Our pick of the family-owned restaurants along the Tam Coc strip. Good goat dishes – you're in Ninh Binh after all – and cheap rice and noodle dishes when you're watching your travel budget. Look for the red lanterns and verdant hanging plants.
Lonely Planet's must-see attractions
10.73 MILES
Set amid glorious limestone pinnacles, this tranquil reserve comprises a reedy wetland that’s popular with birdwatchers. Among the bird species that have…
2.83 MILES
Rowboats bob along the Sao Khe River through limestone caves. It's a relaxing trip, but many caves have also been enlarged to accommodate boats. Boat…
14.51 MILES
Established in 1962, this national park is one of Vietnam’s most important protected areas. Though wildlife has suffered a precipitous decline in Vietnam…
12.58 MILES
Built in 1892, the cathedral’s wooden interior has a vaulted ceiling supported by massive columns. Vietnamese-looking cherubs swarm above the granite…
1.01 MILES
Down a sleepy road between rice paddies, this cave (the name means 'Cave of Dance') is not terribly impressive, but there are panoramic views from the…
6.22 MILES
Chua Bai Dinh is a bombastic Buddhist complex, built on a vast scale, that rises up a hillside near Ninh Binh. Construction was completed in 2014, and it…
Endangered Primate Rescue Center
14.43 MILES
The Endangered Primate Rescue Center is supervised by the Frankfurt Zoological Society, and is home to around 180 primates (15 species in total),…
5.22 MILES
Yen Ngua Mountain provides a scenic backdrop for Hoa Lu’s two surviving temples, both spaces dominated by dark-red lacquered pillars. The first, Dinh Tien…
Nearby Tam Coc attractions
0.15 MILES
Near the entrance to Tam Coc, Van Lan is famous for its embroidery. Local artisans make napkins, tablecloths, pillowcases and T-shirts. Bargain hard.
1.01 MILES
Down a sleepy road between rice paddies, this cave (the name means 'Cave of Dance') is not terribly impressive, but there are panoramic views from the…
1.26 MILES
This charming sequence of cave temples is a couple of kilometres west of Ninh Hai village. The Lower Pagoda is located at the base, from which 100 steps…
2.83 MILES
Rowboats bob along the Sao Khe River through limestone caves. It's a relaxing trip, but many caves have also been enlarged to accommodate boats. Boat…
5.22 MILES
Yen Ngua Mountain provides a scenic backdrop for Hoa Lu’s two surviving temples, both spaces dominated by dark-red lacquered pillars. The first, Dinh Tien…
6.22 MILES
Chua Bai Dinh is a bombastic Buddhist complex, built on a vast scale, that rises up a hillside near Ninh Binh. Construction was completed in 2014, and it…
10.73 MILES
Set amid glorious limestone pinnacles, this tranquil reserve comprises a reedy wetland that’s popular with birdwatchers. Among the bird species that have…
12.58 MILES
Built in 1892, the cathedral’s wooden interior has a vaulted ceiling supported by massive columns. Vietnamese-looking cherubs swarm above the granite…