Why Honeymoon in Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh gives you dramatic scenery at a slow pace. Days revolve around a boat ride, a bike ride and a long lunch, with plenty of time on a terrace looking at karsts. There are no long drives between sights. Most of the landscape can be explored on two wheels from your hotel.
It also pairs well with Ha Long Bay without repeating it. The bay is about water and islands. Ninh Binh is about rivers, rice and temples tucked into the cliffs. Film fans may recognize the scenery from Kong: Skull Island, which was partly shot here. For couples who want a countryside stay rather than another city, two nights here often becomes the favorite memory of northern Vietnam.
When to Go
Ninh Binh has two rice cycles, which makes timing easy to plan around. Around Tam Coc the fields turn golden from late May to mid-June and again from late September to mid-October, with peaks usually in the last days of May and the end of September. In March, early April and again in August the paddies are bright green.
Weather is best from September to November and from March to May. Late May and June are hot, with highs in the 90s. Mid-June through August brings humidity and frequent afternoon storms that can disrupt boat trips. December to February is cool and hazy but quiet, good for walking and cycling. Avoid the April 30 to May 1 holiday and Tet if you can, when domestic crowds pack the boat docks.
Where to Stay
Most couples base themselves around Tam Coc, where small hotels and homestays sit among rice fields with karst views, a short bike ride from the boat docks and Hang Mua. Many have pools facing the cliffs and bungalows with outdoor bathtubs. The village center has grown busy with cafes and bars, so pick a place on its edges for quiet nights.
Near Trang An, a few larger resorts offer more space and polish. The area is also calmer after dark. To the north, Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh sits near the Van Long Nature Reserve with a spa and a large pool, which suits couples who want resort comforts after a day outdoors. Two nights is ideal, three if you want a slow day by the water.
Romantic Things to Do
Take the Trang An boat ride early in the morning. The two- to three-hour loop passes through a series of river caves and stops at temples built against the cliffs, with nothing but the sound of oars around you. Tam Coc's shorter ride, about 90 minutes, is at its best when the rice is high.
Climb the roughly 500 stone steps of Hang Mua at opening time for the classic view of the river winding through the karsts, with a dragon sculpture coiled along the ridge. Rent bicycles and ride the lanes to Bich Dong Pagoda, a temple built in stages up a cliff face. For something quieter, take a bamboo boat at Van Long, a wetland reserve where you may spot rare langurs on the rocks. Save a morning for Hoa Lu, Vietnam's capital in the 10th century.
Getting There and Around
Ninh Binh is about 90 kilometers south of Hanoi, roughly two hours by car on the expressway. Most couples book a private car with a driver through their hotel, though limousine vans also run frequently. Trains on the north-south line stop in Ninh Binh city, a little over two hours from Hanoi, followed by a short taxi ride to Tam Coc.
From Noi Bai airport, allow two to two and a half hours direct. Ninh Binh can also connect with Ha Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay, about three hours away, without a return to Hanoi.
Locally, bicycles are the best way to get around Tam Coc. Most hotels lend them free. Scooters, taxis and Grab cover longer distances to Bai Dinh Pagoda or Van Long.
Food and Drink
Ninh Binh's specialty is mountain goat, de nui, served roasted, stir-fried with lemongrass or as a lightly seared salad with herbs and sesame rice paper. It usually comes with com chay, the crispy rice crust that is the province's other signature, sometimes topped with a savory sauce of pork floss or meat.
Village restaurants around Tam Coc cook simple Vietnamese food well, with spring rolls, fried rice and fresh river fish, often on terraces facing the fields. For dinner with a view, many resorts serve set menus on decks looking out at the karsts. Cafes in the paddies make good stops on a bike ride for iced coffee or a fresh coconut. Favor busy places in the low season, when turnover is slower.
Honeymoon Tips
Start early. The boat docks get busy from mid-morning, when day-trip buses arrive from Hanoi, so the first hour after opening is calmer and cooler. Bring hats and sunscreen, since most boats have no shade. Keep some cash to tip your rower, which is customary.
Wear comfortable shoes with grip for Hang Mua. Plan your days around the light: boats in the morning, a long lunch and a rest at midday, then a viewpoint or bike ride in the late afternoon. If you are coming in the golden rice season, book your hotel early because the best rooms go fast. Combine Ninh Binh with a Lan Ha Bay cruise for the full northern limestone experience on land and water.
