Enchanting Full Day Ninh Binh Caves and Temples from Hanoi
- 9h 30m
- Free cancellation up to 24h before
- Guided in English
- Instant confirmation
Highlights
Discover dramatic landscapes of Ninh Binh, known as "Dry Ha Long Bay," on this full-day journey from Hanoi exploring karst formations, caves, and imperial temples. Travel 110 kilometers south through Red River Delta countryside to Tam Coc, meaning "Three Caves." Board traditional sampan boat for serene cruise along Ngo Dong River through limestone structures jutting from emerald rice paddies, resembling Ha Long Bay on land. Glide through natural cave formations carved by water over millennia. Enjoy lunch at local restaurant before continuing to Hoa Lu, Vietnam's ancient capital. Explore temples of Dinh and Le royal dynasties from when this city served as administrative center. Visit the three-level Bich Dong Pagoda built in the 15th century. Energetic visitors can climb 200 steps to Dinh Tien Hoang and Dai Hanh temples for rewarding panoramic views of surrounding landscapes. Return 110 kilometers to Hanoi through Vietnamese countryside.
Inclusions
What's included
- Sampran trip at Tam Coc
- Transportation by air-conditioned vehicle with professional driver.
- All applicable taxes and service charges
- A full-day tour with a professional English-speaking guide.
- Lunch at a local restaurant is included (food only)
What's not
- Personal expenses such as meals, drinks, tips and gratuities, shopping, portage fees and optional tours, unless otherwise stated
- Hotel accommodation in the destination of commencement.
- Any airline tickets, visa fees, additional transportation cost from and to the general meeting point
- Transfers for customers arriving or departing from any airport or resorts located outside the general pick-up and drop-off locations, otherwise supplementary charges will be applied
- Hotel expenses of a personal nature, should an overnight be included: this includes mini-bar consumption, laundry, room service, any telephone or other communication cost not mentioned in the program
- Travel insurance coverage for customers (highly recommendable)
Itinerary
Your English-speaking guide and dedicated driver welcome you to your booked accommodation in downtown Hanoi for a leisurely drive in the direction of Ninh Binh. Along the way, moments of traditional Vietnamese life pass the revue, and with your guide eagerly explaining the ins and outs of his / her beloved Vietnam. After approximately 110 kilometres – with samples of the most beautiful landscapes of the Red River Delta passing you by just before reaching Ninh Binh- it is time to exchange the car seat for a more aquatic-based touring.
Continue on a sampan and explore the stunning beauty of Tam Coc or 'The Three Caves'. This majestic site is also known as "Dry Ha Long Bay" or "Ha Long Bay on land" for its resemblance to the famous Ha Long bay with its impressive rock formations jutting out of the rice paddies. Enjoy the beauty of imposing limestone structures lying amid rice fields as you move along the Ngo Dong River and through the caves.
After lunch at a local restaurant, you will visit the ancient capital of Vietnam, Hoa Lu, where the impressive temples of the Vietnamese royal dynasties of Dinh and Le are waiting to be explored. Little remains of the once imperial citadel of Hoa Lu, built when the city was the country's administrative centre. Now, Hoa Lu and the surrounding province of Ninh Binh are more commonly known for their unusual landscape. The three-level Bich Dong pagoda built in the 15th century will offer you some fascinating views of the surroundings. The energetic among us may undertake the climb of some 200 steps for a rewarding view for exploring the temples of Dinh Tien Hoang and Dai Hanh. In the late afternoon, we drive the 110 kilometres back to Hanoi and your home far away from home – your hotel room in the Vietnamese capital.
Cancellation
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the experience starts, for a full refund.
Know before you go
- Pickup
- Pickup is included for everyone.
- Ticket type
- Mobile or paper ticket accepted
- Operated by
- Asian Trails LTD
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Not recommended for pregnant travelers
- Travelers should have at least a moderate level of physical fitness
- This tour is operated on full private basis with English-speaking guide.
- Return transfers for this excursion apply only / are inclusive for customers staying in and inside Hanoi city centre. Transfers outside these areas, including any accommodation outside the capital, harbour and the Hanoi International Airport are excluded. Supplements apply for customers who want to join this excursion outside one of these regions.
- Customers are advised that during the TET celebrations (celebration of Vietnamese New Year), excursions and tours may be subject to supplementary charges and/or may see longer waiting times than normal.
- We will do all possible to comply with any dietary requirements during this excursion; it may not always be possible to confirm your wishes in advance based on the choice of local restaurant.
- This excursion includes obstacles of various kinds that may not make this excursion suitable for wheelchair users. The obstacles comprise of unpaved roads, small boats and cruise embarkation and disembarkation and insufficient facilities to provide a comfortable sightseeing tour.
How it compares in Hanoi
- Its from-price is 73% above the median of the 2545 day trips we list in Hanoi.
- Its length is typical for the group.
- The operator lists free cancellation on it.
About Hanoi
Hanoi, Vietnam's capital, mixes lakeside temples, French colonial boulevards and an Old Quarter where street food and scooters fill every lane.
The Old Quarter's narrow streets, each once devoted to a single trade, sit just north of Hoan Kiem Lake, where the red Huc Bridge leads to the Temple of the Jade Mountain. Wander at dawn to see tai chi by the water, or after dark when the pavements fill with food stalls and low plastic stools.
Top-ranked sights in Hanoi: Ha Long Bay, Hanoi Old Quarter, Long Bien Bridge (Cau Long Bien).
Special offers in Hanoi
Was/now prices come from the operator, never from us.
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