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Photo: Azotour Vietnam, CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons
Cathedral known for its scale and its oriental style. Completed in 1891. One of the earliest areas to be reached by missionaries; Portuguese priests were here in 1627.
The Phát Diệm Cathedral is the seat of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Phát Diệm, located in Kim Sơn District of Ninh Bình Province in Vietnam. The architecture of the church – built in stone and wood in 1891 – is an eclectic blend of Vietnamese and European architectural styles. It was mainly built in traditional Vietnamese architecture, similar to historical palaces and temples. It was bombed in 1972 and subsequently restored. Complementing the cathedral, the Phat Diem complex includes five chapels, three grottoes, a memorial house, and a recently constructed pastoral center for the diocese.
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The most famous landscape of Ninh Binh. Boats begin at the village of Van Lam and proceed through a scenic landscape dominated by rice fields and karst towers. The route includes floating through three natural caves (Hang Cả, Hang Hai, and Hang Ba), the largest of which is 125-m long with its ceiling about 2-m high above the water. Vast limestone cliffs rise out of the rice paddies.
Hang Múa
The cave here is an afterthought; the main draws are the two hilltop viewpoints. 500 steps will lead you to the first peak, an unimpressive temple with incredibly stunning views over Tam Coc and Ninh Binh’s countryside, including a large lotus flower field at the bottom (should bloom in June/July). On the second slightly higher peak, there is a long dragon statue which you can climb around.
Caution when arriving by bike or motorbike: On the street leading up to the entrance gate there are multiple places trying to convince you that they're the official parking spot, some even utilizing whistles or intimidation tactics. Don't listen to them, you can drive right up to the gate and park there for 10,000 dong.
Chùa Bích Động
Three temples carved into a limestone mountain, dating from the 15th-century reign of Le Thai To. The lower temple has a stone next to it that resonates when tapped, plus a Buddha footprint. The middle temple has an 18th-century bell, a cave and resonating pillars. The top temple has a view of the surrounding countryside, which is good for sunsets.
Dộng Thiên Cung
Only very few tourists wander into this secluded valley. There is a shop selling some drinks and ice cream, but which might be closed. There is a boat advertising a tour into a 350m deep cave, a wide peaceful field with some goats and then there is the 15min walking tour through a cave. The guide babbles about in Vietnamese only, shows various fossil shells and funny shaped wall markings, stalagmites and stalactites and even turns your head into the right direction to look using his hands.
Đảo Khê Cốc
The former filming location of the village from Kong: Skull Island, repurposed in 2024 as an outdoor cultural museum. There isn't much there yet.
Thung Nham Bird Valley
Entrance ticket includes two boat rides, one in a cave with sleeping bats and one to the conservation bird park. Some very beautiful flower gardens, tree areas and bamboo bridges. You are allowed to bring your own bicycle inside and cycle around. Useful too as its about 1.3km from ticket office to park entrance with a steep hill to get over.