Ninh Bình tourism highlights heritage and connects forest and sea spaces

The Ninh Bình Tourism Week, themed “Ninh Bình - Journey of Heritage Through the Ages,” is scheduled to run for 10 days in late May 2026. According to a report from the Ninh Bình Department of Tourism, total tourist arrivals to the province in Q1 2026 are expected to reach nearly 9.9 million, including more than 1 million international visitors. Tourism revenue is projected at nearly 10,053 billion dong.

Q1 2026 tourism outlook and heritage-driven demand

The figures point to continued recovery and growing international appeal for Ninh Bình. March alone recorded more than 4.1 million visitors, indicating stable growth in the local tourism sector.

One factor highlighted by the province is the focus on honoring and promoting natural and cultural heritage values. Ninh Bình has organized a range of traditional festivals, including the Bai Đính Temple Festival, the Tịch điền Đọi Sơn Rice Harvest Festival, and the Tran Temple Opening Festival, aiming to preserve and promote distinctive cultural identities.

Seasonal nature experiences are also being positioned as signature products. Every year around late April to early May, thousands of visitors travel to Cuc Phương National Park to see millions of butterflies emerge from winter sleep. The park’s management and travel operators have integrated butterfly season into experiential tours, creating a distinctive tourism brand. The park is currently in butterfly season.

At Van Long tourism area, visitors can take boat rides and also hear stories about the wetland ecosystem, the white-handed langur, and how local communities protect their living environment—turning visits into an awareness- and appreciation-based journey of natural values.

Tourism assets and promotion activities

Local statistics indicate the province currently has 15 recognized tourist sites and more than 60 potential sites for development, supported by a network of travel companies and professional tour guides to enhance visitor experiences.

Promotion of heritage tourism has been intensified through specific programs. The “Return to Van Cu Village - Open a page of heritage” initiative supports the promotion of pho cuisine and local culinary identity. The Pho Festival 2026, themed “Pho Vietnam - Living Heritage in the Modern Era,” attracted about 50 stalls from leading pho businesses nationwide.

Coastal tourism development plan for 2026–2030

Ninh Bình is also working to connect forest and sea spaces to form a broader tourism ecosystem. After consolidation and development potential, the province has about 90 km of coastline with many beaches, creating room for coastal tourism growth.

The People’s Committee of Ninh Bình issued Plan No. 75/KH-UBND dated 11/3/2026 on coastal tourism development for 2026–2030. The plan targets the formation of 2 to 3 coastal tourism zones with strong national brands, the gradual refresh of coastal tourism brands Quất Lâm and Thịnh Long, and the development of coastal tourism products able to compete with other localities in Vietnam and the region.

The plan also outlines key coastal routes and destinations such as Kim Đông - Rang Đông - Hải Thịnh - Hải Tiến - Giao Ninh - Giao Hưng - Giao Minh…, with tourism products including beach leisure, resorts, craft village tourism, wetland and coastal community tourism, and coastal sports and entertainment.

Mr. Bùi Văn Mạnh, Director of the Ninh Bình Department of Tourism, said the department is conducting a comprehensive study on coastal environmental quality as a basis for building a coastal tourism development plan to submit to the provincial People’s Committee. To date, assessments of beaches with exploitable potential such as Hải Thịnh, Quất Lâm, Rang Đông, and Hải Tiến have been largely completed.

In Q2/2026, Ninh Bình will continue setting tourism development targets linked with rural modernization and will intensify domestic and international promotion.

Key events during the Tourism Week in late May 2026

The Week of Ninh Bình Tourism is planned for late May 2026. Highlights include an opening program at Đinh Tiên Hoàng Square in Hoa Lư Ward, featuring a unique artistic performance.

The Tam Cốc Golden Festival is scheduled for the morning after the opening, allowing delegates and visitors to experience ripened rice fields along the Ngô Đồng River. The program will combine folk art performances with a procession of agricultural produce.

The Forestival, a creative music festival, is planned at the Trang An scenic area.

Additional cultural and tourism activities

Within the Week, a series of cultural and tourism activities will be organized, including the Vietnam Yosakoi Festival 2026; the opening of the Ninh Bình seaside tourism season; a photo-tour titled “Autumn in Tam Cốc”; famtrip and presstrip activities introducing new tourism products; an art photography exhibition “Beautiful travel photos of Ninh Bình”; and folk performances such as water puppetry, cai luong, xẩm singing, and other traditional shows.

After the opening, delegates and visitors will experience the ripened rice fields along the Ngô Đồng River.

Localities across the province will also hold activities such as culinary spaces, village markets, pedestrian streets, folk performances, OCOP product displays, promotion of coastal tourism, and traditional craft village activities to create a vibrant atmosphere throughout the Tourism Week.