Tràng An Boat Tour: Experience the Avatar-Like Natural Beauty of Northern Vietnam
Disclosure: This blog is reader-supported, and some posts contain affiliate links. If you make a booking, I may earn a small commission—at no extra cost to you. Thank you for keeping me writing and doing what I love!
Trang An and Tam Coc are two jaw-dropping destinations inside the UNESCO World Heritage site of Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex (that’s a mouthful to say, isn’t it?!).
When visiting this protected natural area near Ninh Binh, a traditional bamboo sanpam boat ride on the Ngo Long River at Trang An is a must-do.
In this guide, I will detail everything you need to know about the Trang An boat tour.
While many visitors opt for the Tam Coc tour, and the two are similar, being located only twenty minutes apart, they remain quite different in experience.
The Trang An tour is generally longer than Tam Coc and features multiple quick stop-offs to visit beautiful temples on foot, passing under several stalactite-filled caves.
The movie Kong: Skull Island was filmed here to give the movie’s backdrop a “fantastical” feel, and once you visit in person, you’ll understand why!
In short, Trang An is a gorgeous, lush landscape with emerald green waters surrounded by towering jagged limestone karsts.
As your Vietnamese rower drops you off at the scenic places to see on a 2-3 hour ride through Trang An, you will feel like you’ve discovered a scene straight out of a film—be it Kong Skull Island or Avatar! (I prefer the latter!)
While I have not done the Tam Coc boat trip, I’m glad to have seen Trang An and have no regrets!
Read on if you’re curious about how to visit Trang An and what to expect on this incredibly scenic boat ride.
The Ultimate Guide to the Tràng An Boat Ride in Northern Vietnam
How to Get to and Visit Trang An From Hanoi
- Train: 2.5-3.5 hours
- Bus: 1.5-2 hours
- Car/Motorbike: 1.5-2 hours
- Tours: Generally all day (12 hours)
There are multiple ways of getting to Trang An from Hanoi. Guided trips are the easiest way to visit Trang An, as they also include entrance fees, lunch, and access to other sites around Ninh Binh.
Trains depart daily and while they’re the longest option, you’ll have pretty views of the countryside along the way.
Buses are one of the most popular choices and take 1.5 to 2 hours in total to reach Ninh Binh.
However, if you have the time, flexibility (and bravery) to drive or motorbike there from Hanoi on your own, you could consider that!
Since Trang An (and Tam Coc) are located just 15 minutes from the city of Ninh Binh (dubbed the ‘Ha Long Bay on land’ thanks to these two areas), most travelers will visit Trang An on an all-inclusive day trip from Hanoi to Ninh Binh.
Because of their proximity to Ninh Binh’s top things to do, Trang An and Tam Coc are highlights of Ninh Binh day trips.
In fact, when people talk about Ninh Binh, they’re usually referring to Trang An and Tam Coc. Whether you choose Trang An or Tam Coc, you must include at least one in your Hanoi itinerary.
Trang An vs. Tam Coc
When you’re looking into a boat trip in Ninh Binh, you’ll see that there are generally two areas to choose from: Trang An and Tam Coc.
If you’re trying to decide between the two, but aren’t sure which option will suit you better, I’ve broken down the differences below…
Tam Coc
Pros:
- The Tam Coc river float is generally a shorter experience at around 2.5 hours.
- If you’re visiting from March to June, the rice fields make Tam Coc a more beautiful option.
- Because Tam Coc is a shorter float, it’s generally a bit less expensive than Trang An.
- Tam Coc can feel less commercial, but you might sacrifice organization.
Cons:
- The Tam Coc option visits less caves and floats down a smaller river through rice paddies.
- You’ll go down and back the same portion of the river so the view is the same both ways.
- Sellers may come up to the boat as there aren’t any restrictions against them in Tam Coc.
- Tam Coc is more rural. There are generally less crowds, but not as much infrastructure like bathrooms and places to stop for snacks/drinks.
Trang An
Pros:
- The Trang An float is generally considered more interesting and beautiful with double the caves to visit and frequent stops at interesting sites like temples.
- Trang An boat tours float through huge wetlands.
- You don’t come back the same way you floated down in Trang An, which means you’ll get different views on the return trip.
- Overall, Trang An has prettier landscapes.
- Trang An tours are more organized with plenty of stops and infrastructure, including bathrooms.
- Sellers are strictly forbidden in Trang An.
Cons:
- Trang An tours are longer at about 3.5 hours, which could be a pro or con, honestly.
- Because Trang An is a more popular option, there are generally more tourists around.
- Trang An is a longer experience with more to see and do which means it’s also more expensive.
Essentially, choose Tam Coc if you have a shorter window of time or you want a less commercialized experience. Choose Trang An if you want a river float with more depth, aka more stops along the way and better scenery, although you might sacrifice for crowds.
Trang An Cost & Boat Routes
Trang An Boat Tickets
If you have your own transportation and plan to visit Trang An without a tour, tickets for a 2.5-hour boat ride cost roughly 10 USD per person (250,000 VND).
This fee includes your entrance to the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex and a local rower for a boat carrying a maximum of 4 guests. If you are alone or traveling with a partner, you might have to share your boat.
With so many boats available (over a thousand, at least), there aren’t any fixed departure times, so you can just show up and get tickets immediately.
Trang An Route 2
According to Vietnam’s Tourism Board website, there are three possible Trang An boat routes, each varying in length and highlights.
The route we took as part of our guided tour matches the description and my photos of Trang An Route 2. It lasted about 2.5 hours and included the following grottoes and temples:
- Hang Lám, Lam Cave (60m long) — the first cave we passed through
- Cao Son Temple (God of the Mountain)
- Vang Cave
- Thanh Truot Cave
- Dia Linh Mountain / Suoi Tien Temple
- Dai Cave
- Vu Lam Royal Step
- Kong Skull Island film set (aboriginal village)
- Back to the boat pier
Not having visited this part of Vietnam before, the beauty of Trang An blew me away, and I didn’t feel like I missed out on not doing Tam Coc (which seems to be the more popular choice among international tourists).
While I didn’t first-hand experience with Trang An Routes 1 or 3, I saw that Route 3 includes Dot Cave, which is the longest cave in the complex (1000m)!
The easiest way to visit Trang An is by taking a guided tour from Hanoi, which typically starts at 07:30 am and wraps up around 5-6 pm.
The Best Trang An Guided Tours From Hanoi
A few things to know before you book a tour!
- Trang An day tours usually last around 10-11 hours.
- You are expected to tip around 25,000 Vietnamese Dong per person for the boat rower.
- The boats do NOT have shade (umbrellas and hats are provided), so wear sunscreen!
- Lifejackets are mandatory.
- Lunch is a big buffet-style meal in a large reception room that feels quite Disneyland-ish.
- The caves at Trang An are very LOW, so you need to duck down quite a bit (not ideal for those with limited mobility).
Finally, expect crowds, as you won’t be the only one enjoying Trang An’s beautiful scenery. That said, try to go mid-week and avoid visiting during Vietnam’s Tết holidays around the end of January/early February.
Tour Option 1: Trang An Full-Day Tour (Small or Large Group)
- From $35–40/person (cheapest option)
- Price varies depending on whether you select small or large group
- Trang An boat ride, Hoa Lu, Mua Cave, and Bai Dinh Pagoda
- Select from small/large groups and from English/Chinese/Japanese/Korean or Vietnamese guided language
- Sold and operated by Klook
- Click here to book
Tour Option 2: Trang An, Hoa Lou, Cycling, & Mua Cave Day Trip and Lunch
- $49/person (best value)
- Trang An boat ride, Hoa Lu, Mua Caves, (+ lunch and transfers)
- Small group and private tours available
- Certified by GetYourGuide
- Operated by Asian Discovery Travel
- Check availability & book here
Tour Option 3: From Hanoi: Ninh Binh, Trang An, Bai Dinh, and Mua Cave Trip
- $50/person
- Trang An boat ride, Hoa Lu, Mua Caves, Bai Dinh (+ lunch and transfers)
- Large groups
- Sold by GetYourGuide, Operated by Vietnamtrip
- Reserve your spot here
Tour Option 4: 1 Day Luxury Tour in Bai Dinh, Trang An and Mua Cave
- $45.00/person
- Trang An boat ride, Mua Caves, Hoa Lu, and electric trolley around Bai Dinh
- Max 20 travelers per group
- Sold by Viator, Operated by Authentic Hanoi Homestay & Travel
- Click here to book it on Viator
What to Pack & Wear for the Trang An Boat Ride
Since the Trang An experience often includes nearby trips to Mua Cave (which features climbing 500 stairs), a village cycling excursion (gentle biking), and a visit to Bai Dinh Pagoda or Hoa Lu Ancient Capital (the latter requires covering your knees and shoulders), you’ll want to pack smart and wear comfortable clothing.
I decided to wear shorts, even though it required applying more sunscreen for the boat ride and covering up my knees for the Hoa Lu temple visit. In the latter case, detachable skirts are provided for women (and men!) wearing shorts above the knee.
But if you want to avoid re-wearing what other (sweaty) people wore before you, plan to wear at least long, loose pants or capris.
What to Wear for a Day Trip to Ninh Binh
- Day bag filled with the goods (e.g. reusable water bottle, small cash, phone, sunscreen, lip balm)
- Loose long-sleeve cover-up (such as a breathable button-up like these)
- Preferably loose trousers or linen shorts
- Sandals (read below)
- Sunglasses and hat
- Camera (or phone)
Also, closed-toed sneakers are best for the stairs but can be hot; I wore my strapped Teva sandals, which had a great grip on the stone steps and kept my feet airy and open for the sunny boat ride!
Note: If you didn’t bring your hat for the boat ride, most Trang An guided tours provide Vietnamese-style hats called non la. hat for the boat ride, most Trang An guided tours provide Vietnamese-style hats called non la.
When is the best time to visit Trang An?
Because there’s very limited shade on the Trang An boat trip, it’s important to know when the best time to visit is. The sun can be truly unrelenting in Vietnam!
March and April are two of the best months to visit Trang An as temperatures are cool and rain is at a minimum. The beginning of fall is also a good time to go as the rice paddies turn gold in anticipation of harvest.
In general, you’ll want to avoid the scorching summer months from June to August.
A day trip vs. spending the night in Ninh Binh
While a day trip to Ninh Binh will suffice, spending the night is even better. You’ll watch as the day trip crowds disappear and feel like you have the whole town to yourself.
Spending the night also means that you could have two days to really soak up the scenery and spread out your excursions instead of trying to cram them all into one day.
Alternatives to Trang An
If Trang An isn’t possible, you may consider visiting the Van Long Natural Reserve instead. It is located about 20km away from Trang An, making it doable on a Ninh Binh day trip.
With around 30 caves to visit, Van Long is a biodiverse natural area that receives fewer visitors, but is arguably just as beautiful as Trang An and Tam Coc.
This option is new on tour activity websites and not yet on tourists’ radars. You can book a Van Long tour from Ninh Binh through GetYourGuide.
And while it’s even more famous, don’t discount Ha Long Bay cruises.
Ha Long Bay can only be visited by boat cruise, so I recommend you plan ahead and consider splurging for a comfortable overnight cruise rather than cramming the experience in on a quick day trip from Hanoi.