07.15–07.45: Pick up from your hotel or private address in Hanoi Old Quarter and departure to Ninh Binh by comfortable transfer. 09.00: Have a short break for relaxing at a stop-over in Dong Van, Ha Nam province. 10.00: Arrive Tam Coc area. Start the journey by visiting a local family in Tam Coc. They are a traditional Vietnamese family with three generations living together. Here you will get the chance to see the house architecture and their daily life and their handicraft job of making traditional embroidery. Option 1: You will take a bike and start riding to explore the rice fields and limestone mountains for about 1 hour with an 8 km unique route. Animal Cart or Motorbike is available for those who can’t ride bike or want to try different version. ( with extra charge ) Option 2: Learn the traditional embroidery with the host family. 11:30 Come back to the host family to enjoy a special lunch prepared by the home chef with the local cuisine featuring the yin-yang balance of the Asian culture. After lunch, a break with a cup of Vietnam green tea or coffee will be served before you continue the journey of discovery Tam Coc- the Halong Bay on land. 13.30: Visit Tam Coc by a small boat rowed by a local for about 2 hours. Known as Halong Bay on land, Tam Coc is the name of the limestone caves area stretching along Ngo Dong river. The boat trip is a nice journey along the river with the peaceful scenery of Limestone Mountains, rice paddy and the sight of some temples along the way. If traveling during harvest season, you may have chances to see the yellow rice carpet along the river banks. 15.30: Arrive at Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam in the 10th century, visit the temple of King Dinh. Under the introduction of our local guide, you will get to know more about the Vietnamese history. Hoa Lu existed as the capital of Vietnam for 41 years (968 – 1009), of which 12 years was under the Dinh dynasty – King Dinh Tien Hoang, when country named Dai Co Viet. 16.30: Leave Hoa Lu and drive straight back to Hanoi. 18:30 Arrive in Hanoi, drop you back to your hotel or private address in Hanoi Old Quarter. Trip ends.