Everything you need to know about Van Long Nature Reserve: A Complete guide

Van Long Nature Reserve is renowned for its diverse ecosystem and rare wildlife, attracting millions of domestic and international tourists. It has also garnered the attention of researchers and conservation organizations worldwide.

This guide provides comprehensive information about this incredible destination, ensuring a safe and cost-effective visit to Van Long Lagoon and its surrounding areas.

Introduction to Van Long Lagoon

Located in the Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province, about 80 km south of Hanoi, Van Long Nature Reserve is the largest wetland in Northern Vietnam. This area has two primary ecosystems: wetlands and limestone forests. Additionally, it encompasses other natural landscapes, including grasslands, fields, and traditional villages. Spanning nearly 3,500 hectares, the reserve is a sanctuary for many rare species of flora and fauna, including the critically endangered Delacour’s langur (Trachypithecus delacouri), a primate endemic to Vietnam that requires urgent conservation efforts.

Designated a protected area since 1999, Van Long Nature Reserve actively strives to preserve its ecosystems, while providing visitors an unforgettable journey amid Vietnam's rich natural heritage.

Best time to visit Van Long Lagoon

The Van Long Nature Reserve welcomes visitors year-round owing to its diverse ecosystem. The best time to visit Van Long depends on the experience you seek.

If you want to marvel at the lotuses in full bloom, visit Van Long Lagoon in summer, especially during the period from May to June. This is the lotus season, when the lagoon is covered in a sea of vibrant pink lotus flowers, filling the air with their delicate fragrance. The vibrant blooms contrast beautifully with the lush greenery and mirror-like water surface, creating a breathtaking scene. This is the best time for photographers and nature lovers.

The time frame from November to April of the following year is when migratory birds from the north arrive to nest. This is absolutely the ideal time totravel to Van Long as it coincides with the dry season, perfect for wildlife exploration without worrying about rain.

While you can visit Van Long Lagoon throughout the year, we advise against traveling during the rainy season, as overcast skies may hinder your ability to fully appreciate the lagoon’s beauty.

Best Time of the Day: Locals suggest visiting between 3:30 PM and 4:30 PM. During this golden hour, you can witness flocks of birds, including storks, soaring in search of food and returning to their nests. If you're lucky, you might also spot Delacour’s langurs feeding on tree leaves in the limestone mountains. The late afternoon provides a more pleasant temperature than the midday heat, making it the best time for wildlife sightings. 

Highlights of Van Long Lagoon

Stunning Natural Landscape

A boat tour on Van Long's clear waters offers breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.

One of the most striking landscapes of this wetland is the limestone formations that rise majestically above the water, draped in lush vegetation. Each mountain has a name based on its unique appearance, namely Meo Cao Mountain (the mountain seems to have a lot of cat scratches), Co Tien Mountain, and Mam Xoi Mountain. The water in the lagoon is so clear that you can see layers of moss and algae underneath the surface. While enjoying a boat tour in Van Long, you will be able to contemplate the calm surface of the water reflecting the sky like a giant mirror. Additionally, the lagoon features 32 caves, some of which serve as tourist attractions.

Rich Biodiversity

Regarding the wildlife ecosystem, Van Long Nature Reserve is home to 39 species and 19 families, including valuable animals other than the rare and endangered Delacour's langur, such as Tibetan bear, chamois, stump-tailed macaque, the clouded leopard...

This wetland is a habitat for more than 50 species of birds. Some of the most notable and regularly seen are the Chinese Heron, Cattle Egret, and White Stork.

Concerning the plant ecosystem, Van Long is home to 722 species, 8 of which are listed in the Red Data Book of Vietnam.

Ticket price to visit Van Long Nature Reserve in Ninh Binh

The specific fees are as follows:

- Landscape ticket: 20,000 VND/person

- Boat ticket: 120,000 VND per boat with 2 visitors

What to do in Van Long and its surroundings?

1. Take part in a boat trip

A bamboo boat ride is an absolute must to fully contemplate the ecological diversity of the Van Long Nature Reserve. Sailed by local rowers, these boats allow you to glide effortlessly through the serene waterways while soaking up the enchanting surroundings. You might find this experience quite similar to Tam Coc – Bich Dong. However, Van Long Lagoon exudes peace and tranquility, which is quite different from the hustle and bustle of Ninh Binh's crowded tourist attractions such as Trang An and Tam Coc.

As the small boat takes you around the ecological zone, you can admire up close the limestone mountains that emerge from the water. Don't forget to look out at the water to observe the delicate aquatic plants dancing gracefully with the movement of the water.

During your wetland waterways adventure, you will visit one of the largest caves in Van Long Nature Reserve, Ca Cave. This semi-submerged and semi-dried cave is 250m in length, 8 m high and 10 m wide.

Embark on an adventure that will bring you closer to nature. Don't forget the best time of day to visit this ecological zone we mentioned above, because if fortune is on your side, you can spot the rare langurs on the limestone mountains and the flocks of storks crisscrossing the sky.

2. Visit mountain temples

Majestic limestone mountains, mysterious caves, diverse flora, and fauna are not all Van Long has to offer. This place is also home to many pagodas and temples located on the mountains, namely Dich Long Pagoda, Thanh Son Pagoda and Thanh Mau Temple. Locals as well as tourists often come to these spiritual destinations to pray for good health and safety.

3. Ride a bicycle

The Gia Vien district, where the Van Long Nature Reserve is located, is an ideal destination for those who want an authentic experience of rural life in the North Vietnam delta. Embark on an exciting adventure through peaceful villages, along dykes, and cross vast rice fields to get closer to the daily life of the locals. Along the way, you'll also admire impressive limestone mountains and the idyllic beauty of Van Long Lagoon.

You can go to Thung La Temple, a divine temple surrounded by lush vegetation. As the temple is located in a sacred mountainous area, before going to the forest, the people of the area come here to pray to the gods to protect them and bring them back safely. People also often come to this temple to witness trance ceremonies – a unique cultural form of worshipping the Mother Goddess of the Vietnamese.

Besides Thung La Temple, Duc Thanh Nguyen Temple is another place you should consider visiting on your two-wheeled adventure.

4. Savor the local cuisine

Don't forget to taste the local delicacies. The signature dishes of Van Long or Ninh Binh in general are goat meat, mountain snails, grilled snakehead fish and burnt rice. Do not miss them!

Where to stay when visiting Van Long?

Van Long offers a plethora of accommodation options of different classes and price ranges for you to choose from. Here are some of our recommendations:

1. Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh

Located on the edge of Van Long Nature Reserve, Emeralda Ninh Binh Resort offers spacious villa-style rooms with free internet access. Surrounded by landscaped gardens, this property has a spa, 3 swimming pools and 2 restaurants.

Emeralda Ninh Binh Resort and Spa is a 30-minute drive from Tam Coc-Bich Dong Cave. Cuc Phuong National Park is 30 km away.

Address: Van Long Nature Reserve, Gia Van commune, Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh.

Price: From 3,867,500 VND per night

2. Huong Tra Ninh Binh Hotel

Huong Tra Ninh Binh Hotel offers a range of 27 modern rooms. This hotel has a spacious garden and a restaurant that can accommodate up to more than 500 people.

Address: Gian Khau, Gia Tran commune, Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh.

Price: From 487,805 VND per night

3. Nep House Homestay

A charming homestay nestled in a small valley in Lang Van village. Nep House has 6 rooms in total, with 3 room types. The property offers mountain and garden views. It offers an elevator, a shared kitchen, free self-service laundry and organizes tours for its guests.

Nep House Homestay is 17 km from Bai Dinh Pagoda, 7 km from Duc Thanh Nguyen Temple, 13.8 km from Trang An, 21.5 km from Tam Coc (about 30 minutes by car) and 42 km from Phat Diem Stone Cathedral.

Address: Lang Van Village, Lang Noi Hamlet, Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh.

Price: From 1,100,000 VND per night

How to get to Van Long?

The distance from Ninh Binh city center to Van Long Nature Reserve is about 20 km, only 30 minutes by car. Once you arrive in Ninh Binh, you can book a taxi to take you there.

The bus is another option. If you want to try taking the bus, take bus number 01 or 09.

Bicycles and motorbikes are the best ways to get to the lagoon if your accommodation is nearby.

Additional Tips

- Don't forget your sunscreen, hat or umbrella if you are traveling in sunny weather. If you are a bird watcher, remember to bring your binoculars.

- When taking a boat tour, the maximum load on a boat is 3-4 people (including rower).

- You can tip the rower a little, around 40,000 to 100,000 VND per boat.

- During your boat trip, keep the environment clean and do not throw waste into the lagoon.

- Please note that any act of hunting or harming animals in the ecological zone is strictly prohibited.

That's all you need to know about the Van Long nature reserve and its surroundings. We hope you find this article useful and that you will be ready for your trip to Van Long after reading it. If you have any questions, please ask in the comments section or contact us directly by email at: sales@authentiktravel.com! We wish you good health and good travels!

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