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Has anyone been to Tam Coc on a day trip? Is there something available that is in between a private tour (too expensive) and a "stuffed into the back of a minibus" (too uncomfortable) tour?
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answered about 2 months ago by hnboy78
last year I had been to Tam Coc for one day, yep its expensive with private tour, I had open tour with a mini bus 16seats they took you visit pagoda, temple history listening tour guide talk about Ly Thai To King...if you want to bicycle tour about 10 or 15kms near Tam Coc then you must pay extra $8-$10. Not sure the price right now. And afternoon they have tour to Bich Dong cave, you will enjoy with a junk for a couple big western ass, vietnamese then 3 people on a junk...fun. Having about 1 hour more for travelling on the river looking around nature hills with local boatman speaking English alittle. But they will try bah bah bah something souvenir wanted selling. No tour guide follow group. They will drop u back where you start tour guide waits for you and bus. the end of a tour, back Hanoi. Almost western people join this tour.
answered about 2 months ago by maihanoi
Hmm, I don't have a direct answer to your question, but I can share some of my experiences. What I liked about Tam Coc was that it was a shortened version of Halong Bay (about 1 hour, sampan ride), with karst landforms in a smaller scale. Also, it had considerably less tourists, making it relatively more enjoyable. On the down side, of course, you don't get the full-scale of Halong Bay, and of course, the touts never leave you alone, not even here. (more on that later) I went there twice this summer, once on the (maybe not so) cheap-ass, squeeze in back of mini-van one. At US22, we were brought to Hoa Lu and Tam Coc, with a carbo-heavy buffet lunch thrown in. Of course, it also involved the mandatory stop at the souvenir shop with trinkets at cut-throat prices. The second time, I hired a minivan for my family, which costs around 75 USD for the trip to and fro (minivan could pack in about 12 people) and the entrance fee to Tam Coc, along with boat ride, was about 5-10 USD per head. [okay, I can't remember] We were about 8 people. A few notes about Tam Coc. When you are on the rowboat ride, towards the end of the journey, there will be a lot of peddlers on rowboats, trying to sell stuff like drinks and snacks to you. Whether you want to buy it, it is entirely up to you. However, there is some amount of emotional blackmail involved, i.e. the peddler might say, "Why don't you buy this drink for the person who rowed the boat for you?" As you make the return journey after you reach the end of the long river/stream, one of the rowers will ask you if you are interested to buy embroidery. And lastly, as you alight at the point that you boarded, you'll also be asked to give a tip.
answered about 2 months ago by de2facon
Tam Coc, often called the Inland Halong Bay, is a place of spectacular beauty that makes for an easy day trip from town. On balance, transport by minivan ( bargain hard on the all-inclusive packages ) seems to work well for groups of 6-8 pax.
answered about 2 months ago by jestert79
Another option, though it destroys your "day trip" idea, is to stay a night or two in Ninh Binh so you're not pressed for time. We spent two nights there and arranged various motorbike trips with the hotel - one to Tam Coc, one to Kenh Ga and Hoa Lu, and then a trip to Cuc Phuong. I probably wouldn't recommend my hotel - the Thanh Thuy which shows up in Lonely Planet. They were too obviously money-grubbing. I actually wanted to do a bicycle trip to the nearby places and they were very discouraging about it (I now know it was because they'd make less money off me if I didn't pay for a guide and motorbike.) As for Tam Coc, yeah it's nice. I think things were a bit easier because I spoke some Vietnamese and joked around with the ladies, though they are relentless with offering their embroidery.
answered about 2 months ago by nicole_phuong
If you dont like private tour why shouldnt buy a backpacker tour around Old Quarter. It's okie. I like Jestert79's suggestion. Ninh Binh is my hometown, it is small but nice. You can stay 1 night there, rent a bike then visit.You can go around to find hotel, it is not too expensive i think. I also love Stone Church in Kim Son. Far from Ninh Binh town 25km. If you need further information, feel free to contact me :) I am working for a travel agent and only sell private tours. But never recomend you go to Ninh Binh by buying a private tour :D
answered about 2 months ago by widepanoramas
Thanks everyone for your input! I like the idea of a weekend trip, but I will probably go with a friend, and the only day off that coincides is Sunday. Work gets in the way, eh?
answered about 2 months ago by pippasweetie
Regarding maihanoi's comment about the emotional blackmail, when we went a few years ago my husband said to the drink seller "Well I will give her (the rower) the money and she can buy her own drink". Of course she didn't buy a drink with the money! (I don't think I have never seen a local drinking a can of coke!) Also, as witnessed by us-if a can of soda is bought for the rower it is kept unopened until later and traded back to the seller (profit shared).Consquently the drinkseller does not like the money being given directly to the rower as she misses her cut. Of course it is a very nice trip, and the amounts requested were not alot at the time, it is just the heavy sell tactics we object to. Pippasweetie
answered about 6 days ago by Niels
Get a bus at the Southern Bus station (Gip Bat, 45.000VND one way, 2 hours). Yes, you will be in a minivan, but if you avoid rushhours it'll be fine. Buses depart almost every ten minutes or so so you can easily find one that's not too crowded. Or take a softseat train. In NB, get a motorbike or bicycle in te area just in front of the trainstation (is near the busstation). TC is easy to find, follow Highway 1 A south for about 6 km, turn left at the Tam Coc sign, tickets for the boatride cost 60.000 VND for foreigners. Buy your drinks in NB in advance because you won't find a beer for less than 15.000 and they're lukewarm anyway. You may want to consider to go to Van Long Nature reserve instead. About as nice, same boattour, but no touts, no scams and if you go before 10.30am or after 2p.m., virtually NO tourists. Easy to get from Ninh Binh: at highway one, go 10 km. north in the direction of Hanoi. Turn left at the Cuc Phuong sign. After 5 km. turn right at the Van Long sign, it's at the end of the street. Visitors to Ninh Binh should also go to the new Bai Dinh Temple Complex, on of the biggest in Asia. The site is still under construction but the temples are nearly finished. Impressive and beautiful surrounding area, especially the road from NB to get there; From te centre of NB, folllow Highway 1 for about 1 km north/in the direction of Hanoi. Turn left after the small temple of the small hill, a surprisingly large 4-lane road but harldy any traffic. Follow for about 17km. When in doubt, always keep left. Way back; follow the same road back for about 2 km, turn left at the "Vuc Vung" temple sign, keep following until you get back to highway 1 andturn right for NB. Be aware that this alternative road will involve 6 km Highway 1 crazyness so less experienced bikers may be better off if they take the same way back as they came. Maybe this is some useful info for NB-goers. I've been living there for a while. Friendly quiet place, few tourists, hardly streetvendors, beatiful area, town is boring as hell, cheap and VERY good Bia Hoi and to whoever has dinner at our restaurant, I promise a free bottle of home-made ricewine. Thao Son restaurant, 144 Le Hong Phong street, opposite Trang An hotel and coffeebar, 100m. from the highway.
