Tam Coc Garden

The most Zen place to stay around Ninh Binh is this lovely boutique hotel. In a private location with a sea of rice paddies at your balcony, it has eight stone-and-timber 50-sq-metre bungalows set in a luxuriant garden, as well as other hotel rooms. Following a day of cycling or exploring nearby attractions, there's a swim in the compact pool to look forward to.