For those that live in Vietnam or have visited here, neighbouring Ninh Binh is probably better known. But for those planning a trip here, don't look any further than Tam Coc. Ninh Binh is advertised as a day-trip destination from Hanoi. It takes about 2 hours each way, and you can squeeze in a boat ride, lunch and a visit to a viewpoint. We had considered this option on our first trip to Vietnam and had decided against it. It felt like too much travelling for one day and like the experience would be rushed. We didn't know then that we would be moving to Vietnam and would have lots of opportunities to see more of this great country. Three years later and we finally made our way to this part of Vietnam. Without a doubt, this area, and specifically Tam Coc, is one of the most beautiful parts of Vietnam. If you are visiting Vietnam and trying to decide whether to visit this area, you definitely should. But I would recommend trying to fit in a few days here.
Tam Coc is part of the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The main attraction here is the limestone mountains, rice fields, rivers, and various temples. We ended up spending 5 nights in Tam Coc. More than enough if you are looking to see all the main attractions, but just the right amount for a relaxing break from the city.
We stayed at Tam Coc Wonderland Bungalow, located at the foot of the mountain shown above. This is a family run accommodation and they could not have been more welcoming or friendly. One of our favourite activities was to take the free bicycles provided and to explore the surrounding area.
A popular activity when visiting this area is to take a boat, either at Tam Coc or at Trang An, and to enjoy the scenery and explore the numerous caves and tunnels. First up, we tried the boat ride at Trang An.
Although the water is not deep, you will be expected to wear a life jacket.
Tip: Take an umbrella for protection against the sun
An interesting water plant that looks like thousands of fluffy cat tails
We stopped at a few temples along the way
And the route that we picked (you can choose from 3) passed through 9 tunnels
Trang An is about 12km from Tam Coc. You can either hire a scooter for the day, or arrange a driver to take you there. Note that there are not too many taxi options here. On the way to Trang An we stopped at Hang Mua Peak for a sunrise hike to the top. It was great to beat the crowds and have the viewpoint to ourselves.
The river that the Tam Coc boat rides travel along.
You can see the start of a tunnel on the right-hand side
View from above of a lotus field
The lotus field from up close
And some open lotus flowers
Since we had a lot of time to spare in Tam Coc, we decided to also try the boat ride here. The big difference between the boat ride here and at Trang An is that paddling at Tam Coc is done using leg power!
A few of the other sites that we enjoyed visiting were Bich Dong Pagoda (an easy bike ride from Tam Coc), Hoa Lu (the ancient capital of Vietnam in the 10th century), and Bai Dinh Pagoda (apparently Southeast Asia's largest Buddhist Complex).
Entrance gate to Bich Dong Pagoda
The main temple is carved into the mountain side
The entrance gate to Hoa Lu
A water buffalo
Bai Dinh Pagoda, above and below, covering over 700 hectares
The Bai Dinh Pagoda was constructed between 2003 and 2010, and includes various structures like this bell tower (above), various temples, and a tower (below).
And a few more photos from our time spent exploring the area surrounding Tam Coc.
Coming from HCMC, we found that the easiest way to get to Tam Coc is via Hanoi (fly into Hanoi and arrange transport there and back). It was also an excuse to spend a bit of time in Hanoi.
View of a lit up St Joseph's Cathedral in the Old Quarter, Hanoi
For those that are still reading, a tip for when you plan your holiday to Vietnam (or anywhere really): www.thecrazytourist.com - I found this website while planning this holiday and it definitely helped convince me that this was the right place to visit :)
And finally an update on the Covid19 situation. Unfortunately Vietnam is now experiencing a 2nd wave of the corona virus. This time round seems to be more serious with over 100 cases reported in the last week and also several deaths. All travel plans for the rest of the year are on hold and once again masks, daily temperature checks, hand sanitiser and social distancing are the order of the day.
