Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, Ninh Binh

You can visit Hoa Lu at any time of the year. It would be great if you could come here in spring due to many festivals and blooming flowers. However, enjoying the peaceful sightseeing of this land in other seasons is definitely an intriguing experience that you must-try.

In order to visit the ancient capital of Hoa Lu - Ninh Binh, you can choose 1 of 3 transportation ways.

• Bus: You can take a bus from Giap Bat station or My Dinh station to Ninh Binh at a cost of about 50,000 - 60,000 VND per person. The average travel time is 1 hour and 30 minutes.

• Motorbike: If you choose to travel by motorbike, you can start on the Phap Van - Cau Gie highway and then follow in the direction Cau Gie - Phu Ly - Ninh Binh. The travel time is appoximately 1 to 1.5 hours.

Dinh Bo Linh ascended to the throne after suppressing the rebellion of 12 warlords and changed his era name to Dinh Tien Hoang. He was the first emperor of our country after the era of Northern domination and was also the one who chose Hoa Lu as the capital of Dai Co Viet in the past.

Le Hoan was the general of ten troops under King Dinh Tien Hoang dynasty, and was later honored as one of the 14 exemplary heroes of Thai Binh (the national name of Vietnam in this dynasty) for his achievements in repelling the Song army and defending the country.

When he was crowned Emperor, he took the title Le Dai Hanh, establishing the Tien Le Dynasty, and ruled Dai Co Viet for 24 years. The temple dedicated King Le Dai Hanh faces the large Hoa Lu square, behind it is a moat that was used to defend the ancient capital. Although it has a smaller area than the temple of King Dinh Tien Hoang, this temple still captivates visitors with its tranquility.

Hoa Lu four sacred are places where local worship the deities guarding the three rings of the capital, as well as to commemorate the heroes who contributed to building and saving the nation.

The Hoa Lu Ancient Capital is one of the World Heritage Sites recognized by UNESCO, encompassing numerous cultural, historical and religious elements from thousands of years ago. When visiting Hoa Lu, you can't miss the complex of temples and pagodas, such as Bai Dinh pagoda, the Golden pagoda, etc.

The pagodas with large grounds, dignified space, sophisticated and ancient architecture will help you to have beautiful and sparkling virtual pictures. These are also the places helping you to escape the hustle and bustle, and dispel all sorrows.

As one of the famous specialties in Ninh Binh, goat meat is firm, aromatic and low in fat, attracting many tourists. In addition, the types of vegetables often found in Ninh Binh such as: thorns, sponge gourd, bead tree sprouts, etc. contribute to the distinctive richness of dishes from goat meat.

Eel vermicelli is also a must-try and interesting dish that you can’t miss when exploring the cusine of Ninh Binh. The food is made from rice- field eels with a pinkish-brown back and a dark yellow belly. These eels are smaller than other types but their meat is firmer and more delicious. To creat a gentle and captiving flavor, eel vermicelli is often used with thinly sliced banana flowers.

The fish salad is a rustic and unique dish of the local people in Kim Son - Ninh Binh. The salad is meticulously prepared, going through many stages to reduce the fishy taste, and has a gentle sweetness that blends with the aroma of sticky rice. The sauce used specifically for the salad is also not simple, being a perfect combination of the spicy heat of chili, lemongrass and pepper. Because of this sophistication, tourists who try it once will remember it forever!

The restaurant serves the specialties of Ninh Binh land, dishes from goat meat, hill chicken, Muong pig, river fish and scorched rice. With the unique flavor prepared by professional chefs and the most fresh ingredients at a reasonable price.

Huu Nghi restaurant has a large and cozy space with delicious meals and the top quality service, surely satisfying any diner.

• Opening time: 07:00 - 21:00
• Reference price: 100.000 - 330.000 per dish
• Most delicious dishes: Dishes from goat meat, hill chicken, scorched rice and Vietnamese traditional foods.

Next to the spiritual tourist area of Bai Dinh Pagoda, Thanh Cao restaurant serves various dishes from goat meat, hill chicken, scorched rice and Vietnamese traditional foods.

Professional, experienced chefs with a reputation for delicious taste in preparing traditional goat meat specialties will definitely satisfy you.

• Opening time: Open all day
• Reference price: 100.000 - 200.000 each person
• Most delicious dishes: Dishes from goat meat and hill chicken

Gia Hung restaurant is voted to be one of the most delicious restaurants in Ninh Binh, by Ninh Binh Tourism Restaurant Association. The restaurant serves diners with Hoa Lu Ancient Capital foods like scorched rice, dishes from goat meat and hill chicken.

• Reference price: 50,000 - 80,000 VND/ liter

Kim Son wine has been renowned for many villages specializing in wine production such as Phat Diem, Hoa Lac, Lai Thanh. The delicious taste of wine is likely due to the meticulous processing and unique secrets passed down through many generations.

• Reference price: 40,000 – 60,000 VND/bottle

Shrimp paste is a famous delicacy that many tourists enjoy whenever they visit Ninh Binh. Gia Vien is the place with the best shrimp paste in Ninh Binh. It seems to be the cradle of Ninh Binh's shrimp paste.

To make delicious shrimp paste, Ninh Binh people must use mature, plump shrimp combined with traditional ingredients to create a dish rich in flavor.