The summit view
The Tam Coc valley and its river.
Jakub Hałun — CC BY 4.0 · ElonggnolE — CC BY-SA 4.0 · Superbass — CC BY-SA 4.0
The finest viewpoint in Ninh Binh: a limestone peak climbed by a stairway of 486 stone steps, looking out over the Tam Coc valley, the Ngo Dong River winding between rice fields, and the karst peaks of the Trang An complex. The path is built to look like a winding fortress wall, and a stone dragon runs along the ridge at the top. The climb takes 20 to 30 minutes and is steep and uneven. Go early in the morning or in the hour before sunset, when the light is softer and the stones cooler, avoid the midday heat in summer, and bring water. At the foot of the hill are a small cave, a lotus pond that blooms from about late May to July, and cafes. Mua means «dance»: local tradition says the Tran kings watched dancers perform in the cave when they stayed nearby. From late May the view takes in the golden rice of Tam Coc before the harvest.
The Tam Coc valley and its river.
486 steps like a fortress wall.
In bloom late May to July.
Khe Dau Ha village, near Tam Coc, about 6 km south-west of Ninh Binh city
The 486 steps are steep in places and the climb takes 20 to 30 minutes, so go early in the morning or before sunset and bring water.
