Trang An Boat Ride Ninh Binh, Vietnam 2024

One of the best things to do in Ninh Binh, Vietnam is the Trang An boat tour. Ninh Binh is nicknamed “Ha Long Bay on land” and this boat tour makes it very clear why. Over the course of 2.5 to 3 hours, you’ll be paddled among lush limestone towers, through caves, and have the chance to witness and explore multiple temples. It is a magical experience!
The Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex is a UNESCO World Heritage site, just minutes from Ninh Binh, Vietnam. It is a gorgeous landscape of limestone karst peaks, covered in thick rainforest jungle, which reach heights of almost 200 meters (~650 feet). Between these towering rocks you can find flat valleys, winding waterways, temples, and caves.

Besides its obvious scenic beauty, this protected area is also recognized because of the archaeological findings in the caves. These findings reveal that there has been continuous human activity in this area for over 30,000 years!
During the visit to the area we heard locals pronounce Trang An as “Chahng Ahn.”
Location
The Trang An boat wharf is a bit north of the Tam Coc area in Trang An. This is where you’ll park, purchase your tickets, and get on the boat.

Hours
The Trang An boat tour is open everyday from 7 AM to 4 PM.

Parking
Parking costs 15,000 VND for a motorbike and 10,000 VND for a bicycle. Make sure to have cash!

Cost
The Trang An boat tour costs 250,000 VND (~$10.25 USD) per person
After parking your motorbike or bike, you will want to head to the ticket office. There are no reservations or set boat times, so you can arrive whenever you’d like. Once at the counter, you do not need to know which route you want to take. The only information you will need to provide is how many people are in your party.

If you want a private boat, this is where you tell them, because you’ll need to pay for the entire boat. It costs 250,000 VND (~$10.25 USD) per person and the boats carry 4 passengers, so you’ll pay 1,000,000 VND (~$41 USD) at the ticket counter. You can pay in cash or card, which is nice.
After purchasing your ticket, you’ll be given a receipt. From here, you’ll go down some stairs and through a tunnel to get to the other side of the road. When you pop back out, you’ll be right by the water and by where the boats leave.