Van Long Nature Reserve → Travel Guide ☀️

ℹ️ Information – Van Long
🚍 How to get to Van Long
☀️ When to go + Weather
🏡 Resorts + Homestays
❓ Questions + Travel Tips
📸 Photos of Van Long
🎫 Book a Tour Online
🎫 Tickets to Ninh Binh

Van Long Nature Reserve – another attractive place to visit near Ninh Binh.

• • Ninh Binh province is renowned worldwide as a must-visit destination. Among its famed attractions are the breathtaking Trang An scenic complex and the picturesque Tam Coc, both drawing in crowds of tourists from far and wide. Yet, the province offers more than just these renowned sites. Just 20km from the city center lies the expansive Van Long Nature Reserve, nestled within the Red River Delta in Gia Viễn District. Here, visitors are greeted by towering limestone cliffs, expansive wetlands, and tranquil swamps, making it an ideal spot for birdwatching enthusiasts. Van Long Nature Reserve stands as a captivating addition to any Ninh Binh itinerary.
  • Van Long Nature Reserve in Gia Vien district, aptly named Van Long meaning “Dragons flying in clouds,” spans an impressive 3,000 hectares and has emerged as a favored tourist hotspot due to its accessibility. While only a portion of the reserve is open to tourists for wooden boat rides, it remains less crowded compared to popular destinations like the Trang An Scenic Complex or Tam Coc near Ninh Binh town. Visitors can enjoy serene boat rides reminiscent of those in Tam Coc. Notably, Van Long Nature Reserve gained cinematic recognition as one of the filming locations for the sci-fi-fantasy blockbuster Kong: Skull Island in 2016. For those with ample time to explore Ninh Binh, a visit to this remarkable site comes highly recommended.

Van Long Reserve is actually a small Halong Bay, but without the sea.

• • Halong Bay in Quang Ninh province is quite similar to Van Long Reserve. However, if you don’t count the size and the sea. This area is criss-crossed with canals, rivers all around and there are a large number of wetlands, swamps, etc. and also dotted with limestone mountains. The water is therefore very calm and if you are lucky with the weather it is very clear and transparent, but this may not be the case all year round. You will see this for yourself if you go out on a boat for a shorter ride. These boat rides are very popular also in this site.

Homestays and hotels in Ninh Binh ➜

• • The entire reserve is of course a protected area and was partially opened for tourists in 1998. The reserve was created by the construction of a dam on the left bank of the Đáy River, and you can drive across it yourself, for example on a motorbike, so you can see it for yourself. There are also about 32 caves in the reserve and it is the place with the largest concentration of Delacour langurs (about 100 pieces) in northern Vietnam, as well as some cultural and historical artifacts. However, on the boat ride you will probably only see a fraction of this, e.g. I only saw about five langurs, but it may be the time/season I was here, so you may have better luck than me.

The area around Van Long and nearby villages is an agricultural area.

• • Van Long Nature Wetland Reserve also offers dozens of protected plants, fishes or other animal species. Perhaps it is a pity that it is next to several busy villages/towns, which also have various industrial warehouses or halls. There is also a large cement factory next to these villages, which kind of spoils the impression of this peaceful place, it is located on the right side near the reserve. Personally I can confirm that the bustle from this large cement factory was a bit more, the dust spread was also quite large. According to some information, there were even a few rocks removed from the reserve due to the increasing demand for limestone.

❱ Book a motorbike in Vietnam ❰

• • Especially the northeastern part near the reserve was quite damaged, I would say – cut down, but if you go on a boat for a classic ride of about 1.5 hour, you won’t actually see it in real life. Unless you go around the reserve on a motorbike. But you can look at Google maps, for example, where you can see the encroachment (the white areas to the right of the reserve). At the reserve you can also see the large newly built Van Lang parish church in Lãng Nội village (3km from the boat wharf of Van Long), which you can visit on your trip, it can also be seen from the boat harbour itself in Gia Van village, where the rides leave from.

Van Long Nature Reserve can be reached by motorbike or private transfer.

• • The vast majority of tourists and visitors come here on a trip from Ninh Binh town. However, the exceptions are various private trips from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, e.g. for 1-2 days, where this reservation is a part of this trip. From Ninh Binh you can reach the reserve by motorbike or private transport e.g. from Trang An complex / Hoa Lu or Ninh Binh town. Personally, I don’t know if any of the local buses come directly to the reserve to the boat wharf. So a suitable way may be to travel by motorbike from Trang An complex for example. If you would go by motorbike from Ninh Binh, I would recommend going via Trang An complex, which is the most interesting place at Ninh Binh.

❱ How to reach Ninh Binh from Hanoi? ❰

• • Travel distance from the city center of Ninh Binh to Van Long boat wharf is about 20 km, but a few kilometers via the main and busy QL1A road, connecting to Hanoi. I would recommend avoiding this road, it is really quite busy, and driving to the Van Long reserve (to the boat harbour) from Tam Coc or Trang An complex. If you leave from Trang An / Hoa Lu, the travel distance will also be about 20 km and you will also drive through a nice area, less busy roads and you will actually give “2 birds” one stone. The route is marked on the map below in the article. If you use a private taxi from Ninh Binh to Van Long, the price should be about under 15-20 USD / car.

• • You can book bus, train tickets or car from Hanoi to Ninh Binh on Baolau ➜ or 12go.asia ➜.

When to go to Van Long Nature Reserve in Ninh Binh, what is a good time?

• • In reality, you can visit the Van Long reservation all year round. Ninh Binh is a lowland area with average temperatures higher than e.g. mountain provinces. However, this area also has some specifics and the weather can vary. The best time to visit Van Long is said to be from September to April. The winter months can be foggy and with lower temperatures, hence quite cold. Summer is the monsoon season with more rain, but even this can change quickly, e.g. it rains and soon the sun is beautiful, so again visibility can be better than in winter.
  • If you would like to watch birds (especially storks), it is recommended in the afternoon, specifically between 3 and 5 pm, especially from November to April. May to June – the time when the Van Long reserve is dotted with pink lotus flowers, so it can be quite a romantic sight. You just have to choose what you prefer and compromise. However, Ninh Binh is more suitable to visit from September to October. Read this article: Weather in Ninh Binh

1. If you can – skip the monsoon season (summer months)
2. September > October – a good time to visit Ninh Binh

What is the accommodation Van Long Reserve? Where and what to choose?

• • Van Long Nature Reserve and the surrounding area has changed a bit in recent times. And already now you can find a hotel with a swimming pool, a guesthouse or a resort and a bungalow in the vicinity. It’s estimated that in time something else may be built here and the whole boat centre will grow. Personally, I’d rather choose to stay in and around Trang An and take a trip to the reserve, but if you want to stay here (yes, it’s quieter), choose from something below. These accommodation capacities are very well rated:

Accommoation in Van Long Nature Reserve:

▶️ Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh
▶️ Ninh Binh Nature Homestay
▶️ Van Long Family Homestay
▶️ Van Long Garden

❓ Practical Information + Questions – Van Long Reserve:

Updated: May 2026

Map of travel route to Van Long Reserve from Ninh Binh town:

(this route is very good, going through the Trang An complex and over less busy roads than the main QL1A).

Van Long Nature Reserve and surroundings — Photos:

Train + Cable Car to Fansipan｜Ban Ang in Moc Chau｜Hang Doi Cave｜Hanoi to Dien Bien Phu｜Buon Ma Thuot to Hanoi｜Da Lat to Buon Ma Thuot

Am Tien Pagoda ➜