
1 Day in Ninh Binh: Itinerary
Morning: Mua Caves & Tam Coc
Mua Caves
Mua Cave Entrance Fee: 100,000 VND per adult + 5,000 VND bike parking / 10,000 VND motorbike parking.
Mua Cave Visitor Tip: Avoid the locals trying to stop you to pay inflated parking fees before you get to the official parking at Mua Caves ecolodge.
I’d recommend heading to Hang Mua (Mua Caves) first, as soon as it opens from 6am, to avoid the day trip crowds. On our one day Ninh Binh tour, we ended up there at around 4pm, and it was absolutely packed out, to levels that felt unsafe. Regardless, it’s a must-visit spot on any Ninh Binh itinerary.
Despite it’s name, it isn’t the actual caves that Hang Mua is most famous for, but the view from Ngoa Long Mountain – also known as ‘Lying Dragon Mountain’. However, you’ll have to put in a bit of work to get there, as the pathway up involves a 500-step staircase!
Hauling ourselves up in the Vietnam heat, we took plenty of breaks to admire the views. Believe me, this was a SWEATY hike – but achievable for anyone with a moderate to good level of fitness. The first half of the climb is up multiple sets wider, well-kept stone stairs. You’ll eventually hit a point where you can turn left or right to continue your journey. From here, you can explore one or both sides of the summit.

