Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex is considered as the most attractive destination in Ninh Binh Province. Being endowed by the nature with heavenly scenery of rice paddies, forests, lakes and marshes, karst mountains, and beautiful caves.
Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex has the total area of 12,252 hectares. The complex spreads over three districts of Ninh Binh Province including Gia Vien, Nho Quan, and Hoa Lu. It is approximately 90 kilometers to the southwest of Hanoi. Belongs to the tropical monsoon climate, Trang An Complex is a half-mountain area running in the direction of northwest – southeast. Having incalculable values in terms of not only natural beauty but also the history and the culture, in June 2014, Trang An Scenic Landscape was recognized as the first mixed UNESCO World Heritage Site in Vietnam and in South East Asia.
Trang An has the beautiful nature with mysterious mountains and caves, tranquil rivers, diverse flora and fauna, and scared relics. The core are of the complex covers an area of 6,172 hectares, mainly belongs to Truong Yen Commune and Ninh Hai Commune (Hoa Lu District). This special protection area includes Hoa Lu Ancient Capital (314 hectares), Trang An Ecological Tourism Site (2,133 hectares), Tam Coc – Bich Dong Scenic Area (350 hectares), and Hoa Lu Special-Use Primary Forest (3,375 hectares).
With regard to the aesthetic values, Trang An is one of very few places in the world having the most beautiful kart landscapes with unique geological formations. The place has imposing conical karst towers with the height of 200 meters interleaving with numerous valleys and sinkholes in different depths. Many large alluvial swamps found in sinkholes are interconnected with each other by underground streams running through mountains, as a result, a plenty of caves was formed. Among a diverse cave system in Trang An, it cannot fail to mention the most beautiful ones such as Thien ha Cave, Thuy Cung Cave, Ba Co Cave, But Cave, Tien Ca Cave, etc. The harmonious beauty of sky, rivers and marshes, forests, mountains, and caves has created a lively and natural world which is full of charm.
Not only be outstanding for the aesthetic qualities, Trang An is but also impressive for its cultural values. This is a prominent landmark in Southeast Asia showing evidence of how prehistoric people interacted with each other and natural landscape and how they adapted to the changes of environment through 30,000 years or more. This sight is also home of an old capital of the ancient Vietnamese with incalculable values in terms of history, culture, and tourism. Travelling to Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, tourists should not miss to visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital and Bai Dinh Pagoda to learn more about local history, culture, and belief.
The best time to visit Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex is from February to April. In the spring, the weather is pretty comfortable, not too hot, not too cold, therefore, travelers can enjoy the tour in the best condition. This is a great destination in Vietnam to experience the combination of different types of tourism including eco-tourism, spiritual tourism, and cultural tourism. Especially, boat tours in beautiful rivers of Trang An will allow tourists to be truly immerse themselves in the nature and admire the spectacular beauty of “a terrestrial Ha Long Bay”.
Other attactions in Ninh Binh: Tam Coc Bich Dong, Hoa Lu Ancient capital, Cuc Phuong National park, Phat Diem stone cathedral, Van Long Nature reserve – Kenh Ga Hot Spring
