Ninh Binh’s tourism sector renovates to make breakthrough
Many new tourism products
Previously, if Ninh Binh's daytime was filled with the colors of limestone mountains, the ripening rice fields of Tam Coc, the crowds rowing through Trang An, or visiting ancient temples and pagodas, then night would be quiet. Tourists would return to their rooms early, the space would be deserted, and spending would almost cease.
In the last three years, the opening of new tourism products and night tourism spaces has awakened the remaining time of Ninh Binh. Hoa Lu Ancient Town - a night tourism destination built in Ky Lan mountain area (now part of Hoa Lu ward) - is always bustling and lively, especially at night, particularly on weekends and holidays.
Restored, modeled, and recreated to resemble the ancient architecture and culture of Dai Viet from the 10th century, Hoa Lu Old Town opened to the public in January 2022. It features numerous stalls showcasing traditional handicrafts from villages throughout Ninh Binh province, such as Van Lam embroidery, Bo Bat pottery, Bo De paintings, crispy rice, and shrimp paste.
In recent years, Ninh Binh has begun to develop night tourism as a strategic product, not to extend opening hours, but to expand the range of experiences.
Ninh Binh has designed many night-time tourism products, notably Hoa Lu Ancient Town, organising cultural, artistic, and culinary exchange events in the "Western-style" Tam Coc - Bich Dong area, developing night tours in the Tam Chuc National Tourist Area, Bai Dinh, Cuc Phuong National Park, or art and water music programmes at the Festival Axis and Times Square…
In addition, a relatively clear mark in Ninh Binh's night-time economic development strategy is the organisation of a series of night-time cultural, tourism, music, and fashion festivals. These events directly activate night-time economic activities.
Art performances combining light and sound in heritage areas have appeared, creating "storytelling nights" through visual language. There, the history of the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, the spiritual space of temples, or legends about mountains and rivers are recreated using modern projection technology. Visitors not only get to see but also immerse themselves in the cultural atmosphere.
Shifting from ‘quantity’ to ‘quality’
According to the provincial Department of Tourism, the locality has proactively shifted its development focus from “quantity” to “quality,” with community-based and ecotourism playing a key role. This strategy emphasises designing experiences and building products with depth, delivering cultural value and sustainability, rather than simply focusing on sightseeing.
While developing community-based tourism, promoting homestay and farmstay models, allows tourists to live and work alongside local people, sustainable ecotourism focuses on preserving landscapes, exploiting green tourism in heritage areas, and minimising negative impacts on the environment.
Cuc Phuong National Park organises a tourism “ecosystem” with many programmes and products, with responsible ecotourism identified as the main type of tourism.
In recent years, the Cuc Phuong National Park has focused on developing and operating innovative and unique ecotourism products linked to rescue and conservation efforts, such as nature-based educational programmes for students; tours of wildlife rescue and conservation centere, museums and botanical gardens; activities involving the re-release of rescued animals into the wild; and participation in tree planting activities…
At Van Long tourist area, visitors not only enjoy boat rides but also hear stories about the wetland ecosystem, the rare Delacour's langurs, and how local people preserve the environment. Such experiences transform the trip into a journey of awareness, understanding, and appreciation for the value of nature.
According to statistics, Ninh Binh province currently has 15 recognised tourist areas and sites, over 60 potential tourist areas and sites for tourism development, along with a network of travel agencies and an increasingly professional team of tour guides, contributing to enhancing the experience for tourists and building an image of Ninh Binh tourism as friendly, safe, and attractive.
With synchronised investment in infrastructure and innovative changes bringing many new tourism products and attractive tours, Ninh Binh’s tourism sector is on a strong upward trajectory. In the first quarter of 2026, Ninh Binh province welcomed nearly 9.9 million visitors, an impressive growth with revenue reaching over 10.05 trillion VND. The results showed that Ninh Binh continues to affirm its position as one of the leading destinations in Vietnam./.
