Rural Communities and Landscapes - Ninh Binh, Vietnam
the adventure
"...this is such an amazingly gorgeous place!..."
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The amazing landscapes and historic monuments of Ninh Binh Province, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, lie just south of Hanoi. Ninh Binh has hundreds of rugged limestone monoliths, topped by dense greenery, scattered around the city with rivers flowing through them and caves formed in them. Tam Coc and Trang An are perhaps the most well-known. While the mountains are in the west and northwest, the east and south have coastal parts.
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I came to Tam Coc, my temporary base, between two training missions in Hanoi and Ho Chih Minh. My week-long home was in a small local guesthouse in Tam Coc. Tuan, its owner, was a Tam Coc local and we readily became friends. He was once a fulltime fisherman, but recently decided to convert his simple home into a rustic and comfortable guesthouse full of local flavour. He could not speak much English, but we got along really well. A down-to-earth and helpful man, he provided me with lots of valuable local knowledge and insights into the local culture, economy and concerns. In the mornings, I would help him at his small vegetable farm before heading out. In the evenings, we would sometimes share a meal and several cups of his "happy water", while I recounted the day's wanderings and encounters.
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Located just outside Ninh Binh Town, Tam Coc is probably one of the best nature destinations in Vietnam. Known for its karst landscape, which is similar to the better known Halong Bay area. It is hard not to be won over by the mystical, watery beauty of Tam Coc's "three caves" region, which is effectively a landlocked version of Halong Bay. Nearby Trang An has a more extensive and much larger waterway-limestone cave system. But, in comparison, I found Tam Coc's landscape to be more scenic.
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During my long boat journeys in both Tam Coc and Trang An, I spent time interacting with the middle-aged boatwomen while also admiring the ruggedly beautiful landscapes. These were the renowned women who could expertly row the sampan-like vessels with their feet. They really made it look easy, because their skill had been honed by the numerous years of rowing up and down the waterways. Like many manual jobs elsewhere, life was hard and wages were low. They worked long hours, and relied heavily on tourist tips to supplement their meagre wages.
On land, I spent my days solo roaming Ninh Binh Province on a motorbike. The hardy bike (and cheap fuel) offered me complete flexibility and freedom. I visited the historical Phat Diem Cathedral (built in 1898), climbed the 500 steps of Hang Mua Peak and several other places. But, it was the rustic rural landscape that truly captivated me. I spent a lot of time off the beaten path, exploring small villages, chatting with locals in nameless coffee shops, riding through alleyways and my favourite, rural mud tracks. There was just so much natural beauty around, and the constant stillness and lack of crowds allowed me the unhurried time to soak in the environment.
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