The essential facts and figures about Ninh Binh, kept accurate for 2026, including the major administrative changes that took effect across Vietnam in 2025.
Ninh Binh lies on the southern edge of the Red River Delta in northern Vietnam, about 95-100 km south of Hanoi. Its defining feature is a belt of limestone karst, mountains and caves rising out of flat rice plains and rivers, which is why it is nicknamed "Ha Long Bay on land". The scenic, historic core sits around Hoa Lu city.
In 2025 Vietnam carried out its largest-ever administrative reorganisation, reducing the country from 63 provinces and cities to 34. As part of this, on 1 July 2025 the former provinces of Ninh Binh, Nam Dinh and Ha Nam were merged into a single, larger province that keeps the name Ninh Binh, with its capital at Hoa Lu city.
| Figure | Value |
|---|---|
| New Ninh Binh province (since 1 Jul 2025) | area 3,942.6 km², population ~3.82 million |
| Former Ninh Binh province (pre-merger) | area ~1,412 km², population ~1.1 million |
| Hoa Lu city (provincial capital) | area ~150 km², population ~238,000 |
| Distance from Hanoi | ~95-100 km (~1.5-2.5 hrs) |
For travellers: almost all the famous sights, Trang An, Tam Coc, Mua Cave, Bai Dinh and the ancient capital, are clustered around Hoa Lu city, the former Ninh Binh province area. That compact zone is what most people mean by "Ninh Binh".
| Area | Known for |
|---|---|
| Tam Coc / Hoa Lu | Boat tours, Mua Cave, the ancient capital, most homestays |
| Trang An | The UNESCO boat route, Bai Dinh pagoda nearby |
| Nho Quan area | Cuc Phuong National Park, Van Long wetlands |
| Kim Son area | Phat Diem stone cathedral, coastal lowlands |
Note: Vietnam reorganised its local administrative units in 2025, so older "district" names now map to wards and communes. We use them here as travel areas, not formal boundaries.