Hang Mua – The Spectacular View from the Mua Mountain Peak is Better Than Halong Bay

When Jayden and I decided to go on a holiday in Vietnam this year, we only planned to visit Hanoi and Sapa. However, one of his friends highly recommended Ninh Binh, which resulted in me spending hours on researching for activities to do and attractions to visit in Ninh Binh. We’re so glad that we decided to explore Ninh Binh, and to our surprise, this city became our favourite destination of our entire trip. For a bird’s eye view of the countryside, head to Hang Mua and climb all the way up to the Mua Mountain Peak.

We ascended hundreds of white stones steps to get to the peak of the Mua Mountain. There is a total of three peaks and each peak gives a different view of the surrounding countryside. While one of the peaks showcases a winding river with mountains on both sides and boats floating dreamily down the river, the other peak opens up to endless green fields. We were there in July and just missed the “golden season”. Our hotel receptionist told us that May and June are the peak months because this is the period when you’ll be looking down at yellow paddy fields instead of the greenery.

Furthermore, there is a temple standing atop one of the peaks and a dragon statue perched on top of another peak. Although the weather was gloomy in the afternoon, we were lucky and still managed to catch the sunset from the peak.

You should either visit Hang Mua early in the morning to catch the sunrise or in the late afternoon/evening for the sunset. Although this mountain is crowded throughout the day, it is not that packed during these two timings. If you plan your itinerary well, you’ll be able to visit at least 5 attractions, including Hang Mua, within one day in Ninh Binh.

Hang Mua
Address: Khê Hạ, Ninh Xuân, Ninh Xuân, Hoa Lư, Ninh Bình 430000, Vietnam
Best Time to Visit: May or June
Admission Fee: 100,000 vnd per person