Posts Tagged Ninh Binh
Trang An Eco-Tourist Site
Posted by Huyen Tran in Destinations, Travel Blog on February 9, 2010
Our boat left a wharf on the Sao Khe River and led to Trang An Eco-Tourist Site, a wild but very attractive area in Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province.
A vast watery space surrounded by imposing limestone mountains in Trang An.
Pagoda enters record books
Posted by Huyen Tran in Travel news on January 3, 2010
Ninh Binh’s record-breaking pagoda, Bai Dinh Spiritual Centre in Gia Sinh Commune, Gia Vien District, is drawing crowds of visitors, curious to see the magnanimous construction with their own eyes.
The original pagoda was built by a Zen Buddhist priest Nguyen Minh Khong (1066-1141) in the 11th century.
The new building covers an areas of 700ha, making it the largest pagoda in Vietnam. The complex is slated for completion in 2010, in time to celebrate 1,000 years since King Ly Thai To moved the country’s capital from Hoa Lu in Ninh Binh to Thang Long
There’s more record-breaking architecture. The pagoda’s magnificent three-door gate is the biggest of this kind in Vietnam, built with 550 tonnes of iron wood. Four 13,8m-high pillars tower over the entrance, flanked by two 5.5m-high solid bronze guard statues, weighing 12 tonnes each
Magnificent Cuc Phuong National Park
Posted by Huyen Tran in Destinations, Travel Blog on December 30, 2009
Leaving behind the noise and the dust of the city, we escaped to Cuc Phuong National Park – the place of Vietnam’s capital in the 10th century – to immerse ourselves in nature and breathe in the fresh air of the vast, green forest.
Cuc Phuong National Park, 120km south of Hanoi, is located in the center of the Tam Diep mountain range. It’s so big (22,200ha) that it’s situated in three provinces, Ninh Binh, Hoa Binh and Thanh Hoa.
The park is surrounded by 300-400m high limestone hills and has within it a number of microclimates and unique ecosystems. The place is also of cultural and historical value and attracts both domestic and foreign visitors.
The native of the area who guided us on our excursion told us that the best time to visit the park is between December and the end of April when it’s not raining. At that time, one can hear birds singing and gibbons calling from high up in the treetops.
Ancient capital offers colourful history lessons of two dynasties
Posted by Huyen Tran in Destinations, Travel Blog on December 30, 2009
On a spring morning, we visit the ancient Hoa Lu capital, now in Truong Yen Commune, Hoa Lu District, in the northern province of Ninh Binh.
Hoa Lu means “Flowers of Reeds” and was the capital city of the Dinh dynasty (968-980) and the Tien Le (Early-Le) dynasty (980-1009). The Ly dynasty (1010-1225) was also formed from this capital city.
Arriving at the ancient capital, tourists always visit the temple of King Dinh Tien Hoang (Dinh Bo Linh), who built up Hoa Lu as the capital and set up the first centralised feudal State in Viet Nam, as well as the temple of the first king of the Tien Le dynasty, King Le Dai Hanh (Le Hoan).
Hoa Lu as a capital city existed for only 41 years, from 968 to 1009, during which time the first 12 years belonged to the Dinh Dynasty. Dinh Bo Linh was crowned as King Dinh Tien Hoang and he named the country Dai Co Viet. The next 29 years were ruled by the Tien Le Dynasty.
Visiting the largest pagoda complex in Vietnam
Posted by Huyen Tran in Travel Blog on December 30, 2009
Bai Dinh Pagoda is located in Gia Sinh Commune, Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province, 12 km from Ninh Binh City, 5 km from Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, close to Trang An Tourism Area and 95 km south of Hanoi. Covering a large area of 700ha, it is the largest pagoda complex in Vietnam with many records.
From the main entrance, tourists will start with the tour of pagoda’s records:
The pagoda’s magnificent three-door gate is the biggest of its kind in Vietnam, built with 550 tonnes of iron wood. The gate is flanked by two 5.5m-high solid bronze guard statues, weighing 12 tonnes each and four pillars tower over the entrance is 13.85m in height and 0.5m in diameter each. Around the gate are eight smaller bronze statues of Kim Cuong angels, each weighing 8 tonnes.
Ninh Binh – Flying solo
Posted by Thanh Vu in Destinations, Travel Blog on December 23, 2009
Ben went off to Halong Bay, and having been there once before, I decided to take myself off for an adventure of my own…which lead me to Ninh Binh…
The kind of place where you have to change your route home because the road has been blocked by rice crops. The kind of place where the drive home included driving under a spray of a rice harvesting machine, getting sprayed with straw. The kind of place where you have to slow down because there is a herd of ducks waddling towards you in unison on the road as the farmer moves them elsewhere! The kind of place you have to squeeze past a buffalo on the road!
I took a two hour bus from Hanoi, and found myself a nice hotel room. In the afternoon I hired a bike with a lovely Vietnamese driver, sadly whom I could not communicate with! I could have cycled to Tam Coc, but I was put off by having to cycle on the notorious Highway 1 which lonely planet stronlgy advises against doing!! The driver took me down fantastic country lanes with views of teh large limestone karsts emerging from the rice paddies.
I climbed up 500 steps one of said karsts, and had a great view of the landscape. Next, I went to Tam Coc for a calm row boat ride down shallow water in between the large peaks. It was beautiful. The only annoyance was when a lady magically got on my boat (don’t know how she got on so quietly!) to deliver a sales pitch. Thankfully she left just as quietly! On the roads back, there were so many people in the rice paddies working hard, but what a scenic place to work!
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Exploring north Vietnam and eating snake
Posted by Thanh Vu in Destinations, Travel Blog on December 21, 2009
Tam Coc
After arriving back in Vietnam after our short trip into Laos, we learnt that we had a lucky escape from typhoon Ketsana as it hit the centre of Vietnam just after we left there even though no one told us that it was heading in our direction. Apparently Hue and Hoi An which we had visited a few days earlier were under 4 feet of water after the typhoon hit so it was a good job we left when we did! Back in Vietnam we headed north, first stop was the city of Ninh Binh.
Whilst in Ninh Binh, we rented out two motorbike drivers for the day who took us wherever we wanted to go, the roads were fairly quiet there so it was fairly safe to drive around. All around Ninh Binh are loads of little limestone peaks in the rice fields and theres also a lot of caves to explore. We spent a day driving around on the back of the bikes and had a great time. In a place called Tam Coc about 10km from Ninh Binh, we got to go on a 2 hour boat ride between all the rocks and even into some caves which.
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Ninh Binh
Posted by Huyen Tran in Destinations on December 10, 2009
Situated on the Red River Delta, Ninh Binh separates the North and the Central Vietnam by Tam Diep Mountain Range. It is surrounded by Hoa Binh, Ha Nam provinces on the north, Nam Dinh Province on the east and Thanh Hoa on the west and the south.
General information:
Area: 1,392.4 sq. km.
Population: 898.459 habitants (2009)
Capital: Ninh Binh City
Administrative divisions:
- Town: Tam Diep.
- Districts: Nho Quan, Gia Vien, Hoa Lu, Yen Mo, Yen Khanh, Kim Son.
Ethnic groups: Viet (Kinh), Muong, Thai, Tay. Read the rest of this entry »
Tam Coc – Bich Dong
Posted by Huyen Tran in Destinations on December 10, 2009
Tam Coc-Bich Dong is also called “Ha Long Bay on land”, or the “Vietnam’s second nicest grotto” (to Huong Tich) for its poetic and inspirational natural scenery. Located in the Ngu Nhac Son Mountains, Hoa Lu District, Ninh Binh Province, it is a grandiose complex of Bich Dong pagoda and Tam Coc grotto which is one among the 21 crucial tourism destinations of Vietnam.
General information:
Tam Coc-Bich Dong is also called “Ha Long Bay on land”, or the “Vietnam’s second nicest grotto” for its poetic and inspirational natural scenery. Located in the Ngu Nhac Son Mountains, Hoa Lu District, Ninh Binh Province, it is a grandiose complex of Bich Dong pagoda and Tam Coc grotto which is one among the 21 crucial tourism destinations of Vietnam.
Its pristine natural beauty together with a simple but nice countryside landscape, and a sacred spiritual life have converged into a fascinating and attractive Tam Coc – Bich Dong to numerous tourists. No one could deny that Tam Coc – Bich Dong has become a legend of rivers and mountains, a green, pure, and safe destination for every traveler. Read the rest of this entry »
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