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Four days in the limestone country south and east of Hanoi, first by river, then by sea. Rowing boats through the caves of Trang An, the view from Hang Mua, and a night aboard a junk in Ha Long Bay.
Trip Experience Guide
A landscape trip, gentle rather than strenuous, with one night afloat. Early starts beat the heat on the water, and the afternoons are left loose.
Day 1
Ninh Binh: Up Hang Mua at Sunset
Drive south from Hanoi, around two hours, to the rice fields of Ninh Binh. In the late afternoon, climb the five hundred or so stone steps of Hang Mua to a carved dragon and a view over the river bends of Tam Coc.
Day 2
Trang An: By Rowing Boat Through the Caves
Set off early in a small sampan, rowed by a local boatwoman, through limestone caves so low you duck beneath the roof. After lunch, cycle the Tam Coc lanes past rice paddies and duck farms, back in time for a rest.
Day 3
Ha Long Bay: Aboard an Overnight Cruise
Drive east, around three hours, to board an overnight junk booked well ahead. Through the afternoon the boat threads between limestone islands; kayak in a sheltered cove, then eat on deck as the karsts fade into dusk.
Day 4
Ha Long Bay: Sung Sot Cave & Return
Tai chi on deck at dawn, then Sung Sot, the Cave of Surprises, its chambers opening one into the next. Brunch as the junk returns to port, then about two and a half hours by road to Hanoi for the onward flight.
Cruise routes and cabins are chosen with you, from the main bay to the quieter waters of Lan Ha. Add a day and Hanoi’s Old Quarter makes an easy first or last night.
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Similar Experiences
More Vietnamese journeys in the north, around Hanoi, where the lakes, old streets and early-morning pho set the pace.
