Tam Coc - Bich Dong are the best attractions in Ninh Binh province.It is worth paying your visit to these attractions when you are doing trip to Ninh Binh, Hanoi in Vietnam
Tam Coc- Bich Dong Grottoes- the impressive landscapes of Halong Bay on land
Tam Coc – Bich Dong grottoes are considered as the most attractive destinations in Ninh Binh province, also well-known for such famous names as “Halong Bay on land” or “ The second nicest grotto in Southern sky (Vietnam)”.Tam Coc – Bich Dong area is 115 km far from Hanoi, following the highway 01 to Ninh Binh 100km, then 15km more to reach the land of Tam Coc- Bich Dong - one of the most famous attractions or Halong bay on land in Ninh Binh. Indeed, you can contemplate the lovely beauty of mountains, rivers & scenic rice fields altogether here.What a an impressive landscape if you visit Tam Coc – Bich Dong ( the best time to visit Tam Coc – Bich Dong grottoes) from the middle of May to the beginning of June when the rice is getting ripe from green to yellow colours.Great view and lively photos of this area you will have on this right time of the year !
Tam Coc caves with a boat trip to view natural beauty !
Tam Coc (translated as Three Caves : Tam means three, Coc means cave ) includes Hang Ca (the first cave ), Hang Hai (the second cave ) & Hang Ba (third cave).These three caves were formed by Ngo Dong river after long erosive process of water river running through limestone mountains.
Tam Coc has long been opened to tourists so that its rowing boat services are quite good and in order (nothing like scams happen).All boats are numbered and take in turn to supply their service ordered by the habour’s operation.You just get entrance & boat ticket ( around 10usd/person) at Tam Coc ticket station, then start your boat trip slowly rowing along winding Ngo Dong river with the breathtaking view of majestic limestone outcrops, paddy fields cultivated on both sides of river, aquatic species under water or sometimes the moment of goats eating plants on mountains.
Keeping rowing along the river, we will approach Hang Ca ( the first cave ) considered as the most picturesque one since it is the longest and contains most fascinating natural arts of stagmites & stalactites deep inside. It is around 127m long, with a cave mouth of 20m wide.
Hang Hai (the second cave) is nearly 1 kilometers far from Hang Ca. This is the second stop-over on your waterway journey, where can be found a series of colorful sparkling stalactites clinging down from the cave ceiling. This cave is about 60m long.The last but not least cave is Hang Ba (the third cave), just nearby, is about 50m long, with lower ceiling than the above two, opening more view to surrounding immense wild natures.Here you could have a break for a while, then back the same way to Tam Coc habour.The returned boat journey to contemplate the beauty of Tam Coc mysterious caves will take us about 2 hours roughly.
Bich Dong grotto for pagoda visit & view
Bich Dong pagoda is just 2 kms away from Tam Coc, you can rent a bike cycling along beautiful mountains or get a car to reach to this pagoda!
The pagoda was built in 1428 on the slope of Ngu Nhac mountains after two monks were charmed by the view of the river and the mountains.Bich Dong pagoda includes three papodas located scatteredly from the bottom level to the top peak for you to conquer.They are Ha Pagoda (lower pagoda) on the mountain foot to worship head monks who built up the pagoda , then Trung Pagoda (middle pagoda) on the mountain slope dedicated to Buddha , and Thuong Pagoda (upper pagoda) on the top of mountains to worship the Goddess of Mercy ,the god of land and the god of mountains.
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From the upper pagoda, you can have the most magnificent view of Bich Dong area.That was why Bich Dong was highlighted as “Nam Thien De Nhi Dong“” (the second nicest cave in Vietnam) compared with “Nam Thien De Nhat Dong” ( the most beautiful cave in Vietnam) or Huong Tich cave in Perfume pagoda complex. In 1773, Mr. Nguyen Nghiem (the father of a celebrated Vietnamese poet-Nguyen Du) visited Bich Dong pagoda. Sighting view of mountains, rivers, water, rice fields…with green color so that he named the cave with a beautiful and poetic name “Bich Dong ”( Green Grotto) which reveals its magnificient natural beauties.Reading this poem, you can partly imagine how nice the scenery of this area is
"Surrounding mountains full of water during 4 seasons,
Rattan boat lightly drifting,
Covered with mist and clouds, is Pagoda landscape”
How to go to Tam Coc – Bich Dong ?
Just 115km far from Hanoi and in 2.5 hour drive, you will be in Tam Coc – Bich Dong Grottoes. If you like a budget tour, you can join us in shared group tour from Hanoi, daily departure. More flexible and comfortable between your own group, you can get a Tam Coc- Bich Dong private tour or just book a private car rental from Hanoi for Tam Coc- Bich Dong exploration.We do organise with all of these services, so if you would like to get free consultancy or qoutation, please, contact us at bluewaytourist@gmail.com for further information.We wish you an enjoyable holiday in Vietnam!
