Ninh Binh

Ted. For our final excursion outside of Hanoi, we took a day trip by car to this historic region in the Red River delta. Dotted with more karst hills, some folks call Ninh Binh “Ha Long Bay on Land.” It too can be seen by water but on a different type of vessel. 

In the village of Tam Coc, we boarded a row boat to explore a bit of the Ngo Dong River. 

We arrived early so most boats weren't in use

Our skipper (most are female)

Note the unique way they handle the oars

The scenery was captivating and we saw how they actually grow rice on the shallow banks of the river. 

Open Bill Storks munch on snails

We passed through three caves and I actually had to duck a couple of times. 

After a hearty lunch, we visited Bich Dong Pagoda, a 15th century temple complex built into caves on the side of a hill. 

Judy and our guide, Tuu approach the entrance

Lady Buddha

Our final stop for the day was at the ancient citadel of Hoa Lu. Having grown up in this village, the first emperor of Vietnam, Dinh Bo Linh established his capital here in the late 10th century.

As a boy, Dinh Bo Linh loved to ride his water buffalo and pretend he was a great warrior engaged in battle. The animals still graze peacefully on the grounds. 

We watched as some other boys played with their pet on the same field where soldiers once trained.

All too soon it was time to get back in our car and endure the long ride back to the big city of Hanoi.