Đầm Vân Long — Attraction in Ninh Bình Province

My partner and I stayed for one night in one of the Superior King Rooms which was absolutely delightful. The aesthetics is just so nice. Definitely worth the trip away from the main tourist attractions for a bit of relaxation and greenery.

The property is next to the Van Long Nature Preserve. You can borrow bikes (free of charge) and cycle around the lagoon and rice paddy fields. It’s so stunning.

The facilities are gorgeous with the thoughtfully planted greenery that provides a tranquil setting and much needed shade. The entrance to the main building is gorgeous with glass walls and doors. Very attractive.

The best part of this stay are the people. We were welcomed so warmly and kindly. I speak broken Vietnamese but they were so patient and understanding. Everyone was so kind and thoughtful. I love this place. And the food! We arrived late and failed to request dinner in advance but they were able to accompany my limited diet. We had a scrumptious and local meal. For breakfast, my partner had the pho ga which had the most depth in flavor of all the phos we had in Vietnam thus far. As for myself, I had the congee/rice porridge with what looks like little clams??? It was amazing!

Best surprise from the establishment are their drinks. Freshly squeezed watermelon juice, the most refreshing and delightful oolong teas (tropical/pineapple and peach), fabulous iced coffee (cafe sua da) that is light and not as bitter/acrid as traditional Vietnamese roast, and your western style...

We visited early in the morning on a Monday, around 8:30 a.m., but there was already a group of tourists arriving by bus. We waited for the crowds to disperse before purchasing our tickets and starting our journey. This was the first place we explored in the Ninh Binh area, and overall, it was just okay. Our rowing lady was pleasant, and the journey lasted about an hour. However, one thing that bothered us was her approach—when I admired a flower and took a picture, she noticed and then picked it to give to me. While I appreciated her gesture, I never want to harm the environment.

Additionally, she insisted on a tip when we returned to the port. While I believe tips should be earned, not demanded, we still gave her one, though it left a bad impression. Looking back, after visiting Trang An early in the morning without the crowds, the Van Long Reserve didn’t feel worth it, even though it was cheaper. In Trang An, we saw hundreds of birds, whereas in Van Long, we only spotted one.

Trang An was a relaxing and breathtaking experience, and to our surprise, the rowing lady there didn’t ask for a tip—though she earned one anyway for her great service. All in all, I would only recommend Van Long if you’re bored in Ninh Binh and have extra money to spend. Even then, you might be better off treating yourself to...

We rented a villa for the weekend. When we arrive at the reception, they have a parking lot for our cars and they took us by boat to cross a small river. Staff was very helpful with your luggage.

The resort is built at the bottom of one of the beautiful limestone mountains of Ninh Binh. And that’s what makes Minawa Kenhga Resort special. I haven’t heard of any other resort so close to the limestone mountains.

The villas are roomy and well decorated. The ground floor is for the living room dinning room and the kitchen. On the second floor, the private villas have 4 bedrooms (2 king beds and 2 with twin beds). The ceiling is high and all equipments modern.

There are multiple mineral baths and spring water located along the limestone mountain. You will need to climb a lot of stairs to get to the highest but the view worth the climb. Water is warm, sometimes cold. On the weekends, the place is crammed with people.

The breakfast area offers indoor and outdoor tables. They have the usual Vietnamese options (pho, banh cuon, hao cao) and also eggs cooked on the spot.

Overall Minawa Kenhga is a peaceful resort with beautifully decorated villas surrounded by pools and luxurious gardens. If you are into mineral water baths, you will forget that Minawa Kenhga Resort is far from Ninh Binh main...