Located eighty kilometers from Hanoi, Van Long lagoon, also known as Van Long swamp, in Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh province is one of the largest reservation areas in the Northern Delta. This is also one of the ideal destinations for travelers who want to find a peaceful place to escape the bustle and hustle of urban life.
After going through the mountains, you will go to Ca Cave, a half-submerged and half-dried cave with 250m long, 8m high and 10m wide. The cave is located at the foot of the mountain, so after crossing the cave, to the other side you will see a small valley surrounded by mountains. If you get lucky enough - usually in the afternoon (about 15:30 - 16:30), there will be a chance to see storks flying. In addition, there are some limestone blocks with the shape of its name "Cat Scratches" (on the side of the mountain there is a "picture" like a cat scratch on the stone), Raspberry, Book, Stone, etc.
To get to Van Long from Ha Noi, the only way is to follow National Highway 1A, through Phu Ly to Gian Khau junction, turning left to Nho Quan junction to Gia Van commune, Gia Vien district. Van Long Lagoon is located at the foot of the dyke. Here, visitors buy tickets which include renting the boat to go sightseeing in two directions. The main direction is to go Kem Tram – Hang Bong with many beautiful landscapes. The second direction is for the animal lovers as they can meet the rare langurs drinking water or passing tree branches. There is also a very interesting destination, which is the stork garden, about 2km west of the boat docking.
