With its unique architecture, Emeralda Ninh Binh is as beautiful as a green village, bringing visitors back to the life of a Northern countryside with three-compartment houses, old brick floors shaded by trees.Just about 90 minutes away from Hanoi, Resort Emeralda Ninh Binh will offer you a completely new, peaceful space away from the dust and noise of urban areas.
It’s impossible to explore all of Ninh Binh in just one day, or even two. That’s why this time I decided to return to the land of “Ancient Capital Hoa Lu” once again, hoping to discover more unfinished places from the previous trip. Vân Long Lagoon is the first destination I chose for this “come back” trip. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to compare Vân Long Lagoon to an oil painting blending water, wind, and clouds, creating a wild yet intimate feeling. If Vân Long Lagoon is seen as an oil painting painted over time, Emeralda can be likened to a “green village” nestled within the wetland area of Vân Long.
How to get to Emeralda Ninh Binh ?
Emeralda Ninh Binh is a 5-star standard resort designed in the architectural style of a rural village with a strong imprint of Northern cultural space. Emeralda is located in the wetland conservation area of Vân Long, in Gia Vân commune, Gia Viễn district, about 80km from the center of Hanoi, with a drive of over 1 hour, and you will be at the resort. For this return trip to Ninh Binh, I booked a Limousine from Quang Anh Bus Company for 160k per seat. The bus picked up at Hoang Mai district, then drove on the highway smoothly, so I closed my eyes for a while and we were already there.
Address: Emeralda Ninh Binh : Gia Vân commune, Gia Viễn district.
- Time: 1 hour 10 minutes.
- Limousine ticket price: 160k per person per seat.
- Booking hotline: 1900 1985.
Besides, you can choose various means of transportation such as motorbike, personal car, train, etc., depending on each person’s economy and preference.
What makes Emeralda Ninh Binh special?
From the moment I stepped off the bus, my first impression was a grand village temple, meticulously decorated down to every detail. Like an ancient royal complex. Emeralda Ninh Binh possesses a spacious and vast space. From the curved tile rows, winding columns to the wooden village gates and pillars, everything is harmoniously arranged to create a sense of closeness and familiarity. The overflowing water lake right in the lobby is definitely a place where you can admire the Ninh Binh mountains not only in a peaceful morning, or a sunny afternoon, but also in an evening when the sunset fades. Then the lotus flowers in full bloom further emphasize the space with a strong imprint of the Northern countryside.
Originally known as the “green village” surrounded by the Vân Long flooded marsh. Therefore, the surrounding space at Emeralda is covered with many green trees from bamboo, bamboo, pomelo, jackfruit, mango,… These things give me the feeling of returning to childhood.
Experience booking a room at Emeralda Ninh Binh?
If the architectural space outside the resort gives me a familiar feeling, the interior, room design here impresses me with meticulous details. Most of the accommodation here carries the characteristics of the Northern cultural space. They are three-sided tiled houses separated and divided into different neighborhoods, from Đoài neighborhood, Đông neighborhood, Trung neighborhood to Thượng neighborhood, Hạ neighborhood,… All exude the beauty of simplicity, rustic to the core.
This time returning to Ninh Binh, I booked a Superior room for 2 people at the current price of 2,100k/night. My first feeling when stepping into the room is that the accommodation is decorated in the folk motif of Vietnam with very familiar materials to the Vietnamese people. Familiar materials such as tea pot, water glass, to Dong Ho paintings give me a sense of closeness but still very luxurious. One thing I really like is the view from the room straight to the garden dyed green by many types of trees. Especially every morning, pulling the curtain open, gazing at the shimmering sunlight behind the trees feels unusually relaxing. You should look at the photos below to see more clearly what I’m sharing (giggles).
The amenities in the room are quite complete, except for one thing that I was not satisfied with, which is that when I checked in, the bed linens and pillows in my room were not neatly folded. The blanket and pillows still seemed wrinkled as if they had just been used. Maybe I am a picky person, but I truly believe that in a 5-star resort, the room setup should not be like that.
Things to note when staying at Emeralda Ninh Binh
- Things you need: Room key, phone or camera because the surrounding space will provide you with some very “chill” photos.
- You should: Bring insect repellent because there are many plants around the room.
Services at the resort Emeralda Ninh Binh
Gym
Next to the indoor swimming pool is the gym. Since I had been participating in many activities all day and taking Instagram-worthy photos, my body was quite tired. Therefore, I did not spend too much time here. My impression of the gym at Emeralda is quite spacious, the workout equipment is not too much but enough for basic exercises like running, chest press, weightlifting, etc. So, I didn’t work out for too long and then switched to swimming.
- Things you need to bring: Workout clothes, gloves, etc.
- Time: 45 minutes.
- You should: Warm up before exercising.
Swimming pool
Swimming is always my favorite activity whenever I stay at any resort. At Emeralda, there are 3 swimming pools, 2 outdoor pools with cold water and 1 indoor pool with warm water. The average depth of each pool ranges from 0.9m to 1.6m. So, it’s quite deep. Families with small children should pay attention.
The outdoor pool with the majestic mountain scenery is ideal for swimming and relaxing, enjoying the magnificent nature while sipping a cocktail at the pool bar is wonderful. Life is just that simple. Next to the outdoor pool is the indoor pool with a warm water system and less chlorine, making it an ideal choice for a winter getaway at Emeralda.
Biking
One thing I don’t understand is why they charge for bike rentals here. Normally, when I stay at other resorts like Flamingo, Bakhan Village, etc., they provide bikes for guests to use for free. Emeralda is quite spacious, you can’t walk everywhere, and there are very few electric bikes available, usually only 2 running. I found the bike rental service here to be quite expensive. For example, when I rented a single bike, it was 200k for a day and 100k for half a day.
But truly, biking around the resort is the best way to appreciate the beauty of the architecture here. Each path, each house is separated into different areas, and biking from one neighborhood to another feels like when I was a kid, riding my bike to a friend’s house to play. Hehe.
In addition, there is also a Karaoke room, a fishing pond, a golf course, or a children’s play area here. Since I only stayed here for 3 days and 2 nights, I didn’t have the chance to experience these services. I hope that next time I visit, I will try out these services. If you visit Emeralda, you should definitely give them a try.
Van Long Lagoon
About 300m away from Emeralda is the Van Long wetland conservation area. Besides the activities at the resort, you should explore and experience Van Long Lagoon – the habitat of many species of flora and fauna, especially the Delacour’s langur. The ticket price for one person is 50k/ boat, including sightseeing and boat rowing tickets. In my opinion, the best time to explore Van Long Lagoon is in the morning or afternoon when the sun begins to set, which is also when the flocks of birds return to their nests after feeding. If you visit at this time, you will surely capture thousands of beautiful photos. The average time to explore Van Long Lagoon is about 1 hour and 30 minutes for a round trip of approximately 5km.
Location: Dam Van Long.
- Ticket price: 50k/ 1 person/ 1 boat.
- Tips: 100k.
- Duration: 1 hour 30 minutes.
Notes when visiting Dam Van Long
- You need: Wear a life jacket when boarding the boat and bring a fully charged camera or phone.
- You should: Tip the boat drivers as you wish.
Spa
After participating in outdoor activities, it’s time to find a place to relax and recharge for a long day of activities. The name La Cochinchine made an impression on me as soon as I stepped into the Spa. Perhaps I felt more curious because the name La Cochinchine made me think of Greece or India. In fact, La Cochinchine is the name of the Southern region during the French colonial period. At Emeralda Ninh Binh, Spa Cochinchine is a harmonious combination of traditional Vietnamese therapy with Indian influences.
On this trip, I chose the Herbal Foot Soak Massage treatment. The treatment I chose from the menu was priced at 820k, but this time Cochinchine had a discount so I only paid 500k for a 75-minute treatment. In addition to the herbal foot soak, I also experienced traditional acupressure massage here. After the 75-minute treatment, it felt like my feet were rejuvenated. A wonderful experience that you should try when resting here.
- Service: Herbal foot massage.
- Duration: 75 minutes.
- Price: 500k.
- You should: Book in advance so the Spa staff can prepare for you.
What to eat at Emeralda Ninh Binh
In the evening, we dined at the Organic restaurant located near the pool and Spa of the Resort. Here you will find that most of the materials used at the resort are wood. And when you enter the Organic restaurant, you will see a restaurant with an ancient folk style with decorations such as Dong Ho paintings, traditional Vietnamese folk patterns. The cuisine here is quite diverse. From European dishes to Asian dishes, especially traditional Vietnamese dishes prepared by the chefs are very delicious. Below is the set meal I booked with the restaurant (390k/1 set/1 person):
- Pomelo salad with shrimp and pork.
- Grilled lemongrass chicken legs.
- Chicken and mushroom soup.
- Fried pink perch fish with mango sauce.
- Stir-fried seasonal vegetables with garlic.
- Field crab soup with water spinach.
- White rice.
- Dessert: Chocolate ice cream.
2 glasses of orange juice: 180k (this is ordered separately and not included in the set menu).
Restaurant review Emeralda Ninh Binh
Overall, for me, this dinner set menu was satisfying. Although the price is a bit high, I was pleased with the service attitude of the staff at the Organic restaurant.
I had breakfast at the Sen restaurant located in the basement of the lobby. Compared to other 5-star resorts, I found the breakfast buffet here to have too few food options. The food is not diverse, but I like the open space at the Sen restaurant. The entire restaurant space is mostly designed with glass to bring in natural light and a view of the garden. It’s like having breakfast in a fairytale garden similar to those romantic movies from abroad. (giggles)
Resort review Emeralda Ninh Binh
- You should rent a bicycle for your stay here, although there are electric bikes available 24/24, I personally think bicycles are the best means of transportation when staying at Emeralda.
- Before you go, you should bring insect repellent spray because there are many trees outside the rooms.
- I don’t know why the staff here always look gloomy and can’t smile. It’s not because I’m picky, but I think it’s a requirement for all staff at any resort to be friendly.
- Although it’s a 5-star resort, when I checked in, there were no wet towels, and when I asked the receptionist, I was told they weren’t prepared even though it was almost noon when I arrived.
- Apart from dining at the Organic and Sen restaurants, you can also dine outside. I had 2 lunches and dinners at the “Chym To Dan” restaurant about 100m from the resort entrance. The food here is not very good, but the prices are reasonable.
- The electric bikes here are limited and the service is slow. I called for an electric bike from the room to the restaurant and it took over 10 minutes for the bike to arrive. It was raining heavily, and my friend and I had to stand outside the gate waiting with an umbrella.
In conclusion, for me, this was a satisfying trip. Although there were many service issues, I think they had a significant impact on my trip. If I have the opportunity, I will definitely come back here once again. I hope my sharing will help you have more useful information.
In Ninh Binh, besides Emeralda, there are also Cuc Phuong resort, Van Long resort… but based on online reviews and feedback from some acquaintances, Emeralda is considered a high-class resort managed by an international company, almost always fully booked, especially during holidays and peak seasons without advance reservation.
