Kenh Ga Floating Village & Hot Spring Ninh Binh Vietnam

Kenh Ga Floating Village and Hot Springs, or also known as Chicken Village, after the wild chickens that used to live in the area, is situated in a beautiful setting in Ninh Binh Province in Northern Vietnam. It just take about three hour of boat ride to visit the village and discover the beautiful nature here. You can also ride a bicycle along the dike with views on the countryside or enjoy a herbal bath in Kenh Ga Hot Spring.

• Location: Gia Thinh Commune, Gia Vien District, Ninh Binh Province
• Opening Time: 24 Hours from Monday to Sunday
• Entrance Fee: Free. Ticket for an experience in Kenh Ga Hot Spring is 90k.

History of Kenh Ga Floating Village in Ninh Binh:

Not having a mysterious legendary as most of the destinations in Red River Delta, the second largest delta of Vietnam, the name of Kenh Ga Floating Village derives from the activities of daily living of the community settling on the riverbanks. Kenh Ga, which means Chicken Canal, originates from the hot spring in the middle of the village, where water is used for removing chicken’s feather. In another story, according to local inhabitants, from ancient times, the top of the limestone mountain in the village is shaped like a chicken; since then it is called “Kenh Ga”.

The convergence of Boi River, Lang River and Hoang Long River creates a confluence where people live mainly on fishing. Hoang Long River, also known as Dai Hoang River, is the main means of subsistence for the residents in the village. Coming to Kenh Ga Village, it is not difficult to catch the sight of the children who are only four to five years old following their parents sailing, swimming and fishing.

The widest space between the mountain ranges and the Hoang Long River is about 20 meters, the narrow spot is only 8 meters, but each of the residential clusters in Kenh Ga village still lives and gets benefits from floods. To adapt to the life here, people when building houses calculate the floors from two to three meters high to avoid flooding. Every June and July, when the flood season comes, Kenh Ga Village is isolated and all activities of locals are on-boat.

What to See and to Do in Kenh Ga Floating Village?

• Take a Boat Trip along the Village:

This is the most intriguing activity for you when coming to Kenh Ga Floating Village. From the wharf, you can hire a motorboat then take an one-hour trip along the village for sightseeing and experiencing the daily life of the villagers. People living in the village seem to spend most of their life on the boat; here you can see the men catching fish, the children coming to school, the housewives going to market and so on; boats are totally necessary for all the activities in the village of Hoang Long river. Although it is not a familiar image to the tourists, the local residents are so accustomed to the floating life that they often tell the joke about their village like “six months walking on foot, six months by hand”.

Not only can you contemplate the peaceful lifestyle in this village but you can also admire the spectacular beauty of the graceful river as a smooth silk curving around the base of the towering limestone mountains covered with lush green trees. The calm boat drifting with the water brings you to the serene scenery of the riverside village and the daily life of the people in the low-lying area. All the things gather in a wonderful harmony of nature and human, creating a unique landscape that is hard to be found anywhere else in Vietnam.

• Take a Bath in Kenh Ga Hot Spring:

The Kenh Ga hot spring is around 1 km from the village, were the hot water flows down from the mountain. The hot spring has there been for ages, but it wasn’t until the the French colonist were using it to for bathing. Now you can find here the Ke Ga hot spring resort. Here you can take a bath in hot water tanks with temperatures around 40 degrees C, cold water tanks with 26 degrees C and medicinal baths.

When you come to Kenh Ga hot spring resort, you can swim in large hot mineral pools with a capacity of 50-70 people with 16 very powerful hot tubs. Bathing and feeling the breeze from the Hoang Long River blowing in. If you want to have a private, quiet space, you can switch to the area of ​​herbal bath and adjust the temperature to your liking.

Best Time of Year to Visit Kenh Ga Floating Village:

Even though the weather in Ninh Binh Province is quite enjoyable in general, the best time to visit Kenh Ga Floating Village is in Summer Time, from June to September, when the weather is more pleasant, the water level is lower and there are less frequent boats on the river. Whenever you pay a visit to Kenh Ga Village, don’t forget to watch the weather forecast to make a good preparation for your trip.

How to Get to Kenh Ga Floating Village & Hot Springs:

• From Hanoi to Ninh Binh:

From Hanoi you first need to travel to Ninh Binh, around 100 km. There are day tours, multiple day tours, buses and trains to Ninh Binh.

• From Ninh Binh to Kenh Ga:

The village is located around 25 km from Ninh Binh City and Tam Coc. Best way to get there is either by taxi or renting a motorbike if you are an experienced driver.

Adventure Journey

See Also:

• Ninh Binh Vietnam Travel Guide: Things You Need to Know
• Best Things to Do and Places to Visit in Ninh Binh, Vietnam