Ninh Binh

Ninh Binh is a province in Red river delta. It is far about 90 kilometers from Hanoi with convenient transportation system. Nature blesses this land many fascinating landscape, famous cavessuch as Tam Coc - Bich Dong, Trang An cave, Phat Diem cathedral, Van Long natural reserve, Kim Son...Especially, Cuc Phuong National Park is an old growth forest with the area of 22.000 hectares, and many species of flora and fauna. Recently, Ninh Binh becomes an attractive tourist resort of thousands of domestic and foreign tourists.

 Moreover, Ninh Binh was once the ancient capital of Dai Co Viet from 968 to 1010. Therefore, this area has many historic relics such as the Hoa Lu ancient capital, Phat Diem cathedral, Non Nuoc pagoda… All relics and scenic spots have become attractive destination for tourists.

Hoa Lu was the capital of Vietnam in the 10th and 11th centuries. It lies in Truong Yen Thuong village, Truong Yen Commune, Hoa Lu District, Ninh Bình Province, Vietnam. In the late 10th century, Hoa Lư was the capital as well as the economic, political and cultural center of Dai Co Viet, an independent Vietnamese polity founded in 968 A.D. by the local warlorDinh Bo Linh  (posthumously known as Dinh Tien Hoang , or "First Dinh Emperor"), following years of civil war and a violent secessionist movement against China's Southern Han Dynasty. Hoa Lư was the native land of the first two imperial dynasties of Vietnam: the Dinh  founded by Đinh Tiên Hoàng, and the Le founded by Le Dai Hanh.  Following the demise of the Le Dynasty, in 1010 Ly Cong Uan, the founder of the Ly Dynasty, transferred the capital to Thang Long  (now Hanoi), and Hoa Lư became known as the "ancient capital.

The capital at Hoa Lu covered an area of 300 ha (3.0 km²), including both the Inner and Outer Citadels. It included defensive earthen walls, palaces, temples and shrines, and was surrounded and protected by mountains of limestone. Today, the ancient citadel no longer exists, and few vestiges of the 10th century remain. Visitors can see temples built in honor of the emperors Đinh Tiên Hoàng and Lê Đại Hành, their sons, and Queen Duong Van Nga, who was married first to Dinh Tien Hoang  and then to Le Dai Hanh. The tomb of Đinh Tiên Hoàng is located on nearby Ma Yen  mountain, while the tomb of Le Dai Hanh  lies at the foot of the mountain.

Phai Diem Cathedral is located in Kim Son  District of Ninh Binh Province. The architecture of Phát Diệm church is a cross between Vietnamese and European styles. Although a church, it was built in traditional Vietnamese temple architecture. It was built of stone and wood in 24 years.

Located 130km south of Hanoi in Ninh Binh province, Cuc phuong national park is an important nature reserve and ecosystem with peaks of over 600 Meters and valleys of subtropical rainforest.

Bai Dinh Temple or Bái Đính Temple Spiritual and Cultural Complex is a complex of Buddhist temples on Bai Dinh Mountain in Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province, Vietnam. The compound consists of the original old temple and a newly created larger temple. It is considered the largest complex of Buddhist temples in Vietnam and has become a popular site for Buddhist pilgrimages from across Vietnam.

Bai Dinh Temple, along with Phat Diem Cathedral, Hoa Lu Ancient Capital Tam Coc Bich Dong, Trang An, Cuc Phuong is a famous tourist attraction site of Ninh Binh Province.

Trang An Landscape Complex

Situated near the southern margin of the Red River Delta, the Trang An Landscape Complex is a spectacular landscape of limestone karst peaks permeated with valleys, many of them partly submerged and surrounded by steep, almost vertical cliffs. Exploration of caves at different altitudes has revealed archaeological traces of human activity over a continuous period of more than 30,000 years. They illustrate the occupation of these mountains by seasonal hunter-gatherers and how they adapted to major climatic and environmental changes, especially the repeated inundation of the landscape by the sea after the last ice age. The story of human occcupation continues through the Neolithic and Bronze Ages to the historical era. Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Viet Nam, was strategically established here in the 10th and 11th centuries AD. The property also contains temples, pagodas, paddy-fields and small villages. 

Tam Coc Bich Dong is a popular tourist destination near the city of Ninh Binh  in northern Vietnam.

The Tam Coc (“three caves”) portion is a three-hour excursion by small boat along the Ngo Dong  River, beginning at the village of Van Lam and proceeding through a scenic landscape dominated by rice fields and karst towers. The route includes floating through three natural caves (Hang Cả, Hang Hai, and Hang Ba), the largest of which is 125m long with its ceiling about 2m high above the water. The boats are typically rowed by one or two local women who also sell embroidered goods.

Bich Dong is a pagoda on nearby Ngu Nhac Mountain dating to 1428, comprising three structures: Ha, Trung, and Thuong Pagodas, in ascending order. Guided tours generally cover historical points and end with a pleasant view from the top. Tam Coc Bich Dong with Phat Diem Cathedral, Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, Bai DinhTemple, Trang An, Cuc Phuong is the destination of Ninh Binh Province.

Located on the entrance of the Northwest region of Vietnam, Hoa Binh Province is proud to be one of the oldest areas in Vietnam with the world-famous “Hoabinhian Culture” (Van Hoa Hoa Binh). In the last few years, Hoa Binh has strongly developed to be a tourist attraction city thanks to its valuable natural and cultural heritages.