Visiting Ninh Binh from Hanoi: How We Chose Between a Group Tour and Self Guided Trip

When planning a trip, I always find myself swinging wildly between stress and excitement. One minute, I’m thrilled about all the amazing experiences and memories I’ll make. The next, I’m dreading all the travel details and research I still have to figure out. 

This was especially true when we planned our day trip to Ninh Binh from Hanoi during our short 4-day escapade in Northern Vietnam.

• “Shoot, how are we supposed to even get to this place if there’s no bus or train?”
• “Seriously, how long is too long at this one attraction before we totally run out of time for the next major sight?”
• “Is there an easy way to spending a whole day here without feeling absolutely dead so I can still have fun tomorrow?”

These questions above? They were just a few of the things we were trying to figure out for that trip. 

And yeah, as they imply, we were set on doing a DIY day trip… at first. But in the end, we went with just booking a group tour instead. 

Why?

Let me tell you everything we considered when we chose a group tour to Ninh Binh from Hanoi instead of going by ourselves.

The Verdict

But to give you the quick answer, main reason we chose a group tour to Ninh Binh from Hanoi instead of going on our own boils down to our overall goal for the trip:

We wanted a completely stress-free experience. We needed a vacation that would genuinely refresh us so we could return to work totally rejuvenated and ready to face our busy schedules again. 

We hoped a group tour would provide that kind of experience, which, thankfully, is exactly what we got on the day of the trip. 

Basically, here’s what happened:

• We rode the bus and listened to the tour guide’s fun facts.
• We visited an attraction (Bai Dinh Pagoda ➡️ Lunch ➡️ Hoa Lu Ancient Capital ➡️ Trang An).
• We weren’t stressed looking for directions, and we wasted no time falling in line to buy tickets.
• We ate lunch on time.
• We had a couple of small mishaps at Bai Dinh Pagoda. Still, everything turned out great.

Actually, despite our main goal, we still considered a do-it-yourself trip because, quite frankly, my friend and I were spontaneous travelers.

We were also young then and we felt very adventures that time. We thought it might be really a good idea to make a self-guided trip. That way, we could create more candid experiences which are usually more memorable. 

What became the big question back then was, “Are these candid experiences worth all the hassle of planning and getting around?” We wondered if we were willing to trade some comfort and a totally relaxing trip just to make those spontaneous moments happen.

We ended up weighing five things when we made our decision:

• how to get there,
• how to get around,
• tickets and access to attractions,
• the total time needed for the day, and
• what we planned to do after visiting Ninh Binh.

If you think a tour is the way to go, take a look at my Travel Planning Page for Ninh Binh. There, you’ll find a link to book your tour along with helpful resources for your trip.

First Consideration: Getting There

The first thing we thought about when deciding between a group tour and a DIY trip was how to get to Ninh Binh from Hanoi and back. We wanted to know if getting there would be tricky. If it seemed complicated, that was a point in favor of joining a group tour instead.

When we did a quick check, we realized getting to Ninh Binh from Hanoi isn’t a problem at all. It’s just a single ride by bus, train, or even limousine.

The last time I looked, trains leave twice in the morning, with the earliest at 6 am. For buses and limousines, it depends on the company, but some leave as early as 5:00 or 5:10 am. If you catch one of those early rides, you could be in Ninh Binh by 7:30 am.

It’s also good to know that some bus and limousine companies offer VIP services, which are a bit pricier but let you stop at places like Trang An or Tam Coc. That can save you a lot of time and effort compared to regular buses that go straight to the terminals in Ninh Binh.

With all this in mind, we voted for a DIY trip when it came to getting to Ninh Binh.

By the way, it takes about 2 to 3 hours to get from Hanoi to Ninh Binh, whether you go by train, bus, or limousine, and one-way tickets start at around 8 dollars.

If you’re going on a DIY trip, the ‘Getting There’ section of my Travel Planning Page has links to give youu different options to book your transportation tickets.

Second Consideration: Getting Around

The next thing we thought about was how to get around Ninh Binh and move between tourist spots.

When we checked, we found out there’s no public transportation connecting the attractions. As soon as we learned that, we immediately voted for joining a group tour.

Other travelers mentioned that taxis and Grab, the Uber of Southeast Asia, were available in Ninh Binh at the time.

That could work, but considering the unpredictable costs, which vary by distance and demand, plus the limited availability during peak hours and the busy season, a group tour seemed much more practical.

On top of that, we didn’t want the stress of hunting for alternatives or negotiating with local drivers if anything went wrong.

If you ever decide to take a DIY tour, you can also find transportation options in Ninh Binh that match your preferences (whether it’s a motorbike, car, or something else) on my Travel Planning Resources page.

Third Consideration: Preparation

We also considered the various attractions in Ninh Binh and looked at which option made it easier to book tickets and get in without wasting time.

At that moment, we leaned toward the choice that let us skip the lines, which clearly meant a group tour. Still, we didn’t completely dismiss the idea of doing it on a DIY day trip.

However, when we checked online travel agencies like GetYourGuide, Viator, and even Klook for individual tickets that included a skip-the-line perk, we came up empty. 

Attractions like Trang An and Bai Dinh Pagoda were selling tickets on their own sites (and a few sketchy ones), but we weren’t comfortable entering our credit card information on all those different websites.

In the end, for this consideration, we voted for joining a group tour.

The time I edited this post, though, the skip-the-line ticket for Trang An, the “must-have experience in Ninh Binh,” is already available on Klook.

Fourth Consideration: Time to Spend

When we were deciding between a group tour and a DIY trip, we also thought about how much time we hoped to spend in Ninh Binh.

We wanted to make the most of the day and see as many spots as we could without feeling rushed. We figured we could do that if we left Hanoi really early, around 5 or 6 am.

That would work well on a DIY day trip. But we did not rule out the chance that some group tours might leave that early, so we checked. It turned out there were none.

In the end, we kept our vote for a DIY day trip in this category.

Fifth Consideration: Next Activity

With our votes ending in a two to two tie, we needed something else to help us decide. We used our next activity in Northern Vietnam as the deciding point, which was taking an overnight bus from Hanoi to Sapa.

That was the factor we used because it basically determined until what hour could we stay in Ninh Binh. 

Just so you know, we needed to be back in Hanoi by 7:00 pm from Ninh Binh. That way, we could have dinner and some rest before leaving on our 9:30 pm bus to Sapa.

This last choice was a tough one because both a DIY trip and a group tour could work. Group tours usually finish around 5:00 pm and get back to Hanoi around 7:30 pm. With a DIY trip, we could just take a bus from Ninh Binh to Hanoi that fit the schedule we needed.

However, we realized that if we joined a group tour, getting back to Hanoi after exploring Ninh Binh wouldn’t or shouldn’t be a problem.

We wouldn’t have to worry about finding the train station or bus terminal. More importantly, we could be confident we’d be back in Hanoi before 8:00 pm and not miss our bus to Sapa.

That’s why, in the end, we decided to go with a group tour, which finalized our decision.

If this sounds like your kind of travel, check out this Ninh Binh day trip group tour, which is very similar to the one we enjoyed on our trip.

And if you’d rather explore Ninh Binh on your own, I’ve put together an itinerary to inspire your adventure. Check it out!

See all my recommended travel tools and services in my Travel Planning Page.

What’s Next?

Now that you know what to consider when deciding between a group tour or a DIY trip to Ninh Binh, let’s look at what you can expect when visiting. 

You can start with my post about our boat ride in Trang An, again, a must-see attraction. I share my experience there along with tips to help make your visit smooth and enjoyable. 

You can also check out my map of Bai Dinh Pagoda. It highlights the must-see areas and includes tips to help you get the most out of your visit.

For more helpful tips for your Northern Vietnam trip, take a look at my Sapa and Hanoi posts.

Thanks for reading!

Visiting Ninh Binh?

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Exploring Northern Vietnam?

Don’t stop at Ninh Binh! Northern Vietnam has SO MUCH to offer.