About 90 km south of Hanoi, Ninh Binh province is one of the most famous destinations in Vietnam. A stopover for all nature and Vietnamese culture lovers. During your stay in Ninh Binh, you can’t miss the Van Long nature reserve which offers breathtaking views of the countryside and life.
Van Long Nature Reserve is located 17 km northeast of downtown Ninh Binh, in Gia Vien District. The landscape of Van Long is similar to the landscape of Tam Coc, but more wild. Embark on a short paddle boat ride to discover this legendary land, the most important submerged nature reserve in the north of the country which has been recognized as the 9th Ramsar site of Vietnam in 2019.
Surrounded by concrete dykes that are more than 30 km long, Van Long Nature Reserve covers 3500 ha spanning 7 communes in Gia Vien District, including Gia Hung, Lien Son, Gia Hoa, Gia Van, Gia Lap, Gia Tan and Gia Thanh.
The name Van Long represents the dream and aspiration of the inhabitants to a peaceful life, Van means “cloud” and Long means “dragon”, when the dragon meets the clouds, they are pleased. The dragon is responsible for the formation of the clouds and dispenser of rain. Their meeting has become a sign of good omen.
Van Long is nicknamed “the bay without waves” to evoke the beauty of this watery landscape where the calm water reflects the clouds and the karst cliffs. A beautiful picturesque with a flooded field and surrounded by caves and limestone mountains. Each mountain has a name according to its shape such as Meo Cao mountain, Co Tien mountain, Mam Xoi mountain, Hom Sach mountain…Van Long also has 32 beautiful caves like Ca cave, Bong cave, Rua cave, Chanh cave, etc… The most beautiful cave is Ca (fish) cave, in Hoang Quyen mountain. It is 250 m long, 8 m high and 10 m wide. Many stalactites with foreign shapes like animals, fishes are attached to the ceiling. You can find many tilapia and catfish.
Van Long seduces not only tourists but also biologists thanks to its rich biodiversity of flora and fauna, many of which are listed in the Red Book of Vietnam. It is home to 722 plant species including 8 species listed in the Red Book of Vietnam, and 39 animal species, including 12 rare species. Van Long also has an amazing bird garden with 100 species. Among the most remarkable are the heron, the little egret and the white stork which regularly search for food in the marshes and rice fields. If you like bird watching, this place is for you!
Van Long is home to the largest community of Delacour’s langur with over 100 individuals. The Delacour’s langur, a monkey with black and white fur, has been listed since 2000 as one of the 25 most endangered primate species in the world. If you are lucky, especially in the evening (the Langur is diurnal) you can see them or at least hear their specific call (the Langur barks, growls), when you go for a walk in a boat.
After the boat, you can explore the typical villages of the North Vietnamese delta around the reserve by bike or by buffalo cart. An unforgettable experience in an exceptional setting, surrounded by spectacular limestone ranges.
Best time to travel to Van Long
You can visit at any time of the year, but the best periods are
May to June: Van Long is overrun by the pink color of lotus flowers. You can take this opportunity to take romantic pictures.
November to April: This is the dry season, you will see birds soaring in the sky, creating a beautiful picture.
It is highly recommended to arrive here in the late afternoon (15:30-16:30) to see the flocks of birds, especially the storks that return to their nests.
Practical information
Boat schedule: every day from 8am to 4pm
Entrance ticket: 20 000 VND/person
Rowing boat: 60 000 VND for 2 persons
