Hoa Lu - Tam Coc | Ninh Binh 1 day tour

Hoa Lu and Tam Coc, located in Ninh Binh province, 100 km from Hanoi, are among the most beautiful spots in northern Vietnam. Hoa Lu was the ancient capital of Vietnam (968-1009). Tam Coc is known as the "Ha Long among the rice paddies," where visitors can take boat rides through fields and caves with sparkling stalactites.

Tour Overview

Highlights

• Visit the ancient capital of Hoa Lu: Explore the ancient capital of Vietnam from the 9th-10th centuries, visit the temples of King Dinh and King Le, and admire the stunning scenery of Truong Yen Valley.

• Boat trip to explore Tam Coc: Enjoy a boat journey through the three fascinating caves: Hang Ca, Hang Hai, and Hang Ba, while taking in the beautiful natural landscape along the riverbanks.

• Spiritual destinations: Visit Thai Vi Temple, dedicated to Saint Tran Hung Dao, and have the opportunity to explore famous sites like Bich Dong Pagoda, Thien Huong Cave, and Co Vien Lau.

• Picturesque rice fields in season: If you visit in late May or early June, you’ll be mesmerized by the vibrant green and golden rice fields along the riverbanks, creating a perfect natural painting that will leave you in awe.

Itinerary

07h45 - 08h30: We pick you up at your hotel in Old Quarter, departure for Hoa Lu – Tam Coc, enjoying the beautiful sceneries of the rural areas on the way.

10h30: After arriving in Ninh Binh province, the guide takes you to visit Hoa Lu – the Ancient Royal capital of VietNam.

We will visit Dinh king temple and Le king temple, in the 10th century, finding out the heroic histories of these two Kings in Chinese Wars.

After that, we went to Tam Coc (10 km far from Hoa Lu).

12h00: Have lunch at a local restaurant.

After lunch you will get on a bamboo boat – rowed by the local people – in Hoang Long River to visit Tam Coc (three caves) on the way. You pass through three enormous caves that provide a brief respite from the intense summer sun.

It takes approximately two hours to go up and down the river and along the way, you witness local fisherfolk, village life along the river and, of course, the striking limestone karst formations that Tam Coc is famous for. Moreover, if you have the opportunity to visit Tam Coc Bich Dong at the end of May or the beginning of June, you will surely be mesmerized by the splendid scenery of lush green rice fields throughout the journey.

During this time, the rice fields on both sides of the river form a harmonious blend of the vibrant green of young rice plants and the golden hue of ripe rice. This perfect picture of the natural landscape is truly enchanting and awe-inspiring.

16h30: We take the car back to Ha Noi.

19h30: We arrive in Ha Noi and finish the tour.