| Quick facts | |
|---|---|
| Distance | 75km one way |
| Difficulty | Moderate |
| Terrain | Flat then hilly |
| Blog | 26th Jan - My love/hate relationship with the Vietnamese |
| Gallery | Cuc Phuong NP to Hoi An |
The journey
A hard seat on the TN3 from Hanoi was Ð28,000 per person and Ð13,000 per bike, departing 3.45pm and arriving 6.10pm. We were served cooked airline style food (rice, steamed vegetables and meat, broth and a meat dish) and water. Ninh Binh is refreshingly tidy and quiet compared to Hanoi and Vinh; there are many shops in the high street and several large hotels.The ride along SH1 was busy and uninteresting. The wind was northerly some of the time. After about 15km we turned left towards Nho Quan, which was slightly less busy with some trucks and buses. After the market in Nho Quan there's a left turn to Cuc Phuong (there's a big sign, you can't miss it). This road is a sealed single lane but is much quieter and more pleasant with only a few trucks on the way to the park entrance. The road from SH1 to Nho Quan was sealed with a few short rough patches; there are very few km markers and some big stones in the road. It was flat until just before the park and then there's a small rise and then another short, steep rise to the park. There are two very large guesthouses in the village outside the park HQ.
The 18km ride into the park has some short, very steep rolling up and downs. They're all signed 10% but aren't that gradient. It's more up than down into the park centre but doesn't feel like it. There road was deserted except for a couple of vehicles. The park is very beautiful and exceedingly quiet in off season.
Accommodation is booked in reception at the park entrance. It's $25 for a bungalow with hot shower (available for a limited period, apparently) or $6 per person for a room in the pillar house which has a shared bathroom with cold water. We walked to the ancient tree, which is 45 minutes each way along a concrete path. It's Ð10,000 per person for a guided tour of the primate centre which is well worth a visit. The centre's open 9am to 11am and 1pm to 4pm and the 30 minute tours go on the half-hour.
The rooms
Queen Mini hotel21 Hoang Hoa Tham, Ninh Binh (30m from the station)
Tel: 030 871874
$9 for a double room, bathroom wit hot water, TV (no movies, one sports channel), balcony.
Nicely furnished, very comfortable duvet and pillows. Free tea when we arrived. Restaurant downstairs.
Pillar house
Bong, Cuc Phuong national park
$6 each for twin room, shared bathroom with cold water, mosquito nets supplied but not put up.
We arranged our meals in advance at the restaurant 300m before the pillar house: Ð60,000 per person for breakfast and dinner. There is no a menu, you just get a selection of dishes.