Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Hoa Lu - Tam Coc

Early depart from Hanoi and head south for two hour drive to Hoa Lu. You will visit the 1000 year old temples of the Le and Dinh dynasties. The first is dedicated to Dinh Tien Hoang (also known as Dinh Bo Linh), an Emperor from the Dinh Dynasty. The second commemorates the rulers of the Le Dynasty. Dinh Bo Linh successfully conquered Vietnam’s first independent rulers, the Ngo Dynasty. On his death in 980, General Le Hoan wisely married Dinh’s widow and established the Le Dynasty and enlarged the citadel. ). You can spend your time (about a half - hour) in walking up one of the surrounding limestone karst hills, the climb is rewarding with spectacular views.

You then move to Tam Coc for lunch. On the way, you can stop where  you wish to take photographs of local villages and the stunning landscape. After lunch, you embark on a sampan trip along the river to discover Tam Coc, known as “ Halong bay on land”. Tam Coc are three limestone caves stretching along Ngo Dong River. The boat trip is a nice journey along the river with peaceful scenery of Limestone Mountains, rice paddy and the site of some temples along the way from Hang Ca (first cave) to Hang Hai (second cave) and Hang Ba (third cave). You leave Tam Coc and return back Hanoi in the late afternoon.