Hoa Lư Ancient Capital

Ancient capital of Vietnam. Two main complex of buildings to see and the lake in-front. Too many tourists, so always expect to be crowded. Parking and other facilities are available at the main gate. I took a guided tour from a local guide, but do not recommend.

If one has studied the history of formation of cities, visiting this would be interesting.

There is a museum behind the buildings with some good information and photographs.

It was drizzling and foggy so the photos I took was not clear. But this place was amazing.
If you want to understand and learned the history of Hoa Lu you can visit this place.

Visit early in the day to avoid afternoon crowds at a stunning place of worship honoring ancestors and heroes. The architecture includes ironwood paneling amid natural dissipation. Temples are distinguished by two dragons and moons on their roofs, while a dragon bed signifies respect to the king. The detailed interiors are impressive, and visitors must remove headwear as a sign of respect. Legwear covering the knees is required, with options available if needed. A beautiful mural narrates the history of the three kings. While serene for reflection, it might not suit those seeking excitement.

This place is beautiful and full of history:“Being the capital of the first fundamental Government of Vietnam, Hoa Lu witnessed many important historical events: the union of Vietnam after “12 Lords Rebellion”, the war with the Song dynasty, the defense against the ancient Cambodian, and the formation of Hanoi nowadays. With the total size of 13.87 square kilometers, Hoa Lu old capital is an attractive place that history lovers should not miss out.”

Very enjoyable and informative afternoon in the complex itself. We observed most people in tour groups, though we did it without a guide.

Heads up... as you approach the official ticket booth you are likely to be waved down by people insistently offering free parking for your pushbike. They look official, but I don't think they were. They do this with the expectation that you will buy an overpriced drink from them when you collect your bike.

I observed that you can actually park your bike for free near the official entrance. You may even be able to take your pushie into the complex and ride between buildings in the complex itself.

This is a nice place to visit when u are around...
There's alot of History about this place that a ( Paid ) guide can explain about it...
For tourist that need a guide than can just ask at the main entrance when u show your tickets ( Alot of freelance guide standing or sitting around to ask if u need a guide )..
So is all up to individual....Can just pay them or can just ask the person at the entrance before going in....
There's another thing about tourist who ride motorbike or cycle....
Don't need to park outside along the road or anywhere u see a person wave to ask to park...
Can just ride to the ticket booth opposite n buy your entrance ticket n ride in...
Parking is free inside for motorbike n bicycle..

Some very nice old temples surrounded by stunning scenery. There is also an archeological dig for the ancient capital and one can see some of the old walls/pavements. The climb up to the tomb is also great for its views.

Dinh Bo Linh, also known as Dinh Tien Hoang, fought and united the 12 warring states of Vietnamese pre-history. Unfortunately, assassins took his life and that of his older son while they were sleeping, ending his reign after only 11 years. Despite the younger son being next in succession, he was deemed too young to rule.

To fill the gap in leadership, Bo Linh’s former Military Commander, General Le Hoan, promptly married the dead king’s widow, became the Emperor Le Dai Hanh, and founded the early Le Dynasty. The dynasty continued many of the reforms and wishes of Dinh Bo Linh.

Interesting place, couple nice views and ancient buildings but after seeing more and more historical places in Vietnam it starts to look a bit the same to me

If you like history this is the place, if not it might be somewhat boring for you but they have great architecture there

Good walking experience. Guide tour is great cause of the history and fact they can provide. Lots of good information and photo op.

We registered for a Vietnamese tour guide on site (no specific amount required) and it was one of the best experiences. She was very passionate and enthusiastic. She explained a lot about the place that had we chosen to go by ourselves, we would have not understood the efforts to restore the history, the details that reflect the culture, the tradition and the beauty of the site. The ticket was also very cheap. We ended up contributing a bit because we really love the place. I would definitely recommend anyone visiting Ninh Bình to make a visit to this place and hire a tour guide to get fully immersed into the history of ancient Vietnam.

Good historical place. A lot of things to learn about their culture and practices. Beautiful and calm environment

Great culture, did a guided tour, and this was one of the stops.
Very beautiful.

This place used to be the ancient capital of Vietnam around 1000 years ago. Later hanoi was declared as the capital for Vietnam. This place is beautiful and has a scenic views all round. Covered with small mountains all across. This place is peaceful and calm. Two dynasties have ruled Vietnam from this ancient capital. Ding and Leh dynasty. Today you can visit the place and see there temples which are still there.
Ninh Binh is a place one should definitely plan to stay over one night. Here you can get cycle on rent. We got our cycle and have explored the complete local area with our tour guide.

During our visit, we learned the history of vietnam.

It is a spiritual place and we were the only non-locals trekking to the mountain. The place has various pagodas at different places during the trek. There are two options to go. One is via trekking and the other is via cable car. Even if you go by cable car you will have to climb many stairs (almost 4 kms of walk in total) . The mountain was very Misty and it was packed with people due to Lunar New Year. There is a palace at the bottom and other places to roam about.

Very beautiful place,must visit

I recently visited Hoa Lư Ancient Capital and was blown away by its rich history and beautiful architecture. The well-preserved temples and buildings gave me a glimpse into Vietnam's past, and the intricate carvings and paintings on the walls were truly mesmerizing. The guides were knowledgeable and provided insightful information about the significance of each site. The peaceful setting amidst lush greenery made for a serene and memorable experience. I highly recommend a visit to Hoa Lư Ancient Capital for anyone interested in history and culture.

Not crowded. Did a tour on a motorbike. Was able to see all the places within an 1 hour.