2-Day Ninh Binh Tour: Bamboo Boat, Cycling & Cooking Class

You cycle through limestone valleys, then row a bamboo boat through caves the same day.

A 2-day tour of Ninh Binh departing from Hanoi combines the region's signature sights (Tam Coc's bamboo boat ride and limestone peaks, Mua Cave's 500-step hike to a panorama view, Bai Dinh Pagoda) with cycling through rural villages where you meet local families and learn traditional culture. The tour includes luxury limousine transfer, all entrance fees, meals, an English-speaking guide, and an evening cooking class. Groups stay under eight people and overnight accommodation is provided.

Step-by-step itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi to Tam Coc and Cycling Tour

• Pick up from Hanoi hotel
• Stop for break in Dong Van
• Arrive Tam Coc and prepare for cycling
• Cycle through Ninh Hai Village and valley
• Visit local family and enjoy tropical fruit
• Cycle to Thai Vi Temple and learn history
• Lunch at local Vietnamese restaurant
• Bamboo boat trip on Tam Coc River
• Check in at homestay or bungalow
• Evening cooking class and dinner

Day 2: Mua Cave, Bai Dinh, and Hoa Lu

• Breakfast at homestay
• Visit and hike Mua Cave peak
• Visit Bai Dinh Pagoda by electric car
• Walk around pagoda and learn history
• Lunch with Vietnamese cuisine
• Visit Hoa Lu ancient capital and temple
• Drive back to Hanoi and drop off

The experience

The first day starts with a morning pickup from your Hanoi hotel and a drive south to Ninh Binh by limousine van. You arrive at Tam Coc by mid-morning and trade the van for a bicycle to ride through Ninh Hai Village and the surrounding valleys. The cycling route passes through rice paddies and limestone karst formations, and you stop at a local family's home for fresh tropical fruit and a chance to see how rural life actually runs. After an hour or so of riding, you head to Thai Vi Temple to learn its history, then move to a local restaurant for lunch.

The afternoon centers on the bamboo boat trip. A guide rows you through Tam Coc's river and caves for around two and a half hours, moving past the same limestone peaks that frame the cycling route. You return to the harbor and check into your overnight accommodation (a homestay, villa or bungalow in the village) with free time to walk around before dinner. The evening includes a cooking class where you prepare Vietnamese dishes, then eat what you've made.

Day two begins with breakfast at the homestay around 7:30 or 8:00 am. You then choose whether to cycle or take a car to Mua Cave, where you hike 500 steps up Ngoa Long Mountain to the peak for a panoramic view of the Ninh Binh landscape. By mid-morning you're at Bai Dinh Pagoda, Vietnam's largest, where an electric car takes you inside to walk past over 1,000 steps and see thousands of Buddha statues and one of Vietnam's biggest bronze-and-gold Buddha. After the pagoda tour and lunch, you visit Hoa Lu, the ancient Vietnamese capital from the 10th century, to see the temple of King Dinh before the drive back to Hanoi.

What’s included

• Luxury limousine transfer from and to your Hanoi hotel.
• all entrance fees and the bamboo boat trip.
• cycling through rural villages with a local guide.
• the cooking class and all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner).
• overnight accommodation at a homestay, villa or bungalow.
• two bottles of water per day.
• English-speaking guide throughout.

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDepartures at 07:00 and 07:30

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (18 to 60 years) · Senior (61 and older) · Youth (12 to 17 years) · Child (5 to 11 years) · Infant (1 to 4 years): free

GroupUp to 8

Live guideEnglish and Vietnamese

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.

Prices and times updated 10 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelWheelchair accessibleInfant seats availableNot for heart conditionsInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Authentic Ninh Binh - Luxury Limousine Small Group Max 7 pax/ group

Is this one for you?Book this if you want a shared van tour that combines famous limestone sites with village cycling through narrow alleys where you'll meet locals. The small group size keeps the pace manageable for both activities.

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Top questions

What languages is the guide in?

Live guide in English and Vietnamese.

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Youth (12 to 17 years); Child (5 to 11 years); Infant (1 to 4 years): free.

What's the cycling like on day one?

The cycling route runs through Ninh Hai Village and the Tam Coc valleys for about an hour, passing rice paddies and limestone karst. You stop at a local family's home to rest and eat fresh fruit, and a guide explains traditional culture along the way. If you're not confident on a bike, a motorbike with a rider is available instead.

How long is the bamboo boat trip in Tam Coc?

The boat trip lasts around two and a half hours. A guide rows you through the river and caves past limestone peaks, and you have time to take photos and enjoy the landscape before returning to the harbor.

What happens at Mua Cave on day two?

Mua Cave sits on Ngoa Long Mountain, and you hike 500 steps to the peak for a panoramic view of Ninh Binh's limestone landscape. You can cycle or take a car to reach the cave entrance before the hike.

What's included in the cooking class?

The cooking class happens in the evening at your accommodation on day one. You prepare Vietnamese dishes with instruction, then eat the meal you've made as your dinner.

Does the tour include meals and accommodation?

Yes. Breakfast and dinner are included both nights, lunch is provided on both days, and you stay overnight at a homestay, villa or bungalow in Tam Coc. The tour also includes all entrance fees, the bamboo boat ride, bottled water each day, and English-speaking guide service.