Located just around two hours to the south of Hanoi, Ninh Binh province is an arising tourist destination for its natural and magnificent beauty. Getting away from the hustle and bustle lifestyle of big cities, you can meditate yourself in a peaceful, fresh and different of Ninh Binh. Trang An, which is called “a gift of nature”, is one of the most appealing tourist attractions in Ninh Binh Province. The landscape is the complex of limestone mountain ranges surrounded by the water flows and rice paddy fields.

Panorama of Trang An Landscape Complex

Trang An area is situated in Gia Vien District and Hoa Lu district with the area of approximately 966.4 ha. The center of Trang An Boating Station is 3km to the South of Hoa Lu former Captital and 7km to the West of Ninh Binh City. In Trang An Landscape Complex, Hoa Lu former capital is in the North, Tam Coc – Bich Dong is in the South and Trang An is in the middle. The three areas are connected to each other through Hoa Lu forest and a system of limestone mountains, lakes, and rivers.

Natural landscape and biodiversity
Trang An is a combination of caves, forest and rivers. There are up to 31 lakes and 48 caves in the area. Each cave is special in size, shape, length and consists of beautiful stalactites. The caves are also named for their legendary stories. Unlike other destinations in Ninh Binh, Trang An could create a circular journey for tourists without turning back. Mountain ranges, lakes and caves are continuous movements, making it like a picture.
This region is home to more than 500 floral species, 41 mammal pieces, 73 reptiles species and 73 species of reptiles. Furthermore, the area also owns a total of 48 aquatic caves with archeological relics and historical artifacts. Trang An Lanscape – Hoa Lu was proved to form 250 million to 300 million years ago. With a rich history and gorgeous beauty, Trang An is definitely one of the most exciting attractions to visit in Ninh Binh.

Boat trip along the breathtaking scenery of Trang An

Trang An history and its culture
In 2012, 64 caves and stone roofs were discovered in the core of Tang An. Through investigation, the historical relics are outstanding features of the regions. The old inhabitants dwelled in caves and stone roofs, concentrating on limestone mountains. The prehistoric residents here were the first ones who approached the sea. Some relics were found such as stone axes, stone carvings, agricultural tools and ceramics.
Trang An is also attached with precious culture. There are a lot of temples and pagodas for visiting such as Trinh Temple, Tu Tru Temple, Tran Temple, Suoi Tien Temple and Khong Palace. For its wonderful landscape and rich culture, in 2016, Trang An was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage.
Trang An is one of the must-visit destination during your Vietnam Vacation. Here are some tips for you to have a safe and memorable trip:
– Transportation: From Hanoi, you can take a bus from Giap Bat or My Dinh bus station. The buses depart everyday at different departure time. Big groups of travelers could hire a taxi or private car, which is affordable and does not cost much your expenditure. If you travel by motorbike, you could rent a motorbike from Hanoi or Ninh Binh. The price for the service is about $6 per day with the exclusion of gasoline. Going my motorbike is economic and flexible. However, you should be careful of turning sections or slippery road when it rains.
– Accomodation: Trang An offers you a wide variety of accommodation from luxury resorts to hotels and local homestays. You should hire an accommodation in the center of Ninh Binh City, and travel to Trang An the next day because this destination does not supply accommodation.
– Price of services: Each visitor need to pay 150.000VND (equal to about $7) to have a seat on the boat. Each boat carries 5 to 6 passengers. Normally, it will take you 3 hours to visit all the caves in the complex. You should ask the price before making purchase of anything such as snacks, water or souvenirs.

Locals with boats full of rices, Trang An

– Suggested food: Dishes from the Goat meat and crispy fried rice are absolutely worth a try. Inexpensive cost for a nice lunch is another plus point.
– Suggested attractions: Besides Trang An, you can book a Ninh Binh tour to some nearby destinations such as Hoa Lu Former Captital, Bai Dinh Pagoda, Tam Coc-Bich Dong or Cuc Phuong National Park. These above destinations are not just beautiful, they also consist of highly cultural values, which makes your trip more interesting and memorable.