You will be picked up from your hotel in Hanoi in a minivan and taken for a sightseeing excursion to the citadels and temples in the Dry Halong Bay area. An English-speaking guide will accompany you on this tour.
Your journey begins with a two-hour drive from the hectic capital of Hanoi to the province of Ninh Binh, approximately 100kms.
The first destination is Hao Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam during the Dinh and early Le dynasties. This ancient citadel once covered 300 hectares of land.
On arrival your local guide will take you through the Dinh and Le Temples. Restored in the 17th century, the temples are dedicated Dinh and Le emperors and believed to be built on the original foundations of the old palaces from the 11th and 12th centuries.
Following your temple visit you will stop for lunch at a local restaurant before visiting Tam Coc (which translates as "Three Caves").
The area is often referred to as Dry Halong Bay due to its spectacular scenery in which lime karsts rise up from the ground to tower over the region.
Here you will board rowing boats for a 2 to 2 ½ hour journey through caves, passing many local villages along the river system of the Red River Delta. The scenery comprises of lush green rice paddies during the rice growing seasons and surrounding limestone karsts making for a stunning backdrop to the journey and presents many photo opportunities.
At the end of the boat trip you will once again board your vehicle and return to Hanoi.
The tour ends with a drop-off at your hotel in Hanoi.