Full-Day Tour of Hoa Lu and Tam Coc from Hanoi

You'll be picked up from your hotel in Hanoi in the morning for the 2.5-hour drive to Hoa Lu, the historic capital of Vietnam. Visit the ancient temples of the Le and Dinh dynasties, which date back to the 10th and 11th centuries, and then continue your day trip to Tam Coc. 

You'll have lunch in Tam Coc just after midday, and then take a boat ride to see the karst formations that give the area its nickname 'inland Halong Bay.' Glide past the bases of the formations, and row into one of the many caves carved throughout the limestone.

Once back on dry land, trade in the boat for a bike, and begin your cycling tour along quiet roads that lead through villages and past rice fields, rivers, and rocky outcrops. Spend about an hour biking, and then you'll be transferred back to your hotel in Hanoi in the evening to end your tour.