Top 10 places to visit when coming to the ancient capital of Ninh Binh

Trang An eco-tourism area It is a complex of landscapes – landscapes like a “land Ha Long Bay” with many caves, mountains, valleys, forests and historical sites interspersed. In June 06, Trang An eco-tourism area was honored to be recognized by UNESCO as a world natural and cultural heritage. Trang An is a famous eco-tourism area of ​​Ninh Binh province, located on the territory of Ninh Binh city and 3 districts of Hoa Lu, Nho Quan and Gia Vien. With an area spread over 2000 hectares, the population of Trang An scenic spot It is created by limestone mountains, fantasy caves and valleys and rivers that blend together, along with dozens of historical – cultural relics including temples, pagodas, shrines, creating creating a fanciful, lyrical space rarely seen.

Trang An There are about 50 caves with water in about 100 caves, connected by nearly 30 valleys, the valleys are connected through hydro caves to create a hydrodynamic system like a bagua map that is both magical and medium. unpredictable change. As the accidental arrangement of the Creator makes the return journey not repeat like the unique road on the water. The whole region Trang An is a vast space of charming painting and water. The natural picture here is airy, smooth, high and fresh, but still creates a sexy, attractive and lively look. Trang An There are 31 valleys, 48 ​​trans-water caves have been discovered in which there are 2.000m-long trans-water caves such as Dia Linh cave, Sinh Duoc cave, May cave… Each cave has its own look.

Unlike in Tam Coc, Trang An can form a closed transatlantic journey without having to turn back. The caves here are large, long and magically transformed by the effects of nature. This cave complex is likened to a bagua map. Mountains, valleys and caves form a continuous battle that can’t be entered without someone who is knowledgeable about the local terrain. Trang An has a very diverse system of limestone mountains and natural caves. At the foot of the limestone mountains, there are also frogs in many places, which are traces of the sea. Therefore, Hoa Lu – Ninh Binh limestone mountains are also known as “Ha Long on land”. This feature creates a landscape of many low limestone mountains surrounding the valleys with successive lakes, both majestic and poetic.

Phat Diem Cathedral is a Catholic church complex of about 22 hectares, located in Phat Diem town, Kim Son district, Ninh Binh province, about 120 km south of Hanoi. Phat Diem Church 120km south of Hanoi, built in the years 1875 – 1898. Phat Diem means to give birth to beauty, the name Phat Diem by Nguyen Cong Tru.

The church was built during 24 consecutive years, with the technical level and traffic conditions of the late 19th century, only transporting thousands of tons of stone, some slabs weighing 20 tons, hundreds of thousands of tons of stone. ironwood has arrived Phat Diem to build a church is also a feat.

Kim Son is a newly reclaimed land, formerly very muddy, to handle the settlement of the land before construction, people moved a small mountain 40km away. Phat Diem, visitors to the church also see Skull Mountain, which is a part of the mountain that people have left Phat Diem.

This is an oriental architectural complex including (from the south entering): Ponds and lakes, Phuong Dinh, a large church with four churches on either side, three artificial caves, and a stone church.

Tam Coc – Bich Dong tourist area currently has a natural area of ​​350,3 ha, located 1km from National Highway 2A, 7km from Ninh Binh city, mainly in Ninh Hai commune (Hoa Lu). Just like Trang An, for sightseeing Tam CocVisitors have to go by boat, down the poetic Ngo Dong River, with clear water to come there to admire 3 caves in turn. Scene Tam Coc stands out by the harmonious combination of stone and water. The mountains here take on diverse shapes, one after another, one after another.

Tam Coc, which means “three caves”, including Ca cave, Hai cave and Ba cave. All three caves are formed by the Ngo Dong River crashing through the mountain. Tam Coc is the first cruise line operated in Tam Coc – Bich Dong tourist area.

Want to visit Tam Coc, visitors disembark from the central wharf. Boats take visitors on the Ngo Dong river winding through the cliffs, trans-water caves, rice fields. Travel time and return is about 2 hours. The scenery of Tam Coc, especially the two sides of the Ngo Dong River, can change according to the rice season (green rice, golden rice or silver color of the water in the field).

Bich Dong – Xuyen Thuy Dong located 2 km from Tam Coc wharf, which means “green cave”. Bich Dong including a dry cave located halfway up the mountain (as Bich Dong pagoda) and a water cave piercing through the mountain bed (called Xuyen Thuy Dong). In front of the cave is a branch of Ngo Dong river winding on the side of the mountain, across the river is a rice field. Xuyen Thuy Cave is a dark and flooded cave located along the length of the massif Bich Dong. Xuyen Thuy is like a semicircular stone pipe about 1m long winding from the east to the west.

The average width of Xuyen Thuy Dong is 6m, the widest place is 15m. The ceiling and walls of the cave are usually flat, creating like a large stone slab arranged into a dome, a semicircle with various shapes. There is also Bich Dong pagoda, which is an ancient temple associated with rocky mountains with Asian style. The pagoda was built at the beginning of the Hau Le dynasty. In the temple, there is a large bell cast from the reign of King Le Thai To, and the tombs of the monks who built the pagoda. During Le Hien Tong’s reign, the pagoda was restored and expanded, including Lower Pagoda, Trung Pagoda, Upper Pagoda, spread out on three mountain floors.

Ninh Binh is famous for its beautiful landscapes. Visiting this place and taking the time to explore each place is also a difficult challenge, which is Trang An tourist area, charming countryside with Tam Coc Bich Dong, Hoa Lu ancient capital, Cuc Phuong forest, or Hoa Lu ancient capital. famous pagoda Bai Dinh… But in recent years, every time people mention Ninh Binh, people will immediately think of Ninh Binh. Dance Cave – the place is known as the “Great Wall” miniature in the heart of Ninh Binh. Because when climbing to the top of Mua Cave, you will admire the whole beautiful natural scenery of wild mountains and forests.

Mua Cave is located right at the foot of Mua Mountain in Ninh Binh, looking down from above you will see that this place looks like an upside down bell. From the foot of the mountain, you can see the stone steps leading to the top of the mountain. The two sides of the stairs are carved figures with bold cultural characteristics. This is also the place where King Tran in the past used to visit to listen to the beautiful ladies singing and dancing, hence the name Hang Mua.

Not only that, this tourist destination is also famous as a large cave located in the middle of Hoa Lu ancient capital. Although in Ninh Binh owns many different caves, thanks to its magnificent beauty, this place is always an ideal destination for those who love to explore. The beauty of Mua Cave not only makes domestic tourists love but even foreign tourists want to visit once!

Bai Dinh Pagoda Bai Dinh Pagoda is famous as a spiritual landscape, located in the complex of Bai Dinh – Trang An eco-tourism area with a history of nearly 1000 years. This is the land associated with many feudal dynasties from Dinh, Tien Le to Ly. Bai Dinh Pagoda Travel This is the largest-scale pagoda and owns the most records in Vietnam today. With a unique landscape, this place has attracted millions of tourists on Ninh Binh tours to visit Bai Dinh Pagoda annual.

The pagoda is located 100 km from Hanoi and 18 km from Ninh Binh city. Bai Dinh Pagoda or called Bai Dinh Pagoda ancient letters is located on a sacred strip of land “mountains lying at the head of the river, clouds playing with mountains” in Sinh Duoc village, Gia Sinh, Gia Vien, Ninh Binh. Bai Dinh Pagoda has an area of ​​​​539 hectares, including 27 hectares Ancient Bai Dinh pagoda, 80ha new Bai Dinh pagoda area. Every year, this place is honored to welcome thousands of Buddhists from near and far on pilgrimage.

Overall view of the architecture Bai Dinh Pagoda as a standard feature for ancient temple architecture in Vietnam, especially the newly built pagoda area has massive works. The roof of the main temple is extremely beautiful, consisting of 3 floors and 12 curved roofs in the shape of a knife head, roofed with tiles in the shape of a traditional comedy nose. The step is decorated with stone dragons in the Ly Dynasty style, the large stone yard looks directly down to the jade well.

Around the long corridor of the Arhat statue that surrounds the temple grounds, there are also small gardens planted with green trees, the most planted tree by the temple is the Bodhi tree extracted from the temples in India. Space Bai Dinh Pagoda extremely pure and airy, an ideal place for Buddhist monks and nuns to come to worship and practice.

With its unique architecture and long history, Bai Dinh Pagoda has become a famous ecological and spiritual tourist destination in the North in general and Ninh Binh in particular. There have been 8 Vietnamese and Asian records recorded in Bai Dinh Pagoda such as the largest bronze bell in Vietnam, the tallest and heaviest statue of Shakyamuni Buddha in Asia, the largest gilded bronze statue of the Three Worlds in Vietnam, the largest bronze statue of Maitreya Buddha in Southeast Asia, the temple has an Arhat corridor The largest in Vietnam, the pagoda has the most Bodhi trees in Vietnam…

With a wild and lyrical scene like the swordplay movies that we often watch, An Tiem Cave is favored by young people with a beautiful name “Treaty Tinh Coc”. Temporarily put aside the hustle and bustle of life, come to the poetic and peaceful natural scenery here, separate from the outside world.

An Tiem cave is a scenic spot belonging to Hoa Lu ancient capital relic complex in Truong Yen land, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh. Am Tiem cave under the Dinh dynasty was originally a place where tigers were kept to punish criminals. Right at the foot of Dia mountain is Ao Giai, where the king raised crocodiles to throw sinners into the pond for fish to eat. It can be said that this area is the court of law for the king to rule the country. This is the place where King Le Dai Hanh locked the prisoners of the invading Song Dynasty: Quach Quan Bien, Trieu Phung Huan until he returned the power to Ly Giac. In 986. In addition, in this area, there are Muoi cave, Tien cave, etc., where the king kept the treasury and food during the Dinh Le period. Coming to Am Tiem Cave, do not miss the check-in at the gate of the ancient city – which used to be the only entrance for this isolated area. The ancient citadel was built from stone, although the scale is not too large, it has stood firm through the ups and downs of time. This is a favorite Ninh Binh tourist destination of many young people and couples who come to take wedding photos.

Cuc Phuong National Park (or Cuc Phuong forest) is a nature reserve and special-use forest located on the boundary of three regions of the Northwest, the Red River Delta and the North Central region of three provinces: Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh, and Thanh Hoa. This is also the first national park in Vietnam. Cuc Phuong National Park 120 km south of Hanoi capital, deep in the heart of Tam Diep mountain range, there is a small piece of land that has become extremely familiar and dear, evoking the curiosity of many domestic and foreign tourists. country.

Established on January 07, 07, Cuc Phuong National Park belongs to three provinces of Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa with a total area of ​​22.200 ha. With many values ​​of natural landscape, diversity of ecosystems, cultural and historical values, so long ago The daisies has become a famous and attractive eco-tourism destination.

Characterized by tropical rainforests, green all year round, The daisies has an extremely rich and diverse flora and fauna. According to recent survey data The daisies There are 1983 species of higher plants, including 433 species of medicinal plants, 229 species of edible plants, many species are recorded in the Red Book of Vietnam. About animals, The daisies There are 110 species of reptiles and amphibians, 65 species of fish, nearly 2000 species of insects, 117 species of mammals (including the black-and-white rump langur which is a very beautiful and rare primate chosen as the symbol of Cuc Phuong National Park. ). With more than 300 species of birds residing, especially many endemic species of Vietnam and Indochina, so The daisies has long been an ideal spot for birdwatchers.

Belonging to the semi-covered Caste terrain, The daisies There are many beautiful caves with sexy names such as: Son Cung cave, Pho Ma Giang cave… Especially, there are some caves that still keep traces of prehistoric people, who lived from 7.500 years ago to 12.000 years ago. That is Dang cave (ancient cave), Moong cave. In 2000, Cuc Phuong discovered a fossil of a vertebrate species, according to the initial conclusion of the Vietnam Institute of Paleontology, this is a fossil of a blade-toothed reptile, which lived about 200 to 230 years ago today. million years.

The daisies is the residence and living place of the Muong community with unique and characteristic cultural features. These are the sticky houses on stilts, terraced fields, upland rice mills, and brocade looms. More unique are the festivals, customs and lifestyle of the community that visitors can feel during their visit to the village. If you have the opportunity, you should not miss a sightseeing tour Cuc Phuong National Park to be able to breathe the mountain air here, to immerse yourself in the fresh and beautiful nature and admire the majestic scenery that the Creator has bestowed on this land.

Van Long eco-tourism area in Ninh Binh province is located about 80km from Hanoi, is an attractive destination for an exciting 1-day trip and free to explore. This is a nature reserve and an eco-tourism area as beautiful as Tam Coc – Trang An – Bich Dong. With an area of ​​3000ha, this is considered the largest wetland conservation area in the North. Sitting on a boat walking around Van Long Lagoon, visitors will feel extremely comfortable and relaxed by the clear blue water, as quiet as a giant mirror.

Surrounding you is a vast swamp of water with wild animals such as: birds, langurs, limestone mountains with different shapes such as Mam Xoi mountain, Meo Cao mountain, Co Tien mountain, each name is similar. corresponding to the shape of that massif. The poetic nature here has the ability to captivate the most arid and for young people who love photography, this is definitely a place not to be missed.

Hoa Lu was the first capital of Dai Co Viet, a centralized feudal state, as well as the capital of the Dinh, Tien Le and Ly dynasties. After moving the capital to Thang Long (Hanoi), this place became the Ancient Capital. Although the royal dynasties no longer located the capital in Ninh Binh, they still repaired and built more architectural works here such as temples, palaces, communal houses, tombs, etc.

Hoa Lu ancient capital is a particularly important national relic complex of Vietnam including: Temple of King Dinh and Temple of King Le and many other historical works. If you love history, want to discover and understand more about the history of your country as well as participate in lucky festivals, you definitely cannot ignore the historical land of Hoa Lu.

Coming to the ancient capital, you will feel lost in the old years when admiring the architectural works that were built a long time ago but still stand tall with time until today. Besides two outstanding works, namely King Dinh Temple and King Le Temple, Hoa Lu Ancient Capital also owns special ancient pagodas: Ngan Xuyen Pagoda, Nhat Tru Pagoda. Visiting and taking photos at these places will be like historical movies in the midst of modern life.

Thung Nham bird garden tourist area (also known as Thung Chim) belongs to Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province. This place is located in the core of the famous Trang An scenic complex and is very close to Tam Coc Bich Dong. A destination full of landscape – culture – spirituality elements. Coming to Ninh Binh this time, you should go down the boats to admire the lagoon and discover the wild life of more than 40 different species of birds. The moment of witnessing flocks of white storks flying, covering an entire wetland after each sunset, is hard to describe, hard to find anywhere else.

Coming to Thung Nham Bird Park, first visit Vai Gioi Cave, a cave located on a high mountain, about 5000 m2 wide with 3 floors containing many stalagmites divided into “Earth, Hell and Heaven”. “. There is a legend that this is the place where the ancient people set up the God altar, praying for favorable weather and good crops. Visitors to Thung Nham bird garden almost always visit the cave to wish a good and safe visit. To visit Vai Gioi Cave, after going through the ticket gate 500m, you turn right to go up the cave. After overcoming the challenge of 439 stone steps, you will reach the cave entrance.

After visiting Vai Gioi Cave, you should visit the Bird Garden, this is the living space of many birds such as storks, cauldrons, le le, warblers, etc., especially two rare species in the red book. crane and phoenix. The towering limestone mountains silhouetted against the blue water and flocks of flying birds create a peaceful and poetic scene rarely found anywhere else.