Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour is perfect to combine with Halong bay day tour or Halong bay 2 days 1 night tour. Or it’s also suitable to tourist who want to visit Ninh Binh just in one day. There are some famous places to visit in Ninh Binh such as Mua mountain, Trang An, Hoa Lu former capital, Tam Coc, Bai Dinh pagoda. When you visit Ninh Binh in one day, you should go to 2 or 3 of those places only. E.G.: Mua mountain + Trang An, Hoa Lu + Tam Coc, Bai Dinh pagoda + Trang An. Please read following to know more about this tour package.
Pick up for Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour
When you book Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour with us, we will pick you up directly at your place in Hai Phong such as hotel, home or anywhere that you prefer in city center. The pick up time should be from 07:00am. Depends on group size and pick up places, we will do adjustment.
When you stay outsite the city center, we offer private car transfer service.
Routes of Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour
Option 1: Trang An + Mua mountain day tour
After pick up by car, we transfer you to Ninh Binh to start our Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour. The transfer from Hai Phong to Trang An takes you about 3 hours driving.
Trang An
We continue heading to Trang An for Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour. On arrival, we do settle and enjoy set menu lunch at about 10h30. We spend 1 hours for lunch and then move to Trang An harbor for boat trip. There are total 3 routes to choose but we go on the route 2 to stay away from crowd at Trinh temple. That’s where local people go to pray and ask for things. In our opinion, this is not very suitable to foreigner tourists.
In route 2, we will go from harbor to Hang Lấm > Hang Vạng > Hang Thánh Trượt > Đền Suối Tiên > Hang Đại > Hành Cung Vũ Lâm then back to harbor. We spend about 2.5 hours to finish this 10km circle at the harbor. The stream we go on is Sào Khê or also known as Suối Ngọc due to clear blue water like a jade. The words “Suối Ngọc” means “Jade Stream”. Follow this stream, you will go pass the Hang Lấm first.
Hang Lấm
In harvest season, farmers brought there rice home through this cave. Because the mud was too much and they got dirty. Then this cave was named Lấm (dirty by mud)., the road is covered with mud, so it is called Lam cave. The first water valley that visitors pass through is named Nội Lấm valley with an area of nearly 9000 m2.
Hang Vang – Hang Cá
When people get in this cave and talk, they will hear big echo sound. And that’s why they name this Vang cave. Besides, this is home of many different species of fish. So they also call this Fish cave or Hang Cá. Passing this cave, you will be at Thuỷ Đình. The Thuỷ Đình is the place where ethnic instruments and folklore are performed on festivals.
Hang Thánh Trượt
Legend has it that, during the reign of King Ly Than Tong, when Saint Nguyễn Minh Không came here to look for medicinal plants, he felt in love with amazing scenery here and felt off by happened. Since then, people call this cave hang Thánh Trượt.
Đền Suối Tiên
The Đền Suối Tiên is rebuilt in wood on the old foundations. According to ancient legends, the area around here has a very clean water. Fairies often come here to bathe. So it is called Suoi Tien Temple. Every year, on March 18 of Lunar calendar, Trang An traditional festival is held at Tran temple (Noi Lam temple) and Suoi Tien temple.
Hang Đại
The Hang Đại is one of the largest caves in Trang An ecotourism area with a length of 150 metters long.
Hành Cung Vũ Lâm
Through Dai cave, visitors will stop at Hành Cung Vũ Lâm (Vu Lam Palace). This is a historical relic that worships Generals with meritorious services in the 10th century. This is a relic where the Tran Kings established a base to consolidate their forces, store foodstuffs, train, wait for the opportunity to counterattack against Nguyen Mong’s enemy. In addition, the Vu Lam Palace is also a place to mark the event that Tran Kings ordained and expanded Buddhism.
After this stop, boatman bring you back to harbor.
Mua mountain
We continue our Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour trip with a hike to Mua moutain at around 15:00. There is a small cave on the foot of mountain called Mua cave. The highlight of this cave turns out to be Pearl Spring on your left hand. Once getting deeper inside, you will see this spring with cold, clean and fresh water… On arrival, we visit Mua mountain by stepping up around 500 footsteps. From the peak, you will have panoramic view of Tam Coc.
The Mua mountain is also known as Great Wall of Ninh Binh. According to legend, when King Trần returned to the Hoa Lu area to establish Thai Vi, he often came here to listen to the beautiful girls’ sings and dances. Therefore, this place is named Dance mountain or Múa mountain.
After about 1 hour or longer, we get back to Hai Phong Tours’ car and back to Hai Phong.
Option 2: Hoa Lu + Tam Coc day tour
The most beautiful time to do Hoa Lu + Tam Coc day tour is in the ripe rice season. Which means the period from mid-May to the beginning of June. The image of green and yellow rice fields in bloom mixed together creates a beautiful country picture.
After pick up by car, we transfer you to Ninh Binh to start our Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour. The transfer from Hai Phong to Hoa Lu takes you about 3 hours driving.
Hoa Lu temples
On arrival, we visit this area first. Hoa Lu is the first capital of Vietnam under the Dinh King and Le King Dynasties from 10th century between 968 and 1009 AD. To thank these two Kings for their merits, people built 2 temples closed to each other. It’s around 300 meters go on foot.
After visiting Hoa Lu temples, we move to restaurant and have lunch. If you have food restriction, please inform to our saleman before departing.
Tam Coc
Around 13h00, we continue our Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour by a boat ride to Tam Coc. Tour guide will prepare ticket for you and then please just have a seat on boat, enjoy scenery. Local people will row you around by both hands and legs. You will have around 2 hours ride. They only allow 2 foreigners in a boat then our tour guide will not going to follow you on the river. But please do not worry, there is no stop during this boat ride. Boatman knows very clearly what he/she need to do. In case you need help, please chat directly to our support team at https://haiphongtours.com/support or Zalo, Whatsapp: +84975200357.
Cycling
About 15:30: We get back to harbor and receive bicycle. Our tour guide will lead you to countryside area to see rice fields, stop to take pictures… We spend about 1 hour for this activity and then come back to Tam Coc harbor to return bicycle, get back to Hai Phong.
Option 3: Bai Dinh pagoda + Trang An day tour
The Bai Dinh pagoda + Trang An day tour is designed better for Asian or Buddhists. The route looks quite similar to option 1. But instead of going to Mua moutain, this option brings you to Bai Dinh Pagoda. We will handle electric car for you to go from ticket counter to entrance gate. Then please go on foot within pagoda. It’s around 10.000 footsteps totally.
Bai Dinh pagoda
With its unique architecture and long history, Bai Dinh Pagoda has become a famous tourist destination in Ninh Binh. There have been 8 records in Vietnam as well as in Asia such as:
- The largest bronze bell in Vietnam
- The tallest and heaviest Buddha statue in Asia
- The largest set of bronze inlaid bronze statues in Vietnam
- The largest bronze Buddha statue in Southeast Asia
- The pagoda has the largest Arhat corridor in Vietnam
- The pagoda has the most bodhi trees in Vietnam
Note:
- Please do not wear short to get in pagoda
- Bring suitable shoes to walk
- Prepare some small change to donate
- Umbrella needed sometime
After visiting Bai Dinh pagoda, we have lunch at restaurant.
About 13h30, we continue our Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour by a boat ride to Trang An. To read more about Trang An, please click here or read above.
Drop off after Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour
Regarding to drop off options, we can bring you back to Hai Phong city center, Hai Phong airport (Cat Bi airport) or Hanoi Old Quarter. If you need to get dropped off at Hanoi airport, we will bring you to Hanoi. Then please grab taxi to airport. Or you can go directly to Hanoi airport by using our private car transfer service.
Option 1+3
- Hai Phong: 19:00 (Cat Bi airport or city center)
- Hanoi Old Quarter: 18:00
- Hanoi airport: 18:40
Option 2
- Hai Phong: 19:30 (Cat Bi airport or city center)
- Hanoi Old Quarter: 18:30
- Hanoi airport: 19:10
Tour includes
- Round way transfer
- Lunch (vegetarian food available)
- English speaking tour guide
- All entrance fees
- Electric car if in use
- Boat ride
- Bánh Cáy + Tea
Tour excludes
- Drinks
- Tip for driver, tour guide (recommended)
- Additional Services
- Insurance
Child offers for this Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour
Child age = current year – birth year
- Every 2 adults can escort 1 child under 5 year old.
- Child under 5 year old is free of charge
- Child from 5 to 8 year old is charged 75% of adult price (taller than 1.2 meters is considered adult).
- From 9 year old, we charge 100% of adult price
FAQs about Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour
- When is the best time to visit Ninh Binh?
You can visit Ninh Binh in all seasons for boat ride. But if you would like to see ripe rice field, please come in the period from mid-May to the beginning of June. - What to bring with me for the Ninh Binh day tour?
There are some things to bring with such as: suitable shoes, camera, mobile phone, cap, sun cream, sunglasses, umbrella, long clothes if you go to pagoda or temple. - Do I need to bring passport?
It’s no needed for this Ninh Binh day tour. - Can I bring water to the boat?
Yes you can. Boatman also sell some directly on her/him boat. - How to say thanks to boatman?
Basically, after finishing boat trip, you should give tip to boatman from 20,000 – 50,000VND. - I am vegetarian, can you prepare food for me?
Yes we can. We will serve tofu, streamed rice, vegetable, peanut, fish sauce instead.
Review Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour
To visit Ninh Binh, most of tourists choose day tour only. But if you want to stay 1 night at homestay, that’s not bad to make. However, there’re not many things to do at night here. The stay more likes relaxing only.
There are some similar attractions in Ninh Binh that you should do one of them only such as: Tam Coc, Trang An. When you come here, the highlight is boat trip ride. The scenery in Trang An looks nicer. But if you would like to see rice field from May – June, come to Tam Coc.
Transfer to Ninh Binh
When you do this Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour with Hai Phong Tours, we use car to transfer from Hai Phong to Ninh Binh. From Hanoi Old Quarter, we use high-class bus to pick up people. You will miss Banh Cay cake because Thai Binh is not on the way from Hanoi to Ninh Binh. In Hai Phong, we use car instead such as Toyota Vios, Altis or Innova to transfer. If you are looking for better car, we also have Fortuner, Camry or Sedona for business man.
- Pros: more comfortable, faster
- Cons: more cost
Itinerary of Ninh Binh day tour
To make sure your trip is not too rusty, we only add 2 stops. When you do option 2, we will have time to do cycling also. If you book private tour, we will do discus more about itinerary. It can be adjusted as long as you feel satisfied.
- Pros: suitable for one day
- Cons: no tour guide during boat ride
Tour guide
All of English speaking tour guides are well-trained and have International Tour Guide License. They are young, knowledgeable, enthusiastic and funny.
- Pros: professional
- Cons: only speak English. If you need tour guide speak other language, please request us in advance with more fee.
Food and Drinks
Food is reserved at restaurant. We do not cook directly. So if you have any special request like restriction, vegetarian, please let us know before departure date.
- Pros: Can order more at your own account
- Cons: N/a
Ninh Binh day tour souvenir
Ninh Binh is famous for burned rice cake. It’s perfect to buy as souvenir. Besides, goat meat also is speciality here. If you stay in Hai Phong or Hanoi longer and have kitchen, please consider to buy meat to cook yourself.
During your boat trip, there are some photographers hunt your best moments. They will be back to harbor before you and print them out. Once you get back to harbor, they will approach you and sell. Certainly, you have the right to reject if you do not like.
Book Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour
To Book Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour, we provide some convenient options as following:
- Social chat: We are available on Whatsapp, Zalo, We Chat, LINE, Kakao talk. Please find us by this phone number: +84975200357. You can also find quick chat button on the Left-Bottom corner on our website.
- Directly chat support flatform: On our website: haiphongtours.com, please find chat button on the Right-Bottom corner. Then please fill in your name, email, phone number or Whatsapp, your question and click on “Start Chat”. We will be with you within seconds.
- Send email: If you do not find above convenient, please send email to [email protected] to book Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour. We do get back to you shortly.
- Book directly on website: Please choose any option (if any) in the tour, select number of person in your group, then click to “Request now”. Next, please fill in required fields and click “Send request” and wait for few seconds. Please note that this is to send request only. You will not be charged any kind of fee online.
Above is everything about Hai Phong Ninh Binh day tour. If you need us to clarify anything else, please contact us.
Thank you and happy travel!
Hai Phong Tours team.