15% OFF DAY CRUISES!
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Private Scenic
Ninh Binh Day Tour
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7:30 AM – Hotel Pickup in Hanoi
Start your scenic Ninh Binh day trip from Hanoi with a private hotel pickup in the Old Quarter. Your local guide and driver will take you south through the Red River Delta, where the city fades into countryside dotted with rice paddies and limestone cliffs.
9:45 AM – Boat Ride in Trang An or Tam Coc
Choose between Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex (a UNESCO World Heritage Site) or Tam Coc boat ride – both offering stunning views and peaceful waterways. Drift through caves, under stone archways, and between dramatic karst mountains. Local rowers use a traditional foot-rowing technique that’s unique to Ninh Binh.
11:45 AM – Mua Cave Hike & Panoramic Viewpoint
Climb 500 steps to the top of Hang Mua Viewpoint, one of the best panoramic spots in Northern Vietnam. From the summit, enjoy unbeatable views over the rice fields and rivers below – perfect for photos and drone shots.
1:00 PM – Vietnamese Lunch in a Garden Restaurant
Enjoy a home-style Vietnamese lunch in a quiet countryside garden setting. Meals are prepared with local ingredients, and vegetarian or special diets are happily accommodated. A relaxing mid-day break before the final stretch of the tour.
2:30 PM – Optional Cycling Through the Countryside
Pedal gently through the scenic backroads of Tam Coc or Trang An. This countryside cycling route takes you past traditional villages, lotus ponds, and water buffalo grazing in open fields. Prefer not to bike? We can do a scenic car route instead.
3:30 PM – Coffee Break by the River
Pause for a peaceful refreshment at a riverside café. Sip Vietnamese iced coffee or fresh coconut while enjoying the stillness of Ninh Binh before heading back to Hanoi.
5:30 PM – Hotel Drop-Off in Hanoi
You’ll return to your hotel with unforgettable memories of Ninh Binh’s scenery, from limestone peaks to quiet river bends.
What’s Included:
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Round-trip hotel transfers from Hanoi (Old Quarter)
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Private air-conditioned car and driver
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English-speaking local guide
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Entrance to Trang An or Tam Coc & Mua Cave
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Traditional Vietnamese lunch
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Bottled water
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Optional countryside cycling (bike included)
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Travelers journal
We left Hanoi just after breakfast, coffee still in hand, with the city slowly fading behind us. As the buildings gave way to fields and rivers, it already felt like we were heading somewhere completely different. Our guide told us to keep an eye out for water buffalo – within twenty minutes we’d spotted three, just ambling through the paddies like they owned the place.
First up was a boat ride through Tam Coc – and wow. We’d seen the photos online, but nothing quite prepares you for the stillness, the cliffs, and the way the water just quietly winds through it all. Our rower paddled with her feet (yes, her feet) while we floated under limestone caves and past rice fields so green they looked edited. We didn’t say much. It was that kind of peaceful.
After that, we took on Mua Cave. “500 steps,” our guide said, casually. “Great views.” He wasn’t kidding. It’s a solid climb, especially in the heat, but the view from the top was one of the best we’ve seen in Vietnam. Rivers, fields, and karst mountains stretching as far as you can see – like a painting that forgot to end.
Lunch was in a quiet garden spot tucked off a side road, the kind of place you’d never find on your own. Home-cooked, lots of flavour, no tourists in sight. We lingered longer than planned, chatting and sipping tea, before deciding we still had one more thing in us: a gentle countryside bike ride.
And honestly, that ride might have been the surprise highlight. We cycled past ponds, through villages, waved at kids on the roadside, and shared the path with a very determined duck. There wasn’t much traffic – just the sound of tyres on gravel and the occasional cockerel trying to assert dominance.
We wrapped up the day with iced coffee by the river – the slow kind of moment you don’t plan but end up remembering. By the time we pulled back into Hanoi, the sun was dipping, the bikes were behind us, and we were already wondering how soon we could come back.
Private
Ninh Binh
Scenic Tour
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The Tour
Escape the city and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of Ninh Binh – where limestone peaks rise from the rice paddies and rivers wind through hidden caves. This full-day private tour from Hanoi is all about landscapes, stillness, and a touch of adventure. Choose your pace as you float, hike, and (optionally) cycle your way through one of Vietnam’s most stunning regions.
Whether you’re a photographer, nature lover, or just after a peaceful break from Hanoi’s buzz, this tour is designed to slow things down and open your eyes to a quieter side of Vietnam.
Key Highlights:
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Take a scenic boat ride through either Trang An or Tam Coc – peaceful, dramatic, and uniquely rowed by foot.
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Hike to the top of Mua Cave for panoramic views over rivers and rice fields.
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Enjoy a traditional Vietnamese lunch in a serene garden setting.
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Option to cycle through countryside lanes, lotus ponds, and quiet villages.
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Travel privately with a guide and car, on a flexible itinerary tailored to your pace.
7:30 AM – Hotel Pickup & Departure from Hanoi. Meet your local guide and begin your private day trip to the peaceful landscapes of Ninh Binh. Sit back and enjoy the changing scenery as you leave the city behind.
9:45 AM – Scenic Boat Ride in Trang An or Tam Coc. Start the day with a slow, peaceful cruise through limestone valleys and cave tunnels. Choose between Trang An’s temple-studded route or the classic Tam Coc paddle through rice fields – both rowed by locals using their feet.
11:45 AM – Hike to Mua Cave Viewpoint
Climb 500 steps to the top of Hang Mua for one of the best panoramic views in Northern Vietnam. The sweeping views over Tam Coc’s river and fields are well worth the effort.
1:00 PM – Traditional Vietnamese Lunch
Take a break at a quiet garden restaurant, tucked away in the countryside. Enjoy a fresh, home-cooked Vietnamese meal with vegetarian and dietary options available.
2:30 PM – Optional Countryside Cycling or Scenic Drive
Choose to hop on a bike and explore local villages, rice paddies, and lotus ponds – or stay cool in the car and cruise through backroads at your own pace.
3:30 PM – Coffee or Coconut by the River
Wrap up with a quiet drink by the water – the perfect moment to take in the stillness and recharge before heading back.
5:30 PM – Return to Hanoi
Arrive back at your hotel in the early evening, camera full and mind calm, after a day exploring Ninh Binh’s most scenic spots.
The Itinerary
We left Hanoi just after breakfast, coffee still in hand, with the city slowly fading behind us. As the buildings gave way to fields and rivers, it already felt like we were heading somewhere completely different. Our guide told us to keep an eye out for water buffalo – within twenty minutes we’d spotted three, just ambling through the paddies like they owned the place.
First up was a boat ride through Tam Coc – and wow. We’d seen the photos online, but nothing quite prepares you for the stillness, the cliffs, and the way the water just quietly winds through it all. Our rower paddled with her feet (yes, her feet) while we floated under limestone caves and past rice fields so green they looked edited. We didn’t say much. It was that kind of peaceful.
After that, we took on Mua Cave. “500 steps,” our guide said, casually. “Great views.” He wasn’t kidding. It’s a solid climb, especially in the heat, but the view from the top was one of the best we’ve seen in Vietnam. Rivers, fields, and karst mountains stretching as far as you can see – like a painting that forgot to end.
Lunch was in a quiet garden spot tucked off a side road, the kind of place you’d never find on your own. Home-cooked, lots of flavour, no tourists in sight. We lingered longer than planned, chatting and sipping tea, before deciding we still had one more thing in us: a gentle countryside bike ride.
And honestly, that ride might have been the surprise highlight. We cycled past ponds, through villages, waved at kids on the roadside, and shared the path with a very determined duck. There wasn’t much traffic – just the sound of tyres on gravel and the occasional cockerel trying to assert dominance.
We wrapped up the day with iced coffee by the river – the slow kind of moment you don’t plan but end up remembering. By the time we pulled back into Hanoi, the sun was dipping, the bikes were behind us, and we were already wondering how soon we could come back.
Travelers Journal
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