2 Day Hanoi - Ninh Binh

Itinerary

• Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi - City tour (-/-/-)
  Explore Vietnam’s northern jewels. Take a glance at Hanoi, stepping back in time at Ngoc Son Temple and get a dose of local culture with a little walk wandering the vibrant maze of streets in the Old Quarter and catch a brilliant performance of traditional water puppetry. After landing, get transfer to the city center. Standard hotel check-in time: 14:00 PM. In the late afternoon, follow your guide to embark on a walking tour through Hanoi’s bustling Old Quarter. This area of 36 narrow streets is a lively place to walk around while seeing and learning about Vietnam’s traditional ways of life. Continue through the busy Hang Be Market and around Hoan Kiem Lake. Snap photos and chat with the locals on the way. Finish the day at the water puppet theatre. Watch an entertaining live performance of this unique northern Vietnamese art form, a great way to end the tour of Hanoi. Overnight stay at hotel in Hanoi.
• Day 2: Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Hanoi (B/L/-)
  Delve deeper into Vietnam's past with this picturesque Ninh Binh day tour. Explore the atmospheric ruins of Hoa Lu, Vietnam’s ancient capital, before taking a scenic sampan journey past 'Halong Bay on Land'. Admire stunning limestone karsts and enjoy the tranquility of the countryside before returning to Hanoi. Your tour today will begin at 8:30. Escape from Hanoi this morning after breakfast, leaving the busy streets of the capital behind and entering the quieter countryside. After around 2.5 hours of driving, reach Hoa Lu. Join the guide for an in-depth exploration of the ruins of Vietnam’s first capital. Learn about the Dinh (968-980) and Le (980-1009) Dynasties and about the history of the site. See ancient tombs and the ruins of the once-imposing Citadel. If feeling fit, there is an option to climb into the limestone karst hills. The half-hour walk is rewarded with spectacular views over Hoa Lu and its surroundings. For an alternative experience to visiting Hoa Lu ancient capital, an optional tour involves a scenic bike ride around the village, alongside rice fields nestled amidst limestone mountains. A visit to Bich Dong Pagoda awaits, where an ascent of 200 steps leads to Ngu Nhac Mountain. This path unveils three cave pagodas dating back to 1428, revealing captivating views over the countryside. Return to the vehicle and drive to Tam Coc, crossing through local villages and stunning landscapes. Enjoy your lunch before continuing to the Tam Coc River. Board a private sampan for a journey through ‘Halong Bay on Land’. Admire the views of enormous limestone karsts jutting out of the green rice fields while the boat cruises along the calm waters. * Please note: there are other optional tours that can be done in place of the Tam Coc sampan trip. Please see below: Option 1: Trang An Situated near Tam Coc, Trang An is a nature reserve similar to Tam Coc, however far less visited. Limestone hills surround a peaceful river which passes through a series of caves (one which takes 15-minutes to pass through in darkness). An ‘eco-tourism’ area, the only interruptions here are the sound of birds and the gentle paddle of the oar upon the crystal-clear river. Option 2: Thung Nang Similar to Tam Coc though not as spectacular, Thung Nang is off the tourist trail and a pleasant alternative. Pass through a cave, fields of lotus flowers (in summer) and reach a quaint pagoda before returning on the same route. Option 3: Bai Dinh Pagoda Join this tour to visit Bai Dinh pagoda with the total area of 2000ha, the Bai Dinh complex is the biggest Buddhism center of South east Asia with hundreds of statues of different sizes. Travelers will be attracted by the architecture which is so marvelous, majestic but still preserve traditional features. Leaving Bai Dinh, you will head to Trang An ecological tourist site where you take a boat trip to visit many caves of different sizes in a scenic landscape of Trang An. After the boat journey, transfer to Hanoi’s Noi Bai International airport for your onward flight. Tour ends. Thank you for choosing us and wish to see you again soon on our next tours.

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