Strapped to the back of a motorbike is the way to see the sights in the relatively sleepy little town of Ninh Binh. Known colloquially as Halong Bay on rice paddies, it's a great base from which to explore the surrounding rice paddies where limestone karst formations jut out in a surreal fusion of agricultural and geological. At first, it's a bit hairy negotiating the traffic, but vehicle concentration decreases off the main highway and my confidence spikes. Soon we're hurtling up and down various dirt tracks like seasoned locals.
We decide to head up to Coc Phuong National Park, in the mountains behind Ninh Binh, where an endangered Primates Research Centre works to rehabilitate many species of languars and gibbons confiscated from black market traders. Coc Phuong is a world away from the hot, dusty plains - it's cool and quiet and there's so many trees! Clearly, tourists aren't as common up here as in Sapa or Halong Bay - the locals are suprised to see white people, and make a big effort to strike up a conversation. It's a refreshing trend to see National Parks and conservation projects in a developing country like Vietnam, because generally nature is not respected and animals are predominantly seen as food. 
Speaking of Vietnamese dietary preferences, check out this menu we spotted. I'm not sure how popular these delicacies are with western travellers - I think even the most seasoned carnivore would have trouble hooking into a dog or a cat. And as for the penis... I've got one and I'm kind of attached to it, so the suggestion of cooking and eating a penis leaves me horrified. There are 2 things I like to use mine for, and putting it into an oven is not one of them! 
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