Trang An Marathon 2026

   Few road races run straight through a World Heritage site. The Trang An Marathon leads runners across the karst massifs and braided rivers of Ninh Bình, past the walls of the ancient capital Hoa Lư.

   In brief:

• four distances, from 5 km up to the full 42;
• a course among limestone peaks, canals and rice fields;
• an ancient capital and dynastic temples along the way;
• run in the clear, dry autumn.

   This is a race for the views rather than the elevation: flat paths beside the water, boatwomen rowing standing up, cliffs rising straight out of the paddies, and cave tunnels where the river slips under the hills. The same scenery as the Tràng An postcards, only in motion and at first light, when mist still hangs over the water.

   Short distances suit newcomers and families; the long ones reward anyone after a marathon with a rare backdrop and a flat profile. Supporters need only a morning stroll along the route — the start, the boat pier and the old temples sit close together.

   Registration on the official site.

   The race turns easily into a couple of days out, among the waterways, temples and caves around it.