About 12km east of Ninh Binh City, Thung Nham bird sanctuary will bring you a unique natural space in every aspects: culture, spirituality, scenery and bio-diversity.

If Trang An and Tam Coc - Bich Dong are popular destinations on the tourist map, Thung Nham still seems to be an unfamiliar location, but very tempting and attractive. 

Located in the southwest of Ninh Binh, Thung Nham bird sanctuary in Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district is one of the tourist destination where its culture, spirituality, landscape and bio-diversity are irresistible. 

Thung Nham bird sanctuary lies in the core area of Trang An townlet, next to the famous Tam Coc - Bich Dong resort. From the Bich Dong Pagoda, about 4km on road, tourists set foot on Thung Nham - the land of birds.

Deep in the mountains and far away from the residential area, Thung Nham is known for its huge amount of bird species nesting there. In addition to visiting the birds, you can also explore the caves on the water and inside the mountains.

The valley is surrounded by tropical jungle lying on limestone mountains, with many valleys and caves. Thung Chim has been put into operation for tourism (established by Doanh Sinh Travel and Business Company), with many landscape items, including accommodation area, restaurant area, playing area for team-building activities. However, if you just want to see the birds, you can buy tickets for this activity only. 

The most visited points at Thung Nham are Buddha Cave (using boat trip, tourists can discover a sitting Buddha Stone there; besides, caves are dark with little electricity for lighting), Vai Gioi Cave (by walking) with three layers of hidden caves, including Tranquility, Hell and Paradise.

Legend has it that the ancient people have set up the sacrificial ritual for the Gods to pray for good weather and bumper harvests. The bird sanctuary is a submerged area where there are many luxuriant trees, which are convenient for birds to nest. 

There are also other attractions such as Tien Ca Cave, Aquarium Cave, Fruit Garden, and Moving Banyan Trees (these two are not very attractive).

Tourists can visit Thung Nham for a day or two days depending on their schedule; however, to enjoy every beautiful scenery and attraction here, a 2-day trip is a wonderful choice. In addition to sight-seeing activities, tourists can participate in some team-building games; experience a whole day as a farmer, a goat herder, or spending another day to explore Thung Nham tourist paradise.

To visit the bird sanctuary, tourists should go in the late afternoon (around 5pm). It is the time that the birds return to eat, and visitors can easily see those activities more often in fall. However, if you don’t have time, you can also visit the bird sanctuary at 2 - 3 pm to timely return to Hanoi on a one-day trip. 

If you have more time, you should visit the full list of other places at the Thung Nham Bird Park, such as Tien Fish Cave, Orchard-filled Area, Aquarium Cave, Moving Banyan Tree, Valley of Love, etc. 

For families who prefer to stay in the resort, or for corporate groups, they can stay overnight here in order to have time to visit all places in Thung Nham, especially the bird sanctuary in the late afternoon (the time when more birds return).

If you come in groups, you can organize team-building activities in the evening, set fire and gather people around it. The area for this activity is located about 300m from the resort to avoid disturbing other guests with noise. 

In addition, if you stay overnight, you can also combine the visit to Thung Nham with other attractions such as Bich Dong Pagoda, Tam Coc Scenic Area, or Thien Ha Cave (newly opened, very beautiful, next to Buddha Cave).

You do not even have to sleep in Thung Nham; instead, you can go to some hotel locations in Ninh Binh City or some hostels in Tam Coc.

Hanoitimes