If you’ve ever been to Vietnam, you probably noticed that there are a lot of beautiful rice fields. Um, yeah, they are often pretty hard to miss. But there are definitely some standout areas in this lush, green country that feature some specifically amazing scenery. Which is why we have chosen two of the most impressive and are going to compare them: Ninh Binh vs Mai Chau. Both are easily reached within a few hours from Hanoi. Both are gorgeous and, in a very general way, somewhat similar. However, you may need to dig deeper into the details in order to make an informed choice between them. So the goal here is to help you pick the one that suits your trip best.
Ok, we’ll start with the basics:
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Ninh Binh
This is the classic “rice fields and limestone karsts” destination of Northern Vietnam. Tourists have been flocking to – and gawking at – the Ninh Binh scenery for years and I doubt that will change any time soon. And, while Ninh Binh is the name of the biggest city in the area and is usually how people describe it, all the best stuff is actually found in and around the smaller town of Tam Coc, just 15 minutes west from Ninh Binh. As it happens, we spent a full week there and wrote all about it:
The Best Things to Do in Tam Coc
But, for a quick overview, the karst scenery is the big draw, along with scenic rice fields, majestic viewpoints, impressive caves and even some ancient ruins for good measure. The most popular activity is the traditional small boat trip that takes you through the most dramatic scenery.
Mai Chau
Already popular with Vietnamese tourists, Mai Chau is still relatively unknown among foreigners. It gets much busier with visitors from Hanoi on the weekends, although “busier” is a very relative term, considering how empty and tranquil it is during the week. If you’ve spent any time on the main Vietnamese coastal tourist route (i.e. Danang, Hoi An, Hue, Ha Long Bay) then Mai Chau will feel utterly peaceful.
In Mai Chau, it is all about the rice fields. Set in a scenic and incredibly flat valley surrounded by sudden and surprising hills, every uninhabited space is planted (or harvested or flooded, depending on when you go). Touring the small paths between and through the fields – on foot, pedal bike or scooter – is unquestionably the best thing to do in Mai Chau. Plus, just an hour away you’ll find the extraordinary hills of Pu Luong Nature Reserve where the rice fields take picturesque to another level with their multi-level terraces.
So, for any even more basic recap:
Ninh Binh – limestone karsts and river trips.
Mai Chau – beautiful valley filled with rice fields.
Ok, now that you’ve got a general feel for the options, let’s dig into the specific differences between Ninh Binh and Mai Chau, just in case you have to choose. Because, yeah, in a perfect world you’ve got plenty of time to visit both and come to your own conclusions. However, many people may only have time to see one of them (Ha Long Bay is calling, for example), so sometimes difficult decisions must be made.
Location
Ninh Binh – 2 hours south of Hanoi, and just 4 hours from Ha Long Bay.
Mai Chau – 3 hours west of Hanoi.
So, obviously, Ninh Binh is the closest and easiest to visit. It is also located along the main north-south highway so can easily be used as a stop when heading in one direction or the other (although most people pass right by on either a train or plane).
Mai Chau, on the other hand, is only really on the way if you are heading into the very off-the-beaten path northwestern part of the country. And if you are, kudos, not many do.
Either way, edge Ninh Binh.
Scenery
This is tough because both feature extremely beautiful surroundings, but in quite different ways. I guess I would describe the area directly around Tam Coc as “more dramatic” and the rice fields of Mai Chau as “more serene”.
Both places are mostly flat, making the surrounding hills or karsts just that much more surprising and fascinating.
Tam Coc and Ninh Binh are surrounded by steep, spectacular limestone karsts and there are several gorgeous boat trips that wind around (and sometimes through) these fabulous formations.
In Mai Chau, the hills provide a beautiful backdrop for the rice fields, there is a quiet road that passes up and over one of the highest hills and there are quite a few waterfalls nearby. And the lush rice terraces of Pu Luong are something else.
Still, of all the amazing things to see in this part of Vietnam, the karsts are probably the most stunning.
Slight edge, Ninh Binh.
Sites and Attractions
This one kind of overlaps with the whole “best scenery” debate and, overall, we’d have to say that the Ninh Binh area has more notable “sites” than Mai Chau, although both have enough to see and do to keep you busy.
The top activity in Tam Coc is one of the phenomenal, placid boat trips through the magnificent karst scenery. There are several different places you can do this, each of which have their own pros and cons, but Trang An has the longest trips, the most options and the best scenery.
Tam Coc also features the exceptional Hang Mua viewpoints. Officially, the destination is called the Hang Mua Cave, but the cave is barely worth the time it takes to look inside and shrug, while the two rocky viewpoints are stunning and will make you work just enough to enjoy the panoramic views even more.
Add in three-tiered Bich Dong Pagoda with its cave temple and the impressive bridge and temples of Hoa Lu Ancient Capital,dating all the way back to the 10th century and it is easy to see why tourists have been heading this way for decades.
Mai Chau has fewer specific attractions, with its charm relying more on gentle wandering and rural serenity. However, there are a few things you won’t want to miss. Go Lao waterfall is quite impressive, the views from the Top View Café on the highway leading down into the valley are quite something and Chieu Cave was big impressive enough to justify the 1,000 steps up to it. And if Pu Luong can be considered a “Mai Chau attraction” then, well, it immediately jumps to the top of the list.
However, once again, edge Ninh Binh.
Tourists
Aha, now things get more interesting. Because, as I mentioned, Ninh Binh has been on the main Vietnam tourist trail for decades and is sure to be busy any time there aren’t monsoons actively pelting the region. Both Ninh Binh and Tam Coc have a lot of food and accommodation options, plus both places are quite accustomed to dealing with hordes of tourists, so most of the time things run like a well-oiled machine. A Vietnamese scooter-type machine, perhaps.
But if you’ve had enough of crowds and are looking for someplace a bit more peaceful, then Mai Chau is the choice. Although tourism is certainly common there, it all feels to be on a different level from the most common Vietnamese stops. Small, friendly hotels, basic restaurants with rice field views and blissfully quiet little roads offer a very different experience. And one that you are sure to cherish after some time in Hanoi or Ha Long Bay, for example.
Big edge, Mai Chau.
Pronunciation
Ninh Binh is, apparently, pronounced “ning-bing”. Unless people have been messing with me all this time. Both things are possible. Either way, you’ll probably hear a wide variety of pronunciations from other tourists and even if you happen to say it correctly, you’ll probably come off as pretentious, so there’s really no winning with this one.
Mai Chau, on the other hand, is pretty straightforward. With a little practice, you might even sound a bit like a local. Although even a shiny, new conical bamboo hat won’t make you resemble one, unfortunately.
Edge, Mai Chau.
Prices
In our experience, everything is cheaper in Mai Chau. Especially the hotels. And the food. The motorbike rentals were about the same. Entrance fees were lower. Overall, one of the best value areas we’ve been to in a long time.
Big edge to Mai Chau, with the small caveat that Pu Luong is considerably more expensive than either of them, in case you plan to add in a couple nights there as well.
ATM
Ninh Binh has about a dozen ATMs for you to choose from, many of which had reasonable withdrawal limits and fees. Sure, Tam Coc only had one when were there, charged a huge fee and was often out of service, but even staying there you’re never far from the civilized economic system of nearby Ninh Binh.
Mai Chau has just one ATM at the moment, and although it does not seem quite as problematic as the one in Tam Coc, you’ll be taking quite a chance counting on it. So definitely check with your hotel before assuming you can pay with card and then bring enough cash to cover all your other expenses.
Edge, Ninh Binh.
Accommodation
Ninh Binh has a wide range of hotels but, while allowances must be made for personal preference, for us, Ninh Binh is too much of a real city to be the choice over Tam Coc. And while Tam Coc does have a good variety and plenty of good value options (see below), it is surprisingly difficult to find hotels there featuring good views, especially from the rooms. Of rice fields, of rivers, of karsts. The scenery is so uniformly terrific you’d think every hotel would take advantage of it but, no, not really.
In Mai Chau, though, it seemed as though every hotel – and even most restaurants – backed right onto the rice fields. Gorgeous views, atmospheric pools and rustic vibes. Most of them at extremely reasonably prices.
Edge, Mai Chau.
Where to Stay in Tam Coc
We really enjoyed Nan House, one of the few mid-range options with slightly more comfortable rooms in a quiet setting just out of town, with lovely fields all around. The staff and included breakfast were excellent, pedal bikes were free, we rented a scooter from them for the whole week at a very low price and they arranged good value shuttles for us from Hanoi and on to Cat Ba Island.
If you want to be in the thick of the action, though, you’ll want a place right in Tam Coc. Tam Coc Holiday Hotel & Villa is a great choice, with nice modern rooms, a beautiful pool and all the amenities at a mid-range price.
On the other hand, if you are planning to have wheels and want to stay somewhere a little quieter but closer to the big attractions, we would suggest the Hang Mua area. D&D Riverside Homestay is another good mid-range choice with a lovely pool and garden, plus air-conditioning and balconies.
Where to Stay in Mai Chau
Peaceful Mai Chau Homestay really does live up to the name. It was phenomenal value for money as well as quiet, friendly and the pool was beautiful (if only the weather had been warmer so we could convince ourselves to use it). Excellent food, nice views and they arranged a motorbike rental and transport to Pu Luong for us, as well.
Meanwhile, the gorgeous Mai Chau Ecolodge holds a commanding position overlooking the rice fields, offering one of the best hotel views in the entire region. It’ll cost you a bit more but it’s all relative (i.e. still not that much) and is true luxury in rather modest Mai Chau terms.
And if you want to spend a couple nights in serene, beautiful Pu Luong, we can recommend Pu Luong Jungle Lodge. It is conveniently located right at the start of the hotels and has its very own rice fields, two pools, tremendous food, motorbike rentals and lots of tours on offer.
Food
As always, food is very subjective. And we are far from accomplished foodies, so feel free to disagree. Especially since there are many restaurants in Tam Coc and Ninh Binh that we did not try – most likely there are some gems in the lot.
But, in our experience, the food was much better in Mai Chau. We never had a single bad meal during our time there and had several worth raving about. Meanwhile, in Tam Coc, we had plenty of “decent” meals that were fine but not exceptional. And the prices were lower in Mai Chau, as well.
Edge, Mai Chau.
Getting Around
In most destinations the “getting around” part is merely functional, a means to an end, but this was unquestionably our favourite part of visiting both Ninh Binh and Mai Chau. Whether touring by scooter, pedal bike or on foot, our independent wanderings stood out as our top highlights, even above the big attractions themselves. Along with those options, groups can have their hotels arrange “electric tourist cars”, basically large golf carts that haul people around with less noise and minimal environmental impact.
All three of the independent options are also easy to enjoy in both places and we’d recommend spending time at each one because they all provide notably unique experiences. Walking is peaceful and intimate, especially as you make your way along the small paths between the fields. Pedal biking is similar, marginally less relaxed but you cover more ground or, in this case, more fields. Meanwhile, scooter or moped is realistically the only way to reach the main attractions (on your own, anyway) so definitely makes sense for at least a day or two in each place.
As for which place is easier to get around, well, we’d say that the small network of close roads and paths where you’d walk or bike is better and quieter in Mai Chau. Around Tam Coc the roads are nice but a little bigger and a little busier. On the other hand, to get to any of the farther attractions on scooter/moped/motorbike in Mai Chau, you have to brave the highway. Which can be a bit overwhelming for some.
Ninh Binh also has a very main highway running right through it, of course, but all of the top attractions in the area are farther inland and reachable by relatively quiet – and often surprisingly wide – paved roads. So although there are a couple of quite enjoyable motorbike routes in Mai Chau, Ninh Binh was overall more enjoyable.
Edge, none. It might depend on personal preference. If you want to spend most of your time walking or biking around Mai Chau and are willing to take tours to the waterfalls and Pu Luong, then you’ll be quite happy there. But if you want to see everything on your own and exploring an area inside and out on a scooter is your normal mandate, then Tam Coc is probably a better place to do that.
Day Trips
Just over an hour from Tam Coc, the protected area of Cuc Phuong National Park is the oldest national park in Vietnam. It has some great hiking trails and quite a few unique animals, practically none of which are being killed to supply the erectile dysfunction industry of Asia (as far as we know). It is too far to reach on a pedal bike and even a bit of a slog on a scooter so a lot of people opt for an informative guided tour.
Meanwhile, roughly an hour from Mai Chau on a small, winding road, Pu Luong Nature Reserve is one of the most beautiful places in Vietnam at the height of summer (May-Aug) when the rice fields are in full green bloom (and still quite impressive the rest of the year). There is terrific hiking and even out of season (we visited in January), most of the terraces are flooded with water, providing a very different – but still stunning – landscape.
Edge, Mai Chau.
Summary
Ninh Binh is well and truly a city which, for us, isn’t really the point of this type of destination. Tam Coc, on the other hand, despite being quite touristy and a bit overdeveloped, is still a beautiful, compelling place to visit. The karst scenery is phenomenal, the prices are still low and it remains a great place to explore independently.
Mai Chau, meanwhile, has a much more relaxed vibe and slower pace. While you can obviously take it slow and relax in Tam Coc, Mai Chau is the kind of place you visit specifically for that purpose. Nothing happens quickly or hectically in Mai Chau (or Pu Luong).
So if you’re the restless type that loves “seeing stuff” and “doing things”, then Ninh Binh is the place for you. But if you’re looking for a calm, restful stay with a bit of a rural tinge to it and can visit during the week, then Mai Chau is the better choice.
Although I can’t stress enough that both are excellent choices and if you can, you should definitely visit both. However, if that’s not an option and you only read all the way to the end of this post because you were promised a definitive answer then, well, here it goes:
Mai Chau. During the week, if possible. And with a Pu Luong add-on. Enjoy.
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About the Author
Dean Johnston
Dean Johnston quit his job as a financial planner in 2008 to travel the world, and has now visited all 7 continents and more than 85 different countries. He wrote his first blog entry in a sweltering internet cafe in Bali in 2000 and has been writing about their travels ever since, including publishing 3 travel books.
As Routinely Nomadic, Dean remains focused on providing informative travel guides, entertaining stories and useful social media content to readers from all over the world.