- Stone Catholic
church
of
Phat Diem
- Spectacular sampan ride along Ngo Dong river
itinerary
disclaimer
The
itinerary attached is correct at time of printing. It may differ
slightly to the one in reality. Occasionally our itineraries
change as we make improvements that stem from past travellers,
comments and our own research. Please note that our brochure is
usually released by the end of each year. If you have booked from
the previous brochure you may find there have been some changes to
improve the itinerary. It is very important that you print a final
copy of your Trip Dossier to review a couple of days prior to
travel, in case there have been changes that affect your plans
DETAIL
ITINERARY
Day
1:
Hanoi
– Ninh Binh
Our
trip kicks off with an early start from
Hanoi
, a 2 hour drive will take you to the rural town of
Ninh Binh
, which is located in one of the most beautiful parts of
Vietnam
, with its dramatic scenery, historical intrigues, religious
pilgrimage sites and endangered animal sanctuaries. The town of
Ninh Binh
is an ideal base to venture out on short small day trips. En route
we will stop at the centuries old brick kilns, a war memorial,
picturesque rice fields… We will then continue on to the town of
Kim Son
to visit Phat Diem
Cathedral, the centre of Vietnamese Catholicism, we will take a
guided tour around the immense 19th century stone cathedral. We
will also visit a factory where villagers produce handicrafts for
the churchgoers, then return by bus to Ninh Binh.
Arriving
in Ninh Binh, you will have a chance to visit Tam Coc (
Three
Caves
) travelling through Ninh Binh’s rice fields which have earned
nickname
Halong
Bay
without water, a moniker borne out by the limestone karsts which
dominate the landscape. You will take a boat to and through the
caves, past spectacular cliffs, liliputian villages, and remote
farming communities.
The
restaurants around Tam Coc are a special way to enjoy some local
food specialties. After lunch, the guide will assist you with your
bicycles in preparation for your cycle tour of Hoa Lu. The bicycle
tour is a 24km round trip through spectacular scenery of rice
fields, karst mountains and quaint rural villages. Leaving the
restaurant you will pass glowing lime kilns used by locals to
extract lime from the nearby mountains.
Hoa
Lu is the site of the former capital of the Vietnamese state, post
Chinese rule in the first millennium. The site was chosen for its
geographic location, which made it virtually impenetrable and
served as the capital from AD 968 until it was moved to present
day
Hanoi
in 1011. Though nothing remains of the capital, the attraction is
the raw beauty, the temples dating back to the 17th Century, the
King’s Tomb and the simple life of the farmers in the region.
On
completion of the cycle tour you will return to your hotel to have
a cool drink, wash and dinner. You may want to have a look at
local markets where you will see typical Vietnamese trading
without the tourists.
Overnight:
Thuy Anh hotel or similar
Meals
included: none
Day
2 Ninh Binh –
Kenh
Ga
– Cuc Phuong
Over
breakfast you will have the opportunity to discuss the days
activities with your guide.A 21km bicycle ride will take you
through striking rural scenery. Once you arrive in the floating
village
of
Kenh
Ga your guide will organise a private boat. Many travellers to
Kenh
Ga
justifiably refer to the area as
Halong
Bay
with rice fields, but for others, there’s no comparison; the
magnificent natural beauty of the town’s surroundings knows no
equal. Still largely undiscovered,
Kenh
Ga
remains an amazing site to explore without the distractions of
flocks of tourists.
This
part of the trip is an opportunity, not only to visit the floating
village but also to see the spectacular limestone mountains that
jut out from the rice fields and the river that gently meanders
through them. You will also be charmed by the smiling, waving
children, and have an opportunity to explore a water carved cave
featuring thousands of year of mineral and rock formations.
After
your tour of
Kenh
Ga
a vehicle will transport you back to Ninh Binh for lunch.
Following this you will drive the 45km to
Cuc
Phuong
National Park
. On the way you will pass pineapple plantations, ethnic minority
groups, beautiful scenery and rural villages. Arriving at the
gates at
Cuc
Phuong
National Park
will give you the opportunity to view the Visitor Information
Centre which will highlight features of the park including the
numerous hikes on offer, ethnic minority groups, the Endangered
Primate Rescue Centre and rare wildlife.
The
late afternoon provides the best time to take one of the short
treks through the park such as the Thousand Year Old Tree trek.
These walks vary in difficulty and your guide can match you up
with the right trek depending upon how active you are feeling.
Following your close-up experience with the nature in
Vietnam
you can retire to your accommodation in the National Park.
Overnight:
Bungalow or pillar house
Meals
included: breakfast, dinner
Day
3 Cuc Phuong –
Hanoi
After
breakfast you will drive to the
Cave
of
Prehistoric Man
where locals still pay homage to the prehistoric artefacts that
have been found in the cave.
Departing
the National Park you will have the rare opportunity for a guided
tour of the Endangered Rescue Primate Centre by one of the
resident German zoologists. In the centre are 15 of
Vietnam
’s 25 species of primates including the extremely rare Cat Ba
Langur. The primates are brought to the centre for rehabilitation
before being set free in the National Park.
Driving
back to Ninh Binh will take you through the spectacular scenery of
Hoa Lu before lunch in one of the local restaurants, after which
the bus will take you back to
Hanoi
.
Meals
included: breakfast
Before you travel it is essential that you read carefully this
dossier which you can download from our website.
We regularly update our dossiers. Please check our website to
ensure that you have the most up to date copy
The itinerary and supplementary information has been compiled
with care and provided in good faith. However it may be subject
to change, and DOES NOT form part of a contract between the
client and
Tailormade Vietnam Holidays
