FULL ITINERARY:
DAY 1: HANOI - TAM COC - CYCLING - THUNG NHAM (LUNCH, DINNER)
07.15 Am: Our tour guide will pick up from your hotels in Hanoi Old Quarter. It take around 2 hours to Ninh Binh
09.00 Am: Have 15 minutes for a short break at a stop-over in Dong Van, Ha Nam province.
10:00 Am: Take a sampan boat rowed by a local people about 1.5 hours to visit Tam Coc. Cruising along Ngo Dong River to explore Tam Coc - known as “Halong Bay on land”. The boat trip is a nice journey along the river with the peaceful scenery of Limestone Mountains, Three Caves, rice paddy and the sight of some temples along the way.
12:00 Pm: Have Vietnamese lunch at the bungalow’s restaurant.
13:30: Check-In Bungalow/ Hotel
14:00: Visit a local family in Tam Coc to see the house architecture and their daily life and their handicraft job of making traditional embroidery. They are a traditional Vietnamese family with three generations living together.
14:30: Take a bike to explore around villages to see the rice fields and limestone mountains with an unique route.
15:00: Explore Hang But (Buddhist Cave) The cave 500m in length, magical view of the stalactites and stalagmites, including a big Buddha-shaped stalactite sitting beside an underground river. Then get on a small sampan to visit Thung Nham bird park, discover the most features of this area with more than 50.000 birds of 40 species flying to inhabit every day.
17:00: Cycling back to the host family for free time relax with afternoon tea break.
19:00: Have dinner with Vietnamese food and BBQ, served by the local family host. Then stay overnight at the bungalow or the hotel.
DAY 2: HANG MUA/ LOCAL MARKET - COOKING CLASS - HOA LU ANCIENT CAPITAL - HANOI (BREAKFASR/LUNCH)
07:00 – 07:30 Am: Breakfast at the bungalow or hotel. Clients will take selected option below:
Option 1: Local market – Cooking Class
08:00 Am: You will learn some basic keywords of the Vietnamese from our tourguide when purchasing goods in the local market. Then, you will be provided a list of courses in the cooking class and all necessary ingredients should be prepared. With the certain number of Vietnamese money, we go to a local market.
After 30 – 45 minutes purchasing ingredients and exploring local culture at the market, we will come back to our class kitchen and get ready for the cooking class.
Having a strong passion and love for Vietnamese traditional food, our talented chef, with his rich cooking experience, will introduce you the basic principles of each course and how to make it. Now you will have an opportunity to experience in cooking yourself like a real Vietnamese chef.
Option 2: Cycling to Mua Cave
Recommended for tourists below 40 years old and don’t recommend on rainy or gloomy day. You have to .
08:30 Am: Take a bike to Mua Cave - one of the most alluring places to view in Ninh Binh. Hiking up 500 steps each way to the peak of Ngoa Long Mountain to take your amazing views of the Tam Coc, Ninh Binh area.
11:00 Am: Back to the bungalow for lunch
11:30 Am: Have Vietnamese lunch at the bungalow’s restaurant.
12:30 Pm: Bungalow/ Hotel check out and relaxing, free and coffee at home stay garden
15:00 - 15:30: Departure to Hoa Lu, the first capital of feudal nation Grande Viet located officially. You will visit two temples of the two kings (King Dinh and King Lee) who founded Vietnam 1000 years ago.
16.30: Depart from Ninh Binh and drive back to Hanoi
18.30: Arrive back in your hotel. Tour ends.
