More than just a Kong set: Vietnamese province named among top places to go in 2018

A view of Ninh Binh. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Trang

Forget Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, Ninh Binh is the place to visit next year.

U.S. travel site Insider has named Ninh Binh Province in northern Vietnam one of the 50 best spots to visit in the coming year.

The province came out on top of the list as a place that “boasts impressive topography”, thanks to its mesmerizing mix of rivers, limestone cliffs and paddy fields

Sitting 60 miles to the south of Hanoi, Ninh Binh is often overlooked by tourists.

It is also treated as an underdog to the UNESCO-recognized Ha Long Bay around five hours away. It is sometimes referred to as the “Ha Long Bay on land”, given the green mountains that rise out of its paddy fields.

Ninh Binh was one of the three filming locations for “Kong: Skull Island”, one of the biggest Hollywood blockbusters of 2017.

Insider suggests visitors try the full experience by gliding along the river that runs between paddy fields in a traditional boat, exploring caves in Cuc Phuong National Park and visiting the ancient temples and palaces in the area.

Its 2018 bucket list spans across Europe and includes some of the world’s biggest cities such as Buenos Aires, Chicago, London, Mexico, New Orleans and New York. In Asia, it recommends Singapore, Sichuan in China, Indonesia's Raja Ampat Islands and Taipei.

Source: VnExpress