The easy answer: cook something
A Vietnamese cooking class is the one activity here that is just as good in the rain as in the sun. You cook under cover, it takes about an hour or two, you eat everything you made, and you go home with recipes you can actually repeat.
It also solves the other rainy day problem: lunch. Instead of running between a dry spot and a restaurant, you get the meal and the activity in one.
“We did a cooking class here. It was amazing. The nicest people and just a really good vibe. And good food!! We really recommend this fun activity, also great for a rainy day.”
One hand-picked class, booked in a minute. No booking fee.
What still works in the wet
The Trang An boat trip
The boats are open, but a poncho costs about 20,000 VND at the pier and a good part of the route goes through caves where you stay dry. Far fewer people go when it rains, so the water is quiet and the photos are better.
Hoa Lu, the ancient capital
Temples, gates and courtyards you can duck into. Short walks between covered buildings, so a shower is easy to sit out.
Bich Dong pagoda
Built into the cliff on three levels, with much of it sheltered by the rock itself. Green and atmospheric in the rain.
A long Vietnamese coffee
Egg coffee, salted coffee or coconut coffee. Cafés here expect you to sit for an hour, and most have a covered terrace looking out over the karst.
A massage
The other thing everybody looks for when the weather turns. Easy to combine with a cooking class later the same day.
Massage in Ninh Binh ↗
What to skip
- •Mua Cave viewpoint. Around 500 stone steps that turn slippery, and the view you climb for is usually sitting in cloud.
- •Cycling through the rice fields. Lovely in the sun, miserable in a downpour, and the paths get muddy.
- •Anything that depends on a sunset or a long view, like Hang Mua at golden hour.
A few practical things
The rainy season in Ninh Binh runs roughly from May to October, and it is heaviest between July and September. It rarely rains all day. Most of the time you get a heavy burst for an hour or two and then it clears, so it pays to keep the indoor plan for the morning and leave the afternoon open.
Ponchos are sold everywhere for around 20,000 VND, and every homestay has a pile of them by the door. If you are riding a scooter, wait the heavy showers out rather than pushing through them: the roads here flood quickly and the local drivers do the same.
If the forecast looks wet, book your cooking class a day ahead. Rainy days are exactly when everyone else has the same idea.
Rainy day questions
Does a cooking class still go ahead when it rains?+
Yes. The classes we list cook under cover, so rain is not a problem. It is one of the few things in Ninh Binh that works just as well in the wet as in the sun, which is why it fills up fast on rainy days.
When is the rainy season in Ninh Binh?+
Roughly May to October, with the heaviest rain between July and September. It usually falls as short heavy showers rather than all day drizzle, so a wet morning often turns into a dry afternoon.
Is the Trang An boat trip worth doing in the rain?+
It can be. The boats are open, but ponchos are cheap and easy to buy at the pier, and a good part of the two hour route passes through caves where you are out of the rain. Fewer people go when it is wet, so it is quieter.
What should I skip in Ninh Binh when it rains?+
The Mua Cave viewpoint. It is around 500 stone steps that get slippery, and the view you climb for is usually hidden in cloud. Cycling through the rice fields is also less fun in heavy rain.
Turn a wet day into the best meal of your trip
Pick a class near where you are staying, choose your menu and a start time, and book in under a minute. You pay your host on the day.
Find a cooking class