Destination: Ninh Binh
Far too few travellers make it to Ninh Binh, a mesmerizing area known locally as ‘Ha Long Bay on Land’ thanks to its magical riverine landscape, with sheer limestone mountains rising up from the paddies. The best way to get a sense of this UNESCO-protected site is by taking a paddleboat tour along its shimmering rivers, and climbing to the top of its fabled peaks. At the Tam Coc and Trang An boat docks, you’ll be expertly guided along gentle waterways, past towering karsts, and into dripping grottoes.