Save You have reached your maximum number of saved items. Remove items from your saved list to add more. TOTOTO The sound of cicadas, the gentle stroke of oars, crystal clear water surrounded by spectacular limestone karst peaks, gliding through lantern-lit caves. This might be a typical description of Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, a
The sound of cicadas, the gentle stroke of oars, crystal clear water surrounded by spectacular limestone karst peaks, gliding through lantern-lit caves.
This might be a typical description of Ha Long Bay in Vietnam, a place visited by 2.2 million international arrivals in 2025, but as you may have already guessed from the headline of this story, it is not.
I’m in Ninh Binh, less than 100 kilometers south of Hanoi, and while the rocks emerging from the tranquil landscape are as imposing as those in Ha Long Bay, the karst towers here are surrounded by lakes, rice paddies, villages and forests.
Sitting on a traditional wooden sampan, I am paddled through the landscape of Trang An. On the 2.5-hour circuit, we pass tall karst islands, forests, temples and, at one point, a watery field of pink lotuses.
In the heat of summer, other boats are easily distinguished by their colorful umbrellas. I only lower mine as the boats float towards the spectacular caves and we all lean forward to safely negotiate the rock.
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The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Trang An Landscape in the Red River Delta is a relatively new tourist attraction in Vietnam. Official tourist circuits in Trang An began in 2014, the year it became a UNESCO site. Independent kayaking only became an option in 2020. That late start has allowed Ninh Binh to learn from the experience of other tourist hotspots in Vietnam and hopefully preserve the qualities that make this region so special.
It’s not a tourist utopia, but if I compare it with my Ha Long Bay cruise experience, the difference is stark. Here the water is clean, the environment protected and free of garbage and the environment serene.
In Ha Long Bay, the water had a greasy sheen from oil, garbage floating next to the ship, and huge freighters interrupted the view of the horizon. Yes, that trip was a decade ago, and while my negative experience may have been bad luck, development has continued apace and the damage caused by pollution still makes headlines, despite efforts to improve the tourist experience and protect the environment.
Ninh Binh is not under the same environmental pressures as Ha Long Bay and is also more capable of dispersing visitors. During the four days I spent there, I cycled and boated, visited pagodas and ancient cities, climbed a mountain, experienced a bit of traditional village life and culture, ate in small family-run restaurants, and drank ice-cold beer by the lantern-lit river.
My e-bike tour guide, Nga Tran, who has a master’s degree in sustainable tourism, knows that many people will see Ninh Binh’s growing popularity as an opportunity to make easy money. He hopes to support nature-focused tourism that supports local people and cultures.
She is doing her part (organizing the cooking lesson and lunch with a local family that we enjoyed as part of our tour) to help create demand for authentic and sustainable experiences.
Pedaling through the rural landscape, we passed sun loungers lining the riverbank near a local guesthouse.
Right now in Ninh Binh, simply watching the sun set over the rice fields is the number one nighttime activity, and long may it be.
THE DETAILS
VISIT
Boats bound for Trang An Scenic Resort depart from Trang An Pier starting at 7 am. The last boat leaves around 3:00 pm. Adult tickets cost VND250,000 ($14). Tam Coc offers a shorter but equally scenic trip. The Van Lam Pier ticket office in Tam Coc opens at 7:30 am, the last boats leave around 3:30 pm Rent a bicycle or e-bike and tour independently or join a guided bicycle tour to combine culture and scenery. See vietnamebiketravel.com
FLY
Vietnam Airlines offers direct flights from Melbourne and Sydney to Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City starting at $475 each way. See vietnamairlines.com
STAY
A superior room at Pullman Ninh Binh costs from $130. See pullmanninhbinh.com
FURTHER
ninhbinhturismo.com
The writer was a guest of the Pullman Ninh Binh.
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