Ninh Binh, Cat Ba & Lan Ha Bay Tour
Moutain, Culture & Cruise
Code: FH04F| Duration: 04 Days
This tour is private and customisable. Send us a request for free quote!
DAY 1: HANOI - NINH BINH (TAM COC & BICH DONG)
7:30 a.m. Get picked up at your hotel in Hanoi and take 2,5 hour drive through the fertile land of the Red River Delta, you will arrive at Tam Coc boat operation place in Ninh Binh.
On arrival, take 2 hr sampan boat ride on a small river and through 3 tunnel-like caves. (This area is considered as “Inland Halong Bay” featured with karst formations.)
An easy walk in between the limestone mountains to visit Thai Vi temple (which dedicated to a Vietnamese heroic dynasty.)
A Vietnamese lunch is served at a local restaurant.
Afternoon 1.5 hr bicycle ride along the back roads through beautiful scenery of towering karsts on the ground of ponds, rice paddies and rural villages. (On the bike, we will have as many stops as you want to take photographs.)
Visit Bich Dong Pagoda, an important religious place for the locals in the region.
4:00 p.m. Check in your hotel and take it easy before dinner.
DAY 2: NINH BINH - CAT BA ISLAND
After the breakfast at your hotel, take a short transfer to Hang Mua and start the morning with 500-step hike to the summit of Ngoa Long Mt. From there, you are able to get a marvelous panorama over the karsts. Take some photos before going downhill for the rest of the morning trek on flat roads through a village, through farm land and along the towering mountains.
Lunch at a local restaurant. The afternoon drive takes you to Cat Ba Island where you will check into a hotel in Cat Ba town for dinner and stay overnight.
DAY 3: CAT BA NATIONAL PARK - LAN HA BAY
This morning you will have breakfast at the hotel and then get transferred to Cat Ba National Park. The morning tour include a visit to Hang Quan Y (Hospital Cave) and a challenging hike to the summit of Ngu Lam Mt. for the overview of the national park.
Afterward, make your way to Cai Beo wharf where you are embarking the private boat around noon time.
We follow the boat's cruise itinerary:
12:00 - On arrival at Cai Beo wharf of Cat Ba Island. Get on your private junk, enjoy a welcome drink, move around to learn about the boat, and check into your cabin before cruising.
12:15 - Pull up the anchor and start your cruise. The wooden junk firstly winds its way by a fishing village toward Lan Ha Bay. Not much different from Halong Bay featured with hundreds of limestone islands and islets. Lan Ha is smaller but the karst sheer islands stay close together, this makes Lan Ha Bay become the best place for kayaking and swimming activities.
13:30 - Anchor is dropped in the middle of the bay for lunchtime. If the weather is nice enough, your lunch will be served on the top deck where you are able to enjoy the scenery during your lunch the best.
14:30 - After lunch, continue on the cruise to Tay Keo cave to paddle around on kayaks to explore this beautiful part of the bay and the cave. Take a swim on a tiny beach if the weather permits.
16:00 - The junk is gently moving toward the night place. Take it easy and enjoy the sunset over the bay.
19:00 - Enjoy set-menu dinner and stay overnight on the junk.
DAY 4: LAN HA BAY - CAT BA ISLAND - HANOI
07:45 - Breakfast is served on the sundeck. After breakfast, the anchor is pulled up and continue exploring the bay
09:00 - The traditional boat will take you to visit a fish-farm. Learn about the typical sorts of fish grown on the bay.
10:00 - Get back on boat and heading to Van Boi beach for 30-hour swim in this morning.
10: 45 - Gently moving back to Beo wharf where you started. Check out of your cabin and have brunch on the way.
11:45 - Disembarkation and get on your private car/ van for the afternoon drive back to Hanoi.
Arrive at the door of your hotel, end of the tour.
