Program:

Your local guide and driver first whisk you away from Hanoi to take the expressway for Ninh Binh, a land characterized by the beauty of rolling hills and submerged grasslands. At Trang An tourist complex you’ll trade your seat in a car for a spot on a hand paddle boat to explore the gorgeous habitat around the UNESCO protected area. The boat trip goes through waterways filled abundantly with karst formations jutting out of the ground, lagoons and sprawling, gently wavering verdant fields of rice.

At some point you’ll disembark from your paddle boat and visit the temples of King Dinh Tien Hoang and King Le Dai Hanh located on the site of their capital named Hoa Lu dating back to the 10th century. The temples were constructed much later in the Le Dynasty around the 15th century and additionally you can find, in the Nhat Tru Pagoda nearby, a sutra pillar made of stone which dates back to the time of the ancient kings.

Your lunch will consist of a delectable local specialty, goat! Enjoy your delightful meal as you take in your breezy, tranquil surroundings. After the glorious goat lunch, you’ll continue the tour with a short scenic drive to Bich Dong pagoda. The dreamy, fairy-tale-like pagoda was built into a karst hill and the main shrine is located safely at the base while the middle and the upper shrines were erected in small grottoes above in the karst rock. Take time to stop at the terrace in front of the upper shrine to absorb a stunning view of the surrounding paddy fields. Around mid-afternoon, your driver will whisk you away and back to your hotel.

Included:

• Private vehicle.
• English speaking tour guide.
• Entrance fees: Trang An complex with boat trip, king’s temples complex.
• Lunch at a local restaurant.
• Wet tissue and drinking water.

Not included:

• Breakfast
• Tips for boat rower in Trang An.
• Tips for driver and guide.