Not only is it an ideal destination for those who love nature and want to find a peaceful place, Van Long Lagoon also contains unique cultural and historical values, promising to bring visitors memorable experiences.
1. General introduction about Van Long Lagoon
The image of a simple ferryman shining in the middle of the vast waves of Van Long wharf (Photo source: Collected)
Address: Gia Van, Gia Vien, Ninh Binh
Located about 90km south of Hanoi , Van Long Lagoon is the largest wetland nature reserve in the Northern Delta. With an area of over 3,000 hectares, the lagoon is surrounded by majestic limestone mountains, creating a stunning natural landscape. The clear blue water reflects the sky, the green rice fields and the distant mountains, creating a mesmerizing ink painting.
The outstanding feature of Van Long Lagoon is its rich ecosystem, with hundreds of rare species of flora and fauna. This place is considered the habitat of many endangered animals, especially the white langur - one of the rare primates. Traveling to Van Long Lagoon Ninh Binh is not only an experience of enjoying nature but also an opportunity to explore the unique ecosystem.
In particular, Van Long Lagoon is also a place to preserve unique cultural and historical values. There are ancient pagodas such as Thanh Mau Temple, Thanh Son Pagoda, Dich Long Temple... bearing the imprint of Vietnamese Buddhist architecture. Visitors coming here can not only admire the architectural beauty but also learn about the history, culture and beliefs of the local people.
2. When should you travel to Van Long Lagoon?
Van Long Lagoon has its own beauty in each season, so you can visit at any time of the year. However, there are some ideal times for you to fully enjoy the beauty and wonderful experiences here:
- Dry season (November - April): This is the ideal time to watch thousands of migratory birds from the North fly to nest in Van Long Lagoon. You will admire the beautiful dance of flocks of white storks, herons, egrets... flying over the water.
- Ripe rice season (September - October): At this time, the rice fields around Van Long Lagoon turn golden yellow, creating a picturesque scene. You can stroll along the village roads, admire the ripe rice fields and feel the peaceful atmosphere of the Vietnamese countryside.
3. Entrance fee to Van Long Lagoon
Van Long Lagoon is beautiful in all four seasons (Photo source: Collected)
Van Long Lagoon entrance fee is quite affordable, suitable for many types of tourists.
Admission:
- Adults: 20,000 VND/person
- Children (under 1m): Free
- Seniors (60 years old and above): 10,000 VND/person
Ferry tickets:
- Adults: 60,000 VND/person (2 hour trip)
- Children (under 1m): 30,000 VND/person (2 hour trip)
Parking ticket:
- Motorbike: 5,000 VND/vehicle
- Car: 15,000 VND/car
Some important notes when traveling to Van Long Lagoon, Ninh Binh is to book a tour in advance to get detailed instructions and preferential prices. Many Ninh Binh tours also include pick-up services and professional tour guides. Note: The above ticket prices are for reference only, you should carefully research the ticket price information to make your trip to Van Long Lagoon more convenient.
4. Directions to Van Long Lagoon
4.1. Travel from Ho Chi Minh City/Hanoi to Ninh Binh
Visitors can choose from a variety of means of transport to get to Ninh Binh. From Hanoi, you can take a bus, motorbike or train. The train from Hanoi to Ninh Binh takes about 2-3 hours and is quite reasonably priced. If you are traveling from Ho Chi Minh City, you can choose to fly to Hanoi beforehand.
Passenger vans are the most popular means of transport for tourists when traveling to Ninh Binh. Major bus companies such as Thanh Hung and Hoang Long all have direct routes to Ninh Binh with good service quality and reasonable prices.
4.2. From Ninh Binh to Van Long Lagoon
From Ninh Binh city center, you can rent a motorbike or car to travel to Van Long Lagoon. The distance from the city center to Van Long Lagoon is about 10-15 km, with a fairly easy and convenient route.
5. Interesting experiences when traveling to Van Long Lagoon, Ninh Binh
Watching the romantic sunset on Van Long lagoon (Photo source: Collected)
5.1. Experience rowing on the lagoon
Rowing on Van Long Lagoon is an unforgettable experience during your trip to Ninh Binh. Visitors will sit on small boats, drifting between majestic mountains, admiring the steep cliffs and clear water. The sound of oars gently splashing on the water, the chirping of birds creates an unforgettable peaceful space.
5.2. Visit spiritual tourist attractions
Around Van Long Lagoon, there are many temples and pagodas with a strong spiritual atmosphere. Traveling to Van Long Lagoon, tourists can visit ancient pagodas and learn about the cultural beliefs of the local people. The quiet, sacred spaces amidst the majestic natural scenery will bring you moments of peace and contemplation.
5.3. Visit the cave system
The cave system around Van Long Lagoon is a tourist attraction. The wild and mysterious caves such as Bo Cave, Vang Cave... will take visitors into a magical world of rocky mountains. Light passes through the cracks of the rocks, the sparkling stalactites create scenes like in fairy tales.
5.4. Watching white-cheeked langurs at Van Long lagoon
This is a unique experience that not every tourist destination has. The rare white langurs living here are a highlight that attracts researchers and tourists. The langurs with dark gray fur and prominent white buttocks are swinging nimbly between the green treetops and on the steep cliffs, bringing extremely interesting moments.
5.4. Watching the sunset at Van Long Lagoon
Sunset at Van Long Lagoon is considered one of the most beautiful scenes when traveling to Ninh Binh. The late afternoon sunlight shines on the water, the cliffs turn a light orange color, creating a surreal and romantic scene. This will definitely be a memorable moment for all visitors on their trip to Van Long Lagoon Ninh Binh.
5.5. Admire the Cat Scratch cliff
Meo Cao cliff is one of the highlights of Van Long Lagoon Ninh Binh tourism. The steep cliffs, with winding lines as if carved by the hands of nature, create a majestic and impressive scene.
6. Van Long lagoon Ninh Binh specialties
Attractive eel salad (Photo source: Collected)
When traveling to Van Long lagoon Ninh Binh, in addition to admiring the breathtaking scenery, you can also enjoy the attractive specialties of the extremely famous Kinh Bac region such as:
- Crispy rice: a famous specialty of Ninh Binh, a dish not to be missed when traveling here. Crispy fried rice pieces, covered with a layer of fatty fat, served with spicy shrimp paste create an unforgettable flavor.
- Mountain goat meat: Grilled goat meat is a favorite dish of many tourists. The goats are raised on rocky mountains, the meat is firm, not fatty and has a natural sweetness. Prepared according to traditional methods, grilled goat meat will bring a unique culinary experience.
- Eel salad: Eel salad is one of the unique specialties of Ninh Binh. This type of fish lives in freshwater, has white, chewy and sweet meat. Processed into salad with herbs, chili, roasted peanuts, bringing an irresistible attractive flavor.
- Catfish vermicelli: Catfish vermicelli is one of the traditional dishes, representing the culinary culture of Ninh Binh people. Catfish are caught from rivers and streams around Van Long Lagoon, cooked into a pot of delicious, hot vermicelli.
- Shrimp paste stewed with meat: One of the typical dishes of Ninh Binh countryside. Shrimp paste is stewed with meat, creating a rich, savory flavor. This is one of the culinary experiences not to be missed when traveling to Van Long Lagoon.
- Sour eggplant soup: Sour eggplant soup with the sweet and sour taste of eggplant combined with rich broth is one of the typical dishes of Ninh Binh. A hot bowl of soup in the middle of the mountains and forests will be an unforgettable culinary experience.
- Mountain snails: Mountain snails are prepared in many different ways: boiled, grilled, stir-fried... Each preparation method brings a unique flavor, demonstrating the creativity of Ninh Binh cuisine.
- Nem chua Yen Mac: Nem chua Yen Mac is one of the famous specialties of Ninh Binh. Made from fresh pork, mixed with fish sauce, pepper, garlic and fermented, creating a characteristic sour and salty flavor.
Van Long Lagoon is not only an attractive tourist destination but also an exciting journey to explore nature, culture and spirituality. With its wild beauty, diverse ecosystem and unique cultural values, the journey to Van Long Lagoon Ninh Binh will definitely bring you special emotions.
Source: https://www.vietravel.com/vn/am-thuc-kham-pha/du-lich-dam-van-long-ninh-binh-v16114.aspx
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