Trang An Boat Tour: My Experience in 2026 (Ninh Binh)

A trip to Ninh Binh is truly not complete without a rowboat ride through the otherworldly landscapes of Tràng An—and photos really don’t do this place justice, you simply must see it for yourself!

I was lucky enough to soak in this serene scenery on my recent trip to Vietnam, and I can’t recommend the Trang An boat ride enough! In this article I’m sharing everything you need to know before visiting, including a comparison of the three boat routes, how to reserve tickets online, and what to bring on the boat ride!

🛶 Reserve your boat ticket now: Trang An boat tickets can be pre-booked on Klook for the same price as at the ticket booth, and you get to skip the line when you arrive! (note: if you’re visiting Ninh Binh on a day tour from Hanoi, your ticket should be included)

Vu Lam Royal Steps, one of the most stunning sights at Trang An landscape complex

King Kong filming area on our Trang An Boat Tour

☀️🌺🌿 Article Outline (Jump Ahead)

Trang An Boat Tour: What to Expect

The boat ride takes you through parts of Tràng An landscape complex, a 6226-hectare UNESCO World Heritage Site that also includes Hoa Lu Ancient Capital and Bich Dong Pagoda (two of my other favorite places in Ninh Binh!)

Although this area feels “untouched” with its rugged limestone peaks that rise out of the water, archaeological evidence suggests there has been human activity here for over 30,000 YEARS! And hidden amongst the 30 valleys and 50 submerged caves, there are dozens of Buddhist temples, many of which date back centuries.

📍 Departure Point: Trang An Landscape Complex, Ninh Binh
🛶 Boat ride duration: 2 to 3 hours, depending on route
📆 Best time to do it: Spring for pleasant weather, or early summer for the clearest water

A few more details to know:

You can’t simply paddle here on your own, you have go with a local tour operator.
Everyone is required to wear a life jacket on the boat, but you can take it off to take photos!
There are actually two similar (but different) boat tour options, in two different areas of Ninh Binh. In this article I’m sharing about Trang An, where you can go on a loop through a variety of landscapes. Meanwhile, the Tam Coc boat ride takes you down the Ngo Dong River, and then back up it again, so you end up seeing less than you do on the Trang An loop.

Tickets for the Trang An Boat Ride

Tickets for the Trang An boat ride cost about $10-12 per person (depending on exchange rates), and there’s a few ways to buy them:

Prebook your tickets on Klook (cost is the same) and you’ll get a QR code that lets you skip the line
If you’re exploring Ninh Binh on a tour, your boat tickets should be included in the cost. Since Ninh Binh is so spread out, this is the option I chose since we could just jump on the bus and get transported from place to place without thinking about it! Check out this day trip from Hanoi, and this one if you’re staying overnight in Ninh Binh, both are exceptional and include Trang An boat rides and my other favorite stops!
You can also wait in the line and pay in cash at the departure point, but it’s just quicker and easier to prebook online!

Trang An Boat Routes

There are three boat routes to choose from. Some folks will tell you that you have to go on a certain route, but I really don’t think you can go wrong—the landscapes are simply incredible, and which route you choose depends on what you want to see most!

You don’t have to choose the route when you’re booking your tickets online, you can decide when you arrive. If you’re going on a guided tour, they might select the route for you (we went on route 2). Here’s a quick overview of the three options:

Route 1: Journey through nine caves and pass three different temples—Khong Temple, Tran Temple, and Trinh Temple. You’ll spend the most time in caves on this route!
Route 2: This route features four caves and three temples, and plenty of time leisurely rowing between the limestone karsts, which makes it feel more leisurely. It includes the picturesque Vu Lam Royal Steps and some of the spots where King Kong was filmed.
Route 3: Route three has the longest (1-kilometer-long) cave, plus two more caves and three temples, including the Vu Lam Royal Steps. You also get plenty of time leisurely rowing through the landscapes, like on route 2! Keep in mind that it will take you 10-15 minutes to get through the 1-kilometer long cave! 🤯

If you prebook your ticket yourself, you’ll have the option to walk around the temple grounds, and on route two and three, you can walk over into the lush Voi Valley from Suoi Tien Temple. But since we were on a full day tour with limited time, we just stayed on the boat.

Not sure which route to choose? We went on route 2 and it was incredible! It felt like the perfect mix of caves, temples, and leisurely rowing through the most stunning valleys. I’ll share more about my experience on route 2 below!

Also Read: The PERFECT 3 Day Hanoi Itinerary: Coffee, Culture & FUN

Me and my husband in front of Vu Lam Royal Steps

A cave at Trang An UNESCO Site in Ninh Binh, Vietnam

My Experience on Trang An Boat Route 2

When we first got on the boat and our friendly driver started paddling, we were shocked by the sheer number of other rowboats headed in the same direction. At this point, we couldn’t see any of the secluded valleys that we’d soon be paddling through, and I was really wondering if the 2.5-hour boat ride would be worth it.

But once we emerged in the first valley, all of our jaws dropped! There truly aren’t words to describe these landscapes and you’ve really got to trust me that this boat ride is 1,000% worth your time!

We really enjoyed the experience of journeying through the stunning caves and then emerging in what felt like a hidden world straight out of a movie! We went through several caves and it never got old! I imagine route 1, which includes nine caves, would be especially magical.

Out of all the temples we passed, the one that stood out most was the Vu Lam Royal Steps, a small pagoda seemingly floating in the middle of the water, surrounded by towering lush peaks. You get to see this temple on both route 2 and 3.

The other most notable part of our boat ride was the area where King Kong was filmed, which you only get to visit on route 2.

Soaking in the views at Trang An, Ninh Binh

We were really impressed with our sweet boat driver who paddled for two hours straight—and probably continued all day long with other groups! There are extra paddles on each boat so you can help out with the paddling if you’d like.

What to Bring With You

🧥 A light jacket: We visited in January and it was breezy and cold! I was really glad to have my rain jacket, which kept me warm even though it wasn’t raining.
🧢 Sun protection: A hat, sunglasses, and long sleeve sun shirt are ideal if its sunny out!
💦 Water: Drinking water isn’t provided and you won’t have a chance to buy anything during the boat ride, so a water bottle is a must!
📷 Camera: If you have one, you’ll absolutely want to bring your camera on this boat ride!
🎒 Waterproof bag: I always have this small waterproof pouch to protect my camera, phone, and other valuables on boat tours! It takes up almost no space but keeps everything dry.