Ninh Binh is a city 100km south of Hanoi. It has many large temples but it is most famous for the boat tours along the rivers through limestone mountains. When taking a motorbike ride through Ninh Binh you can also see the colourful Incense Village, at Quang Phu Cau. There’s the Perfume Pagoda which you can reach via a boat ride, then a climb or cable car up the mountain. In Ninh Binh itself there is the large Bai Dinh Pagoda, the small Bich Dong Pagoda, the stunning view from the Hang Mua Viewpoint and the boat tours at both Trang An and Tam Coc. The map below shows 2 routes to Ninh Binh from Hanoi. The Eastern route is the easiest ride for getting out and in of Hanoi but if you want to see the Incense Village or Perfume Pagoda then the Western route takes you past these.

Just 60km West of Hanoi is the Ba Vi National Park. The national park is situated at the top of a hill with fantastic views all around. On a clear day you can see Ba Vi from Hanoi. Within the park there is a lovely drive to the top where you can park to enjoy the view and also walk up further to see the Uncle: Ho Temple. There is also the ruin of the French era Church you can see on the way up. On a warm day you can stop at the natural swimming pool which redirects water from a nearby waterfall. The pool has many slides and is well worth a visit. The map below shows a quieter ride to reach Ba Vi by following the river North of Hanoi until Son Tay then heading to Ba Vi National Park.