Ninh Binh is a village in the northern of Vietnam, a few kilometres south of the capital Hanoi. From here you can make different excursions to natural places which are quite recommendable. But we focused only in Tam Coc, an area of large limestone formations that rise in a stunning landscape surrounded by rice fields. We stayed directly in Tam Coc, but we don't recommend our accomodation, because it was one of the worst we have ever stayed during the trip and you can find a much better ones.
Vietnam has two different climatic zones, the south and the north. We noticed it. Here, the sun became a rarity and we had to buy an umbrella. The good part is we left behind the heat of the south.
One of the best ways to visit this place is making a boat trip along Ngo Dong River, which goes between the gorges of the mountains and under three caves. A curious thing is the boatmen ability. They paddled with his arms as well as with their legs, which is especially useful on rainy days, as they can hold the umbrella with the hand while paddling with their feet.
For a good view of Ngo Dong River as it goes through the gorges of Tam Coc, we climb to Hang Mua viewpoint. We went there by food, but it's a bit far. A good choice would be to rent a bicycle to get there and then walk up the stairs.
Although weather was very bad during our days in this village, it's worth to come. It's quiet and not as touristy as Halong Bay, but it's interesting and beautiful as well. This place is also known as the "Halong on earth".
