Ninh Binh has the pace of a large country town – a welcome respite if you’ve just escaped the bustle of Hanoi.

 Apart from the scrum of guesthouse owners greeting the trains, and the charming chorus of ‘Hello, how are you’ from the local children, you’ll largely be left alone as you wander the quiet streets.

The surrounding countryside is gorgeous, confirming all the postcard fantasies of what Vietnam has to offer – water buffalos, golden-green rice paddies, majestic limestone for­mations and more. There are plenty of sights in the vicinity to justify a stay of several days. The only place of interest in the town itself is a large modern east-meets-west Cathedral (Ð Hoang Hoa Tham) near the train station.

The best of backpacker culture can be experienced here. While not a difficult place to visit, Ninh Binh seems to attract interesting travellers with a zest for new experiences. It’s a great place to make travel buddies.

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