Ninh Binh itinerary 3 days with kids

Our Ninh Binh itinerary was a three-day trip as a family of two adults and two kids. We spent three days in Ninh Binh in November as part of our Vietnam itinerary. Our kids were aged 9 and 12.

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This depends on how much time you have in Vietnam and what you want to do in Ninh Binh. Our family spent 2 weeks in Vietnam and 3 days in Ninh Binh. This gave us enough time to see and do what we wanted and have some downtime to swim in the hotel pool. We spent a lot of time just walking through areas, taking in the sights around us. This is always one of our favourite things to do when we travel to new places. We think you should spend at least 2 days in Ninh Binh to experience this beautiful part of Vietnam.

Our flight from Australia landed at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport. Through our accommodation we had a driver booked. He met us at arrivals with our name on a sign and drove us from the airport to our accommodation in Ninh Binh. It was a slow drive through busy traffic. After our stay in Ninh Binh, we organised another driver to take us to Hanoi. We looked at other options but this seemed like the easiest way to get from door to door. The cost of a driver from Noi Bai Airport to Ninh Binh was VND 1,300,000 and the trip to Hanoi Center was slightly less.

Our family accommodation in Ninh Binh was one of the reasons why we loved our time here. We stayed outside of Tam Coc. The only downside was that we had to walk to restaurants and it was very dark walking back after dinner. The benefit of the location was that it was very quiet and didn’t feel as touristy as the main areas. It was also close to Mua Cave so, we were able to walk there early in the morning.

We didn’t need to walk to restaurants every day because the accommodation had a full restaurant with meals and drinks available. Breakfast was included in our booking and we had a choice of eggs, pancakes or noodles. It also included drinks and a large plate of fresh fruit. During our stay, we also enjoyed veggie spring rolls, pho, and fruit juices. The dining area is open-air with lovely tree-trunk tables and chairs.

We stayed 4 nights in Ninh Binh at Hang Lan Bungalow. Built up on the second level, our family bungalow overlooked the pool. Unfortunately, the waterfront bungalows must have been unavailable at the time we booked. We still liked our bungalow and the kids appreciated having a double bed each instead of having to share. There are also rooms available to book. The gardens on the property are beautiful with lots of plants and trees.

The best feature of the accommodation was the pool. With a scenic backdrop of limestone mountains, it was a great way to relax in the afternoon. From the pool, we could see goats jumping around on the mountains!

Is Ninh Binh worth visiting with kids? Yes, Ninh Binh is a fantastic family destination. We didn’t see many tourists with kids in Ninh Binh but our kids loved it here. We came across lots of Vietnamese children who were so friendly and happy to say hello to our kids. Everybody in Ninh Binh was very friendly and welcoming. Everything we did in Ninh Binh was outside amongst nature and we all enjoyed taking it slow and enjoying the simple things.

Please see below for detailed daily itineraries but here is an overview of our family 3 day Ninh Binh itinerary:

Day 1: Mua Cave, Khê Hạ, lunch, pool, dinner in Tam Coc

Day 2: Trang An boat ride, cafe lunch, walking, dinner at our accommodation

Day 3: Bich Dong Pagoda, Tam Coc, pool, dinner at our accommodation

Mua Cave (Hang Mua)

From Hang Lan Bungalow we walked 1.5km to the entrance of the Hang Mua complex. The entry fee is VND100,000 per person. Children less than 1 metre tall are free. We headed straight for the steps leading up to the peak of Ngoa Long ( Lying Dragon) Mountain. There are over 500 steps and they are steep! At one point you will come to a fork, the steps to the right wind up to the peak with a small pagoda. The steps to the left lead to the stone dragon and a Buddhist statue that overlooks the Mua Cave complex from the peak.

Mua Cave Views

Taking the steps to the right, we made our way up to the pagoda. We took a moment to enjoy the view. From up here you look down on the lotus pond and can see that the wooden paths are shaped like a lotus flower. There were lots of little fires burning at the time of our visit which made the view a bit hazy.

Walking down from the first peak we had a view of all the steps we still had to climb to get to the other side. Some of the steps coming down were visibly worn on the surface making them slippery. Part way up the left side was a viewpoint which honestly, I stopped at just to catch my breath. We could see row boats on the river surrounded by the tall limestone karst mountains. The peak was busy so, we waited for a spot to take in the view. A long queue of people were waiting to take their photos on the stone dragon that lies across the rocky mountain peak. We got to Mua Cave at about 9am and it was busy but not too crowded. It is a popular spot to watch the sunset but I would rather avoid the crowds.

Mua Cave Complex

After our sweaty stair climb, we rehydrated with coconuts at the restaurant. Sitting at a table by the water, surrounded by trees and sipping coconuts was the perfect way to relax.

The grounds here are beautiful with lush green trees, hanging lanterns, water features and little bridges. There is a cave, hence the name. It’s small and not very impressive which is why the main tourist attraction here is the mountain viewpoints rather than the cave.

There are numerous boardwalks through a large lotus pond. There were a few pink flowers when we visited, I’m sure it would be stunning when they are in full bloom. Walking around the lotus pond gives you views of the magnificent limestone karst mountains.

Khê Hạ

Khê Hạ is a neighbourhood near Hang Mua. Houses, shops and restaurants line the main road through the area. After strolling along the road, we turned down a side street and walked past houses to view Hang Mua from a different angle. Local kids waved to us and called out hello from their homes or the back of scooters. At the end of the road, Tim flew the drone around the mountains. It’s always interesting to see the perspective from the sky. The tall limestone mountains are dotted all over the landscape.

Walking back down the main road we stopped for lunch at Rose’s Gara Bar & Restaurant. We ordered fried veggie spring rolls and played games while we waited. The owner was very friendly and gave us tips on places we should go. She brought her baby over to say hello and I held him when she had to greet and serve customers. We had fun entertaining him and showing him how to clap. With games to play, a fun colourful vibe and a welcoming owner, this is a very family-friendly place to eat in Ninh Binh with kids.

Pool & dinner in Tam Coc

In the afternoon we swam in the hotel pool with the scenic backdrop of large limestone mountains. We walked into the Tam Coc area for dinner, choosing Tam Coc Kitchen. We ordered 3 fried noodles with vegetables, 1 pork noodle soup and a beer. The total cost was VND190,000. After dinner, we walked through part of Tam Coc and bought drinks, yoghurt and snacks from a Daily Mart store.

Ninh Binh is well known for row boat rides. The person rowing the boat will sometimes use their feet to rest their arms. We chose to do a boat tour ride in Trang An. We knew Tam Coc was a busy tourist spot because it is centrally located. I had considered going further out to Van Long Nature Reserve for a quieter area but the restaurant owner we spoke with said it probably wasn’t worth the extra time and cost of getting there and that although popular, Trang An was very beautiful. The boats at the nature reserve also only fit 2 people and we thought it would be a better family experience if we were all together.

A grab ride from our accommodation to the Trang An boat pier cost VND62,000 with a tip. Purchasing our tickets at the counter, we paid VND250,000 for 3 of us and VND120,000 for a child under 1.3 metres tall. With our tickets, we received a brochure with the 3 route choices. I had read online that most tourists choose the shortest route as they don’t have enough time because most visit on day trips and tour packages.

The boat tours must get a lot busier because we walked through a maze of queue barriers straight to the boats. At the end of our boat tour, we saw numerous boats lined up and staff sitting around so maybe it gets busier later in the day. We arrived at about 9am.

The boat tour route

We chose route 1, the longest in distance and time. The route takes you through 9 caves and includes 3 temple visits. All up the boat tour was about 3 hours long. The boat has enough space for 4 people plus the rower at the back and we were all given life vests to wear.

For most of the boat ride, there was no one else around us. A few other boats stopped with ours at the temple visits but the entire journey was very peaceful. Being on a small row boat surrounded by towering limestone mountains was a wonderful way to experience the beautiful nature of Ninh Binh as a family.

The caves

Going through the caves was an interesting experience. Each one was different with various rock formations and stalactites. Some of them were quite low and we had to keep ducking our heads or move out of the way of low-hanging stalactites. At the entrance to each cave was a small sign with the name and distance. The caves have lights but are kept quite dark and still feel natural.

On the Route 1 boat tour, we stopped at three temples. The boat pulls up to each one and you get off, walk around the temple and then get back on the boat at the other side. The first stop was Trinh Temple, a small building where we removed our shoes to view the interior. Next was Tran Temple, a small altar outside next to the rock face. Getting there felt like an adventure as we climbed up and down steep stone steps through the jungle.

The last stop was Khong Temple. We got off at a small temple and walked across a lovely little stone bridge, up some steps and then around to a building on the other side where the boats were waiting. Being able to get off and explore the temple sites was a great way to break up the boat ride. We felt as though it had been an incredible full-day adventure even though it was only 3 hours.

Our kids were aged 9 and 12 and had no problems sitting still at the front of the boat. It might be more challenging with younger kids to keep them safely seated. Our 9-year-old was given a smaller life jacket. I knew we adults would appreciate the beautiful scenery while on the boat tour but I thought the kids might get bored. Getting off and walking around the temples helped to break up the journey but they also enjoyed the rest of the boat ride. Going into the dark caves and then coming out to the bright green plants and trees reflecting on the water felt magical.

During the boat ride, we saw beautiful weeping trees, lotus flowers, birds, ducks and butterflies. I think the kids also appreciated the beauty of the place. Being surrounded by soaring limestone mountains as we slowly travelled along the water and entered caves was something we had never experienced before.

After the boat ride, it was almost lunchtime, and Tim and I wanted a good coffee. I put coffee in Google Maps and chose the closest cafe with good reviews and a coffee machine. It was 2km away which didn’t seem worthy of a grab ride so we started walking. It wasn’t the best place to walk because the first stretch was along the main road. Once we turned off down smaller roads, it was fine.

Cafe The Began

Cafe The Began is a tiny cafe run alongside The View Point Home & Spa which looks like a nice accommodation option. We ordered spring rolls, fries, smoothies and iced coconut coffees. Everything was delicious, the coffees were perfect and our total cost was VND325,000.

Walking through local neighbourhoods

After lunch, we decided to continue walking back to Hang Lan Bungalow. It was just under 3km through local neighbourhoods, which is always one of our favourite ways to experience a new place. We walked past little stores, houses and schools. Lots of kids said hello as they rode past on bikes. One boy stopped to shake hands with our 9-year-old. Vietnam has a young population and we saw more kids around than we have in any other country.

We spent the rest of the afternoon relaxing at our accommodation and enjoyed a delicious beef pho dinner in their open-air restaurant.

After breakfast at Hang Lan Bungalow, we took a Grab to Bich Dong Pagoda. The journey there showed how simple things can become incredible memories. Driving down narrow roads surrounded by rice fields and farmland, we saw numerous ducks and buffalos, and a herd of cows caused a traffic jam. I remember sitting there looking around and thinking wow, we are really here in countryside Vietnam.

Bich Dong Pagoda

To enter Bich Dong Pagoda, you first cross over a lotus pond via a little stone bridge and then walk through the large entrance gate. This is a popular Instagram photo spot. It is a beautifully detailed gate and picturesque setting but there is more to see at this ancient spiritual site.

There is a lower, middle and upper pagoda with steep steps leading to the top. The site is built into the limestone mountain with cave temples you can walk through. Its grey stone steps and bricks blend in perfectly with the natural mountain rocks.

From Bich Dong Pagoda, we walked alongside the road leading into the main centre of Tam Coc. We saw beautiful scenery from the car along the way and wanted to enjoy it up close. One part of the road was built through the limestone with cliffs jutting out into the bends. We stopped at what I think are rice fields but at the time of our November visit, they were just fields of water, still a beautiful sight with the mountains behind. Tim flew the drone and you can see the long road surrounded by water on both sides. The jagged limestone karst at varying heights, with green foliage covering them makes such an amazing landscape.

The road led us into the centre of the Tam Coc area. It was more built up and we had to walk on the road. We walked past hotels, homestays, shops, massage and beauty parlours. Stopping for a rest and fruit snack at Tam Coc Bich Dong, we watched people getting on boats and thought this spot was nothing like the boat tours at Trang An. We continued walking through the Tam Coc area past restaurants and bars before turning down a side street towards our accommodation.

Taking the side street from Tam Coc, we then walked down the skinny roads past the rice fields. We saw a lot of ducks splashing in the puddles but unfortunately, we didn’t see any buffalos this time.

We spent the afternoon in the pool and then went for a walk before sunset to get some yoghurt and snacks. The area is extra beautiful at this time of day although we didn’t like walking through here once it was dark because it was hard to see where we were stepping and approaching cars wouldn’t see us on the road. I had pho with egg and vegetables at Hang Lan Bungalow which was delicious and filling and only cost VND40,000.

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The lovely manager at Hang Lan Bungalow booked us a private car and driver for our journey from Ninh Binh to Hanoi. We were picked up at Hang Lan Bungalow and dropped off across the road from our Hanoi Airbnb. The drive took about 2 hours with traffic only when we reached the centre of Hanoi.

More Vietnam posts coming soon!

Read our other family trip itineraries:

Chiang Mai with kids 7-day itinerary

7-day Tokyo with kids itinerary

Nakasendo & Kiso Valley with kids

2-week Singapore & Malaysia itinerary