Hotel pickup & returnJust you & your partyYour stops, your paceNo payment to enquire
Build your day
1Pick your stops
2See your day & price
3Send request
Choose the places you want to see
Tap Add on the stops you like — tap a photo for details, real pictures and tips. Not sure? Pick nothing and ask Lana for the best mix.
📌From Ninh Binh we recommend 4 stops; from Hanoi, 3 stops.
🚴You can still add one small extra, such as cycling or duck feeding: it doesn't count toward your stop limit.
RecommendedFrom Hanoi: up to 3 stopsFrom Ninh Binh: up to 4 stopsOutside the stop limit: Tam Coc cycling free, Am Tien cycling ~$5/bike, duck feeding $2/cup0 / 3 stops added
Your stops are put in a smart route automatically. Price updates as you go — nothing is charged now.
Your itinerary
Starting from Hanoi
Stops0
Day length—
Tickets / person$0
Times are estimates — your guide adjusts on the day for weather and crowds.
Included
Private car & driver, hotel pickup & drop-off (Hanoi Old Quarter or Ninh Binh centre / Trang An / Tam Coc)
Entrance tickets for the stops you choose (already in your estimate)
Lunch at a fine-dining local restaurant
Water
Bicycle rental (if cycling added)
Not included
Drinks at lunch
English-speaking guide (optional add-on)
Good to know
🕖Timing & what to wear
Ninh Binh is ~2 hrs each way from Hanoi — an early start at 6:30–7:30 AM beats the heat and the crowds.
Bai Dinh & Bich Dong dress code: knees and shoulders covered (no tank tops, below-knee bottoms). Cover-ups at the entrance aren't clean — bring a light scarf or thin jacket.
Wear closed, grippy shoes if you plan to climb Hang Mua or Bich Dong.
⛰️Climbing Hang Mua (≈500 steps)
About 30 minutes at a fit pace, 45–60 minutes slower — a real climb, not a stroll.
Steps get slippery in the rainy season. No flip-flops; bring water and a small sling bag to keep hands free.
Guests with a heart condition, leg or knee pain should think twice before climbing — non-climbers can relax by the lotus pond with a coffee while the others go up.
Best time: early morning, when it’s cool — or make it the last stop of the day. Midday climbs are very hot and tiring.
🚣Trang An or Tam Coc?
Trang An (~2.5–3 hrs) is generally the more scenic boat ride — caves, karst and valley temples.
Trang An boats take 4 people. A group of 4 has the boat to itself; smaller groups share, unless you buy the empty spots (~$12 each) for a private boat.
Tam Coc (~1h45) is shorter with lovely countryside. Its famous rice fields appear only in rice season (roughly late April – early June); outside that it's river, mountains and countryside.
📋Booking rules & surcharges
Public holiday surcharge: +250,000 VND/person on Sep 2, 2026; Dec 31, 2026; Feb 4–10, 2027 (Tết).
From Ninh Binh: max 9 hours/day including pickup and drop-off — sightseeing ends by 6:00 PM at the latest.
Cuc Phuong needs a full day — best paired with just Van Long or the Bear Sanctuary.
Bear Sanctuary is off the main route, so it carries a transfer fee: +$15/booking from Hanoi, +$10/booking from Ninh Binh.
Groups of 4+ people get 10% off (already in the calculator).
From Hanoi: sightseeing should finish by 5:30 PM (the drive back isn't counted). Overtime applies if sightseeing runs later.
Overtime for extra sightseeing time · per hour, guide & vehicle
4–7 seat car
USD 25/hr
15-seat minivan
USD 35/hr
24-seat+ minibus
USD 50/hr
What guests say
★★★★★4.9
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Request received!
Thank you — your custom Ninh Binh day is with us. Lana will confirm the route, the pick-up time and the final price shortly.
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Real moments
Ninh Binh, through our lens
More photos from real guest days are added here often.
Guest stories
Loved by travellers
A few words from guests who built their own Ninh Binh day with us. (More reviews are added regularly.)
“Our tour guide Flora (Mai) was amazing! She was very friendly, warm, and helpful with all of her insider advice on Vietnamese people and the culture. She and our driver Mr. Hung were great companions for me and my mother. The were very flexible and accommodating with our plans. Helped us to plan our trip and adapted to our energy levels as the day went by. Mai also showed us how to take beautiful pictures and where the best places were. Very honest with her reviews of different tourist attractions and restaurants. She is very genuine and considerate of our plans and budget. I thoroughly enjoyed our day because of Mai. Mr. Hung also frequently checked in on us and made sure to give us bathroom breaks. It was a smooth ride and water bottles were included. Also, a local food in Ninh Binh is goat meat, so you will have the opportunity to try if you want. Otherwise, be sure to let them know your food preferences.”
“Hieu is a fantastic guide that took great care of my family. Ninh Binh is a must see destination. We went on the Trang A boat tour and rode bikes around Tam Coc village and fed the ducks which was an amazing experience. The bus was very comfortable and our driver was great. I highly recommend this tour to anyone.”
“Our guide Stephen (Vū) was great! Very friendly, very flexible and extremely helpful in every way. He was a superb storyteller who exhibited great love for his country. Lana, the co-ordinator was also very patient and helpful when she supported us on all pre-tour arrangements. Go for this provider if you want a hassle free experience.”
“Lana was our tour guide during the private drive around Ninh Binh. We were two families with 5 kids from ages 3-11. It was super convenient to travel with a private driver as we could leave items in the van and not have to lug it around. We could also take our time and travel at our own pace. She gave us choices for tours around Ninh Binh, helped us with the Trang A booking, and accommodated evening travel into Hoa Lu old town.”
“L’activitat a Ninh Binh va anar molt bé, la Mae la nostra guia va ser molt atenta en tot moment i ens va fer sentir molt còmodes al llarg de tot el dia. A més, apart de portar-nos a veure els llocs més emblemàtics de la regió Ninh Binh ens van portar ella i el conductor pels llocs amagats i sense turistes per a poder gaudir i veure el país en el seu estat més pur. No podria haver sigut millor.”“The activity in Ninh Binh went very well. Mae, our guide, was very attentive at all times and made us feel very comfortable throughout the day. In addition, apart from taking us to see the most iconic places in the Ninh Binh region, she and the driver took us to hidden places without tourists so that we could enjoy and see the country in its purest state. It couldn’t have been better.”
“Just had the best day in Ninh Binh with Hieu and driver Hung. We saw so much and Hieu was very patient, friendly and knowledgeable. We would definitely recommend this trip with VSide Travel as you can customise and they will accommodate where they can. The duck feeding at the end was a great way to end the tour. Thank you Hieu for a great day! 😊”
“Our family absolutely loved Lana, she shared so many interesting background storys with us, which gave us a better understanding of the history and culture of Vietnam. Would definitely recommend spending the day with Lana.”
“Great, well-organized day trip to Ninh Binh! We had a very nice day exploring beautiful Ninh Binh. The operator contacted us beforehand with a clear overview: no delays, hidden costs, or surprises. Pickup was perfectly on time, and the car was clean and comfortable. Our guide, Hieu, was friendly and knowledgeable, sharing history and fun facts. It was great that he joined us on all activities. Our thoughts on the itinerary (we chose ourself): Trang An boat ride: Absolutely amazing, the highlight of the day. Bai Dinh pagoda: A massive site, made easy with the electric shuttle. Waterfall restaurant: A scenic spot for lunch in Tam Coc. Thai Vi temple: A small, beautiful, and peaceful stop. Duck feeding: Different from Insta-reels but fun. The ducks roam free, meaning cyclists or traffic might pass between you. Overall, a well-spent day with a smooth schedule and great guidance. Recommended for a hassle-free trip!”
"We were a little uncertain at first because there aren’t many reviews yet, but now we can definitively say this is one of the best tours we’ve ever had. Lana was very helpful in tailoring to our requests and super responsive. Anna was just a joy as our guide! She is so energetic, patient with us as we explored Ninh Binh in 100+ degree heat, and very knowledgeable about the area and Vietnam. We learned a lot, felt taken care of, and had such a good time. Lunch was also great and driver Henry was lovely. Thank you to everyone!"
"We had a fantastic day trip to Ninh Binh, organized by Lana and our driver Hung. One day is sufficient to cover 3-4 interesting sites. Lana provided a complimentary lunch, catering to our vegetarian diet, which was thoughtful and very delicious. Our driver was also very responsive whenever we needed him to collect us after exploring different places, he drove safely and efficiently, offering sun shades for the car when it got very hot in the afternoon. 10/10 I would go for Lana’s travel company again whenever I visit Vietnam in the future! All the best!"
"We had an unreal private day trip to Ninh Binh. Our guide Anna spoke excellent English, making it easy to learn about the local history, culture, and attractions throughout the day. She was incredibly friendly, welcoming, knowledgeable, and happy to answer our questions. What really stood out was the flexibility of the tour. We were able to tailor the day to our interests, with plenty of freedom to decide where we wanted to go and how much time we spent at each location. We especially loved Hang Mua and Tam Coc. The stunning scenery, excellent guiding from Anna, a comfortable vehicle with a very friendly driver, and the flexibility to customise the itinerary made this one of our favourite day trips in Vietnam."
"We got to choose what we wanted and our guide was always accommodating. We would definitely book with them again!! The food at lunch was also very excellent. We are very happy with the day :)"