Foreign tourists revel in buffalo riding and fish catching in Ninh Binh

When visiting Ninh Binh, besides exploring famous sites such as Trang An, Tam Coc – Bich Dong, Hoa Lu ancient capital, and Bai Dinh Pagoda, many foreign travelers are increasingly drawn to rural experiences. These tours allow them to feed buffaloes, ride through fields, plant rice, and wade barefoot in mud to catch fish with traditional baskets.

At Hang Trau (Buffalo Cave) in Dam Khe village, Nam Hoa Lu ward, hundreds of foreign visitors arrive daily to immerse themselves in farm life. Here, tourists dress in traditional brown farmer’s clothes, wear conical hats, work in the fields, cook, and share meals on-site.

For many, what once seemed like hard, muddy farm work has become an unforgettable and unique form of tourism.

Italian visitor Stefeno Grossi (born 1963) could not hide his excitement on his first trip to Vietnam with his family: “This is the first time we’ve visited Vietnam, and the first time experiencing something like this. I feel thrilled, relaxed, and truly happy. In Milan, we never get opportunities like this. It’s a priceless experience.”

A French family also joined with their two young daughters, aged four and five. Initially frightened of the large buffalo, the children overcame their fear with encouragement from their parents and soon enjoyed riding on its back.

According to Vu Thi Huyen, operations manager at Hang Trau, the idea for the experience tour came directly from international visitors’ requests. “Many tourists don’t just want to sightsee or relax; they want to explore and better understand Vietnam’s rural culture,” she explained.

Huyen said most Ninh Binh tours focus on one-day sightseeing, lacking variety. “We designed this program to showcase Vietnam’s cultural heritage while preserving traditional farm life still found in rural areas.”

The entrance fee for Hang Trau is 75,000 VND ($3), which includes one drink and activities such as feeding ducks, feeding buffaloes, fishing for goldfish, visiting caves and bamboo forests, and trying the monkey bridge.

For a deeper experience, the full package costs $45 (about 1 million VND) per person. It includes planting rice, catching fish with traditional baskets, riding buffaloes, cooking, and enjoying local cuisine.

This type of rural tourism not only provides income for local people but also offers foreign visitors unique, unforgettable memories in Ninh Binh.