Bai Dinh Pagoda

Our tour guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter then journey southward to Ninh Binh Province, where presents you an ancient land enriched with cultural and geographic wonders that were recently World Heritage Site listed. Upon arrival at approximately 10:00 A.M, you will start your tour by visiting Bai Dinh Pagoda complex, one of the largest pagodas not only in Vietnam but also in Southeast Asia. This place is scenically set on the foothill of Dinh Mountain, surrounded by amazing views of the exquisite river valley below, and dotted with limestone karsts, which will take your breath away. The pagoda complexes stunningly boast an array of the most massive and magnificent refined Vietnamese architecture which will take a full day to explore. With sacred atmospheres and an intriguing Buddhism story told by your guide, you cannot fail to be enchanted. Some of the highlights are: - 500 stone statues of “La Han” (Arhats), - Two huge bronze bells, one weighs 27 tons, the other 36 tons, - Three bronze statues of “Tam The” (50 tons each). The visit ends with a walk up the summit mountain to see the 100 ton bronze statue of Buddha Sakyamuni and a chance to enjoy the panoramic view of the picturesque landscape dotted with limestone mountains. After lunch at a local restaurant, you will leave for the Trang An Grottoes, a UNESCO-listed series of grottoes carved from the region's striking natural monoliths of limestone, which rises dramatically out from the rice paddy fields. Deep among the towering mountains, are pristine places of mystical valleys, numerous fresh water ponds, and jungle. Embark on a traditional sampan gently rowed down the exquisite river through numerous caves: "Hang Toi" (Dark Cave), "Hang Sang" (Light Cave) and "Hang Nau Ruou" (Cooking Wine Cave). Every passage brings a new hidden inside isolated valleys of tranquility, which perhaps transformed to another world and time. The fauna and flora is rich, and a scene of a goat jumping from one cliff to the other is a common sight. Enjoy the sunset over the lime karsts while cruising on the clear water back to the main tourist boat terminal. The boat trip in Trang An is around 2.5 hours and through 9-11 caves like a circle. At the end of the tour, return to Hanoi and get dropped off at your hotel.

6 hours