Hoa Lu - Tam Coc

Ninh Binh bike tour takes you to the richest local village in the north of Vietnam. You will see a lot of farmers working hard in the vivid field. And then taking a boat trip brings you to the riverside with great mulberry fields like nowhere else in Vietnam. Ninh Binh is home of Buddhism, some of the oldest and the most famous pagodas is Bich Dong (interesting Pagoda was built into the caves).

Hoa Lu is the legendary ancient capital of Viet Nam. The old capital was built more than 10 centuries ago under the reign of Dinh Dynasty and Le Dynasty. It was its capital for just 41 years (968-1009). The capital then was moved to Thang Long under the Ly Dynasty (1010). With the size of 3000ha, Hoa Lu is protected by a natural wall with surrounding Trang An limestone mountains and Hoang Long river. The combination between mountains and rivers make Hoa Lu surroundings very picturesque. Hoa Lu is famous for the number of palaces, pagodas, tombs and pavilions that were built by different dynasties. Bao Thien Tue Palace that was plated with gold and silver is very popular with its architecture. There were also two famous temples that were built in the 11th century to dedicate King Dinh Tien Hoang and his successor Le Dai Hanh.

Tam Coc is known to travelers as Viet Nam`s Ha Long Bay without water. Ha Long Bay on the rice paddies (a striking resemblance to Guilin and Yangshuo in China). Tam Coc has huge rock formation jutting out of rice fields. Tam Coc means "three caves".

Bich Dong is the most second beautiful pagoda of Viet Nam, after Perfume Pagoda. It is a couple of kilometres north of Tam Coc. The Lower Pagoda is located at the foot of the outcrop, from which it’s a climb of about 100 steps to the Middle Pagoda, then a shorter but still steep ascent to the upper Pagoda. Inside each cave temple, looming statues and the smoke of burning incense create an otherworldly atmosphere. Outside the reverse couldn’t be more true: there are some incredible views of the countryside.