Highlight: Tam Coc – Bich Dong (Vietnamese: Tam Cốc – Bích Động) is a popular tourist destination near the city of Ninh Binh in northern Vietnam.

 The Tam Coc (“three caves”) portion is a three-hour excursion by small boat along the Ngo Dong river, beginning at the village of Van Lam and proceeding through a scenic landscape dominated by rice fields and karst towers. The route includes floating through three natural caves (Hang Ca, Hang Hai, and Hang Ba), the largest of which is 125m long with its ceiling about 2m high above the water. The boats are typically rowed by one or two local women who also sell embroidered goods.

 Bich Dong is a pagoda on nearby Ngu Nhac Mountain dating to 1428, comprising three structures: Ha, Trung, and Thuong Pagodas, in ascending order. Guided tours generally cover historical points and end with a pleasant view from the top.

Pick up at your hotel at 7:30 Am. Transfer out of Ha Noi to Hoa Lu (2 hrs). Visit the historic capital of Viet Nam and the famous ancient temples of Le and The Dinh Dynasties and then cycle for an hour on picturesque quiet roads through villages, rice fields, rivers and rocky outcrops to Tam Coc for lunch. Cycling on a country road takes you to Sunny Wharf, a small dock, for a sampan boat journey in the heart of “Inland Ha Long Bay”. Take in the beauty of the karst formations as you pass along their base and row into one of the many caves carved through the limestone.

Stop for a short rest near a small shrine before returning to the boat and making your way back to the dock. Cycle back to Tam Coc village. Drive back to Ha Noi.