Day 63 - Holding the Fort in Ninh Binh: Caves, Cold Rides and a Sick Day Split

Another rough night.

Restless sleep for everyone except Maddie, who was completely out cold and didn’t wake once. Emmett, on the other hand, coughed almost nonstop. Proper, deep coughing fits that sounded like they were turning into dry-retching. Over and over again through the night. Kia was up and down as well, so by morning we were all pretty cooked.

When the day finally started, Kia and Emmett were clearly still down and out. Maddie, surprisingly, woke up feeling pretty good. So we made a call. Maddie and I would head out for the day, get some fresh air, and let Kia and Emmett rest without pressure.

Breakfast was a bit chaotic. Everyone came down, but nobody stayed long. Kia managed a few mouthfuls of chicken noodle soup. Emmett ate barely anything before feeling sick again and heading back upstairs, with Kia following him. Maddie and I stayed behind, ate what we could, and chatted about what we might do with the day.

When we went back up to the room, it honestly looked like a war zone. Both Emmett and Kia had been vomiting, almost at the same time. They were absolutely spent. So Maddie and I moved quickly, got ourselves sorted, and quietly got out of there to give them space to rest.

We grabbed the two best bikes we could find and headed out. We’d heard about a really good café on the other side of town, so that was mission one. The ride was freezing. Proper cold. My hands felt like icebergs and Maddie kept saying her hands hurt from the cold. It was drizzly too. Not heavy rain, just enough to soak into everything and make it feel colder.

The café was worth it. Amazing coffee, a hot chocolate for Maddie, and some carrot cake. We sat there for a while, warming up and just enjoying not being rushed.

From there, Maddie decided she wanted to visit the eco village we’d heard about. That meant riding back through town, past our accommodation, grabbing gloves, and then continuing on. It was a decent ride out of town and uphill. We bought tickets at the bottom, then tried to ride as far up as we could. Maddie didn’t get far before we were both pushing.

We spotted a small side path with a sign mentioning a cave and decided to check it out. Probably should have read the sign more carefully. It turned into a steep climb with a lot of steps. Maddie wasn’t exactly pumped, especially given she was still coming off being sick, but she pushed through and made it all the way up.

It was worth it. A proper cave entrance with different levels. A mid-level lookout with a great view, a section where you could climb down inside the cave, and another route that led up through metal stairs to a huge opening near the top. Some sections were so narrow we had to squeeze and almost crawl. It felt like a real little adventure.

After heading back down and hopping on the bikes again, we continued into the eco village proper. The whole area is part of the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site. It’s known for its limestone karst landscape, interconnected caves, wetlands, and historical significance. This region was once an ancient capital area of Vietnam, and the caves and waterways have been used for centuries as natural shelter and transport routes. Today, it’s protected for both its natural beauty and cultural value.

There was another checkpoint where we had to show tickets, and then we realised we had a free boat ride included. This took us by paddle boat into Buddha Cave. It’s low, completely unlit, and you need a headlamp. There were bats, still water, and a Buddha statue deep inside. Quiet, dark, and really cool.

After that we wandered through gardens filled with statues, ornaments, bonsai trees, and water features. Everything felt calm and considered. We then discovered another boat ride that took us out to a bird sanctuary area. A wetland filled with large birds, nests everywhere, and total stillness. Peaceful in a way that makes you naturally lower your voice.

We also explored Mermaid Cave. Super low in places. I had to go on hands and knees at times. It was well lit with a proper walkway, winding right through the cave. Another unexpected highlight.

By this point, the cold was cutting through us. We stopped for hot chips just to warm our hands and bodies before continuing on.

Eventually, we pushed the bikes back up the hill and rode back into town for lunch. Maddie wanted beef fried noodles, I ordered fried rice. When the plates arrived, we both wanted the other one, so we swapped. Maddie still wasn’t eating much, so she only had a few bites and I finished the rest.

By the time we rode back to the accommodation, it was around 4 pm. We were both dreaming of warm showers the entire ride. We got back, thawed out properly, and spent the rest of the afternoon wrapped up, watching movies on phones and tablets, just quietly recovering from the cold.

Kia and Emmett sorted dinner for themselves later. Maddie and I weren’t hungry, so we headed to bed around 8 or 8:30.

That was Day 63.

Hopefully tomorrow everyone wakes up feeling a bit better and we can finally get out together as a family. Cabin fever is definitely creeping in.