Ninh Binh: the best karst scenery in Vietnam

Deservedly popular, the karst area around Ninh Binh probably displays the most beautiful scenery in Vietnam. **Tourists **come here for underground **boat **rides in Tam Coc and Trang An, and the **famous **360-degree **panorama **seen from Hang Mua, but the landscape is exceptional wherever you go. Limestone hills rise out of green rice fields, **rivers **dive into **caves **and re-emerge miles later, farmers in conical hats herd ducks in the water - just keep your camera ready. As always, **karst **cliffs present an opportunity to practice rock climbing, and the flat terrain between them is perfect for cycling. 

Tam Coc and Trang An

This is the main **attraction **in the area - underground **boat **rides. At Tam Coc, a river flows through three consecutive caves, with deep gorges between them. The **caves **are preserved in their natural state, without the multi-colored lights Vietnamese are so fond of. It is a very **popular **destination, with a continuous caravan of **boats **passing back and forth, and some scams are present, but the **views **make up for all that. A local alternative to Tam Coc - Trang An, a few km away - offers more or less the same thing: **boat **rides on an underground river. The difference is that there are fewer foreigners here and perhaps fewer people in general, but many of the **caves **have been artificially enlarged, destroying the **natural **outlook. Otherwise, the **scenery **is just as good, and a few classical Vietnamese pavilions built here and there might either mar the **view **or nicely augment it, depending on your tastes.

Hang Mua and Bich Dong pagodas

Again, there is a certain similarity between those two sights: both pagodas are built on limestone hills overlooking the river. But the difference is significant: Hang Mua is merely a monument, a single tower, but it is located in such a perfect spot that **views **from it are often claimed to be the best in Ninh Binh. Reaching the summit of a cliff on steep stairs here requires a bit of effort, and the reward is a 360-degree **panorama **of the karst landscape, including the **caves **of Tam Coc and the **tourist boats **down below. It is just the sort of viewpoint to replace a drone. Bich Dong, further away, stands on a slope, and the **views **from it are not as broad, but the **temple **itself, partly set in natural caverns, is much more interesting. 

Kenh Ga 

"Kenh Ga" translates as "chicken canal", even though the place is mostly **famous **for its mineral hot spring. But the spring is somewhat over-developed, and while soaking in it for a while is supposed to bring countless health benefits (which should be taken with a grain of salt), getting there is 9/10 of the fun. The road follows an actual canal, mostly on a dyke, and crosses some beautiful Vietnamese countryside. It is ideal for cycling, and most locals use it this way. Be prepared for the cliche **sights **of Vietnam - bicycles loaded with so much grass they look like giant green furballs or with 50 live chickens tied to every part of the frame. On both sides of the road, rice fields stretch almost all the way to the horizon, only to be cut off from it by bizarrely shaped **karst **cliffs.

Van Long Nature Reserve

What if you want the same scenery, **karst **peaks, **caves **and rivers, but without an army of tourists? One good option is Van Long **Nature **Reserve. Established to protect aquatic avifauna, it is harder to reach from Ninh Binh than the more **popular attractions **above - you would need your own wheels - and some negotiations might be required to hire a boat, but **nature **here is untouched. Birdwatchers would obviously have a reason to visit, but the reserve should also attract spelunkers and every other **nature **lover. For mammals, other national parks are preferable, but for the sheer **beauty **of the **landscape, **it is one of the **best **in Vietnam.