An Unforgettable Full-Day Trip From Hanoi to Ninh Binh

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If you’re in Hanoi for a few days, taking a day trip to Ninh Binh is a must! But with so many day trips and excursions from Hanoi, why choose Ninh Binh?

Often called “Ha Long Bay on land,” Ninh Binh is a great alternative if you don’t have time (or don’t want) to visit Ha Long Bay.

Ninh Binh is located 1.5 hours by car or private shuttle south of Hanoi (about 95km), making it ideal for a fairly quick day trip.

The most enticing part of visiting Ninh Binh is, in my opinion, taking a boat ride through the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex. You’ll float along the Ngoa Long River through stunning limestone karsts.

But that only scratches the surface of the incredible things you can do in Ninh Binh. Hike 500 steps to the top of Hang Mua, go inside the Mua Cave, visit Vietnam’s largest Buddhist temple, and cycle through small villages and verdant rice paddies.

And you can fit it all into one day from Hanoi!

That said, carve out at least 10-12 hours to visit everything. Otherwise, if you rent a car or take a bus there and back, you’ll need to pick and choose which activities you want to do.

If you take a guided tour, you’ll also get to experience these top attractions in Ninh Binh:

• Hiking 500 steps up to the top of Hang Mua (Mua Cave or Lying Dragon Mountain)
• Touring Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Dat Viet (13th century)
• Visiting Bai Dinh, Vietnam’s largest Buddhist temple
• Cycling by small villages and rice paddy fields

You could also stay overnight in Ninh Binh, but a day trip is usually enough for most people wishing to squeeze in several attractions in one day.

Here’s everything to know about visiting Ninh Binh from Hanoi, plus my honest review of our guided tour.

How to Visit Ninh Binh From Hanoi (On Your Own & With a Tour)

How to Get to Ninh Binh From Hanoi

Hanoi to Ninh Binh – By Road

Ninh Binh might be only 95 km from Hanoi, but it takes a while to get there—at least 1.5 hours by car and even more if you’re on a bus.

While it is technically possible to take a Grab (taxi) from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, it is expensive, costing around $43 one-way (1.1 million VND). That’s about the same cost as a fully inclusive guided day trip, including round-trip transfer, lunch, and all the attraction entrance fees.

If you’re a solo traveler, you might consider ordering a GrabBike (a motorcycle taxi), which costs about half that—around 500,000 VND one-way, but even this option adds up for round-trips and is one of the more uncomfortable options.

Unless you can find a group of friends to split the cost of a Grab car, I’d avoid taking a taxi from Hanoi to Ninh Binh for a day trip.

However you reach Ninh Binh (by car, bus, or train), don’t forget you’ll also need separate Grabs/taxis to visit each attraction as they aren’t all in the same area.

Hanoi to Ninh Binh – By Bus

The best option for getting to Ninh Binh from Hanoi on your own (with or without a tour) is by bus.

Buses from Hanoi to Ninh Binh are usually luxury minivans called limousine buses. They typically seat 9 to 16 people and take about 2 hours to reach Ninh Binh.

For getting a round-trip bus ticket on our own, these are the three most accessible options:

1. Book tickets on 12Go (from $9-$11 one way)
2. Organize transport through your Hanoi hotel/accommodation
3. Fully-inclusive day trips (more below for cost breakdown)

The best buses (shortest travel time and reasonable departure hours) cost around $9 and take 1.5 hours. Remember that you may have to take a taxi/Grab to the departure station and from the arrival point if you are organizing the day trip on your own.

Hanoi to Ninh Binh – By Train

While there is a train from Hanoi to Ninh Binh and back, this isn’t the typical choice for day-trip travelers, as this is the slowest way to get there (2.5 hours).

Tickets for the Reunification Express Trains cost $15 and can be booked through Vietnam Railways.

Things to Do & Places to Vist in Ninh Binh on a Day Trip From Hanoi

There’s lots to discover on a day trip to Ninh Binh!

Here’s a peek at our schedule and itinerary during our guided day trip:

• 07:30 AM — Hotel pick-up from Hanoi
• Limousine bus transfer (with two bathroom breaks)
• Cycle to + guided visit of Hoa Lu—the ancient capital of Dat Viet (Vietnam in the 13th century)
• Bicycle ride through the countryside
• 12:00 PM — Buffet lunch
• 2-hour sampan boat tour on the Ngoa Long River in Trang An (we took Route 2)
• Climbing Vietnam’s “Great Wall” at Hang Mua (Mua Cave)
• 4:30-5:00 PM — Transfer back to Hanoi

While it wasn’t included in our excursion, some include side trips to Bai Dinh since this famous Buddhist pagoda is located within the “Ninh Binh Loop”.p.”

Overall, the tour didn’t feel rushed. We experienced this day trip as a family of four, but if I were alone or traveling as a couple, I would have wanted to linger longer around a few spots, particularly Mua Cave.

If you have the time and budget to visit Ninh Bing without a tour, you may also consider spreading your day trip across two days rather than cramming everything into one.

If so, consider taking a boat ride in Tam Coc (similar but not the same as Trang An’s boat routes) and visiting Cuc Phuong National Park.

Cuc Phuong is often overlooked as day-trippers visit the Trang An Complex, but did you know it was Vietnam’s first national park and largest nature reserve? It deserves a whole day of exploring, mainly because it’s 1.5 hours from Ninh Binh’s city center by car.

Is Booking a Hanoi to Ninh Binh Tour Worth It?

Okay, let’s break down the convenience and cost difference between all-inclusive guided day tours from Hanoi to Ninh Binh versus visiting Ninh Binh without a tour.

First, how much did our tour cost?

Tours on GetYourGuide, Klook, Airbnb, and Viator cost between $35 USD and $52 USD per person. For our group of four, we paid $191.32 (or about $47.83/person).

Price varies depending on whether you select a small- to mid-size group (usually up to 17 people) or a “big” group tour (which can include up to 40 people).

The next thing to note is that almost all of these tours include round-trip transportation from Hanoi to Ninh Binh in an air-conditioned limousine minivan, plus a buffet lunch and all entrance tickets to attractions (e.g., Trang An boat, Hoa Lu, and Mua Cave).

NOTE: Some day trips include Tam Coc instead of Trang An and Bai Dinh instead of cycling or Hoa Lu. Check the itinerary before booking!

If you were to pay for all of this on your own, here is an example price list in USD of what you’d spend:

• Round-trip bus from Hanoi to Ninh Binh – $18
• Trang An boat tickets – $10
• Hoa Lu entrance – $1
• Bicycle rental -?
• Lunch – $10
• Mua Cave entrance – $4
• Private tour guide (in English) -?
• Grab taxis to/from each attraction around Ninh Binh – ?

I don’t have exact prices for everything, but based on what we can already calculate, a day trip like this, organized on your own without a tour, would cost around $39 to $55. So, it’s about the same price as fully organized tours!

For convenience, the guided Hanoi to Ninh Binh day trips are well worth the cost of the tour.

The Best Ninh Binh Guided Day Tours

Before booking our day trip tour, I searched HIGH and LOW for the best itineraries and value.

I found that most tours hover around the $50 mark per person and include a variation of this itinerary:

• Trang An (OR Tam Coc)
• Hoa Lu (OR Bai Dinh, but usually not both)
• Mua Caves (Hang Mua)

Buffet lunches are all included, but some itineraries do not include cycling and are only for small groups. If you wish to book a truly “small group” tour with a maximum of 8 participants, the price is around $85 per person.

Again, we paid roughly $48 per person, with a group size of 17 (including us 4).

If I had to book this trip again, I’d consider swapping out Hoa Lu for Bai Dinh and book a tour that explicitly offers “small group,” such as the 8-person max Ninh Binh tour by Aloha Vietnam Travel Co.

The GetYourGuide-certified tour of Ninh Binh (ft. Tam Coc) by Asian Discovery Travel is also highly rated but limited to 15 participants (and, therefore, a bit cheaper).

Can (& Should) You Stay Overnight in Ninh Binh vs Doing a Day Trip?

A couple on our tour opted to stay overnight in Ninh Binh, which is possible if you don’t want to return to Hanoi after the full-day excursion (ask your tour operator in advance).

🍲 If you do head back to the city, carve out time for a Hanoi food tour!

As for where to stay in Ninh Binh, there isn’t as much variety as in Hanoi, but there are a few fantastic hotels and villas with pools and jungle vibes, like the Trang An Lamia Bungalows or Tam Coc Windy Fields, that would make an overnight stay relaxing and worthwhile.

If you are backpacking Vietnam or on a romantic getaway, staying overnight in Ninh Binh is a good idea for slowing things down.

Otherwise, if you intend to take a round-trip to Hanoi, there’s much more to explore in the city. Hanoi is a great digital nomad base and travel hub, allowing you to discover Northern Vietnam even more.

If you’re spending a few more days in the city, read my 5-day Hanoi itinerary!

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