Hanoi: Hoa Lu Temple & Tam Coc Boat Ride with Bicycle Tour

Two hours out of Hanoi, the river narrows between limestone cliffs and rice paddies

You're picked up from your Hanoi hotel early morning and driven 2 hours to Ninh Binh, where you visit Hoa Lu temple and learn about Vietnam's ancient capital. After a buffet lunch, you take a 1–2 hour sampan boat ride down a river lined with rice fields and limestone cliffs, then cycle through the paddies themselves. The whole day (transport, lunch, guide, and all activities) wraps by 7 pm back at your hotel.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time spent at each

1. Hanoi Opera Housepassing by
2. Hoa Lu2h · entry included
3. Tam Coc2h · entry included
4. Hanoi Old Quarterpassing by

Hanoi to Ninh Binh: History and Nature

• Pick up in Hanoi Old Quarter
• Drive to Ninh Binh
• Visit Hoa Lu temple
• Buffet lunch with local dishes
• Boat trip on Ngo Dong river
• Bicycle ride through rice fields
• Return to Hanoi by bus
• Drop off at hotel in Old Quarter

The experience

The pickup happens early (between 8 and 8:35 am from the Old Quarter, or 7:30 am if your hotel is near Quan Thanh), and the drive to Ninh Binh takes about two hours. That's the point where Hanoi's noise and traffic fall away and you're suddenly in countryside, flat green fields stretching to low mountains. The bus stops first at Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam during the 10th and 11th centuries. It's a temple now, dedicated to the kings who ruled from here, and the guide walks you through the history. The kind of detail that makes the place stick with you instead of just being another building.

Lunch is a buffet of Vietnamese food and local goat meat around noon, though drinks aren't included and you order those separately at the restaurant. After that there's a short break, then the real part of the day starts: a sampan boat trip down the Ngo Dong river. The boat is traditional, rowed by hand by locals who've done this their whole lives, and the river is narrow enough that you're looking straight up at limestone walls on both sides with rice fields beyond. The boat trip runs 1 to 2 hours depending on the water level and pace. Tam Coc is part of the Trang An UNESCO world heritage site, so you're not just looking at a pretty river. You're in something officially recognized as significant.

After the boat, you get a bicycle and ride out into the rice fields themselves. Farmers are actually working while you're there, planting or harvesting depending on the season, and you're cycling past them on narrow paths between the paddies. It's not a long or difficult ride (the itinerary notes it's suitable for all fitness levels), but it's the kind of thing that makes the day feel like you've actually been somewhere instead of just driven through it. By 4 pm you're back on the bus heading toward Hanoi, with drop-off at your hotel in the Old Quarter between 6 and 7 pm.

What’s included

Your day includes hotel pickup and drop-off in Hanoi's Old Quarter, an English-speaking guide, entry to Hoa Lu temple, a buffet lunch with Vietnamese food and local goat meat, a 1–2 hour sampan boat ride on the Ngo Dong river, a bicycle ride through rice fields, an air-conditioned vehicle for transport, and one bottle of water per person. Drinks with lunch are ordered separately and paid directly to the restaurant.

Before you book

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

AgesAdult (10 and older) · Child (4 to 9 years) · Infant (under 4): free

GroupUp to 30

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 4 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 29 days ago

Good to know

Low physical effortStroller-friendlyPublic transport nearbyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Wati Travel

Is this one for you?This works well if you want to see Vietnam's countryside and history in one day without arranging your own transport, guide, or timing. The fixed schedule gets you out of Hanoi early and back by evening, and the mix of temple, river, and cycling means you're not sitting in a bus the whole time.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (4 to 9 years); Infant (under 4): free.

What time does the tour start?

Pickup is between 8:00–8:35 am from Hanoi Old Quarter hotels, or 7:30–7:45 am from hotels near Quan Thanh. Hotels outside these areas meet the bus at Hanoi Opera House at 8:30 am.

How long is the drive from Hanoi?

About 2 hours to Ninh Binh.

Is lunch included?

Yes, a buffet lunch with Vietnamese food and local goat meat at noon. Drinks are not included and are ordered separately at the restaurant.

How long is the boat trip?

The sampan boat ride on the Ngo Dong river lasts 1–2 hours.

Do I need to be fit to do this tour?

The tour is suitable for all fitness levels. The bicycle ride is on flat terrain through rice fields.

What's included in the price?

Professional English-speaking guide, buffet lunch, all taxes and fees, air-conditioned vehicle, and 1 bottle of water per person.

What should I wear?

Casual, sporty clothing is recommended.

What time do I get back to Hanoi?

Drop-off at your hotel in the Old Quarter is between 6:00–7:00 pm.