Hoa Lu, situated 100 km south of Hanoi, was the capital city of Vietnam under the Dinh Dynasty between 968 and 1009 AD. Some of the sanctuaries and tombs have survived the years and can still be seen today. From time to time, archaeologists have excavated buried parts of this citadel with rusty weapons and ceramics. The temples are said to be built on the old foundation of their original palaces in 11-12th centuries and restored in 17th century.
Apart from the historical interest, the river trip in Tam coc is wonderful for photo hunters, especially when local people come to harvest the water rice planted along the river, or when they transplant some seedling for the next crops. The tourists often compare the place with Guilin - China, or more closely, to the limestone islets of Halong Bay in the Tonkin Gulf for their similar geological structures and shapes. Thus Tam Coc is also called Halong-Bay-On-Land.
We leave Hanoi at 08.00 and head south for a 2-hour drive along Highway One. We spend one hour visiting the Dinh and Le sanctuaries and then move on to Tam Coc for a 3-hour boat trip along the Boi river. Along the way we will visit caves and ancient temples. After lunch we can make a visit Bich Dong Pagodas before making our way back to Hanoi.
Tamcoc - Halong bay on land
You wll be picked up at your hotel. Time will be adivised when you take the itinerary
