After breakfast depart Hanoi and transfer by road to Ninh Binh. The journey takes approximately 2 hours, passing through rural villages and farmlands on the way. Relax as you are rowed down the Boi river, passing huge rock formations jutting out of the rice paddies sometimes likened to ‘Halong Bay on land’ and enjoy the scenery of the Tam Coc caves.

Return to the pier and have lunch at a rustic local restaurant with Ninh Binh specialties. In the afternoon, visit the remains of the once impressive citadel of Hoa Lu, once the capital of Vietnam in the 10th and 11th centuries. The more energetic may undertake the 200 steps for a rewarding bird’s-eye view of the surrounding countryside and to explore the temple of Dinh Tien Hoang Emperor. Transfer back to Hanoi.