Visiting Hang Mua is definitely one of the best things to do in Ninh Binh. Two different viewpoints offer incredible views of the surrounding limestone mountains, deep valleys covered in rice fields, and local farms and villages.
Many people compare this area to Ha Long Bay, often calling it Ha Long Bay on land. As soon as you’ll stand at the top of Hang Mua, you’ll clearly see why.
In this guide, we’d like to share all the important information you need to know before you visit. This includes the entrance fees, opening hours, getting there, and how to avoid getting scammed.
Key Highlights
⭐️ Best time of day to visit: before 9 am
⭐️ Best months to visit: November – April
⭐️ How to get there: group trip, motorbike, bicycle
⭐️Ticket price: 100,000 VND
⭐️Parking: at the entrance gate for 5,000-10,000 VND
⭐️ Where to stay: Tam Coc, Trang An, Ninh Binh
Quick Overview
Hang Mua viewpoint, also known as Mua Caves, is best visited before the group trips arrive at 9 a.m. For the best weather, we recommend November through April. However, the harvest season in May and June is also lovely.
You can easily reach the area by renting a motorbike or a bicycle or joining a day tour. A day trip from Hanoi is also possible.
The entrance ticket costs 100,000 VND. Once at Hang Mua, explore the beautiful shaded garden in the valley, climb the 500 stairs to enjoy two different viewpoints, and admire lovely views of the surrounding limestone peaks, rice fields, and local farms.
Where to stay
The first option is to stay directly in Ninh Binh city. However, this is rather inconvenient, as it is too far from all the attractions. It is also a vast and busy city.
Because of this, we recommend choosing either Trang An or Tam Coc. They’re both quiet villages around 10km from Ninh Binh.
Trang An’s tourism is less developed, resulting in fewer crowds and fewer dining and accommodation options.
But since most attractions are in Tam Coc, it’s the best choice. The town has everything one might need, yet it’s got a relatively quiet and laid-back vibe.
Best hotels in Tam Coc
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How to get to Hang Mua Viewpoint
I’ll talk about different ways to reach Hang Mua from Tam Coc, the most popular area in which to stay. However, if you’re looking for ways to visit from Hanoi on a day trip, the most convenient option is to join a group tour.
Day tour tip: Join a day trip to visit Hoa Lu, Tam Coc, and Mua Caves from Hanoi.
Rent a motorbike
Our favorite option for exploring different areas around Vietnam was always renting a motorbike. It’s often cheap, convenient, and straightforward.
Motorbike rentals in Tam Coc cost around 100,000 VND daily. The final price depends on the motorbike you choose. Most homestays and hotels also offer rental services.
Rent a bicycle
Most people in Tam Coc, including us, prefer renting a bicycle. The area is less vast, and getting from point A to point B on a bike is easy. Cost-wise, renting a motorbike will be the same if you’re a group of two.
Bicycle rental costs from 50,000 VND per day.
The distance from the central area to Mua Caves is about 5.5 kilometers along a mostly flat road, which is perfectly doable on a bicycle.
Join a tour
If you prefer to explore the area with a guided tour, multiple tour companies are available around Ninh Binh or Tam Coc. Our recommendation is to book the Hoa Lu, Trang An, and Mua Caves group tour starting either from Hanoi or Ninh Binh.
Where to park
The official parking area is located almost at the end of the road. Simply keep driving until you reach a huge entrance gate and can’t continue. There are plenty of parking spots, and the official staff will help you find a free one.
Don’t forget to only pay the parking fee in the official ticket both!
Parking scams
Once you get on the only road leading to the Mua Caves, you’ll meet several people trying to stop you and make you park there. These are not official parking areas!
Most locals even wear uniforms and use a whistleblow and some signs to stop you, claiming the road is closed. They look serious, so most people who don’t know about this would simply stop and park where they say. However, it’s just a scam!
These men are simply locals who created alternative parking spots. Some of them are aggressive. Simply ignore them and keep riding until you reach the end of the road.
Hang Mua Viewpoint entrance fee
Entrance fee: 100,000 VND
Once you park, cross the vast entrance gate before paying the parking fee. On the left side, you’ll find a marked ticket booth. This is where you pay both parking and entrance fees.
The parking fee should be 10,000 VND for a motorbike and 5,000 VND for a bicycle. The entrance fee is 100,000 VND for an adult. Children under 1m in height are free.
After collecting the tickets, walk towards the Hang Mua Viewpoint. There’s a ticket check, where they scan your entrance tickets.
Opening hours
The area is open from 6 am to 7 pm. But the best time to visit is definitely early morning. The viewpoint is a popular tourist attraction. Day trips visiting Ninh Binh from Hanoi, as well as organized tours in the area, bring huge buses of tourists.
The crowds usually start arriving after 9 am. Since the viewpoints are rather small, it can feel a bit overwhelming.
If you prefer a more quiet atmosphere, we recommend coming as early as possible.
We planned our visit for sunset. Most people staying directly in Tam Coc come in the evening to enjoy watching the shades of orange and the sun setting behind the horizon.
The best time to visit
The best time of the year to visit Hang Mua viewpoint and Ninh Binh area is during the dry season from November till April. The weather is most comfortable, with cool temperatures and sunny days.
January is a very popular time for travel, as it’s a period of many local festivals. Vietnamese Lunar New Year also takes place between January and March.
Another interesting opportunity, especially for photographers, is the harvest season when rice fields turn golden. The first harvest of the year happens between late May and early June.
The harvest season is often followed by the burning season with a lot of smog in the air. The rainy season lasts from May to October, with its peak between July and September.
TIP: Explore all the best hotels in the area!
Hang Mua Viewpoint
Garden
As soon as you pass the ticket check, you’ll find yourself in a beautiful garden. On the left side, you’ll be surrounded by majestic limestone mountains. A few small ponds decorate the area. There’s plenty of shade, too.
On the right side, there’s a large lotus flower lake. It is a lotus field, usually in full bloom during the rainy season. A boardwalk will take you on a short walk around the field. In the blooming season, it’s a beautiful photo spot.
We visited in April, and the fields were only filled with brown water, not looking very photogenic.
It’s even possible to stay here at Hang Mua Ecolodge Resort. Additionally, a small restaurant and a snack bar are available.
You might be wondering, where are the caves? After all, this place is called Hang Mua or Mua Caves. Hang means caves in Vietnamese. However, the name is slightly misleading as the main attraction of the area are the two different viewpoints.
But there is one small cave called Tiger Cave. You’ll find it right before the stairs start. It’s not as majestic as other caves in the area or in Phong Nha, but it’s worth a quick peak.
The stairs
Time for the most challenging part of your visit. To be rewarded by those mesmerizing views from the top, you’ll first need to climb around 500 stone steps. It’s not so easy, especially during noon when the sun is intense and also due to humidity levels.
It usually takes 20-30 minutes to reach the top. Bring plenty of water and stay hydrated along the way. If you’re fit, there’s nothing to be afraid of.
Almost at the top, you’ll reach a forkhead with two different paths available. Each path leads you to a different viewpoint. We recommend visiting both, as the views are slightly different.
Viewpoint 1 – Dragon
To get to this viewpoint, you’ll need to turn left at the forkhead and climb a few more stairs.
The peak with a laying dragon at the top is the most iconic of the two Hang Mua viewpoints. From here, you’ll get incredible views of the river, dotted with boats on their way to Tam Coc caves.
This is the highest point in the area, surrounded by numerous limestone cliffs. The valley below is filled with rice fields.
You can either admire the views from a platform right below the dragon or climb the rocks. Be careful, though; there’s not much space, and many rocks are loose.
Viewpoint 2 – Pagoda
If you turn right, you’ll follow the stairs leading to a pagoda. The second viewpoint overlooks the other direction, with numerous farms and villages below. You can also clearly see the lotus fields below.
Best restaurants near Hang Mua
Getting to Ninh Binh
Most major cities, such as Hanoi, Saigon, or Da Nang, are connected to Ninh Binh by train. You can get there from Hanoi in less than 3 hours for around 7€. Once in the city, you must catch a local bus or taxi to get to Tam Coc or Hang Mua.
Because of this, it might be better to take a bus or a minivan, which will take you directly to Tam Coc. Bus connections are also available from most tourist areas around Vietnam and are sometimes cheaper than the train.
Private transfer is also an option, but it’s the most expensive.
We always use 12Go when searching for different connections and buying public transport tickets in South East Asia. It’s a reliable company with fair prices.
