Tam Coc, Vietnam

Tam Coc is often called "Halong Bay on Land" or "Halong Bay of the Rice Paddies". Either way, Tam Coc is a place of awesome limestone formations looming a humdred metre into the sky, the same way as you'd find at Halong Bay, except that over here, it is on land. The river Ngo Dong runs through this amazing landscape, and has since been tapped as a tourist attraction.

The name Tam Coc means Three Caves, and refers to the three massive caverns that you will pass through by boat, under the huge limestone mountains. Along the way, you witness life in rural Vietnam happening under those huge karst formations.

How to go to Tam Coc

Tam Coc is over a hundred km from Hanoi. It takes about two to three hours to reach it, and the trip is usually combined with one to Hoa Lu. You can get a day tour from Hanoi to visit Tam Coc from most travel agents in Hanoi. Such a tour usually includes a boat ride at Tam Coc as well. The tour begins in the morning and ends at the early part of the afternoon.