Tam Coc means three caves located in Ninh Hai Commune, Hoa Lu District, Ninh Binh Province. In the past, there were rough seas here, and over the centuries, the waves eroded the cliffs and formed a variety of limestone landscapes. The only way to visit the Three Valleys is by regular water, which takes about 3 hours.
About Tam Coc Ninh Binh
Amazing Tam Coc boat tour. A boat tour is the only way to explore the Three Valleys. When going to Tam Coc, talk to the local boatman, if you want to stop somewhere to take pictures, find a sightseeing spot, or climb the Bich Dong Pagoda…
With a lot of experience, boaters know where to stop and find the best spots to climb the cliffs. Most locals speak English, otherwise, you should go with a local guide.
In summer, it often rains heavily in Tam Coc so you should start early to go to Tam Coc therefore, when you come to Tam Coc, the weather is still sunny and cool, avoid heavy rain in the afternoon.
Best time to travel to Tam Coc
All year round, you can thoroughly plan to explore the caves and Ngo Dong River. But the most beautiful time in Vietnam is from January to April in spring. This is the best time to visit
Another best time to visit is from May to July when all the rice fields are in the harvest season. Tam Coc’s beauty at this time is like a girl’s soft and shiny golden long hair. The other is the wet rice harvest time from September to October.
In addition to enjoying the golden view of mature rice fields at the Tam Coc, Bich Dong complex, tourists can also enjoy the enchanting lotus forest here.
It can be said that lotus and water lilies are all over Ninh Binh, especially Tam Coc Cave. Drifting along the stream to Sangu Cave, visitors seem to be upstream of the great history of the Le Dynasty.
The best time to come to Tam Coc-Bikdong to see the lotus is in June when the lotus fragrance is overflowing. For flower lovers, this is the perfect time to enjoy the scent of lotus and soak up the natural beauty of this mountain area.
How to get Tam Coc from Hanoi and Ha Long
Usually, tourists will come to Ninh Binh from Hanoi or Halong City, so I would recommend some routes to Ninh Binh as follows:
From Hanoi to Ninh Binh
- By shuttle bus: You can easily buy bus tickets from a travel agency in Hanoi, or from your hotel. If you only take the shuttle bus to Ninh Binh, you can buy a one-way or two-way ticket for about 1 or a few days. If you book a tour to visit Hoa Lu, Tam Coc, and Mua Cave on the same day, the price includes transportation
- By local bus: Some tourists prefer to experience like a local to save some money on travel. Therefore, you can travel from Hanoi to Ninh Binh province by bus. You can go to Giap Bat bus station and find many bus companies that go to Ninh Binh.
- However, they will not drop you off directly at Tam Coc but will drop you off at Ninh Binh bus station. From there you can take a taxi to Tam Coc for not much more than a motorbike. This is not recommended as it is complicated or you may be poorly served by public transport.
- Take the train: Several trains run from Hanoi to Ninh Binh station every day. The earliest meetings usually start at 6 am. Buy train tickets at Hanoi Station one day in advance
From Halong City
If you are looking for the answer to your question: How to get to Ninh Binh from Halong Bay. Too easy.
Renting a private car from Halong Bay to Ninh Binh: After finishing your cruise in Ha Long Bay or Bai Tu Long Bay, you want to continue to Ninh Binh. If you have a large group, renting a private car from Halong Bay to Ninh Binh is a good option at an affordable price. Round trip price 120USD/car/trip
Another way is to share the minivan with others: You can buy tickets or book a private car at some travel agencies or hotels. Or you can book a shuttle bus from Halong to Ninh Binh. This is a tourist car, not a local car, so you can rest assured of the quality of the car. It departs from Halong City and Tuan Chau Port at 12:00 AM.
Prices round up from $12/person/leg. It’s reasonably priced for travelers traveling alone or as a couple. If you don’t know how to contact them, you can send your comments or email us. We will advise you on the best trip.
Another way is a local bus from Ha Long City to Ninh Binh Province: You can buy tickets at Halong Bus Station. They have 2 times: 06:00 and 12:00. Prices start from VND 120,000.
But it takes longer than tourist buses because they make many stops to attract more customers. After arriving in Ninh Binh, you can take a taxi to Tam Coc Pier. It takes about 20 minutes from the city center to Tam Coc
Tam Coc Ninh Binh Travel Guide
Tam Coc, about 100 kilometers from Hanoi, is known as “Halong Bay on land” and is an excellent place for your vacation in northern Vietnam. At Tam Coc Ninh Binh, you have the perfect recipe for tranquility and the impression of this beautiful countryside.
Stay a night in Tam Coc
Because of the short distance between Hanoi and Ninh Binh, it is easy to go to Tam Coc during the day. However, if you want to spend the night in Tam Coc, there are also many hotels or B&Bs for you to choose from.
Here are some clean, comfortable, well-reviewed hotels and B&Bs: Queen Hotel, Chez Loan Hotel, Ngoc Anh Hotel, Tam Coc Garden Homestay, Tam Coc Rice Fields Resort, the Reed Hotel, the Vancouver Hotel, Tam Coc valley bungalow, Tam Coc tea house homestay, Tam Coc garden hotel, Tam Coc sunshine hotel…
You can book online through Agoda, Booking, and Expedia. This will help you get the best accommodation in Tam Coc and make it easy to get to Tam Coc and search for it yourself.
Tam Coc Ninh Binh local food
Goat meat: No trip to Tam Coc – Bich Dong would be complete without sampling the local dishes. The standout feature here is the elderberry with goat meat (goat meat).
The skin is made from rice, then soaked in hot oil until golden and crispy. When dipped in hot sauce, it can be eaten as a delicious snack.
Goat meat has a unique aroma, and it is processed into sour-cooked goat meat, steamed goat meat, roasted goat meat, thin goat meat, and other dishes.
The following delicious restaurants suggest that visitors can try these specialties for only $10/person.
• Anh Dung Garden Restaurant – Tam Coc Hamlet, Van Lam Commune, Ninh Binh District).
• Minh Toan Cha Nau Restaurant – Tam Coc Hamlet, Van Lam Commune, Ninh Binh.
• Golden Rice Restaurant (exquisite dinner option) – Ninh Binh Hotel Hiddem Charm, No. 9, Tam Coc tourist area – Bich Dong, Hoa Lu, Ninh Binh.
Crispy Fried Rice: A Special Taste
Ninh Binh Snails: Snails are found all over Ninh Binh, but are mainly concentrated in limestone mountains such as Tam Diep, Yen Mo, Nho Quan, and Hoa Lu. The meat is chewy, crispy, and delicious. Escargot can be processed into many different dishes, such as baked snail, fried snail, and boiled snail.
Destinations near Tam Coc
In addition, when you come to Tam Coc, you can also visit other nearby tourist attractions, such as:
Bich Dong Pagoda: Known as “the second cave in the world”, Bich Dong Pagoda is the second most beautiful cave in the south.
Bich Dong Pagoda is a three-story ancient pagoda on nearby Ngu Nhac Hill, built during the Ly Dynasty in 1428, and consists of lower-middle-upper pagodas in ascending order. Bich Dong literally means “Green Pearl Cave” as it is surrounded by mountains, rivers, fields, and blue misty skies.
The fascinating and mysterious Tam Coc ruins further enhance this picturesque setting. Tam Coc means “three holes” in English, including the first hole (Ca Cave)-the middle hole-the last hole (Cuoi Cave).
Mua Cave: About 3 kilometers away from Tam Coc, you only need to walk 486 stone steps to climb to the top and enjoy the panoramic view of Tam Coc and the rice fields of Ninh Binh Province. To reach the summit, with a 360-degree panoramic view of the beautiful Tam Coc and rice fields along the Ngo Dong River.
Tickets are VND 100,000/person and travel time is at least 2 hours.
Viet Co Village: Also known as Co Vien Lau, this place will bring visitors to the peaceful and peaceful space of 18th and 20th-century Vietnam.
Thai Vi Temple is about 1.5 kilometers from the main tourist pier in Tam Coc and is well worth the quick detour. If you are not in a hurry, you should walk or cycle along Xiaocun Road from the Tam Cok Boat Station to this peaceful and refreshing temple.
The surrounding limestone mountains and rice fields are very beautiful. The temple stands out for its unique worship features and the typical culture of Vietnam.
Thai Vi Temple was built in the 13th century to enshrine the kings and generals of the Tran dynasty. Its architectural style follows the concept of “Noi Cong Ngoai” (Vietnamese Noi Cong Ngoai).
Hoa Lu ancient capital: The ancient capital of Hoa Lu – the economic and political center of Dai Co Viet, a kingdom that predated Vietnam in the 10th and 11th centuries
Hoa Lo was the economic and political center of Dai Co Viet, a kingdom that predates Vietnam, in the 10th and 11th centuries. Much of what you see at Hoa Lou Castle today is a reconstruction. Built in the 17th century.
It contains a park with many beautifully crafted temples and standing statues. Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel is well worth the investment in a guided tour of Ninh Binh as hearing the beautiful Vietnamese stories and history will really bring the experience to life.
Famous tours in Tam Coc
Two of our best-selling Ninh Binh day trips and excursions are Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex (Day Tour) and Ninh Binh Excursions (2 Days 1 Night). Besides, we have added many other Ninh Binh itineraries to our tour packages, please contact us for more details.
The information provided above is enough to prepare you for your trip to Tam Coc Ninh Binh. Please contact us by above information. We are always here to support your special stay in Vietnam and Tam Coc Ninh Binh.
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