How to Visit the Hang Mua Caves in Ninh Binh, Vietnam

One of the most incredible views in Ninh Binh, Vietnam is at the top of Hang Mua Peak. Also known as the Mua Caves, this hike is relatively easy with just 500 steps to reach the top of the Hang Mua viewpoint.

Ninh Binh is known as “Halong Bay on land” due to it’s striking limestone karst mountains throughout the Ninh Binh province. Once at the top of Hang Mua, you’ll be rewarded with panoramic views of rice fields, lotus ponds, and the karst mountains.

Oh, there’s also a dragon and pagoda at the top waiting for you. So, keep reading to find out how you can hike the Mua Caves and get photos with the Ninh Binh dragon!

How to get to the Mua Caves

The Mua Caves are located in the Ninh Binh Province of Vietnam and sits between the towns of Trang An and Tam Coc. I’ll let you know of all the different ways to get around Ninh Binh below.

If you don’t have time to stay in Ninh Binh and just want to do a Ninh Binh day trip, I have the perfect tour for you that leaves out of Hanoi. Not only will you visit the Hang Mua Caves, but you’ll also visit Trang An, and the Bai Dinh Pagoda.

There are three different options to choose from so make sure you choose the one that includes the Hang Mua hike.

Book your day trip from Hanoi to Ninh Binh

If you do choose to visit Ninh Binh for longer than a day trip (totally recommend a 2-3 day stay), then getting to the Mua Caves will be fairly easy. It’s just a 9 minute drive from Tam Coc and you can easily reach Hang Mua Vietnam by taxi, bicycle, or motorbike.

Address to Hang Mua: Khê Hạ, Hoa Lư District, Ninh Bình 430000, Vietnam

Taxi

The easiest way is to get to the Mua Cave is to take a taxi. Taxis are everywhere so you won’t have a problem catching a cab to take you to Hang Mua. Prices should be very reasonable and if you have several people with you then you can split it.

Bicycle

A lot of hotels and hostels have bicycles that you can either borrow or rent for a few dollars. It will be about a 3 mile bike ride so it is doable, but it will take a little more time to get there.

Motorbike

Our recommendation is to rent a motorbike. This isn’t a typical motorcycle with gears but more like a scooter. Just push start and it goes. There is a great place right outside of the main area of Tam Coc that’s a short walk. It shouldn’t cost more than $5-8 a day to rent.

Read all about visiting Ninh Binh Vietnam from how long you should stay to all the cool things there are to do and see.

Parking at the Mua Caves

There’s parking by the entrance to Hang Mua but you need to be aware of the parking scams. As you’re driving down the road to the entrance gate, you might run into locals directing you to park in specific areas. They might even get in the middle of the street to try to force you to stop.

Just say no and keep going towards the entrance of the Hang Mua Caves. Parking there is inexpensive and for bicycles and motorbikes that will cost less than .50 cents.

Hang Mua Entrance, hours, and cost

Just inside the entrance gate is the ticket office for hiking Hang Mua. Mua Caves is open from 6am to 7pm and costs just 100,000 VND or about $4 per person. Be sure to bring cash with you to pay for everything.

Once you pay you’ll walk through the grounds of the Hang Mua Ecolodge. There’s a lot of little areas on the property for photos and even a giant lotus pond with a boardwalk. As tempting as it is, I would save all of that for the end.

Keep walking straight ahead towards the mountain. You’ll pass some restrooms on your left so be sure to stop if you need to before your hike.

While it only takes about 20-30 minutes to hike up, plan to spend at least 1-1.5 hours there for the climb, stopping to take photos, and waiting on others to finish their photos.

Hiking Hang Mua

I’m not even sure the term “hike” is the best word to describe getting to the top. It’s more of a climb. It’s fairly easy to get to the top of Hang Mua with just 486 steps. Of course, if it’s really hot and humid outside then it might seem more difficult than it is.

There’s a couple of steps that are larger than the others so you might have to take a bigger step up but it’s not that bad. The stairs are very wide and roomy so you won’t be shoulder to shoulder with others.

However, the steps are uneven and there’s areas that are very worn so they are slick. Be very careful, especially if it’s raining.

Where is the best Hang Mua viewpoint

There are two different viewpoints and both require you to hike up Hang Mua. You’ll start at the bottom of the mountain and walk up some stairs. When you get about halfway up, you’ll have the option to go left or go right.

You’ll also see a snack stand where you can buy drinks and snacks, just in case you didn’t bring anything with you.

The left option – Hang Mua Dragon

The dragon is to the left and will likely be more crowded. Everyone wants photos of the dragon! It doesn’t really matter which one you do first but if you are there first thing in the morning, definitely choose the dragon first.

You’ll have a better chance of having less people to deal with and can get your pictures before the crowds show up.

Warning: the dragon is on top of the mountain and you will have to step up to get up it and that can be a little scary. There’s not really any rails so you’ll want to wear good shoes that aren’t slippery on the bottom.

You can also climb towards the back of the dragon if you want. I saw people doing that but I didn’t attempt it. I’m regretting that a little now. Again, just be careful because there’s not much to prevent you from falling off the side.

The right option – the Pagoda

The Pagoda is to the right. It’s not as high up as the dragon and is much easier to climb up onto. There’s a lot of open space around it and not as daunting as the dragon. It will likely be less crowded so you can spend a little more time there.

When you’re done with the dragon viewpoint, you’ll walk back down the same steps you went up and head up the right side. You’ll have great views of the lotus fields. Hopefully they are in bloom!

When you’re done you can head back down and walk around the grounds a bit taking photos and walk out onto the boardwalk through the lotus fields.

Best time to visit Mua Cave

The best time to visit Mua Caves is either first thing in the morning for sunrise and less crowds or at sunset. The tour buses don’t show up at opening time but you won’t have long until they do.

If you wait until the late afternoon, the tour buses of people should be gone and you’ll have some amazing sunset photos. Either way, you can’t go wrong. Just avoid the middle of the day when it’s really hot and crowded.

After your Hang Mua Hike

Now that you’re done with the climb you can spend a little time walking around the grounds and take photos. It’s a quirky place with things that might not make sense but that’s okay.

There’s some horse statues in water, a small hut with “lily pads” you can walk on, a field of robots, and a lotus field with a boardwalk that you can walk on. No extra charge for any of it so explore as much as you want.

Essential tips for the Hang Mua Hike

What to wear

The climb up isn’t too bad so you can pretty much wear anything. Some people will even wear dresses so they can get some nice photos at the top. I brought a dress to throw on over my clothes once I got to the top. Just wear good shoes. The stone steps are a little worn and can get slick if they are wet.

What to bring

Bring water, sunscreen, snacks, and your camera. They do sell water and snacks on the mountain so if you forget or run out you can always buy some there.

Toilets

There are restrooms after you pay and have entered the grounds. There are not any toilets up on the mountain so make sure you go before you get start hiking up.

Is the Hang Mua Viewpoint worth it?

Absolutely! The Hang Mua hike is fairly easy and the 360° views overlooking rice fields and lotus blooms is totally worth the climb. You can see for miles in all directions.

Where to stay in Ninh Binh

There are two areas that most people stay in when they visit Ninh Binh Vietnam: Trang An or Tam Coc. They are only about a 20 minute drive from each other but all the major sites to see are located in those two places.

You could stay in the city of Ninh Binh but you wouldn’t be near everything or near all the beautiful scenery.

Trang An Accommodations

Trang An is located more in nature and is a bit more secluded. You might have a hard time finding a restaurant that you don’t have to drive to but the scenary will make up for it. Try to book a stay that has a restaurant in case you don’t want to go out to look for a place to eat.

Tam Coc Accommodations

Tam Coc is a bit more touristy but has multiple restaurants, bars, a grocery store, and lots of shops.

Read about the Trang An Boat Tour. A UNESCO World Heritage Site

Best time to Hike Hang Mua

Nailing down the best time of year for visiting a place in Vietnam is really difficult. What might be the best time for visiting Ninh Binh might not be the best time to visit another place in Vietnam. The weather is so vastly different between the northern area and southern area of Vietnam.

• Summer in Ninh Binh runs from May to October. It’s fairly hot and humid during this time and it’s also the rainy season. Rice paddies are a vivid green and the lotus flowers are blooming from May-July.
• Autumn is from September to October (roughly) and the temperatures start to cool down. It’s still the rainy season so you will need umbrellas.
• Winter is from November to March and it’s much cooler and dry during this time. You will need to dress in layers and it does get cold at night.
• Spring is probably the best time to visit Hang Mua. From February to April the weather starts to warm up and there is minimal rain during this time.

If you’re planning a trip to Vietnam then check out my 2 week Vietnam Itinerary which also includes a visit to Ninh Binh.

Frequently Asked Questions