Ninh Binh in One Day: Non Nuoc, Luong Pagoda and Dich Long Cave

This itinerary is for those who have already visited Trang An and Tam Coc and want to discover a calmer, less crowded side of Ninh Binh. With just one full day, you can visit three sites steeped in history. Late in the year (around November–December) the weather is dry and cool, ideal for climbing stone steps and wandering around pagodas.

Itinerary Overview

The route covers three sites, ordered to avoid the harshest sun and minimize backtracking:

• Dich Long Cave (Gia Tran Commune): a cave linked to a pagoda, famous for wind that whistles like a flute.
• Non Nuoc Mountain (Hoa Lu Ward): a mountain at the confluence of the Van and Day rivers, home to a collection of cliff inscriptions (ma nhai) recently inscribed by UNESCO on the Memory of the World Register for Asia and the Pacific.
• Luong Pagoda – the Hundred-Room Pagoda (Hai Anh Commune): an ancient pagoda with 100 rooms, located in the southeast of the province, quite far from the center.

Main way to get around: it's best to hire a private car with a driver or drive yourself, as Luong Pagoda is fairly far from the center and public transport is inconvenient. If you're going by motorbike, consider your stamina, since the total distance for the day is quite long. Families with young children or elderly travelers should choose a car.

General suggestion: start from central Ninh Binh (where most visitors stay when visiting Trang An), go to Dich Long first, head back to Non Nuoc, have lunch, then drive down to Luong Pagoda in the afternoon.

Day 1: Dich Long – Non Nuoc – Luong Pagoda

Morning (around 7:30–11:00)

Dich Long Cave (about 1.5–2 hours). Arrive early to climb while it's still cool. From Ha Pagoda at the foot of the mountain, you'll climb about 105 stone steps to the cave entrance. The cave consists of three interconnected chambers; when the wind blows through, it sounds like a flute – hence the name: "dich" means flute and "long" means wind. Legend has it the cave was discovered around 1739, with the pagoda founded a year later. Emperor Minh Mang bestowed on it the title "Nam thien de tam dong" (Third Most Beautiful Cave of the Southern Realm), and the cave–pagoda complex was designated a National Relic in 1990.

Non Nuoc Mountain (about 1–1.5 hours). From Dich Long, return to the center to visit Non Nuoc. This small mountain was once an outpost guarding the Hoa Lu capital in the 10th century. The highlight is the 43 cliff inscriptions carved into the rock face, including 37 in Han-Nom script and 6 in modern Vietnamese script; the earliest dates from 1343 and the latest from 1934. Among them are dozens of poems by famous figures from various eras. This is Ninh Binh's first documentary heritage recognized at the regional level, so it's well worth taking time to look closely. From the mountaintop, you can watch the Day River winding around the city.

Lunch (around 11:30–13:00)

Have lunch in central Ninh Binh. It's a chance to try familiar local specialties such as de nui (mountain goat meat) and com chay (crispy scorched rice), or seasonal fish and goi (raw fish salad) dishes. After lunch, rest briefly, then drive to Luong Pagoda; the journey takes about 1.5 hours or more depending on traffic.

Afternoon (around 14:30–17:00)

Luong Pagoda – the Hundred-Room Pagoda (about 1.5–2 hours). The pagoda was first built around the late 15th century, extensively restored in the late 19th – early 20th century, and designated a National Relic in 1990. The grounds are divided into two sections of 49 rooms each, with a half-moon pond in front. Take time to admire:

• Ironwood architecture carved with dragons in various poses, such as dragons facing the moon and dragons coiling in water.
• Around 40 stone steles, including a square stele carved with statues of the Four Patriarchs and a round stele honoring merits.
• An ancient well built from stacked stone mortars, with cool, clear water all year round.
• A pair of ancient mango trees about 25 m tall, recognized as Heritage Trees.

If time allows, stop by the Tile-Roofed Bridge at Luong Market – a 9-span tiled bridge over the Trung Giang River, perfect for photos in the late afternoon.

Evening (around 17:30 onwards)

Return to central Ninh Binh to rest, or head straight back to Hanoi if you're ending your trip – Luong Pagoda is a little over 2 hours' drive from Hanoi. Year-end evenings are chilly, so a hot pot or sizzling grilled meal makes a cozy end to an eventful day.

Reverse Option

If you're coming from Hanoi on a day trip, you can do it in reverse: visit Luong Pagoda early in the morning, return to central Ninh Binh at noon, visit Non Nuoc and Dich Long in the afternoon, then head back to Hanoi. Note that climbing to Dich Long in the afternoon is more tiring and the light inside the cave is weaker.

Estimated Costs

The figures below are for reference only and may change depending on the time and provider:

• Full-day 4–7 seat car with driver: about 1,200,000–2,000,000 VND per car, depending on vehicle type and distance.
• Entrance fees: pagodas usually don't charge admission or charge only a small fee; some places may charge for parking or services.
• Parking: about 10,000–40,000 VND per visit depending on the vehicle.
• Lunch: about 100,000–250,000 VND per person.
• Donations, incense and flowers: at your discretion.

Total costs for a group of 4 traveling by hired car usually come to about 500,000–800,000 VND per person (excluding accommodation).

Tips

• Dress modestly at pagodas: cover shoulders and knees, and wear shoes with good grip for climbing the stone steps at Dich Long and Non Nuoc.
• Bring a light jacket, as early mornings and evenings late in the year are quite cold; caves can be damp and slippery.
• A flashlight or fully charged phone helps you see better inside the cave and read the inscriptions on the rock.
• Avoid full-moon days, the first day of the lunar month and festival periods if you want peace and quiet; the Luong Pagoda festival takes place from the 13th to the 16th day of the 3rd lunar month and is very crowded.
• Do not touch, draw on or climb the cliff inscriptions; this documentary heritage is easily damaged.
• International visitors should go with a guide or prepare translated materials, as most inscriptions are written in Han-Nom script.