Most people intending to travel to Vietnam have a few cities and towns high on their list. Hanoi and SaPa are there, of course. Halong Bay may well be right up there as well. But you probably haven't heard much about Ninh Binh. It makes it to few top ten lists and your friends who visited Vietnam probably didn't go there.
The reason it doesn't make top ten lists isn't because it's not amazing, though. It's just that it hasn't become a tourist haven. This is definitely for the better, as it entirely retains its Vietnamese charm, along with the unsullied scenery. It might scare away the sort of person who will only stay in a five-star resort, but it is well worth leaving your comfort zone for.
You can easily get tickets, whether you're coming from Hanoi, or from Halong bay to Ninh Binh. Here are 3 reasons you should.
The scenery is incomparable
You will find few places in the world with scenery quite like that in Ninh Binh. With limestone cliffs scattered through rice fields, it is as if man came together with nature to create a landscape that is both gorgeous and almost austere. It is as if the very land is telling you to respect its magnificence.
You will have no choice but to respect it, considering the impact it will have on your aesthetic sensibilities. It will make you feel inclined to put down your phone and experience it first-hand, forgetting the allure of Instagram likes.
It's rural
One of the frustrating things about traveling is that sometimes it feels like every city in every country is trying to be exactly the same. Yes, they each retain their own cultural charm, but once you've realized that Starbucks is everywhere, Zara and H&M are worldwide, and that high rises dot the skylines of the places you least expect to see them, you can get disillusioned.
Ninh Binh is not going to disillusion you. It is not a tourist paradise. It is not overrun by hotels and resorts. It is rural, and therefore serene. There is none of the chaos of the most frequented "getaways." On the contrary, you will get to experience Vietnamese culture in an immersive way, rather than getting a diluted version of it.
It will feed your sense of adventure
Ninh Binh is not much of a town or village. It is small and has little to do, but there is plenty to do all around it. Get a motorbike and ride through the rice paddies, visit the Bich Dong Pagoda temples carved into a limestone mountain, and hike through the Cuc Phuong National Park.
There are so many more activities and ideas you'll have while you are finding your way around. It is important to note that a motorbike is going to be your biggest asset when you're there, so make sure you are familiar with how to ride one (or the person you're going with can ride with you on the back). Motorbike rentals are incredibly cheap, and will give you the freedom to do everything you can dream of.
This article is copyrighted by Travelers Today, the travel news leader
