Ninh Binh and Hoi An are two popular tourist destinations in Vietnam. Ninh Binh is known for its beautiful natural attractions with rivers, limestone mountains, and caves. Hoi An is known for its ancient town with old wooden houses, tailor shops, historic temples, and museums.
In this article, I will compare between Ninh Binh and Hoi An, to help you decide which city is better for your visit. I will share my opinion about their similarities and differences in some aspects like location, natural attractions, cultural attractions, nightlife, shopping, and food.
I’m Vietnamese and have traveled to both places, so I can give us some useful recommendations based on the local experiences.
Is it better to stay in Ninh Binh or Hoi An?
I would recommend visiting if you enjoy the beautiful natural landscape and escape from the hustle and bustle of the capital city, Hanoi. Ninh Binh is known for its striking limestone mountains, peaceful rivers, caves, and mountain goats.
It’s lots of outdoor activities such as hiking to Hang Mua, cycling around the countryside, exploring the rice terraces, and boat ride at Trang An and Tam Coc. The city also has some beautiful temples to explore such as Bich Dong temple or Bai Dinh temple.
I believe that Hoi An is the better place to visit if you want to experience the historic old town with ancient temples, old wooden houses, museums, lantern lit streets, or take the unique coconut boat ride.
Hoi An is known for its tailor shops where you can get some clothes tailor made at reasonable prices within one or two days. If you’re planning to make custom suits or dresses, Hoi An is a better place to go.
Additionally, the city is close to An Bang and Hoi An Beach, which makes it perfect for enjoying beach activities alongside cultural and historical attractions.
Location is also an important factor when deciding whether to visit Ninh Binh or Hoi An. Ninh Binh is located in North Vietnam, which is a more ideal day trip and overnight trip from cities in the northern region such as Hanoi.
Hoi An, located in Central Vietnam, makes it a more ideal place for day trips or overnight trips from nearby cities in the central region such as Da Nang or Hue.
Hoi An is only a 45 minutes taxi ride from Da Nang, where you can explore many more attractions such as Han River, My Khe Beach, Dragon Bridge, Han market, Marble Mountains, and Ba Na Hill and the Golden Bridge.
You can also consider the weather factor when choosing between these two places. If you’re planning to visit these places from September to November, I think it’s better to visit Ninh Binh because Hoi An often has storms and flooding during this period.
If you travel around Vietnam, you can put them in the itinerary for one single trip. You can take a train to travel between two places. Along the train journey, you can stop at other cities in between such as Phong Nha cave, Hue, and Da Nang.
Best Places to Stay in Hoi An:
- Luxury: La Siesta
- Mid-range: Hoi An Historic Hotel
- Budget: Square Villa
Best hotels in Ninh Binh:
- Mid-range: Tam Coc Tropical Homestay
- Mid-range: Tam Coc Holiday Hotel
- Budget: The Banana Tree Hostel
Location and How to Get There
Ninh Binh is located in North Vietnam, around 90 km south of Hanoi. It’s around a 1.5-2 hours taxi drive from Hanoi Old Quarter and Noi Bai international airport.
Hoi An is located in central Vietnam, around 30km south of Da Nang. It’s around 45-60 minutes taxi drive from Da Nang city center, Da Nang airport, and Da Nang train station.
Both Hoi An and Ninh Binh don’t have their own airport. The closest airport to Ninh Binh is Noi Bai international airport (in Hanoi), located 120km away. The closest train station to Hoi An is Da Nang train station, around 30km away.
You can also get to Ninh Binh and Hoi An from other cities in Vietnam by trains. Ninh Binh has its own train station, so it’s more convenient to get to the city by train.
Hoi An does not have a train station. The closest train station to Hoi An is Da Nang, around 45 minutes taxi ride away. You can easily get a train to Da Nang then order Grab to Hoi An.
Hoi An is around 680km south of Ninh Binh. You can travel between two cities by air or by road. If taking an airplane, you need to transfer in Hanoi and Da Nang first, before getting these two cities.
If you take road travel, you can take the train from Ninh Binh train station to Da Nang train station, then additional taxi to Hoi An. You can also consider taking sleeper buses to travel between Hoi An and Ninh Binh.
Accommodations
Both Ninh Binh and Hoi An have dozens of accommodations. Most of them are cozy family-run guest houses and homestays.
Hoi An is more touristy and more developed than Ninh Binh, so it has more choices of luxury hotels and resorts. An Bang and Cua Dai Beach, located around 10 minutes drive from Hoi An Old Town, had a good range of mid-range and high-end beach resorts.
Most accommodations in Ninh Binh are located around the 1km long road near Tam Coc Bich Dong area. There are many other eco lodges and riverside bungalows in the more countryside area, surrounded by dramatic landscapes like farmland, rivers, caves and karsts.
Most accommodations in Hoi An are centered around the old town and the beachfront area. There are several in the countryside. You can find many beautiful boutique hotels in Hoi An old town area.
The accommodations in Hoi An old town usually offer a more historic atmosphere, while in Ninh Binh offer more nature scenes. Hoi An is a more tourist city, so accommodations are generally more expensive than in Ninh Binh.
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Nightlife
Both Hoi An and Ninh Binh have good nightlife scenes, with enough restaurants and bars for a nice night out. It’s not as lively as bigger cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh city though.
I personally feel that Hoi An has a livelier and bigger nightlife scene compared to Ninh Binh. The nightlife in Ninh Binh is centered around the 1km main road near Tam Coc Beach Dong Pier.
This street is lined with restaurants, bars, supermarkets, massage places, and beauty salons. Some bars are open quite late until early morning.
Hoi An’s nightlife is centered around the banks of the Thu Bon River between An Hoi island and Hoi An old town. Their village behind An Bang beach also has a good range of small restaurants and bars for a more laid-back nightlife scene.
You can dine at riverside restaurants, bars, watch the performance at the Hội An Lune Center for the Performing Arts, or eat street food at the night market on Nguyen Hoang street. You can take a romantic boat ride and release lanterns on the Thu Bon river.
Shopping
Hoi An, in my opinion, is the better place to go for shopping. The city has a wider range of shops and markets for souvenirs, handicrafts, and custom clothing.
The area has hundreds of shops around Hoi An Old Town, as well as street stalls at the night market and in the Central market. You can find shops sell clothing, accessories, bags, jewelry, art, or local hand
Hoi An is famous worldwide for its tailoring, so you can get dresses, suits, shirts, shoes and more custom‑made often within a day or two.
In Ninh Binh, you can find typical Vietnamese souvenirs and local specialties at small shops on the main road in Tam Coc, as well as many stalls at tourist areas such as Trang An, Bai Dinh, or Hoa Lu Old town.
Food
Both Ninh Binh and Hoi An have good food scenes and you can easily find traditional Vietnamese food in both places. They are also known for their local regional dishes. Hoi An has a wider range of options of international foods such as Indian, Japanese, Greek, Thai food.
The restaurants in Ninh Binh are concentrated around the main street in Tam Coc. You can find beautiful restaurants in the back yard of local houses. Many homestays and guest houses have their own onsite restaurants to serve food for the guests.
Famous dishes in Ninh Binh are mountain goat dishes (stir-fry, grill, or steam), as well as com chay, or snail dishes.
Hoi An Old Town has a high concentration of restaurants and cafes. Many of those are located in old buildings and have beautiful decorations with red lanterns. The village near An Bang beach also has some good family-run restaurants.
Some famous dishes in Hoi An you must try are Cao lau, Com ga Hoi An, My Quang, or Banh My Hoi An. Most popular restaurants are located in Hoi An old town.
The food in Hoi An is slightly more expensive than in Ninh Binh, but overall still reasonably priced compared to big cities like Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.
Hoi An is one of the foodie hub in Vietnam with many unique dishes. This is also a great place to take cooking class to learn more about classic Vietnamese dishes and local food.
Beaches
There are no beaches near Ninh Binh, but you can enjoy water activities along the river and natural reserve. Taking boat rides along these rivers are the most popular water-related activities in Ninh Binh.
The most famous boat rides are at Trang An, then Tam Coc, and finally, the quietest lesser- known Van Long Nature Reserve.
Hoi An has a beautiful coast line, including An Bang Beach and Cua Dai Beach, located just 10-15 minutes drive from the old town. You can get to the beach for swimming, sunbathing, and watching the sunset.
A little further away to the north, you can head to My Khe Beach and Non Nuoc Beach for more water activities. My Khe Beach is also a great spot for surfing.
Historical and Cultural Attractions
Hoi An is a clear winner for exploring cultural attractions, but Ninh Binh also home to some beautiful temples, and historic attractions to explore.
Hoi An was a popular trading port in Southeast Asia from the 15th-19th centuries. The city attracted many traders from all over the world such as Japan, India, China, and European countries to come to trade.
Today, the city is no longer a trading port, but a famous tourist city with well-preserved old merchant houses, assembly halls, Chinese temples, and a Japanese Covered Bridge.
Most of these famous cultural sites in Hoi An are located inside the old town. These attractions have a mix of Chinese, Japanese, and European influences.
Around the old town, there are several traditional Craft Villages to explore such as Tra Que vegetable village, Thanh Ha pottery village with centuries-old ceramic-making tradition. You can take a class to learn how to make lanterns, pottery, or cooking classes.
Ninh Binh is home to Hoa Lu, which was Vietnam’s capital in the 10th-11th centuries. You can find several ancient temples dedicated to King Dinh Tien Hoang and King Le Dai Hanh, offering an overview of early Vietnamese dynastic history.
Trang An complex also has some beautiful small historical temples in the middle of beautiful limestone landscapes and peaceful rivers.
Other well worth visiting cultural sites in Ninh are Bai Dinh Pagoda and Bich Dong pagoda. Bai Dinh is a huge temple complex, with hundreds of Buddha statues, giant bronze statues, and traditional Vietnamese architecture. It has great views of the surrounding limestone mountains.
Natural Attractions
The major natural attractions in Hoi An are Thu Bon River, An Bang Beach, Cua Dai beach, and Bay Mau Coconut Forest. You can take a boat trip to the nearby Cu Lao Cham island for snorkeling and diving.
Thu Bon River is known for its scenic river for Lantern-lit evening boat rides with magical experience relaxing lanterns and making wishes. Bay Mau Coconut Forest is the mangrove forest and river canals where you can take basket boat rides, and learn about local fishing.
Ninh Binh, known as Halong Bay on land, is famous for its stunning karst landscapes, rivers, rice paddies, and caves, making it one of top places to visit in Vietnam for nature lovers.
Top natural attractions in Ninh Binh are the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, Tam Coc, Hang Mua (Mua Cave), Cuc Phuong National Park, or Van Long Nature Reserve.
Cost of Living
From my experience and observation, Ninh Binh is usually cheaper than Hoi An. Accommodations, food, and drink are cheaper, even in the tourist areas and the local areas.
Hoi An is a more touristy city, so accommodations, food, and drink are more expensive, particularly in the central area such as Hoi An Old Town or An Bang Beach. Outside of the tourist area, prices are cheaper and mostly cater to locals.
Weather
Hoi An, located in Central Vietnam, usually has warmer weather compared to Ninh Binh, in North Vietnam. They both have four seasons (spring, summer, autumn, and winter), but winter in Ninh Binh is generally colder than Hoi An.
The dry winter season in Ninh Binh is from December to February. The wet summer season in Ninh Binh is from May to August. Hoi An’s dry season is from February to August and the peak rainy season is from September to November.
Hoi An often experiences flooding and typhoons during the rainy season. If you want to maximize outdoor activities and sightseeing, it’s best to avoid visiting this place in the storm season.
The best time to visit Ninh Binh is from March to May and from September to November, when the weather is pleasant, not too hot or too cold. The best time to visit Hoi An is from February to August in the dry season.
Getting Around
Both Ninh Binh and Hoi An are bicycle-friendly cities, so if you like cycling to explore the countryside or the old town, you can rent a bicycle to explore.
Most guest houses, homestays, and hotels in these cities offer free bicycles to rent for the guests. You can easily find bike rental shops for around 100,000 VND a day.
You can find Grab taxis in Ninh Binh but have limited options than the big cities such as Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City. It’s not always available, especially in the remote areas.
Grab Taxi and Grab Bike is widely available in Hoi An. You can grab Grab for a short distance as well as to further places such as Da Nang or An Bang Beach. Make sure you have transport back to the city center well in advance as it’s might not available in the countryside area
You can walk around in Tam Com, the tourist hub of Ninh Binh and Hoi An Old Town, the heart of Hoi An. These areas are relatively small, so you can explore on foot.
In both cities, you can easily get traditional taxi and motorbike taxi, you just need to agree on the price before getting inside the car. You can also hire a private drive for exploration.
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So, there you have it, my comparison between Hoi An and Ninh Binh. Ninh Binh is a better place to visit if you want to visit the beautiful countryside in North Vietnam, close to Hanoi.
Ninh Binh is most famous for its iconic boat ride in Trang An and Tam Coc, where you can explore peaceful rivers with stunning limestone mountains, caves, and historic temples.
Hoi An is a great place to visit if you want to explore the ancient town with beautiful old houses, historic temples, tailor shops, lantern lit streets, or try the coconut boat ride. It’s in central Vietnam, which is ideal for visiting other places such as Da Nang and Hue.