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Hoa Lu & Tam Coc: Explore Ancient Capital & Caves
4.6
5 Ratings
Ninh Binh
Visiting the ancient Hoa Lu capital. Leisurely time on Sampan to visit ‘Tam Coc - Halong Bay on land’, going through the tunnels and explore the local daily life along the Ngo Dong river. Biking through the rice field and learn how to take care the rice. Hiking to the top of mountain in Mua cave to get the whole stunning view of Tam Coc valley.
Visiting the ancient Hoa Lu capital. Leisurely time on Sampan to visit ‘Tam Coc - Halong Bay on land’, going through the tunnels and explore the local daily life along the Ngo Dong river. Biking through the rice field and learn how to take care the rice. Hiking to the top of mountain in Mua cave to get the whole stunning view of Tam Coc valley.
Duration:
10 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
-
Hoa Lu Temples of the Dinh & Le Dynasties - 07:30 - 08:00 am: The tour guide and driver will pick up guests from their hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, then set off for Ninh Binh. There will be a short break en route to enjoy the scenic views of Vietnam’s countryside, featuring lush fields, local farmers, and water buffalo.
10:30: Explore the Hoa Lu…
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Hoa Lu Temples of the Dinh & Le Dynasties - 07:30 - 08:00 am: The tour guide and driver will pick up guests from their hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter, then set off for Ninh Binh. There will be a short break en route to enjoy the scenic views of Vietnam’s countryside, featuring lush fields, local farmers, and water buffalo.
10:30: Explore the Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel, home to the King Dinh Temple, which dates back to the 17th century. The temple’s architecture resembles a replica of the Royal Palace from the past. Visitors will gain a deeper understanding of Vietnamese history and traditional architecture during their time at the temple. - Mua Caves - 11:00: Arrive at Mua Cave, designed as a “miniature Great Wall” of China, with nearly 500 steps leading to the mountain peak. Spend about an hour trekking to the top for a panoramic view of the Tam Coc Valley, rice fields, and Ninh Binh city.
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Tam Coc - 12:30: Board the bus to Tam Coc and enjoy a delicious lunch at a local restaurant.
13:30: Begin a rowing boat trip to explore the beauty of Tam Coc, often referred to as “Halong Bay on Land.” During the one-and-a-half-hour boat ride, visitors will see the Ngo Dong River with its three water tunnels, admire the rice fields along the riverbanks, and capture photos of local farmers working and catching river food. As the boat moves between the towering green mountains, it feels like stepping back into a peaceful, distant world, far removed from modern life.
17:00: Return to the bus for the journey back to Hanoi.
19:30: Arrive at the hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter. The trip concludes.
What's Included
- Mua Cave hiking experience
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- English-speaking tour guide
- Tam Coc rowing boat trip
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (Hanoi Old Quarter)
- All entrance fees and sightseeing tickets
- Rural cycling activity and bicycle rental
- Mua Cave hiking experience
- Bottled water
- Lunch
- English-speaking tour guide
- Tam Coc rowing boat trip
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- Hotel pickup and drop-off (Hanoi Old Quarter)
- All entrance fees and sightseeing tickets
- Rural cycling activity and bicycle rental
What's Not Included
- Beverages
- Gratuities
- Travel insurance
- Personal Expenses
- Pick-up/drop-off outside Hanoi Old Quarter
- Private Tour
- Beverages
- Gratuities
- Travel insurance
- Personal Expenses
- Pick-up/drop-off outside Hanoi Old Quarter
- Private Tour
Location
Hoa Lu temples of the Dinh & Le Dynasties
Hoa Lu
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.6
(5 Ratings)
5 stars
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1 star
Paradise06268111741
Jan 21, 2026
A Great Day Out to See the Ninh Binh Area - We had an excellent day out with our Tour Guide Raymond. He was energetic, very friendly & made sure that we had a great time seeing the many amazing sights. He was very knowledgeable & we learnt a lot along the way. Thank you.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Steve
Apr 1, 2025
Excellent Tour - Excellent tour. Our guide Binh was very organized… gave us clear instructions on meeting times and places and kept the tour schedule running smoothly. Binh gave us alot of interesting information on the history of Vietnam as well as the places we were visiting. Binh made sure everyone was having a good time and offered to take pictures for us. Mr. Kwan is a safe and friendly driver and helped keep the tour on schedule. We thoroughly enjoyed our tour. Thank you Binh and Mr. Kwan!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Davidsonthemove
Feb 28, 2025
Got so much done in one day without rushing - These guys are so well organised I changed the pick up location with no problem loads of good communication before the trip . Luca our guide was brilliant, well informed and organised the day for everyone ,you are given enough time at every location and pack so much into the without feeling rushed .One of our best days in Vietnam.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Martin
Oct 22, 2022
Ninh Bin rowing and hiking - We were staying in Hanoi in Oct 22. Advance communication by WhattsApp was great, picked up on time. Su-nny was our guide and was lovely. We visited 2 temples and he was super informative. Ladies - if you are wearing short shorts or minis you will need to drape a long skirt on (they have loads of these). He gave us great advice on the rowing boat trip (what to expect etc.). You have to do the rowing boat experience - one of the hightlights of our trip. We somehow managed to book the tour without the rwoing option so had to upgrade when we got there (which was about 200k (£9) If you have a choice of climbing or cycling take the climbing (hiking) - although there are 500+steps! I would also suggest to go left at the split of the steps and make sure you go right to the top ;) Highly recommend.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Kebra37
Jan 3, 2026
Fortunately Vietnam Real Tour subcontracted to another agency - Very nice excursion, Nin Binh is magic! The problem is Vietnam Real Tour. When we booked there was a Limousine Bus option for 8€ more, we took it because in the photos sent by Vietnam Real Tour the bus was very luxurious. Problem is, this is definitely not the bus we took. So he was fine, no problem. BUT, we don't send pictures of another bus to lure the tourist when the service is not delivered with that bus. Personally I think it's borderline scam. Fortunately, the service was outsourced to another agency and we had a very good guide and a very pleasant excursion. Even our guide was embarrassed when I told him that it was not the planned bus and especially that it did not match the photos sent. It's really like we're pigeons! Also on other excursion booked at Vietnam Real Tour on the Me Kong Delta, initially we are told no pick up at your hotel it is out of sector, okay, no worries we will take a taxi to get us to the pick up point. We arrive in Ho Chi Min and I receive a message from them telling us to pick us up at your hotel, I ask for confirmation and they confirm. You're sure of it, yes, no worries. The next day, the subcontractor who had nothing to do with it, tells us where are you we waiting for you at the pick-up point? Big trouble to explain that Vietnam Real Tour told us in front of the hotel, contrary to the previous info, and there no help from Vietnam Real Tour, it is the subcontractor who still came to pick us up, putting the whole excursion late. He even paid us the taxi back to our hotel being sorry for what had happened. I contacted Vietnam Real Tour but they did nothing and didn't even reply and no apology. Without this subcontractor really very nice and very professional I will say that we must flee Vietnam Real Tours!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
