Spotlight on the stunning Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve
A fantastic day trip or overnighter from Hanoi, Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve is often referred to as the ‘inland Halong Bay’ due to the towering limestone karsts. It’s hard to believe that parts of the movie, ‘Kong: Skull Island’ were filmed here as it’s just so peaceful.
Not only is Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve beautiful, it’s also one of the last wild refuges for the endangered Delacour’s Langur Monkey. Early morning or evening is the best time to catch a glimpse of them.
Most people come to Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve for the joy of taking a bamboo row boat around the reserve. This relaxing boat trip was one of the highlights of our trip to Vietnam. Even my young kids (ages 3.5 years and 11 months) were lulled into quiet by the peacefulness of the bamboo boat on the still water.
Expect to see plenty of birds and nature and to enter some caves in the boat. Although there is nothing scary about the caves, young kids might be a little frightened.
I would recommend this boat trip to anyone visiting Ninh Binh, whether you are travelling on your own, as a couple or with children. We visited the Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve as a recommendation by our hotel as an alternative to Tam Coc to avoid crowds and people pushing goods to sell.
Helping row the boat was a real highlight for Ripley (aged 3.5 years) and he talked about it for weeks afterwards.
Visiting Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve with kids
In general, visiting Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve with kids is awesome. Like everywhere else in Vietnam, the locals thoroughly enjoy children and they are tolerated extremely well. You will need to be prepared with snacks, drinks and sun protection though. Other visitors had thought to bring umbrellas along for shade which I thought was a great idea.
Life jackets aren’t really a thing here. If it really bothers you, it wouldn’t be hard to bring your own. It didn’t bother us in the slightest bit as the water is extremely flat and we just sat the kids on our laps or between us the whole time.
How to get to Ninh Binh and Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve
Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve is located close to Ninh Binh in Vietnam.
Ninh Binh is a picturesque two-and-a-half-hour train ride from Hanoi in North Vietnam. Book your train ticket from Hanoi to Ninh Binh here. We tried both the air-conditioned carriage with soft seats and the hard seats with no air-conditioning. Both were enjoyable but I enjoyed the hard seats better because the carriage was virtually empty.
The bus service is also very popular. Book your bus ticket from Hanoi to Ninh Binh here.
Although we didn’t use one for this particular trip, we found hiring a private driver very convenient in Vietnam. Book your private driver here.
Once you’re in Ninh Binh, either your hotel can organise transport for you to Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve, or you can use the GrabIt App to catch a taxi.
Where to stay in Ninh Binh
The Legend Hotel is a great hotel if you’re looking for luxury without the price tag of an international hotel. The room was large which gave the kids heaps of space to spread out and play in the evenings.
Another great option is the Emerald Resort and Spa. Although its not located in town, it’s closer to the Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve.
Looking for more awesome family holiday destinations?
For more information on visiting Vietnam, make sure to visit our Vietnam page. Alternatively, head back to the home page for inspiration on more destinations worldwide.
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Resources for booking a family holiday to Vietnam
Flights
Most international flights will land in either Ho Chi Minh City or Hanoi. Search Trip.com for a great deal on flights to Vietnam.
Accommodation
We have stayed at and loved the following hotels and resorts in Vietnam:
- HOI AN – The Hoi An Beach Resort
- NINH BINH – The Legend Hotel
- PHU QUOC Island – Long Beach Resort
- HO CHI MINH CITY – The Grand Hotel Saigon
Unfortunately, I can’t recommend the hotel we stayed at in Hanoi as it was less than ideal!
Activities and tours
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