If you prefer a quieter day this trip allows a full day where you can appreciate nature in all its splendour. Everything from rice paddies, to rivers and mountains. Highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Merryl_b
Apr 14, 2026
Great tour and activities - Great tour and a lot of activities! Really enjoyed it, Arthur our tour guide is also lovely and knowledgeable! Managed to learn a bit of history of nhin bhin :)
Review provided by Viator
Marke_w
Jan 19, 2026
A beautiful day in Ninh Binh - The day before the trip the guide (Harvey) contacted me to confirm all of my details and the details of the trip.
They (Harvey and Mike the driver) picked me up on time from the designated location.
Harvey described the day’s itinerary as we set off and at each site he gave us a history, answered questions, gave us ample time to take photos and a time and meeting point to reconvene. He made sure we were all well taken care of and checked on us throughout to make sure we were enjoying ourselves and comfortable
His English was perfect and he got to know us while Mike got us to each destination safely.
Review provided by Viator
Thanhh991
Sep 25, 2025
Amazing day trip! But can be HOT - Although it was quite a hot the day I attended, it was this trip was amazing. There are many variations of a Ninh Binh full day tour so it is recommended to review the itineraries available to book your tour. I selected the Pagoda, Trang An, and Mua Cave. The Pagoda was really cool if you like temples and architecture. Trang An boat tour is a MUST! its 3 hours of boating so it could be repetitive but the views were AMAZING! It was a hot day so the water was not as refreshing. Bless all the boater who was carrying our weight for the WHOLE 3 hours. Make sure to tip after (not required but honestly they deserved it!). They also provide an umbrella to cover yourself on sunny days which was very nice. The Mua Cave aka the 500 step hike. IT WAS A HIKE! the stairs are steep and adding to the struggle is the heat, its a struggle. Once you get up there, it was quite crowded and we were too tired to try to take a picture with the dragon. I think I would enjoy it so much more if it was not terribly hot. If I could, I would love to stay a night in town as i seen many night view photos of Ninh Binh.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sasha
Sep 12, 2025
Great vibes start to finish - Kenny our tour guide was great, he was funny and kept us well informed on arrival times and the plan with the day. All locations were well timed and planned in a way we saw all the best parts.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Grandtour19063181189
May 24, 2025
Great Ninh Binh Day trip! - Ninh Binh was such a beautiful place! I would definitely recommend this tour if you can only do a day trip to Ninh Binh. The boat ride was stunning and the Dam sen hang mua view point and surrounding area was picturesque!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Nicolas
Jan 30, 2025
Great tour - I enjoyed this tour a lot. Jenny was an amazing guide, enthusiastic, knowledgeable, cute and fun. Overall great value for money.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Alwaysunderway
Apr 14, 2026
Attractive area for a day trip - The tour was fine. The scenery at Tam Coc is pretty on the river - it's about a 1.5 hour river trip on small metal boats each rowed by a Vietnamese person. The hill we climbed was called Mua Cave (bit confusing) and the view from the top (about 500 steps on one side) was very good - although the air pollution in the general area is extreme, as it is in Hanoi.
I went on a Sunday. We were told in the bus by the guide that Sunday is very busy on the roads, so we may be a couple of hours late back to Hanoi. In fact, we were late back. This should be in the written information before booking, as it may make a difference to people - no point in telling people already in the bus!
The tour included a lunch. I had done Ninh Binh tours before, but booked them locally, rather than online as I booked this one, but I think a lot of them just join together anyway. The lunch was pretty average. You buy your own drinks, if required, including water. The venue could offer fruit platters, as there is so much lovely fresh fruit in Vietnam, but the only fruit for dessert was mango, and there wasn't much more for dessert. Bit disappointing. I recall I thought similar the times before.
There is nothing much to see on the way, but the destination area is attractive. I think the Trang An option in these tours is better than the Tam Coc one. I have done both more than once.
There is a general acceptance that a tip will be paid to the boat rower, bus driver and guide. These are listed as not included.
It would be done better at a cooler time of year. Early April is already about 37 degrees with high humidity - which is a bit much for 500 stone steps, for some people!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Global608154
Jan 22, 2026
Excellent day out - Guide Arthur and driver Tien were fantastic. We toured in a impeccable, brand-new minibus through interesting sites both historical and nature. The lunch provided was adequate but not very appealing.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Anne_m
Nov 15, 2025
Disappointing - Too packed and rushed day. With a guide speaking poor English that nobody could
understand !!!!!!!!!
Review provided by Viator
