Kenh Ga
From Ninh Binh city, head North 10km, then drive left at Gian’s three ways intersection for Me township and turn left from the town and proceed to a typical tourist attraction of Ninh Binh, about 2km away, arriving at Dong Chua pier where visitors are hosted and take motor boat going along Hoang Long river to Kenh Ga Resort.
Lying not far from Hoa Lu ancient capital is the small fishing village of Kenh Ga. The name actually means Chicken Canal and is derived from a local hot spring which water is used to soak chickens to make it easier to pluck their feathers.
Kenh Ga is not noly an eco-cultural tourist site with remarkable scenery but also an ideal resort for tourist. It has unique hot salty water with a stable temperature of 53 Degree C, KCl, NaCl, Calcium and Bicarbonate that help medical treatments. Vietnamese scientists have confirmed the good quality of this mineral water spring that is similar to the quality of convalescent areas of Germany and Russia. Today, the main branches of the spring have been built to channel water into some pools for swimming and soaking. If tourists do not want to have a bath, they can get water from the spring to drink; The water is excellent for skin ailments such as scabies and vitiligo and curing a variety of stomach ailments and obesity.
Kenh Ga, is a remarkable place, not only because it is surrounded by the same massive rocks that dominate Hoa Lu, but also because for most of the year the entire community lives on the water itself. The floating village of Kenh Ga receives relatively few visitors compared to nearby Hoa Lu and the peoples’ aquatic way of life has changed little over the centuries.
After soaking in hot water swimming pools, having a sauna or traditional massage, tourists can go by boat to visit Kenh Ga floating village, Catholic Church and then explore typical river life of local people. The villagers seem to spend most of their lives floating on water. Visitors will find nowhere as stunning as a mountain at Kenh Ga.
The area is known as one of the most rural area in the Red River Delta. It offers a combination of countryside landscapes, traditional rural lifestyle and well-known friendly local folk. Touring the area would be really relaxing and fascinating as you are seated in a rowed-by-feet boat with scenes of people fishing, children rowing boats to school, simple houses clinging to limestone cliffs, etc along the canal.
Another attractive beauty spot of this site is Van Trinh cave which can be accessed in 30 minutes by boat.