Our third day in Vietnam was all about exploring the natural beauty of Ninh Binh, a place often called the "Ha Long Bay on land." We had booked this experience through Airbnb Experiences, and the itinerary looked packed with history, scenic landscapes, and a bit of adventure.
The day started bright and early since the tour began at 7:30 AM sharp. We set our alarms for 6 AM, groggily woke up, freshened up, and grabbed a quick breakfast from Circle-K, nothing fancy, just something light to hold us over until lunchtime.
By 7:30 AM, we were waiting in the lobby of our hostel, bags packed and ready to go. That’s when a super energetic guy walked in with a big smile and called out our names. Turns out, his name was literally Happy, and he was our tour guide for the day. He was excited to see us, and his energy was infectious.
He led us to the limousine tour bus, where we settled in before making a few more stops to pick up other travellers joining us for the trip.
Before reaching our first destination, we made a quick pitstop at a place called the Centre for Preserving and Developing Traditional Handicraft Villages in Vietnam. Sounds fancy, right? It was basically a place selling overpriced souvenirs to tourists. Everything here was ridiculously expensive, at least twice the price of what you’d find in Hanoi. While some people grabbed snacks and used the restroom, we just walked around, amused at how blatantly touristy the place was.
Our first proper stop was Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam in the 10th century. Here, we visited a temple dedicated to King Dinh (Pronounced As Ding) who played crucial roles in Vietnamese history, especially in the wars against the Chinese. This temple isn’t just a religious site, it’s a crucial part of Vietnam’s early history, marking the country’s transition into an independent nation after centuries of Chinese rule.
Built in the 17th century, the temple stands at the foot of Ma Yen Mountain, where legend says King Dinh was buried. The entrance is marked by a beautiful three arched gate, leading to courtyards filled with ancient stone dragon statues.
Inside, you’ll find a wooden altar with a golden statue of King Dinh, surrounded by intricate carvings of dragons, clouds, and phoenixes symbols of royalty and power in Vietnamese culture. The incense filled air and the quiet, historical setting make this temple feel both sacred and significant.
The temples had that old world charm, with intricate carvings, red pillars, and traditional architecture. The place felt peaceful despite the number of tourists around. Happy, our guide, gave us a quick history lesson, though I’ll be honest I was more focused on taking in the surroundings 🫣
Close to the temple, we also visited Nen Cung Dien Dinh-Le, the ancient palace grounds of the Dinh and Le dynasties. Although only stone foundations and scattered ruins remain, this site was once the heart of imperial Vietnam, housing the royal court. Walking among the remnants, it was easy to imagine the grandeur that once stood here. The site, while weathered by time, still holds immense historical significance, marking the birthplace of Vietnam’s first independent empire.
After Hoa Lu, we had 45 minutes of cycling through the village, which turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the trip. The route was absolutely serene, we passed through endless paddy fields, small houses, and towering karst mountains in the background.
But here’s the thing: 
The cycling itself wasn’t difficult, just a few bumps on the road but the fresh air and quiet village life made it such a peaceful experience.
By the time we reached the restaurant, I was starving. Lunch was a buffet, and there was a lot to eat. Variety of meat, fish, fried rice, desserts, fresh cut fruits and vegetarian options for those who needed it.
The food was simple but filling, nothing extraordinary, but definitely good enough after all that cycling. Yugadi was already waiting for me at the table, and we dug in while chatting with some of the other people in our group.
After lunch, we headed to Trang An, which was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2014 (This Place Was 15-20 Minutes Away From The Temple). The landscape here is stunning!!! massive limestone karsts, lush greenery, and an intricate system of caves that we were about to explore by boat.
We were joined by another Indian couple who were from Kerala on our boat, which made for great company. The ride was about two hours long, and the views were incredible, floating through dark caves, emerging into bright open waters, and being surrounded by towering mountains.
We even stopped mid way to visit another temple and i’m not sure what temple this was since Happy wasn’t accompanying us on the ride but it was quite pretty, we also took a moment to stretch our legs after the long boat ride.
Fun Fact: Trang An was a filming location for Kong: Skull Island (2016). Seeing it in person, I could totally understand why. The place had this otherworldly feel to it.
The only downside ? There were hundreds of other boats doing the same thing, so while it was peaceful, it wasn’t exactly quiet.
Our last stop was Mua Cave, or as some call it, Dancing Cave. But the real attraction here isn’t the cave itself, it’s the 500 steep steps leading up to the Lying Dragon Mountain, which offers a breathtaking panoramic view of Tam Coc.
Now, 500 steps might not sound like a lot, but trust me, this climb was no joke. The stairs were quite steep, and halfway through, I was already regretting my life choices 😂 We had to take multiple breaks, just standing by the railing, pretending to admire the view when in reality, we just needed to catch our breath.
The higher we climbed, the more crowded it got. By the time we reached the top, there were people everywhere, all trying to get the perfect Instagram shot. But despite the crowd, the view was 100% worth it, endless rice fields, winding rivers, and rugged limestone peaks stretching out in every direction.
There was still another section to climb which was the one that leads up to the Dragon Statue. At this point, Yugadi decided to stay back while I made my final ascent alone. And wow, the last bit was scary and more chaotic, but standing up there, with the wind blowing and the whole valley beneath me, was an epic moment.
Turns out only I went up to the peak from the entire group 😂
After climbing down and getting back on the bus, we were exhausted. The journey back to Hanoi took about three hours, but honestly, we slept the entire way 😴
My legs gave up on me.
Once back at the hostel, we freshened up quickly and decided to check out the drag show happening at our Hostel (Mad Monkey Hostel). Turns out, every Thursday, they host a drag show, and this was my first time attending one.
And let me tell you, it was phenomenal!! 😂 The performances were hilarious, entertaining, and super fun. To top it off, they had a Buy One Get One offer on drinks, so we grabbed Long Island Iced Teas and enjoyed the night.
After the show, we wrapped up the night by grabbing dinner from Circle-K, because at this point, we were too tired to go anywhere else.
This day trip was one of the best experiences in Vietnam. From cycling through villages and boating through caves to climbing to the top of Mua Cave, everything felt like a perfect mix of adventure and scenery.
Would I recommend this trip? Absolutely. Just be prepared for the climb, and if you’re visiting Trang An, know that you’ll be sharing the experience with a lot of other tourists. But apart from that, Ninh Binh is 100% worth visiting.
And hey, if you ever find yourself at Mad Monkey Hostel on a Thursday, don’t miss the Drag Show! it’s the perfect way to end a long day.
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