Carrying on the limestone majesty of Ha Long Bay that graces the coastline around Hanoi, the small-sized city of Ninh Bình is the gateway to some of the most dramatic and breathtaking landscapes on the entire Red River Delta. Chiselled karsts of rock jut sharply up above riparian flatlands coloured with golden maize or swaying rice stalks. The quintessential peaked roofs of pagodas lurk in the valleys, dragon boats bob on the waterways and the backcountry rises and falls like the contours of a Vietnamese wok. Be sure to have the camera ready for this one!

Natural beauty is obviously the top draw here, enthralling tourists with sites such as the Trang An grottoes, panoramic views from atop the Mua caves, rural countrysides at Tam Coc and national parks such as those of Cuc Phuong and Van Long. The cultural attractions keeps pace too, with the Bich Dong Pagoda revealing itself from the depths of a karst cave, and the largest pagoda in Vietnam Bai Dinh Pagoda stationed here, while Ninh Bình tour guides also showcase eclectic facades of the Phát Diệm Cathedral, its architecture an interesting fusion of the Francophone and the Gothic, the Chinese and the colonial style. The valley-bottom and ancient capital of Hoa Lư is also a real must, offering fascinating temples and palaces, and a glimpse at the power struggles and political machinations of 10^th-century Vietnam.