Mua Caves
4.5
6:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Monday
6:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Tuesday
6:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Wednesday
6:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Thursday
6:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Friday
6:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Saturday
6:00 AM - 7:00 PM
Sunday
6:00 AM - 7:00 PM
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- zardoz07Christchurch, New Zealand66 contributionsA pleasant afternoon at MuaWe decided to walk in from Ninh Binh. About 7 ks. Google did warn 'real' ground conditions might be different to map so we walked down some narrow paths greeting locals in their yards and walking down flooded tracks with fish before us. No problems at Mua. Some paths were flooded and restaurants closed. Everyone friendly and 500 steps of varying size to pagoda and dragon. Great views from both. A good experience. I am in my 70s but some fitness is required. Nice guy, whom some had difficulties with, organised a taxi for us for 150k back to Ninh Binh. No tour needed. Good day. Nothing but a good experience.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten October 4, 2023
- Skram66Staffordshire, United Kingdom497 contributionsDifferent view at every resting spot, wonderfully staggering in many ways!Easy to reach via moped or bicycle, able to park at one of the local cafes leading up to entrance for a nominal fee...keep your ticket as you have to show when retrieving your bike!! Didn't do the cave, but did climb to the Dragon & well worth it! Take some water & non slip footwear, as steps uneven & varying in depth. Plan to descend before dusk, as dark & uneven in places! Views obviously dependant on weather. Didn't do Tam Coc river cruise which you look down on from the Dragon, preferred to do the superb Trang An one instead.Visited October 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten November 2, 2023
- TonyBHelsinki, Finland239 contributionsCome early for some nice viewsNice place to visit in Ninh Binh if you want to see some great views. Come early, there are a lot of people walking up the 500 quite steep steps already 10.30 in the morning. Motorbike parking cost at the area is 10k.Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten December 7, 2023
- Mike BChristchurch, New Zealand149 contributionsDon't worry there is a beer stopYes Google maps is a bit out on this one, follow the tour buses if lost.. However we really enjoyed making it to the top. We are very unfit, but made it ok( it's trickier coming down, than going up). Not too many people the day we went. A small shop half way up for a beer stop. I don't think the caves exist, we couldn't find them. Really it's called Dragon Mountain.500 steps. If arriving on a motorbike, just pay the small parking fee.Visited December 2023Travelled as a coupleWritten January 7, 2024
- Dror SGiv'atayim, Israel74 contributionsTook our breath away!Literally. No kidding. After the beauty of the cave we naturally climbed up to the peak view points, the dragon, and the top Pagoda. What a stunning way! What a view! What a perfect excercise for our legs! We sat there on the top, looking down over the valley - beautiful is a small word to describe it. Now add the sense of achievement for climbing the whole thing - and you get a perfect experience, worthy of a nice relaxing break of coconut water :)Visited January 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten January 9, 2024
- ShannonSuva, Fiji1,177 contributionsNeeds some Garbage ControlThe cave itself is great but not the main attraction here, the viewpoints are. Climbing difficulty is medium to hard as it's quite steep with narrow step runs. However the amount of littering is shocking, and I blame the tour organisers as they tend to recommend giving lots of water bottles to tourists. And due to exhaustion, tourists tend to throw bottles down the cliffside instead of the nearest bins. Recommend coming in spring as the lotus field below would look exceptional as during winter the fields are all bare. Remember not to litter when visiting!Visited January 2024Travelled soloWritten January 24, 2024
- LaNyonsaiseWest Midlands, United Kingdom1,039 contributionsWorth a detour.Added a visit here as we had spare time and we were passing close by. Five hundred steps sounds a lot but in cool weather and plenty of time it didn’t take too long. The steps are steep in places which made coming down worse than going up. We decided to stop at the viewing platform and didn’t climb the rest of the way because it was a grey and murky day so the views were very muted, not worth going higher to see nothing more.Visited January 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten January 29, 2024
- DotsGirl2Vancouver, Canada452 contributionsLots of steep steps for a panoramic viewThis complex has a rice paddy boardwalk, the cave which has a Buddha in it, another small cave with a tiger statue in it and then a 500 step climb up the side of the mountain. There are two different paths you can chose about three quarters up. The one on the left takes you highest. The steps at the very top are mainly just rocks. It is a beautiful view. We took our time and rested as needed but lots of young people were going up fairly quickly.Visited February 2024Travelled with friendsWritten February 21, 2024
- Neil MosLondon, United Kingdom15 contributionsLovely viewpointAs the other reviews have stated, watch out for all those charging to park. You don't need to park early so can drive right up to the entrance. Entry price was reasonable, we didn't visit the cave but the viewpoint was really amazing. Luckily wasn't too busy and is definitely worth a visit.Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten March 8, 2024
- Meg HAustralia6 contributionsMau Caves Lookout5 starts BUT do not go if you have ANY health issues: mobility/weight/heart, this is a strenuous climb up, also do not try to climb onto Dragon at top, precarious at best!!! Awesome views. Go very first thing in morning or 2.30pm, less crowds. Do NOT park outside of gates, locals will literally stand in front of you to intimidate you to park elsewhere, say No! firmly.Visited March 2024Travelled as a coupleWritten March 13, 2024
These reviews are the subjective opinion of Tripadvisor members and not of TripAdvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
1,757 reviews
Excellent
1,125
Very good
445
Average
122
Poor
24
Terrible
41
Mushtaq N
2 contributions
Jan 2020
First of all i gave it 3 stars just for the views otherwise it is not worth the 100,000VD entrance fee and 10,000VD parking fee, use that money for Tran An. After reading the reviews i prepared myself for the aggressive locals, to avoid them make sure you go early in the morning ideally before 9am. We only encountered 2 of them and when they tried to stop my bike i just went past them. Ignore their whistles and head straight to the entrance. We got to both the view points with only a few other people so we had the whole place to ourselves because most of the tourist coaches arrive after 10am. When we left the place we saw that there were around 8 locals now trying to stop people.
Written January 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Richard Kay
Wellington, New Zealand18 contributions
Jan 2020 • Couples
Quite simply we felt very underwhelmed by our trip. A decent view but far too many people climbing at once to enjoy it. Too many taking up space for Instagram photos. The area at the bottom of the caves is full of fake nonsense, fake waterfalls, fake statues etc: Save your money and time, go to the boat ride at Trang An which is absolutely stunning and far more relaxing!
Written January 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Pavlov C
Sydney, Australia7 contributions
Feb 2020
Don't be duped by the fake "parking" across the little road to the Mua Cave. They behave really aggressively to help you get to the parking of theirs, acting as officials with effective hand gestures and whistles. Simply ignore next and also go on traveling until the ticket office of Mua entrance. Generally there you are able to park the motorcycle of yours for VND 10,000. Entrance to Mua is VND 100,000 a person.
The climb was hot and steep, but much worthwhile as the view from the pinnacle is stunning!
The climb was hot and steep, but much worthwhile as the view from the pinnacle is stunning!
Written March 28, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
silvergeck0
Hervey Bay, Australia134 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
Getting to the top was a personal achievement and while that was incredible and the views amazing the area surrounding the climb at Hung Mua was very disappointing. It’s advertised as an Eco/Environmental location; however there is rubbish EVERYWHERE (something that has surprised & disappointed us about Vietnam in general). In this tourist hot spot there is Rubbish piled up under trees and beside the little display houses. The toilets were absolutely disgusting with water from the basin leaking over the floor. The shops at the bottom of the stairs were in complete disarray and dirty too. We saw the pool getting cleaned and the water was being back washed into the lagoon! Surely the chlorine will kill the fish and plants? We were there on a quiet day and there must have been at least 2000 people during the few hours we were there - it’s 100,000 VD entrance fee so in our opinion there is no excuse for the owners to allow what should be magnificent to become so ugly.
Written March 8, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
RG02
Swindon, UK304 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
There is a small cave but it’s the long stairway to get the views from the top of the mountain that make this place worth visiting. Most visitors want to do the climb to the top, which is worth the entrance fee, but if you have a partner who is unable to cope with the very uneven stairway there is no option to enter the garden area without paying the full price, they would probably spend at least that amount in one of the shops or cafes inside. The views from the top are spectacular in every direction and it’s worth making the effort if you are able to.
Written March 31, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
NtshuaL
Roseville, CA45 contributions
Dec 2019 • Couples
Beautiful hike up. It was humid, but anyone can make it! Bring plenty of water! We biked to the entrance and parked our bikes in after the gate (it's free). There will be a lot of people trying to tell you to pay to park at their lot but don't do it. Just keep going in until you get past the entrance gate where you pay for admission. We went a few hours before sunset and was able to complete it and back before it got too dark. At the top there is a big white dragon statue, which is supposedly the watcher of the town. Definitely worth the steps!
Written January 5, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Der-Chillian
Erlangen, Germany14 contributions
Jan 2020 • Friends
After reading the other reviews we decided to go there quite early in the morning. You can pass by all (!) the guys and lady’s that try to lure your into their (overpriced!) parking and put your bike inside the walled area of the hotel at the end of the road. Tickets were 100k each, and the climb is quite exhausting. But the view rewards you and is completely worth it. As we walked down it really started to get busy and we were quite happy to have been there at 8:15pm. We did not visit the caves. Sadly there is quite some trash on the stairs and on top of the mountain.
Written January 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Lily P
13 contributions
Nov 2019
Nice view from the top . It is difficult for the elderly, the ladder is not safe especially on rainy days. If you ride a motorbike, you should ask for the parking fee first. I was subjective and didn't ask them then they charged us 25,000 Vietnamese dong for one (the price of other stores is only 300 meters away only 5,000VND for one)
Written March 3, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Sarah Luong
Hanoi, Vietnam15 contributions
Nov 2019
Mua Cave is one of the most attractive destinations in Ninh Binh area. After climbing about 500 steps, you will see a very spectacular scenery, overlooking the rocky mountains, rivers, fields, bamboo boats.
I had planned to go to Ninh Binh with my boyfriend 2 days 1 night. The best advice to visit the Mua Cave is to get there early (I started climbing at 6:30 am). The sunrise at the top was very beautiful, and there were not too many people, so I felt completely relaxed. Many people say that the sunset is even more beautiful, but in the afternoon there are many tourists so you will find it difficult to take photos and enjoy the natural beauty. I have taken some nice photos to post on Instagram and I enjoyed the fresh air with the boyfriend while looking at the scenery there, so I feel that this destination is worth a visit if you come to Ninh Binh.
I had planned to go to Ninh Binh with my boyfriend 2 days 1 night. The best advice to visit the Mua Cave is to get there early (I started climbing at 6:30 am). The sunrise at the top was very beautiful, and there were not too many people, so I felt completely relaxed. Many people say that the sunset is even more beautiful, but in the afternoon there are many tourists so you will find it difficult to take photos and enjoy the natural beauty. I have taken some nice photos to post on Instagram and I enjoyed the fresh air with the boyfriend while looking at the scenery there, so I feel that this destination is worth a visit if you come to Ninh Binh.
Written February 2, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
hm777
7 contributions
Nov 2022
Did not visit the caves, but visited Hang Mua peak, which provided beautiful views over the town landscape one side, and into a valley on the other side.
The walk from the car park was full of interesting photo points, such as views over a lotus lake, swings, heart-shaped-vine structures, and statues you could sit on and pose with. There were lots of places to buy food and water and eat, and even water stops halfway up the mountain.
To get to the mountain, you take the right fork at the path through the resort area. There are 2 peaks, and halfway up the mountain, you choose a path. Take the left fork to visit the tallest peak, with a dragon statue, or the right fork to visit a padoga on a narrow rocky outcrop. From the dragon peak, you can look over the pagoda peak, so if you don't have the energy for both, I'd recommend taking the left fork for the dragon.
Note that there will likely be people climbing all over the rocks around the dragon statue!
The walk from the car park was full of interesting photo points, such as views over a lotus lake, swings, heart-shaped-vine structures, and statues you could sit on and pose with. There were lots of places to buy food and water and eat, and even water stops halfway up the mountain.
To get to the mountain, you take the right fork at the path through the resort area. There are 2 peaks, and halfway up the mountain, you choose a path. Take the left fork to visit the tallest peak, with a dragon statue, or the right fork to visit a padoga on a narrow rocky outcrop. From the dragon peak, you can look over the pagoda peak, so if you don't have the energy for both, I'd recommend taking the left fork for the dragon.
Note that there will likely be people climbing all over the rocks around the dragon statue!
Written November 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Jolly T
Singapore, Singapore
Hello! We are a family with 2 kids aged 10 and 12. We just arrived at ninh Binh and are planning to hike up Mua cave. Would appreciate any advice, in particular things to look out for, bets time to climb up, and whether this climb is safe for 10 and 12 year olds. Thank you:)
Written December 14, 2022
Hi how can we combine this tour with a one day ninh binh - trang an tour (pick up from and return to hanoi same day). Is it safe to travel with a 1.5 year old kid??
Written November 8, 2019
Hi Abhiraj,
Doing all this steps with a 1.5 year old kid is hard work. There is no railing on the sides and the steps have different heights. All other parents we saw that day were carrying their children.
A combination with Trang An is possible and no problem - we did the same. Trang An in the morning, a little rest in the hotel and then we took a taxi for little money to Hang Mua for the sunset.
On the same evening we took a taxi limousine back to Hanoi for flying to Hué the next day.
Hope you enjoy the trip. Don't hesitate to contact me in case for any other questions
Written November 9, 2019
Domani vorrei andare alla mia cave, consigliate la mattina o il pomeriggio x godersi al meglio il panorama? Per riuscire a fare anche belle foto
Written March 3, 2019
Ho visto solo ora la tua domanda, sicuramente sarai già andato, comunque è meglio al pomeriggio perchè alla mattina, in questa stagione, spesso c'è nebbia, ciao
Franco
Written March 4, 2019
HOLA! alguien sabe si del muelle de Tam Coc al mirador se puede ir caminando? Qué distancia hay? en caso de que no se puede, existe la posibilidad de contratar taxi o moto en el mismo muelle para llegar? Gracias!
Written January 30, 2019
Are there public buses to and from the caves or am I best booking a tour from Hanoi? If so can anyone recommend any agencies? Is it a day trip or is 2 day activity?
Written October 22, 2018
Rent a bicycle or scooter at Tam Coc
Written October 22, 2019
How long does it take to walk up to the view point?
We are passing by and have 2 to 3 hours before sunset. Will that be enough?
Written October 17, 2018
It takes us about 45 mins to get to the top of the moutain, about 20 -30 mins to take the photos and enjoy amazing view and again 40 mins to walk down. It's the end of Autumn now in the North of Vietnam, it's getting dark at 06:0pm then you should starts at 3pm latest! hope it can help
Written October 31, 2018
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