4 Day-3 Night Ninh Binh Itinerary

Ninh Binh is a must-visit destination if you are in Vietnam. My husband and I spent four days and three nights in Tam Coc, a small town outside of Ninh Binh. We truly enjoyed our time in Tam Coc and felt that we had just the right amount of time to see everything we wanted. To provide some context, while we were there, temperatures reached record highs, so during the heat of the day, we spent time at the pool or took naps.

We stayed at Tam Coc Luxury Homestay and would NOT recommend it. We arrived late and, instead of receiving a charming villa as we expected (and for which we paid $50 a day, a considerable amount for Vietnam), we were placed in a converted shack that served as additional accommodation. It was also much farther from town than we anticipated.

Although the family, food, and free bikes were great, it was not what we had expected. I would recommend staying at either Tam Coc River View Homestay or Tam Coc Bungalow. Both options are located in town, by the river, offer free bikes and breakfast, and are cheaper than where we stayed.

Day 1: Hanoi to Tam Coc

We booked a private transfer from Hanoi airport to Tam Coc, primarily because we were arriving late. The drive took two and a half hours through the craziest roads and freeways I have ever experienced. Upon arrival, we went in search of food. Due to the late hour and our fatigue, we ended up grabbing snacks from a convenience store, as my husband wanted to get an early start the next morning.

Day 2: Mua Cave, Trang An, and Lots of Drinking

On our first morning, we woke up at 4 AM and rode our bikes to Mua Cave to watch the sunrise. It was about a 20-minute bike ride. The place where you can park your bikes along the way will try to charge you if you arrive later than 6 AM. They attempted to charge us 100k dong when we left the cave at 6 AM, but we simply said no, and they didn't insist as we were leaving. The hike up Mua Cave was wonderful but very hot, so be sure to bring plenty of water.

After the hike, we rode our bikes over to Trang An, a UNESCO World Heritage site. You do have to pay to park your bikes—50k dong for both of ours. We opted for a three-hour boat tour for 125k dong each (approximately $6 USD) through the UNESCO site. You can choose between three routes, and we selected Route 1, sharing our boat with two lovely Vietnamese individuals, as each boat accommodates four people. It was well worth the time, but be sure to bring an umbrella and water, as it can get very hot.

Afterward, we rode our bikes back and had lunch in Tam Coc at the best restaurant, Minh Khoi Restaurant. The staff was incredibly kind and attentive, especially considering we were on the verge of heat exhaustion.

Following lunch, we returned to our hotel to swim, drink, and nap until 5 PM when the temperatures began to drop.

We ventured back into town and had a wonderful dinner at a restaurant called Pig Family Cafe, which I highly recommend. We met many amazing people, and the food and drinks were excellent.

After dinner, we headed off to sleep!

Day 3: Tam Coc Boat Ride, Banana Tree Hostel and Spa

As I mentioned, we were there during an unprecedented heat wave, so we woke up early again to do the Tam Coc Boat Ride right when they opened. This allowed us to have the boat to ourselves with our fantastic guide. This ride took us through working rice fields, unlike Trang An. We thoroughly enjoyed our time, finding it worth the money—125k dong total, and we tipped our guide 50k dong for her service.

After the boat ride, we got mango smoothies to cool off and then headed over to the Banana Tree Hostel to party. It was a great way to spend the afternoon, and we enjoyed some delicious food while meeting some awesome people. We were truly trying to stay cool in the 110°F weather!

Afterward, we went swimming again and took a quick nap before hopping back on our bikes to explore the area around Tam Coc, which was quite enjoyable once the temperature dropped.

We went to Linh Chi Craft Beer Pub and had a great dinner before I treated myself to a massage and a pedicure in town. If you have time and are trying to beat the heat or avoid rain, a spa is always a great place to go!

Day 4: Breakfast and Bus Back to Hanoi

The next day, we woke up and had a quick breakfast before heading into town to catch our bus back to Hanoi. It was a brief morning but still beautiful.

Overall, the Tam Coc area is not to be missed. It truly added so much to our trip in Vietnam!