Ninh Binh Boat Tour – Trang An Or Tam Coc Boat Tour?

Ninh Binh Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel

Ninh Binh Boat Tour Introduction

Ninh Binh boat tour is a top sought-after service for visitors who do not have much time but want to explore majestic nature. Because most of the heritage is located in rivers, lagoons and lakes, you need to take a Ninh Binh boat ride to visit. Plus, the distance from Hanoi to Ninh Binh is about 100 km, so moving won’t take long.

Ninh Binh Boat Tours-Culture Pham Travel

Ninh Binh boat tours include Trang An boat tours and Tam Coc boat tours to explore the beauty of nature with caves, valleys, lakes, rice fields, temples, and more. Let Culture Pham Travel take a look with you!

Boat Tour in Ninh Binh-Culture Pham Travel
Inside the Vang cave in Trang An

Ideal Time To Do A Ninh Binh Boat Tour

Ninh Binh is a place you can visit many times a year. However, it is recommended to come here in spring (January – March) when the weather is cool and there are many festivals. Next is the summer (May-August) to see the golden rice fields or the fragrant lotus ponds.

Ninh Binh Boat Tour-Trang An or Tam Coc Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel

Ninh Binh Vietnam map

What To Expect From Ninh Binh Boat Tours?

Should you choose the Trang An or Tam Coc Boat Tour? Tam Coc or Trang An boat tour also has each own unique and special. Plus, it depends on the feeling of each visitor. Therefore, you can explore both Trang An and Tam Coc in one day to feel the difference between each tourist area.

Ninh Binh Boat Tour-Trang An or Tam Coc Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel

Nevertheless, the best Ninh Binh tour is Trang An because you can explore the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex by boat or kayak. Above all, Trang An Ninh Binh, Vietnam, has many exciting things to discover. For example, temples, Bao Hieu pagoda – one of Ninh Binh pagodas, Trang An cave, etc.

Trang An or Tam Coc Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel
Trang An boat tour – Culture Pham Travel

Furthermore, you can also take a Ninh Binh boat tour in Thung Nham bird park, Van Long lagoon, Thung Nang (Nang valley), and so on. Generally, taking a boat tour to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site is the most unique and fantastic experience ever!

Trang An or Tam Coc Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel
Ninh Binh cave in Trang An Landscape Complex – Ninh Binh boat tours

Trang An Boat Tours

The Trang An boat trip is a fantastic chance to explore Trang An grottoes and Ninh Binh temples. Moreover, you can also admire the beauty of valleys, lakes, rivers, and majestic karst mountains by Trang An boat ride.

Trang An Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel

Furthermore, the river water of Trang An Landscape Complex is so clear that you can see each pebble, and the fish swimming in the lake is hiding in the water. Plus, the green mosses make you feel like you are sitting in the middle of a massive aquarium.

Trang An or Tam Coc Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel

What’s more? When you take a Trang An river tour by boat, you can discover more about Vietnam’s feudal dynasties’ history and Trang An ancient culture through temples and archaeological remnants in Trang An, Vietnam. Hence, Trang An boat tours are one of the best Ninh Binh tours that you should take a chance to visit.

Trang An cave- Boat Tour Ninh Binh-Culture Pham Travel

Trang An boat tour opening hours

  • Summer: 6:00 am – 4:45 pm
  • Winter: 7:00 am – 4:30 pm
  • Anniversary days and New Year’s Day: 6:00 am – 4:45 pm

Note: sightseeing service time may change depending on weather conditions and seasonal times.

Boat Tour in NInh Binh-Culture Pham Travel

Trang An boat tour route

Trang An boat tour Ninh Binh has three routes you can choose from below. Besides, the Trang An boat tour time depends on each route.

Ninh Binh Boat Tour-Trang An or Tam Coc Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel

Route 1: The Trang An boat tour best route

Route number one takes you to visit spiritual sites and caves in a closed circle. Therefore, you not only explore nature’s beauty but also learn more about the Dinh dynasty’s history.

Trang An Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel

Boat wharf => Trinh Temple => Dark Cave => Light Cave => Nau Ruou Cave => Tran Temple => Ba Giot Cave => Seo Cave => Son Duong Cave => Phu Khong (Khong temple) => Bao Hieu Pagoda => Tran Cave => Quy Hau Cave => back to the boat wharf (visiting time is about 3.5 – 4.5 hours).

Trang An Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel
Thanh Truot cave

Route 2: Boat wharf => Lam Cave => deity Cao Son’s temple => Vang Cave => Thanh Truot Cave => Dia Linh Mountain => Suoi Tien Temple => Kim Quy Mountain => Dai Cave => Hanh Cung Vu Lam => back to the boat wharf (visiting time from 2 – 2.5 hours).

Boat Tour in NInh Binh-Culture Pham Travel

Route 3: With this route, you will admire the longest cave and all other ecological zones of the same type in Ninh Binh, Vietnam.

Ninh Binh Boat Tours-Culture Pham Travel

Boat wharf => Trinh Temple => Cloud Cave => Suoi Tien Temple => Dia Linh Mountain => Kim Quy Mountain => Dai Cave => Hanh Cung Vu Lam. After all, you will return to the boat wharf (duration: 3 hours).

Trang An Boat Tours-Culture Pham Travel
Hanh Cung Vu Lam

Trang An boat tour price

Note: The ticket price of the Trang An boat trip includes the boat and sightseeing fees by a waterway on the Dong Ngo and Sao Khe rivers. Plus, the Trang An boat ticket price is only used for Trang An boat tour (excluding other services: dining, parking, shopping, etc.).

Ninh Binh Boat Tours-Culture Pham Travel
Trang An boat wharf

The Trang An boat tour cost is as below:

  • Adults and children over 1.3m tall: 250,000 VND/person.
  • Children from 1m – 1.3m: 120,000 VND/child.
  • Kids under 1m: free.
  • Private Trang An boat ride ticket (survey, record music video, filming, etc.): 1,250,000 VND/boat. The boat goes to places on your request without following the usual route.
  • Hire a guide: 300,000 VND/tour.

Boat Tour in NInh Binh-Culture Pham Travel

Depending on their weight, a boat may accommodate up to 4-5 passengers. To maintain river traffic safety, visitors must adhere to the department’s regulations for boat stowage.

Tam Coc Boat Tours

An experience by boat is the best thing for you to discover the hidden beauty as well as the peace of Tam Coc. The boatman will take you through the vast rice fields or the giant limestone mountains with three small caves (Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba).

Tam Coc or Trang An Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel
Hang Ca (Ca cave) in Tam Coc – Bich Dong Ninh Binh

Furthermore, you can go on a Tam Coc boat ride through each rock crevice and rice field. From that, you will feel the cool, peaceful space, separate from the busy life out there. Additionally, you can take photos, immerse yourself in nature, and enjoy the fresh air.

Tam Coc Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel

When you take a Tam Coc boat tour, you will witness the boatmen rowing the boat with their feet instead of their hands, like in Trang An. It is a unique thing just simply because the leg muscles are more robust than the arm muscles. Plus, they must carry many groups of guests, so rowing the boat with their feet to reduce fatigue is understandable.

Tam Coc Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel

Tam Coc boat tour routes

Take a Tam Coc boat tour to see the Tam Coc rice fields and Ninh Binh caves are one of the must things to do in Ninh Binh, Vietnam. Tam Coc Bich Dong tourist area includes many routes to visit by boat, bicycle, and walking, connecting many tourist attractions. Hence, the Tam Coc boat tour route has three routes that you can choose.

Tam Coc Boat Tours-Culture Pham Travel

Tam Coc boat tour price

Tam Coc boat tour route price

Address of Tam Coc wharf: Van Lam, Tam Coc, Ninh Binh

Ticket price for Tam Coc boat trip: buy tickets at Van Lam pier’s main gate and includes 2 tickets: an entrance ticket and a boat ticket.

Tam Coc Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel
Boat wharf

Tam Coc entrance ticket price

  • Adults and children over 1.3m: 100,000 VND/person.
  • The elderly people: 120,000 VND (including boat ticket price).
  • Children from 1 – 1.3m: 120,000 VND/person (including boat ticket). Children under 1m are free.

Tam Coc Boat Tours-Culture Pham Travel

Tam Coc boat ride price: 150,000 VND/boat/trip

  • Duration: 1.5 – 2 hours
  • Opening hours: 7:00 am to 6:00 pm
  • Domestic guests: The maximum number of people on the boat is four people per boat. (5th person surcharge: 40,000 VND for adults; 20,000 VND for children).
  • International guests: The maximum number of people on the boat is two people/boat/trip. (3rd person surcharge: adults: 75,000 VND; children: 35,000 VND).
  • You should bring mineral water, sunscreen, hat if going on sunny days.

Tam Coc or Trang An Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel

Thach Bich – Thung Nang boat tour route price

Thung Nang belongs to Tam Coc – Bich Dong tourist area (Hoa Lu district), 7km from Ninh Binh city center. Most importantly, October to the end of December is when water lilies bloom most beautifully. Hence, it is the best time to admire the beauty here. You can follow the signposts on both sides of the road from Tam Coc wharf to Thach Bich wharf and take a boat to the water lily area.

Ninh Binh Boat Tour-Trang An or Tam Coc Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel

Sightseeing tickets

  • Adults: 20,000 VND/person
  • Children from 6-15 years old: 10,000 VND/person
  • Older people (from 60 years old and above): 10,000 VND/person

Boat Tour in NInh Binh-Culture Pham Travel

Boat tickets

  • Adults: 100,000 VND/trip
  • Children from 6-15 years old: 50,000 VND/trip
  • Older people (from 60 years old and above): 50,000 VND/trip
  • Domestic passengers: 4 people/boat/trip
  • International guests: 2 people/boat/trip
Ninh Binh boat trip to visit Pagoda cave – Ghe cave – But cave

Sightseeing tickets

  • Adults: 20,000 VND/person
  • Children from 6-15 years old: 10,000 VND/person
  • Older people (from 60 years old and above): 10,000 VND/person
Tam Coc Boat Tour-Culture Pham Travel
Hang But – But cave

Boat tickets

  • Adults: 120,000 VND/trip
  • Children from 6-15 years old: 60,000 VND/trip
  • Older people (from 60 years old and above): 60,000 VND/trip
  • Domestic passengers: 4 people/boat/trip
  • International guests: 2 people/boat/trip

Ninh Binh Boat Ride In Thung Nham Bird Park

Taking a Ninh Binh tour by boat is a unique way to discover the Thung Nham bird garden and caves in the Thung Nham ecotourism area. It is not only known as a complex of poetic landscapes, caves or immense rivers, but it is also home to many rare birds, such as starlings, fire warblers, etc.

Thung Nham bird park boat tour-Culture Pham Travel

Anything else? Thung Nham has many things to explore, including fishing tourism, orchards, and flower islands. Plus, the valley of love, primeval forests, caves, wild bird gardens, climbing mountains, etc.

Thung Nham bird park boat tour-Culture Pham Travel
A cave in Thung Nham Bird Park

Sightseeing tickets

  • Adults: 100,000 VND/person
  • Children from 6-15 years old: 50,000 VND/person
  • Older people (from 60 years old and above): 50,000 VND/person

Boat tickets

  • Adults: 20,000 VND/trip (But cave), 40,000 VND/trip (bird garden)
  • Children from 6-15 years old: 10,000 VND/trip (But cave), 20,000 VND/trip (Bird Garden)
  • Older adults (from 60 years old and older): 10,000 VND/trip (But cave), 20,000 VND/trip (Bird Garden)

Notes: Small boats are 5 passengers/boat. Large boats are 10 passengers/boat.

Admire Thien Ha Cave By Ninh Binh Boat Tour

Although less famous than Trang An, Tam Coc Bich Dong, or Mua cave when traveling to Ninh Binh. However, if you once set foot in Thien Ha cave, you will have to be fascinated by the fanciful space of “the galaxy in the heart of Ninh Binh mountain.”

Galaxy grotto-Culture Pham Travel
Explore Thien Ha cave – Galaxy grotto with Ninh Binh boat tour

Galaxy grotto is about 700m long, including a 200m long dry cave and a 500m long water cave. Inside the large cave, there are many unique stalactites. In addition, archaeologists also found traces of ancient Vietnamese with mollusk shells. Plus, raw pottery fragments, animal bones, shells and turtle bibs.

Thien Ha cave-Culture Pham Travel

(Route of the wharf of the Le Dynasty, But Cave, Thien Ha cave)

Address: Son Ha commune, Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam.

Cave entrance ticket

  • Adults: 70,000 VND/person
  • Children from 6-15 years old: 35,000 VND/person
  • Older people (from 60 years old and above): 35,000 VND/person

Boat tickets

  • Adults: 50,000 VND/trip
  • Children from 6-15 years old: 25,000 VND/trip
  • Older people (from 60 years old and above): 25,000 VND/trip
  • Max pax/boat/trip: 5 passengers on the boat

Explore Van Long Nature Reserve By Ninh Binh Boat Tour

Van Long Nature Reserve (Van Long Lagoon) is one of the ecological tourist areas in Ninh Binh. Moreover, Van Long lagoon is known as “a bay without waves”. Because visitors will see the flat water surface without a ripple when taking a boat tour to visit the lagoon. Besides, the water is not as blue as the sea but clear, revealing each layer of moss below.

Van Long lagoon boat tour-Culture Pham Travel
Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve

In 2020, the Global Green List Commission (IUCN) officially listed Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve (Ninh Binh) on the Green List.

Van Long lagoon boat tour-Cultutre Pham Travel

Not only the charming scenery and mysterious caves, but Van Long nature reserve also has many temples and pagodas. For instance, Dich Long Pagoda, Thanh Son Pagoda, Thanh Mau temple, etc.

Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve-Culture Pham Travel
One view of Van Long Nature Reserve

Address: Gia Van commune, Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam.

Visiting tickets

  • Adults: 20,000 VND/person
  • Children under 1m tall: 10,000 VND/person
  • Older people (from 60 years old and above): 10,000 VND/person

Van Long boat tour ticket price

  • Adults: 50,000 VND/trip
  • Children under 1m tall: 25,000 VND/trip
  • Older people (from 60 years old and above): 25,000 VND/trip

Van Long Nature Reserve-Culture Pham Travel

Conclusion

In conclusion, when taking a Ninh Binh boat tour on the rivers and lakes, you will have an unforgettable experience that you won’t find elsewhere. Culture Pham Travel hopes our article will help you with your travel plans in Ninh Binh, Vietnam! Thanks for reading our article, and we wish you the best experience with the Ninh Binh Binh boat tours!

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