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Some of the foreign students including myself made a day trip to Ninh Bình Province to see some of the tourist sights there. This is the holiday period as the nation celebration the 30 Apr 1975 liberation of the South and also May Day.
We left Hà Nội at about 7.30am. The route from the Academy took us through Nhốn before making our way through Hà Tây before hitting Highway 1 which leads to the South. The journey took us about 2½ hours before we reached our first destination Tam Cốc. This is a scenic place which visitors are taking on a boat ride through limestone caves. You could say that this is the freshwater or inland Vịnh Ha Long (Ha Long Bay). Not sure if it can be compared to Guilin in China as I have yet to see the place.
We boarded a small water craft at the quay which took us on a three km trip through three caves. The return trip took approximately 1½ hours. Our craft was helmed by a middle lady and her son. In the course of our conversation, I found that foreigners are restricted to two to a craft while the locals are allowed to sit up to four persons. It was also revealed that a new boat costs about 3 triệu (3m) Việt Nam đồng. There are an estimated one thousand craft at Tam Cốc.
We left Hà Nội at about 7.30am. The route from the Academy took us through Nhốn before making our way through Hà Tây before hitting Highway 1 which leads to the South. The journey took us about 2½ hours before we reached our first destination Tam Cốc. This is a scenic place which visitors are taking on a boat ride through limestone caves. You could say that this is the freshwater or inland Vịnh Ha Long (Ha Long Bay). Not sure if it can be compared to Guilin in China as I have yet to see the place.
We boarded a small water craft at the quay which took us on a three km trip through three caves. The return trip took approximately 1½ hours. Our craft was helmed by a middle lady and her son. In the course of our conversation, I found that foreigners are restricted to two to a craft while the locals are allowed to sit up to four persons. It was also revealed that a new boat costs about 3 triệu (3m) Việt Nam đồng. There are an estimated one thousand craft at Tam Cốc.
On the journey through the slow moving river (could not figure why they call it a river as it is pretty small to me), I discovered that padi are planted on both flanks giving the landscape a wide patch of greenery which end abrupt against the limestone outcrop.
For lunch, we had mountain goat’s meat which is a specialty at Tam Cốc. The meat is cooked in several styles such as barbeque, hot plate, salad style. The meal for the 14 of us cost about 3m đồng (US$187/S$300). After lunch, we proceeded a short distance to visit Bích Động. This is a temple complex built into the limestone outcrop. It is said to be one of the most beautiful cave in Việt Nam.
On our way back, we stopped at the old capital Hoa Lu. It was the capital for 41 years from 968 - 1009 before Lý Thái Tổ established his capital at Thăng Long, which is present day Hà Nôi. As time was short, we only visited the two main temple complexes.
After a long day, we left Ninh Bình at 4pm and reached Hà Nội at 6.30.
For lunch, we had mountain goat’s meat which is a specialty at Tam Cốc. The meat is cooked in several styles such as barbeque, hot plate, salad style. The meal for the 14 of us cost about 3m đồng (US$187/S$300). After lunch, we proceeded a short distance to visit Bích Động. This is a temple complex built into the limestone outcrop. It is said to be one of the most beautiful cave in Việt Nam.
On our way back, we stopped at the old capital Hoa Lu. It was the capital for 41 years from 968 - 1009 before Lý Thái Tổ established his capital at Thăng Long, which is present day Hà Nôi. As time was short, we only visited the two main temple complexes.
After a long day, we left Ninh Bình at 4pm and reached Hà Nội at 6.30.
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