5 Best Sights in Halong Bay and North-Central Vietnam, Vietnam

Closer to Ninh Binh city than Tam Coc, UNESCO World Heritage-listed Trang An offers a very similar experience to its more famous near neighbor. Although it is very popular with Vietnamese tourists, most visitors find it less crowded and more hassle-free than Tam Coc. Boat trips leave from the garish main office and take around 2½ hours, although the ticket operators will ask if you would like the 2-hour "short" tour instead. Boats will depart when they have four passengers. The journey by rowboat takes you through nine caves, some of which are very low and twisting, and along beautiful waterways lined with limestone karst. The landscape is of high historic and archaeological importance. Several pagodas can be visited on the boat tours, while the highest altitude caves dotted around the area have archaeological traces of human activity dating back almost 30,000 years. Unfortunately, it is not yet possible for visitors to access these higher altitude caves. Your boat operator will ask if you would like to stop and view the pagodas, and you can opt-in or -out (but if you say yes, the rower's arms will get a break). There are bathrooms at these small stops, and using them costs 2,000d. There has been increasing pressure put on these rowers to deliver good customer service, so don't be surprised when they hand you a survey to indicate your opinion of the tour. Tips are not mandated but still appreciated.

If you're already in Ninh Binh, there is no need to book a reservation for any of the boat trips. Just show up and hop on!

While the cave itself is not that impressive, the views from the top of the mountain are breathtaking, featuring Tam Coc River on one side and rice paddies on the other. The climb and its 486 steps are steep but worth it. There are several parking lots outside the entrance where you will be charged 10,000d for a bicycle and 20,000d for a motorbike. The views are the best on a clear day and comfortable footwear is suggested. If you are visiting for only a short time, skipping the cave is advised. 

This ancient town is an interesting excursion on a number of different levels. Significantly, it was the first capital of independent Vietnam, and equally arresting is its stirring location amid the karst scenery that distinguishes Ninh Binh Province. Both the stunning natural surroundings of limestone outcrops and meandering streams and Hoa Lu's status as a former seat of power make for a worthy addition to any travel itinerary. Consider hiring a guide to enhance your experience.

The Dinh Tien Hoang Temple at Hoa Lu honors the emperor who established the capital here. The musty, dimly lit back chamber here houses statues of the king and his three sons. The main hall has been heavily restored, and much of the wood construction visible today is from renovations done in the 17th century. In the temple, courtyard stands a 3-foot-high sculpture made of stone. The dragon lying atop it is meant to symbolize the king sleeping, while unicorns stand guard on each side to protect him. To the left of the temple is a small structure containing three stone stelae inscribed with the king's blessings and details about various restorations. In 1696, the entire temple compound was shifted from its original northward orientation, the direction of evil according to Taoist belief, to face the more auspicious east. In 1898, Emperor Nguyen Thanh Thai had the temple raised 2 feet as a gesture of respect to Dinh Tien Hoang. The entire walled-in compound was designed in the shape of the Chinese character meaning "country."

The Le Dai Hanh Temple is named after the general who became the first emperor of the dynasty in 980. The back chamber here houses ornate wooden statues of Le Dai Hanh, his son Tri Trung, and one of his five wives, Duong Van Nga, arguably the most interesting of the three figures. Upon the emperor's death, Duong Van Nga beseeched the head military mandarin of the time to prevent Chinese invaders from entering the country. She promised that she'd take away the rule of her six-year-old son and put it in the mandarin's hands, marrying him if he succeeded. When the mandarin repelled the Chinese, she made good on both promises. Her lifetime saw her become the wife of two kings, as well as the mother of two kings—the only woman with such a distinction in Vietnamese history. Depending on the angle from which you view her statue, her face will appear to reflect one of three feelings: seriousness over her daily affairs, sadness for the death of her husbands, and a half-smile of satisfaction after the military mandarin defeated the invading Chinese forces and reinstalled her as queen.

Only a short bus or car ride away from Ninh Binh (drivers and tour group operators know exactly where to go) is a trio of caves accessible by a traditional boat ride down the Hoang Long River, a peaceful stream that winds through rice paddies after cutting its path through the steep cliffs around nearby Hoa Lu. Kind village women paddle your boat the the 2 km (1 mile) through Tam Coc, a series of three caves, one of which has a cement plaque on its far side commemorating Nguyen Cong Cay, a Vietnamese weapons maker who lived in Hoa Lu from 1947 to 1950 and plotted with other resisters against the French. At the far end of the boat ride, other women in similar boats are waiting to sell you soft drinks, bananas, and even embroidery. Another cave, Bich Dong, can also be reached by boat; you can disembark to visit the 17th-century pagoda here. Tam Coc has recently become a small tourist epicenter and there are several hostels and restaurants located around the boat harbor.

Van Long offers shorter boat rides than both Tam Coc and Trang An (they only take an hour or so), but they're far more secluded and serene. This wetland reserve has 32 grottoes and 39 animal species, including rare monkeys and birds. In the dry season, Van Long is the wintering place of migratory birds from the north, making this a great spot to bring those binoculars.