08:00 Depart the hotel and drive for a few hours to Hoa Lu.
10:30 Arrive Hoa Lu the ancient capital of Vietnam. In 968 a local warlord Dinh Bo Linh declared himself King and was known as King Dinh Tien Hoang. Hoa Lu became the capital, political, economic and cultural center for the next 41 years (968 – 1009) of Dai Co Viet which was how Vietnam was called at that time. 12 years of these were under the Dinh dynasty. And 29 years later under the Le dynasty of King Le Dai Hanh. In 1010, King Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long – present day Hanoi. Hoa Lu thus became the former old citadel. There are now two temples built on the grounds of the old royal palace. One is dedicated to King Dinh Tien Hoang, the other is to King Le Dai Hanh. The visit offers a chance to learn more about the feudal dynasties and historical periods in Vietnamese history.
12:00 Depart Hoa Lu for Tam Coc.
Enjoy lunch in Tam Coc at a local restaurant (please let us know in advance if you are a vegetarian or have special dietary requirements) – goat meat dishes is the local specialty.
Take a 5 minute walk to the boat station and then enjoy a lovely 2 hour boat trip to visit Tam Coc. Known as “Halong Bay on land”, Tam Coc has three limestone caves stretching along Ngo Dong river. The boat trip will take you on a relaxing journey along the river with stunning views of the limestone mountains, rice paddies and temple sites from Hang Ca (first cave) to Hang Hai (second cave) and Hang Ba (third cave).
Depart Tam Coc and drive back to Hanoi. Arriving back in Hanoi 16:30 after an unforgettable day.
