Ninh Binh Tour

MUA CAVE

Mua Cave is 100km away from Hanoi center, 10km away from Ninh Binh center, and easily accessible by various forms of transport. The facilities of the site were upgraded for more visitors in 2000.

Though it’s called a cave, the cave is only a small part under it. The main feature of this site is a tall mountain. There are nearly 500 steps leading to the mountain top, where you can stand and have a good panoramic view of the area: rice fields, lotus lakes, and big and small mountains embracing the main site. Along the way descending or ascending, there are stops you can take to relax or to see different views.

At the top of the mountain is a statue of a lying dragon, therefore this mountain is also called “Lying dragon mountain”.

TEMPLES OF DINH TIEN HOANG
The temple complex of Dinh Tien Hoang and Le Hoan kings (or temples of king Dinh and king Le) are historical temples devoted to the kings that helped found and progress Hoa Lu Citadel.

The two temples remain architectural styles of the 17th century. It is built in a way that retains harmony between elements of the architecture; as well as the harmony between nature and the structure. Both temples have a “dragon bed” - a sculpture to symbolize the resting place of the king, which leads to the shrine inside - where ornamented statues of the king are erected.

The temples also honor the parents of the king, which reflects the tradition of ancestor worship, as well as the concept of filial piety.

TRANG AN

Located 100 km away from Hanoi and 7km away from Ninh Binh center, Trang An is a massive, well-managed mixed-site heritage site. This is a system of limestone mountains, beautiful rivers, and temples and pagodas dotted among them. When you come here, you will have the chance to get on a small boat and meander along crystal clear rivers, gaze at limestone mountains, and have stopovers to explore cultural structures. In 2014, UNESCO recognized Trang An Landscape Complex as the first mixed heritage site in Southeast Asia.

BAI DINH PAGODA


Before Hanoi was chosen to be the capital of Vietnam, Ninh Binh was the capital and the kings who ruled over this area all favored Buddhism. This means Ninh Binh is dotted with various pagodas, small and big. Bai Dinh pagoda is a massive Buddist complex, renovated in 2003 and finished in 2014. The new grand pagoda complex is an impressive site in many aspects: scale, diversity of artifacts, and sophistication of architecture.

Bai Dinh Pagoda has an impressive scale. It is the biggest buddhist complex in Vietnam with an area of 539 ha (27ha of the old pagoda and 80ha of the new one). Its components are equally impressive, notably: Bao Thien tower with a height of 100 m, containing 13 floors. It has the longest Arhat corridor in Asia. The corridor is nearly 3 km long, dotted with 500 Arhat statues crafted by craftsmen from Ninh Van stone village in Hoa Lu District, Ninh Binh province.

In the complex, there is a gold-plated bronze Buddha statue that is the largest in Vietnam: 10m high, 100 tons big, and put right at the central zone of the complex.

BICH DONG PAGODA

Bich Dong Pagoda is perhaps the most beautiful pagoda in Ninh Binh and one of the most beautiful in Vietnam. It is built within a mountain, and embraced by a peaceful lake in front.
This location makes Bich Dong a perfect blend of nature and culture.

Bich Dong was built in 1428. At that time, it was only a small pagoda. Nearly 300 years later, in 1705, two monks came here and upgraded its scale and architecture, turning the site into a structure with 3 layers.

When you come here, you can gradually explore these layers: there is a beautiful limestone cave above the 2nd layer, with a neat statue inside, and once you reach the top, you can see the panorama of Ninh Binh, with mountains and rice fields stretching in the distance.