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The provincial capital Ninh Binh is anther dusty town straddling Highway 1, no more attractive than those to the south but slightly smaller and with sugar- loaf hillocks encroaching on the western horizon. While the town itself has little to detain you, the surrounding hills shelter Tam Coc, where sampans slither through the limestone tunnels of “ Halong Bay on land”, and one of Vietnam’s ancient capital, Hoa Lu, represented by two darkly atmospheric dynastic temples. Both places can be tackled in one day car or motorbike, or by bicycle via the back lanes. To the east, the most mass of Phat Diem Cathedral wallows in the rice fields an active Catholic community. Further a field, Cuc Phuong is one of Vietnam’s more accessible national parks and contains some magnificent, centuries- old tree. More boat trip is in store at Kenh Ga, to visit a limestone cave, and at Van Long nature reserve, both on the Cuc Phuong road. These last sights are more distant: the cathedral requires a half – day outing, while Cuc Phuong and either Kenh Ga or Van Long can be combined in a long day – trip. Hanoi is only 90km (2hr) away and the Hoa Lu/ Tam Coc – Bich Dong circuit makes a popular and inexpensive day tour out of the capital. However, with more time, it’s far better to take advantage of Ninh Binh’s hotels and services to explore the area at a more leisurely pace.

Ninh Binh itself claims just one sight of its own: a kilometer to the north a picturesque little pagoda nestles at the base of Non Nuoc Mountain. This knobby outcrop – no more than 60m high – is noted for an eminently miss able collection of ancient poetic inscriptions and views east over a power station to the graphically named “Sleeping Lady Mountain”