Day Trip To Ancient Hoa Lu - Charming Trang An

Hoa Lu was the first capital of Vietnam, under the Dinh dynasty and the early Le Dynasty (968-1009). There are two sanctuaries devoted to the emperors of these two dynasties set into a landscape of limestone mountains. In Trang An, you can take a rowing boat tour on the river which is used by local villages to access their rice fields tunnels several times into the same type of mountains.

Program:

Pick up at your hotel, then depart for Ninh Binh province 93 km away from Hanoi city. It is a 2 and a half hour drive to the former Vietnam's ancient city - Hoa Lu (968-1009). The ancient Hoa Lu citadel (most of which has been destroyed) once covered an area of 3 square kilometers. Visit Hoa Lu with Dinh and Le Temples as well as Citadel traces. Apart from historical importance, keep heading to a local restaurant for lunch. Along the way stop where you would like to take a picture of local villages and spectacular landscape of rice fields.

After lunch, boarding your private sampan to amazing site of Trang An and visit its grottoes which are a gathering of 31 valleys, 50 cross-water caves, and home to 600 kinds of flora and over 200 kinds of fauna, many of them in the Red Book of Vietnam. While rowing through Trang An grotto in the quiet, fresh air of the highlands, with only the sound of birds and the oars stirring the clear water and surrounded by magnificent forested mountains upon which graze white goats, visitors enjoy a heaven on earth. End of trip with a driver back to Hanoi about 6 pm.

INCLUDE:

• Air con transportation
• English speaking guide
• Lunch with Goat meat specialty
• Entrance fee
• Sampan with rowers (4 people/sampan)

EXCLUDE:

• Tip for guide and personal expense
• Travel insurance
• Drinks