If you're looking for a place where you can boat along the canals between limestone lobsters without the crowds of tourists, head to the Van Long Nature Reserve. While thousands of tourists a day go on cruises in Tam Coc or Trang An, you'll hardly meet anyone in this reserve.

Van Long Nature Reserve is also the perfect place to admire unusual bird species and you may even come across a unique and very rare primate - the Delacour's langur.

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How to visit Van Long Nature Reserve?

The easiest way to visit the nature reserve is a pleasant cruise on a small boat. The boats depart from this pier.

If you want to watch langurs, you can also ride a motorbike along the canals and stop anywhere. There are no trails in the nature reserve itself.

Entrance fees and opening hours

There is no charge to enter the nature reserve. If you want to go boating (which we highly recommend), buy a ticket at the shop on the right side of the access road before going to the pier where the boats leave.

You'll pay 100 000 vnd per person for the 1.5-hour cruise, which includes a leisurely cruise through the marsh, a visit to a small cave, and bird and langur watching. A minimum of two people must be on one boat or you must pay the difference in price.

The boats leave the moment you arrive with your ticket, they don't have fixed operating hours but are in place all day from sunrise to sunset.

Transport to Van Long Nature Reserve

The best way to get to the nature reserve is on a rented scooter, it's a bit far for a bike ride. There is also a bus from Ninh Binh to the adjacent town of Gia Van, and you can walk to the pier from Gia Van.