Hanoi Full Day Hoa Lu & Tam Coc Tour: A Review

So, are you thinking of escaping the hustle and bustle that is Hanoi for a day? The ‘From Hanoi Full Day Hoa Lu and Tam Coc Boat Tour’ is one that comes up pretty often, and just maybe you are curious about all the fuss. It’s more or less promoted as a chance to travel back in time to visit an old capital and quietly drift through pretty landscapes. It all sounds extremely tempting, right? Well, I actually took this very trip, and I’m here in a way to give you the lowdown on my firsthand experience, talking about what rocked, what could be improved, and what you, like your good friend, should maybe expect should you decide to give it a go yourself.

First Impressions and Booking

At the end of the day, booking the tour was, generally speaking, super straightforward. Most hotels and any number of travel agencies right in Hanoi will offer it, but of course I went online because naturally I did. There’s a ton of tour operators all more or less yelling for your attention on sites such as Viator and GetYourGuide. That said, comparing prices and reading all the reviews is quite important. Actually, the prices tend to be surprisingly consistent, usually somewhere around $50 to $70 USD, really kind of depending on what all is included in the tour package. So, I eventually settled on a tour which had pretty decent reviews and basically seemed to offer a fair bit of stuff for the asking price: transportation, lunch, entrance fees, and a guide too it’s almost implied.

The initial communication was really quick and painless. The operator responded very quickly to my booking and actually sent over all the important details right away about the pickup time and the itinerary, that is. I was told to be ready and waiting in the hotel lobby bright and early around 8:00 AM. So far, things were just pretty darn smooth.

The Journey to Ninh Binh

Basically, the bus arrived more or less on schedule, give or take the normal Hanoi traffic delays. The bus itself was reasonably comfy, even though it was kind of packed with tourists, which is par for the course I suppose. We basically set off from Hanoi and just went south towards Ninh Binh. I should mention that the ride, I mean it took roughly two to two and a half hours. The scenery along the way was, that is, just a mix of urban areas slowly morphing to rice paddies and limestone karsts appearing in the distance.

Honestly, this part wasn’t extremely interesting, yet it gave you the time to kind of sit back, perhaps zone out a little, and perhaps get psyched for what was coming up. The tour guide did their best, clearly, to keep people entertained. They told us all sorts of stories about Vietnamese history and culture, plus a bit of insight on the areas we just drove through. The AC worked too, thank goodness for that, and it was a smoother ride than some I have been on.

Exploring Hoa Lu: Ancient History

So, the first real stop was Hoa Lu, which actually used to be the old capital of Vietnam way back in the 10th and 11th centuries. What’s still around is essentially a temple complex, which, by the way, is dedicated to the Dinh and Le dynasties. Walking through the gates feels a bit like actually stepping back in time. That is, you’re just surrounded by all of these age old trees, and just crumbling walls, and pretty well maintained temples. You just can tell all that history has basically happened right there.

Now, the tour guide very gave quite detailed info concerning the historical significance of the place and actually shared tales of emperors and battles and all of that kind of stuff. I found the architecture quite interesting, that is. You’ve got the detailed carvings and the traditional Vietnamese design, that is all on display. It can get really crowded with so many tourist groups bumping around, which actually kind of takes away from the atmosphere slightly, but frankly, you still are able to get a good feel for what it was really like in its day.

Oh, also, it is important that you come prepared for a little bit of walking, just because the complex covers a certain area, and, frankly, there isn’t a ton of shade. So, maybe bring along that sunblock and a bottle of water for goodness sakes.

Tam Coc Boat Tour: A Float Through Paradise

Next up, came the main event actually: the Tam Coc boat tour. Tam Coc is frequently known as “Ha Long Bay on Land,” and once you see all of those limestone karsts basically rising from rice paddies, I mean, you can see why. What makes this all super unique is the fact that you drift down this peaceful river in a tiny little sampan boat rowed by local women. Most of the rowers are literally using their feet, which I thought was honestly very skillful, and kinda makes you pity them.

That boat ride goes through a bunch of caves – the “three caves” that Tam Coc actually refers to. That includes Hang Ca, Hang Hai, and Hang Ba. It is very cool to just glide through these dark spaces, with those ceilings very low in a couple of spots so you gotta duck. That is, the reflections on the water are incredible, plus it’s quiet, well for the most part. Some other tourists tend to chat very loud, still overall it really is tranquil.

I was quite surprised that the whole boat ride lasted close to two hours, that is quite some time to be sitting so closely with strangers! The scenery honestly never gets old. Yet I have to suggest you bring sun protection because there’s honestly no shade out on the water. You should bring a tip too, because these women are doing some extremely hard work.

Lunch and Local Cuisine

Midday, there’s a stop that you get for lunch at a local restaurant. Generally speaking, this is included as part of the tour price, but bear in mind the quality actually can vary. I mean, my experience it was OK, yet not really the highlight of the day. It was, clearly, a buffet style meal with multiple Vietnamese dishes that were served.

There was rice, some stir fried noodles, then vegetables, as well as a bit of chicken and pork. It was basically food catered, naturally, towards the tourist crowd. So it isn’t extremely authentic or amazing, it does what it has to do, so that is just filling you up. Veggie choices were just slightly scarce, FYI. Now drinks generally do cost you extra, just so that you do know.

Perhaps a more compact group tour offers some different options. Some people that I spoke to in Hanoi had a better lunch at a restaurant where you got to choose what to order from an actual menu.

Bich Dong Pagoda: A Hidden Gem

If the tour is good you may make a visit to Bich Dong Pagoda. This was really a really cool bonus for the afternoon, for sure. You just have to climb up some steps in the mountain, really kind of passing through this beautiful scenery on your way. What’s special is the fact that the pagoda is partly constructed in a cave. Which makes it so cool! And a photo opportunity, you.

The views right from the top are simply panoramic, it should be noted, looking right across all of the rice paddies. Inside of the pagoda are quiet spaces for meditation. Yet it can be fairly claustrophobic for a lot of people, FYI. I’m claustrophobic so I didn’t actually spend as long here. The actual climb might be hard for anyone who isn’t extremely mobile.

Potential Downsides and What to Watch Out For

Truth be told, no tour actually comes without certain drawbacks. A thing I just felt about this tour was how crowded it was. Ninh Binh definitely has turned into a very well known tourist hotspot. So do prepare yourself for tons of crowds everywhere you’re going, for real. That is, Hoa Lu, especially, became completely packed, that sort of thing. Which kinda lessens that peaceful atmosphere a fair amount.

Also, there really can be persistent vendors or the ones who push you a lot in an aggressive way to buy trinkets and souvenirs. They can be at the boat docks, plus by the temples, or at the lunch stops. You just have to be ready to politely decline, because they will continue otherwise. Sadly, trash has sadly become a small issue in certain areas too. It is a shame, since that is how you diminish the feel of what are very natural landscapes.

You are kind of at the mercy of your tour operator a little. Should they focus a whole lot more on responsible practices that include maybe waste management? I really suppose it’s a question for those providers to really answer.

Final Thoughts: Is It Worth It?

So, you should take that ‘From Hanoi Full Day Hoa Lu and Tam Coc Boat Tour’? Alright, at the end of the day, I would state yes, particularly provided you understand the few drawbacks you could deal with, of course. The stunning views just at Tam Coc more than justify all the trip there. Also, getting that historical context right at Hoa Lu does add all sorts of depth to it, frankly. Just go in realizing the experience just could be somewhat touristy, but that you’re actually there to really soak it all in, after all.

If it helps, I would propose picking out a smaller group tour when possible. Doing that it is typically slightly pricier. Though a more intimate kind of experience with potentially a more customized kind of itinerary is, to me, really worth all the extra cash.