Ninh Binh

Overview

With an easy access to the national road system, it is about 93 km away from Hanoi to Ninh Binh City. It is the center for politic, economy and culture of Ninh Binh Province. Ninh Binh City is bordered by Hoa Lu Distric in the north and west, Yen Khanh in the south and southeast, Nam Dinh province in the northeast.The National Highway 1A runs through the city to Hanoi Capital, Tam Diep Town and the provinces in the south of the city via Phu Ly District. The National Roadway No.10 connects it to provinces Nam Dinh, Thai Binh. With the convinient transportation, Ninh Binh has the reputation for its tourism potentiality.

Climate

Like many other provinces in the North of Vietnam, lying in the intertropical monsoon zone Ninh Binh has four seasons: spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Annually, the average temperature is 23°C with lowest temperature ranging from 13°C to 15°C in January and with highest temperature of 28.5 oC in July. Affected by coastal climate forests and mountains it is often cold with a relatively dry by the first half of winter and wet weather in the second half of winter.

The total hours of sunshine are more than 1,100 per year. Ninh Binh’s weather is determined by two monsoons. The winter monsoon lasts from November to March while the summer monsoon starts in May and ends in September.

Food & Drink

Ninh Binh mountain Goats and delicious dishes

Ninh Binh mountain goat is a well-known specialty that tourists can enjoy in many big cuisine centers like Hanoi, Sai Gon, Ha Long, Vung Tau, etc. However, it can be sure that you will be served with the most delicious one in Ninh Binh, the origin of such goat meat. Different from goats in other regions; Ninh Binh goats grow on rock mountains so goat meat there is much more delicious than goat raised on hills in other provinces. Moreover, Ninh Binh people have their own secret in processing goat meet with many special dishes.

Among the dishes made from goat meat, the rare-goat meat can be considered the most delicious one. You can feel the sweet soft flavor combined with the crispy goatskin when enjoying this dish. The rare-goat meat is eaten with several kinds of fines herbs like coriander, basil, fig leaves, etc. In addition, in Ninh Binh, you can also find many dishes made of goat meat which can not be found in other provinces like goat gruel and roasted goat. If you have chance to visit this area, take a menu and you will see long list of strange and unique dishes, each of which has its own unforgettable flavor.

Kim Son Wine

This is a popular kind of wine in Kim Son, Ninh Binh with typical flavor and good alcoholic strength. Take a sip and you will sense the taste, the flavor of this rural area with yellowy-ripen rice fields. Although it is strong, it will not make you dizzy; instead, it may bring you a gentle and ecstatical feeling. Kim Son wine is more and more delicious over time with fragrant smell. Like other specialties, this kind of wine has been brought to many other regions of Vietnam. Nowadays, Kim Son wine has been bottled and become one of the seven biggest brands in Vietnam.

The barm is made by experienced people so it is very good in quality. The quality of wine depends much on the experience of the people who make it. The process of making a good hand of wine is also an important factor. If you are interested in this kind of traditional wine, do come and enjoy!

Burned Rice

This is also a specialty of Ninh Binh which is mainly served along the No. 1 Highway, Ninh Binh City. The process of making this dish is great. First, people will select a good kind of rice (may be a combination between different kinds). Then they put the rice into a cast-iron pot with thick sole. After being cooked in a certain period, the cooked rice will be taken out and the remains will be kept in the pot. The completed product is preserved in tight nylon bags. When visitors want to enjoy burned rice, they will be taken out of bags and fried on hot oil pan. The hot and delicious burned rice is served with hot soups.

If you have chance to travel to Ninh Binh, it is great if you could spend time enjoying these specialties since they are not only delicious dishes but also contain the traditional value of this land. It is also a good way of getting to know about Ninh Binh.