trang an or tam coc boat tour

Trang An or Tam Coc: Which Boat Tour in Ninh Binh Vietnam is Best

By Author Emily Junda

Posted on Last updated: October 4, 2023

Categories Vietnam

Ninh Binh, Vietnam is known for its stunning river boat tours and often referred to as the Ha Long Bay on Land . The waterways in the area take you along limestone cliffs, colorful rice paddies, and through narrow caves. There are two different boat tours, Trang An and Tam Coc , each offering a similar yet unique passage through the river. 

In this guide, we will dive into the similarities and differences between the Trang An and Tam Coc Boat Tours.

This post may contain affiliate links. Disclosure policy .

Difference Between The Trang An & Tom Coc River Boat Tours

Trang An Boat Tour

• Boats must have 3-4 passengers
• Guide rows with his/her hands
• Travel under up to 9 caves & 3 ancient temples
• Paddle past the famous scene from Kong Skull Island
• 3 different routes to choose from
• Tours are a loop rather than out & back (always new scenery)
• Can get off and walk in/around ancient pagodas
• Smaller & longer caves
• Cleaner water
• Snacks for purchase at some of the temples
• No “professional” photographer
• UNESCO World Heritage Site

Tam Coc Boat Tour

• Boat can go with just a group of 2 (but can also hold 4 passengers)
• Guide rows with his/her feet
• Travel under 3 caves
• Paddle below the famous Mua Cave Viewpoint
• Tour goes through beautiful rice fields
• The boat tours offer only 1 route (out & back)
• Larger but shorter caves
• Dirtier water
• Snacks are sold after the last cave via local people on boats
• “Professional” photographers on the water (can purchase your photo at the end of the tour)

Overall, we liked the Trang An boat tour best. But it was our first boat tour, so this might have a little something to do with why we enjoyed it better. 

How To Get To The Trang An Boat Tour

There are a few different options for getting to the Trang An Boat Tour, such as car, taxi, pedal bike, or motorbike. 

There is a parking lot across the street from the Trang An Boat Tours. Cost for parking is 15k ($0.63 USD) for a scooter (motorbike) and 10k ($0.42 USD) per bicycle. Make sure you take your ticket and keep it with you, because you will need to show it again when you leave the parking area with your scooter or bike. 

If you are traveling from Hanoi or nearby city, use the website 12goasia to find a bus, train, or taxi ride into Ninh Binh.

Different Routes For The Trang An Boat Tour

There are three different routes to choose from when taking the Trang An Boat Tour. Each offers a loop route so you are always experiencing new scenery and only going through each cave once.

Here are the details for the 3 different Trang An Boat Tour routes:

• Trinh Temple
• Nau Ruou Cave
• Tran Temple
• Ba Giot Cave
• Son Duong Cave
• Khong Palace (aka: Bao Hieu Temple)
• Quy Hau Cave
• Summary: Tour with the most caves, not for claustrophobic tourists
• Thanh Cao Son Temple
• Thanh Truot Cave
• Suoi Tien Temple
• Dia Linh Mountain
• Kim Quy Mountain
• Vu Lam Royal Steps Temple
• Kong Skull Island Movie Set
• Summary: Good happy medium of everything: scenic, caves, temples. Most popular route.
• Summary: Goes through the longest cave (Dot Cave) with an amazing stalactite system, technically the shortest but most scenic route.

Route 1 is technically the longest route and will take the longest amount of time. Route 2 is slightly shorter, and Route 3 is technically the shortest route. All claim to be 3 hrs long, but it all depends on how much time you spend off the boat at each pagoda. 

Jake and I typically just got off to check out each spiritual place, took some photos, walked around, then got back on the boat. Ultimately making the tour shorter and only taking about 2 hours rather than the suggested 3 hours.

Price For The Trang An Boat Tour:

The ticket price is the same no matter which Trang An route you choose. The cost is 250k VND ($10.50 USD) for adults, and 120k VND ($5 USD) for children. But any children under 1 m (3’ 3”) ride free.

Before heading to the boat launching area, you must first purchase your ticket from the ticket booth across the street first. Once you purchase your ticket, you can head to the underground tunnel toward the boat wharf. Here there will be a ticket checkpoint. 

Once your ticket is scanned, head toward the river to find a tour guide (aka boat rower).  There will be someone directing you to the right boat depending on the route you choose. You might have to wait for other passengers if you are traveling in a group of fewer than 4.

What To Expect On The Trang An Boat Tour

The boat fits up to 4 passengers, therefore, you are likely to be sharing the boat with strangers. Each boat won’t leave with just one or two passengers, so you might have to wait for another traveler or two before the boat takes off. Or you can purchase four tickets (1m VND ($42 USD)) to have a private boat tour.

We found the tour guides to not speak much English, so we didn’t really learn much along our tour.

At each temple you will be dropped off to explore the area. It is important to remember your boat number, because you won’t be getting back on the boat in the same place. Once you are finished exploring the temple, you will walk to the pick up location and find your boat # with the same boat rower. 

When going through the caves, there are lights in place so it won’t be completely dark. You will likely need to duck in certain areas so you won’t hit your head. So people with mobility issues may have trouble.

There are additional paddles in the small boats. You don’t need to row, but it can be helpful and take some of the workload off the boat rower. 

At the end of the tour, you can choose to tip your boat rower or not. It is not customary in Vietnam, but it can be a nice gesture. 

How To Get To The Tam Coc Boat Tour

The Tam Coc boat tour is situated right in the city center. Therefore, if you are staying in Tam Coc, you can likely walk to the boat tour. But if you are staying in Trang An or a nearby city, you can get here via car, taxi, or motorbike. 

There are a handful of places you can park your bike or scooter in the city. We parked our scooter here , right next to this public restroom and near the Tam Coc Boat Tours. We paid 10k VND ($.42 USD). 

It was covered parking and there was an attendant standing right outside the area. It didn’t seem super official, but it was cheap and we just took the gamble. Everything ended up being fine and our bike was there when we got back! (Refer to the map above for direct links to parking, ticket booth, and boat launch point).

If you are traveling from Hanoi or other nearby city, use the site 12goasia to find direct routes via bus, taxi, or train.

Route For The Tam Coc Boat Tour

There is only one route for the Tam Coc Boat Tours, which is out and back. The tour starts from the city, down the Ngo Dong River. It passes through 3 caves, which you will pass through again on your way back.

Price For The Tam Coc Boat Tour

There is an extra cost of 120k VND ($5 USD) per person for sightseeing tickets in the Tam Coc area. Children under 1.4m (4’6″) are 60k VND ($2.5 USD), children under 3 are free.

There is an additional cost if you want to go on the Tam Coc boat trip. It’s an additional 150k VND ($6.30 USD) per boat. So for a couple, the total cost would be 120k VND x 2 (sightseeing entrance fee) + 150k VND (for the boat) = 390k VND ($16.50 USD). 

We are not really clear on why there is a separate sightseeing fee, but you need to pay both to go on the boat tour.

Tickets can be bought at the ticket booth right in front of the Ngo Dong River (you will see TONS of boats lined up ready to take tourists). Do note, they only take cash, but there are many ATMs within walking distance from the ticket booth.

What To Expect On The Tam Coc Boat Tour

Foreign tourists can have their own private tour with just 2 passengers. Vietnamese People will need 3-4 passengers for each boat.

The Tam Coc boat ride is out and back and travels through 3 caves. There is only one route to choose.

There are lights in the cave, but you might need to duck in certain areas so you won’t hit your head. 

At the last cave, there will likely be local people offering snacks for purchase. After passing under the last cave, you will turn around and head back. 

Again, our tour guide did not speak fluent English, so it was hard to communicate, and we didn’t learn much along the tour.

The Tam Coc Boat Tour is more about the scenery and rowing through the stunning rice fields. So you won’t experience the same spiritual places like you do on the Trang An Boat Tour. 

When Is The Best Season For Ninh Binh Boat Tours: Trang An or Tam Coc

The best time to visit Ninh Binh for the Trang An or Tam Coc boat tour is from late May to early July to experience the colorful rice paddies. This is considered harvest season, so you can witness the yellow fields. You can also witness the colorful rice fields in October as well (but will likely be a beautiful green). 

Winter (November-May) is Ninh Binh’s dry season. So this can also be a good time to visit Ninh Binh. But the rice fields won’t be in full swing, and you will often see the farmers out there replanting in the paddy fields.

We visited mid-January and the temperatures were in the 40’s-50’s which we found pretty chilly out on the water. The rice fields were also pretty brown and not vibrant yellow or green.

The months of August and September should be avoided because of heavy rainfall and storm season. 

Best Time Of Day To Do Ninh Binh Boat Tours

Also, if you want to avoid the crowds, you should do the boat tour in the early morning . This avoids many of the large tours leaving from Hanoi and you will likely have more of the river/temples to yourself. 

We did our Trang An boat tour in the afternoon and poorly timed our tour with a large group who were very loud and took away from the serene nature you are surrounded by. So ideally, we would have done the tour in the morning if we were to do it again.

What To Bring On The Trang An or Tam Coc Boat Tours:

• Snacks (boat tours are 2-3 hrs/ snacks are available for purchase near the last cave on the Tam Coc tour or at the temples for the Trang An Tours)
• Layers (we visited in January and it was cold!)
• Good Shoes (you climb in and out of the boat, so I’d suggest tennis shoes/no flip flops)
• Binoculars (optional)
• Umbrella (can be both good for rain or shade from the sun)

Ninh Binh Boat Tours From Hanoi (Epic Day Trips & Multi-Day Tours)

If you want to take the hard part out of coordinating your own trip to Ninh Binh, then consider going with a tour operator instead.

Day Trip to Ninh Binh from Hanoi: (Best Value)

This tour leaves from Hanoi and provides a full day of adventures in Ninh Binh. There are 6 different attractions you can choose from: Hoa Lu ancient capital, Mua Cave, Tam Coc, Bich Dong Pagoda, Bai Dinh Pagoda, and Trang An. There are different itineraries to choose from, so prices may fluctuate. The tour returns back to Hanoi at the end of the day. (Transportation, lunch, & entrance fees included) .

Luxury Ninh Binh Day Trip from Hanoi : (Best Day Trip Option)

This tour starts from Hanoi, and brings you to Ninh Binh. Groups are no larger than 9 people maximum. First, you meet with a local family to explore Vietnamese culture. Then, head to the ancient Bich Dong Pagoda where you will learn about the history of Buddhism. Then you head out on the Tam Coc River Tour, followed by a bike ride through the rice paddies and villages. Followed by a hike up to Mua Cave. The trip returns back to Hanoi at the end of the day. (Transportation, entrance fees & lunch included)

Unique Multi-Day Trip Including Hanoi, Ninh Binh & Ha Long Bay:

If you are short on time and want to see the best sights in Northern Vietnam, these multi-day tours could be a great option.

Hanoi: 3-Day Luxury Ninh Binh & HaLong Bay 5-Star Cruise :

This cruise picks guests up in Hanoi and heads to Ninh Binh to visit the ancient city of Hoa Lu (aka Ninh Binh), climb to the Hang Mua viewpoint, and take the scenic Trang An Boat Tour. Then the next day you head to Ha Long Bay for an overnight cruise. Finally, head back to Hanoi. (Transportation, accommodation, entrance fees, & all meals (except dinner in Ninh Binh) included)

5-Day Hanoi – Lan Ha Bay 5 Star Cruise – Ninh Binh Tour :

This unique 5-day tour starts off with a pick-up from the Hanoi airport and provides transportation to the city center. Day 2 is a Hanoi City Tour exploring the unique attractions in the city. Day 3 you head to Ninh Binh where you explore Bai Dinh Temple Complex, a ride on the Trang An boat tour, followed by a hike up the Mua Caves Lookout. On Day 4, you head to Ha Long Bay for an overnight cruise. Then, the following day, head back to Hanoi. (Transportation, accommodation, entrance fees, & all meals included)

Check Out Our Video on Both Trang An & Tam Coc Boat Tours

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Is Trang An or Tam Coc Boat Tour Better?

We were lucky enough to go on both the Trang An and Tam Coc boat tours to compare the two. Personally, we really enjoyed both tours with the stunning scenery, so you really can’t go wrong with either. But there are a few differences that make each tour stand out in different ways. 

Both tours took around 2 hours, but they can be extended depending on the temples you explore. Or anywhere you stop to walk around. So some tourists can expect their tours to be anywhere from 2-3 hrs long.

Pros & Cons of the Trang An Boat Tour

The Trang An Boat Tour is technically more expensive by 110k VND ($5 USD). Which in USD is really not much of a game changer in price. But it can be a little harder to get to since there are no hotels or hostels located near the boat wharf. And you will likely be paying for a taxi or for bike/scooter parking, which can add to the overall price. 

The Trang An Boat Tour is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Which means it is in a protected area and you are less exposed to scammers.

A bonus to the Trang An Boat Tour is the 3 different routes to choose from. If you love caves, then route 1 is best for you. If you want a happy medium between scenery, temples, and caves, then route 2 is perfect for you. And lastly, if you want to experience the longest cave in Trang An, then route 3 is a unique experience for you. 

Don’t think too harshly about the route decision, as they are all a loop and meander along beautiful landscapes of limestone mountains, unique caves, and visit spiritual places. 

One drawback is the boat having to be full with 3-4 passengers. While pairing with another couple wasn’t a huge deal, we always had to switch between front and middle seats. So if you are big into photography, having people sit in front of you could be annoying. And when you get off at the temples, you might be waiting for the other pair to get back to the boat or vice versa (which can be added stress).

Pros & Cons of the Tam Coc Boat Tour

The Tam Coc tour, like mentioned above, is cheaper by 110k VND ($5 USD). Another bonus is the location in the city. If you ride a train or bus into Ninh Binh, you are likely to be dropped off in the city here and won’t need to pay for parking. 

The Tam Coc boat trip meanders through the rice paddies and offers beautiful natural landscapes. You can also see the Mua Caves Viewpoint along the ride, which is just a cool sight to see. 

Another bonus for the Tam Coc boat ride is that foreign travelers can have their own private boat. So we were able to have the boat driver stop wherever we wanted for photos or for literally anything.

But the Tam Coc Boat Tours is not located in a World Heritage Site, so it does have more exposure to pushy vendors and scammers. There was an instance when the local people had us stop for snacks before the last cave.

We politely declined, but once we made it back through, we decided to just support the locals by getting a little snack of fresh pineapple. The ladies tried to get us to buy our boat rower a soda and chips, but we just asked if he would rather that or tip him cash at the end (he wanted the cash). 

Coming from the United States, tipping doesn’t really make us feel uncomfortable. But if you are from a country that doesn’t tip, the Tam Coc tour definitely made us feel a little more pressured to tip our tour guide. (Some Google Reviews have stated some people felt very uncomfortable, and at times they were asked for more money halfway along the trip).

Overall, if I had to choose just one, I would choose the Trang An Boat Tour. I personally like loop adventures and enjoyed the scenery on this tour more. But if you are only in Ninh Binh for a short time and staying in the Tam Coc area, I’d probably just do the Tam Coc for convenience.

Save This ‘Trang An vs Tam Coc Boat Tour Comparison’ For Your Planning

Trang An or Tam Coc: which Ninh Binh boat tour is best?

This post might contain affiliate links, which means we may receive a small commission on purchases made through these links, at no additional cost to you.

Trang An or Tam Coc? It’s a dilemma many travelers are faced with when visiting Ninh Binh. Both places offer boat tours between the huge karst mountains of the Ninh Binh region; a landscape which is often referred to as “Ha Long Bay on land”.

So how do you choose between Trang An or Tam Coc? And which site is the best to visit? In this post we’ll give you our view on the matter.

As a small disclaimer, I do have to mention that we did not visit both Trang An and Tam Coc. Since the boat tours aren’t cheap, we did our research and selected the one that came out on top. With this blog, we hope to spare you a few hours of searching the Internet by summarizing what we found about Trang An and Tam Coc.

We’ll discuss how both places score on five aspects that we think are most important when deciding which Ninh Binh boat tour to take: surroundings, route, price, cleanliness and rowers.

So, let’s get right to it!

1. Surroundings

The surroundings are what you’ve come for, right? Therefore, it was an easy decision to review this aspect of the Ninh Binh boat tours first. It is (probably) the most important aspect when choosing between Trang An or Tam Coc.

Like I wrote earlier, both Trang An and Tam Coc boat tours will take you through a breathtaking landscape of enormous karst mountains. So, you really can’t go wrong, no matter which one you choose.

There are, however, some differences to the views you’ll get, as the tours take you through two different areas of the Ninh Binh region.

The Tam Coc boat tours will take you through an area which is used for agriculture. More specifically, you will see a lot of rice fields. Now, this has its pro’s and its cons. If you’re visiting the area in May or June, the rice fields have an amazing yellow-green colour. This is a truly unique sight, which is why most pictures of Tam Coc you’ll find online are taken at this time of year.

However, if you’re visiting after the rice harvest, you’ll find a completely different sight. The empty rice fields will be all brown and muddy, which is why we recommend you avoid Tam Coc during that time. You can check with your hotel what the state of the rice fields is when you’re there.

At Trang An, you’ll find a completely different landscape. Here, the boat tours will take you through a more natural landscape. You’ll see jungle and trees in between the karst mountains, which is absolutely gorgeous any time of year. You will also visit a few temples during your Trang An boat tour.

So, which boat tour offers better surroundings? Trang An or Tam Coc? It’s really hard to say and really depends on your own personal preference and the time of year that you are visiting. We’re calling this one a tie.

The Tam Coc boat tours run along the Ngo Dong river, which snakes between the karst mountains. As Tam Coc litteraly means “three caves” in Vietnamese, it’s no surprise that the Tam Coc route takes you through these three caves. The caves are respectively 127 meters, 60 meters and 50 meters long and have many stalactites. The tour lasts for about 1.5 to 2 hours and you return the same way you came.

At Trang An, you can choose between three different routes, which last between 2.5 and 3.5 hours. All three routes are circles, so you don’t return the same way you came. The routes all have their own emphasis, though you’ll be taken to several temples and caves on each one. Route 1 takes you through the most caves (9 in total) and is also the longest route. The second route is the shortest (better for families with kids) and features a stop at the Kong: Skull Island movie set site. Route 3 is best for viewing the karst mountains and also brings you to the movie set.

In our view, Trang An is the clear winner when it comes to the routes. Not only do you have the option to choose between three different routes, to suit your preferences, they’ve also designed the routes in such a way that you don’t have to backtrack. Also, the river at Tam Coc is quite wide and, from the pictures we’ve seen, looks a bit like a canal. The Trang An waterways seem more natural, are narrower and have little “lakes” at parts where the mountains are further away from each other.

To compare the pricing of Trang An and Tam Coc, we’ll assume you’re traveling with two persons.

The price you pay at Tam Coc consists of a fee per boat plus a fee per person. The boat will cost you a fixed fee of 150.000 VND. On top of this, you’ll pay 120.000 VND per person.

The Tam Coc boats fit four persons, BUT they only allow two persons on a boat if you are a foreigner. For Vietnamese people, they do allow 4 persons per boat. The official reason for this is that foreigners are a lot bigger (and thus heavier for the rower), but it does seem a bit like this is a way to make more money off of foreign tourists.

Anyway, a Tam Coc boat ride will set you back 390.000 VND for two persons (150K + 2 x 120K).

The pricing at Trang An is a lot more straightforward. You pay 200.000 VND per person. However, they do try to fill the boats to capacity. This means that if you’re with two persons, you’ll probably have to share your boat with two others.

In total, a Trang An boat ride will cost you 400.000 VND for two persons. This is only 10.000 VND more than at Tam Coc. You might have to share your boat, but remember that the Trang An tour does last at least an hour longer. For this reason, we’re going to call it a tie on the prices.

4. Cleanliness

As you might know, pollution is a huge problem in Southeast Asia and can seriously ruin your experience. We were therefore pleasantly surprised that the water at Trang An was quite clear and there was no trash floating around. We learned that there is even a cleaning crew around, which is responsible for keeping the water trash-free.

As for Tam Coc, we’ve read several reviews stating that the river water is brown and dirty. This might be caused by the many boats stirring up the soil or simply by rainfall as is the case with many rivers. However, trash in the water also doesn’t seem to be a problem here. So, again we seem to have a tie.

As you’ll be spending several hours in a small boat with your rower, how you get along with him or her can really change your experience. And it is on this aspect that we find the biggest difference which will have the largest impact on your decision between Trang An or Tam Coc.

Let’s first take a look at Tam Coc. This is a government run operation and all the rowers are “independent contractors”. Basically, they get paid a (small) amount for each boat ride they make. Because it’s very difficult for them to get by on their boat fee, they try to find other ways to make more money.

This, unfortunately, leads to many tourists having a negative experience. There have been many reports of tourists being “forced” to buy overpriced drinks and/or handicrafts, and cutting trips short (so they can pick up more rides that day). Rowers also basically demand a tip of 100.000 VND and blatantly express their dissatisfaction if you tip them anything less.

The set-up at Trang An is quite different. The Trang An boat tours are organised by a private company, which employs the rowers. This means that the rowers get paid a fixed monthly salary, no matter how many tours they do. This is a much better arrangement for the rowers, as they do not have to scramble for cash.

Also, the company keeps a strict eye on how the rowers interact with the tourists. We were even given a questionnaire at the end of our Trang An tour. It asked us to evaluate different aspects of the tour, including our rower.

Though our rower did ask us to help her out with the paddling, she was very friendly, did not try to sell us anything and did not ask for a tip. We were very happy with the overall experience.

So when it comes to the rowers, it is a clear win for Trang An.

Overall winner: Trang An or Tam Coc?

When counting the scores, we see that it’s a tie between Trang An and Tam Coc on three of the five aspects that we reviewed: Surroundings, Price and Cleanliness.

But in our opinion, Trang An is the obvious winner in the comparison between Trang An and Tam Coc. We feel that the three different circular routes and especially the friendliness of the rowers give Trang An a big advantage over Tam Coc.

So, if you have too choose between the two, we would recommend you go to Trang An for your Ninh Binh boat tour!

More Vietnam adventures? Why don’t you check out the amazing Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park or go exploring in the abandoned water park of Hue ?

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Hi, my name is Sandra and I’m half of the traveling couple that makes up Bus stops & Flip-flops. I’m finally living the dream by traveling the world with my husband Geert. My other hobbies are eating good food, dancing and sleeping in. Did you enjoy reading my blog post? I’d love it if you leave a comment!

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Trang An Boat Tour: Incredible caves and temples (Ultimate Guide)

• Last updated: February 10, 2024

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About the Trang An boat ride in Ninh Binh

Every traveler we met recommended the Trang An boat tour instead of the most famous Tam Coc one because it’s much more peaceful, with boat operators not harassing you to buy things left and right.

Note: We didn’t do the Tam Coc ride, so we don’t have first-hand experience, but a couple of our friends went and said it is true (it’s a common theme on other blogs as well). So we’d also recommend the Trang An boat ride instead of Tam Coc.

Although our favorite boat ride in Ninh Binh was in Van Long Nature Reserve , we liked our ride in Trang An quite a lot.

Read more about things to do in Ninh Binh in our ultimate guide.

Boat ride experience in Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex

The boat ride in Trang An comprises three different routes you can choose depending on the length and the things you want to see.

We suggest taking route number 3, which includes the 1000 meters long Dot Cave, the longest cave in the complex. Route number 3 is the only route that includes the longest cave, so if you take any other route, you will miss it. 

The Dot Cave was definitely the highlight of our boat trip. It takes quite a bit of time to pass it, so it’s long enough to “feel” the cave. But it’s quite a relaxing ride, so you should be fine, even if you’re a bit claustrophobic. Remember that it’s a well-trodden route, and everyone gets out! 🙂

Note: We checked the timings of the photos and videos we took while entering and exiting the cave, and it seems like it took us about 20 minutes to pass it!

Price and duration of the Trang An boat tour

A ticket for the boat ride in Trang An is around 250.000 VND (approximately $11) per person for adults or double if you want only two people in the boat (usually four people fit inside). Kids under 1 meter have free entrance, and for the ones under 1,3 meters, the ticket is 120.000 VND (approximately $5).

Note: Only bring your younger children on this boat ride if you know they can sit still for an extended period of time.

The boat ride in Trang An lasts between 2 and 3 hours, depending on the route. Our ride took 2 hours as we did minimal stops in the temples, and nobody else was in the complex.

Honestly, the 2 hours boat ride was more than enough for us. We feel that anything more would be a bit too much for us personally. 🙂

Different routes of the Trang An boat tour

Route number 1: trinh temple, tran temple, khong palace.

Route number 1 takes you through 9 caves (Toi Cave, Sang Cave, Nau Ruou Cave, Ba Giot Cave, Seo Cave, Son Duong Cave, Khong Cave, Tran Cave and Quy Hau Cave) and 3 temples of the Dinh Dynasty (Trinh Temple, Tran Temple and Khong Temple – Bao Hieu Pagoda). All these caves are relatively short.

Route number 2: Thanh Cao Son Temple, Dia Linh Mountain, Vu Lam Royal Steps

Route number 2 takes you through 4 limestone caves (Lam Cave, Vang Cave, Thanh Truot Cave, and Dai Cave) and 3 temples (Thanh Cao Son Temple, Suoi Tien Temple and Vu Lam Royal Steps). This route includes Dia Linh Mountain, which is in the shape of a giant pen tower.

Route number 3: Trinh Temple, Dot Cave, Suoi Tien Temple

Route number 3 is the only one that takes you through the 1000-meter-long Dot Cave, the longest cave in the Trang An complex. The stalactite system in this cave is quite impressive. 

On this route, you visit 3 caves (Dot Cave, Van Cave and Dai Cave) and 3 temples (Trinh Temple, Suoi Tien Temple and Vu Lam Royal Steps). This route also takes you through Dia Linh Mountain, the same as the previous one.

What is the difference between the routes?

As you can see from the route descriptions, some spots repeat in every route. The biggest similarities are between route number 2 and route number 3.

Did you know?

We explored Vietnam for more than 1 year and a half and wrote 34 and counting detailed articles.

Did you know? We explored Vietnam for more than 1 year and a half and wrote 34 and counting detailed articles.

Which route to take for the Trang An boat ride?

Considering that everyone usually cares the most about the last temple (the one on the water), many choose route number 3 as it’s the only one that includes the longest cave in the complex. It takes about 20 minutes to go through the cave, and it was definitely the highlight of our experience.

Most of the photos from the temples mostly look incredible from the aerial perspective and a bit less from the ground.

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Best time to do the Trang An boat ride

The best time to do the boat ride in Trang An is early morning or late afternoon because of the extended time in the sun. Take a Non la – Vietnamese conical hat, and sunscreen for the best protection.

Some people like to take umbrellas on the ride, but remember that there are other people in the boat too, and you might be blocking their view if you have an umbrella.

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Do you need to book the Trang An boat ride in advance?

You do not need to book the Trang An Boat ride in advance, as you just show up at the ticket counter, buy a ticket, and wait in line for a boat.

If you’re taking the boat ride as part of a tour, the ticket will be included in the price, and you shouldn’t need to queue up for tickets.

How to get to the Trang An boat ride starting point?

The starting point of the Trang An boat ride is easily reachable from any point in Ninh Binh, as it’s right next to the main road connecting Tam Coc and Hoa Lu/Bai Dinh.

If you’re staying in one of the towns nearby, we suggest going by bicycle, or if you’re in Tam Coc, it’s best to go by motorbike or a taxi.

Click here for the location of the Trang An boat ride .

Where to stay in Trang An, Ninh Binh

There are many options for accommodations, from hotels to homestays in the Trang An area.

We stayed at the Ha Lan Homestay in Ninh Xuan, which is also very close to Hang Mua , and we highly recommend it. And we also stayed at Hang Mua Ecolodge , part of the Hang Mua complex, right at the foot of the hill and next to the lotus lake.

These are also some of the well-reviewed and liked hotels in the area:

• Trang An Retreat
• Trang An Moon Garden Homestay
• Trang An Lotus Lake Homestay
• Ninh Binh Mountain Side Homestay & Cafe

The difference between Trang An, Tam Coc, and Van Long boat rides

The Van Long Nature Reserve boat ride is definitely much more peaceful , as it’s still not in every guidebook and tour itinerary, unlike the Trang An and Tam Coc ones.

The Trang An and Tam Coc boat rides are longer, and there’s more sightseeing included. Therefore, the price is also higher. But, Van Long, on the other hand, is a better choice for seeing some wildlife.

Read more about taking a boat ride in Van Long Nature Reserve.

Because of the significant demand for boat rides in Trang An and Tam Coc, you might need to wait in line and share a boat with other tourists. There are four or five people per boat. And if you want to do a private boat ride, you’ll need to pay the same price as for the entire boat. 

In Van Long, there’s usually no waiting in a line , and there are usually only two people in a boat, so it’s a more private experience. Families of 3 to 4 can also go in one boat in Van Long, but it’s a bit more cramped then.

The scenery and landscape are beautiful in all areas of Ninh Binh, where the boat rides occur, and they are pretty similar. However, we have to admit that the Trang An landscape was a bit more majestic as limestone mountains are much higher there. And you do get the chance to pass through a 1-km long cave.

Note: “Kong: Skull Island” movie was filmed in both Van Long and Trang An areas. There was also a movie set in Trang An until the end of 2020, but it’s since been removed and you can’t see it anymore, unfortunately. 

No hassling

The boat rides at Trang An, and Van Long are both free from hassle and begging for tips and selling all kinds of stuff, unlike the Tam Coc boat ride. We’ve heard from friends that went on a boat ride in Tam Coc that it was pretty overwhelming.

What else to do in Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex?

Since 2020, you can also rent a kayak and go around the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex all by yourself on two different routes (8km or 5km).

The kayak rental cost in Trang An is 250.000 VND ($11) for the single and 400.000 VND ($17) for the double kayak.

There are some rules you have to follow while kayaking in Trang An:

• Wear a life jacket
• Stick to the route
• Do not bathe in the water

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Where to eat in Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex?

There is an on-site restaurant at the Trang An boat wharf, and there are a lot of restaurants on the road leading there, so you can easily find a place to eat if you’re feeling hungry after the ride.

Is the Trang An boat ride in Ninh Binh safe?

Taking a boat ride in Trang An, Ninh Binh, is a very safe activity, as you’re exploring the area on a boat operated by a very-skilled rower. All the caves you pass through are equipped with lights, and you are also provided with a life jacket.

What are the available facilities at the Trang An boat wharf?

The Trang An complex provides an ATM, parking, toilets, and an on-site restaurant.

Is Trang An in Ninh Binh worth visiting?

Ninh Binh’s Trang An boat ride is worth visiting because of the beautiful landscape, fascinating caves you go through and the temples you visit along the way. It’s an equally good option to the more famous Tam Coc boat ride (or even better).

Let us know in the comments if you have done any of the boat rides in Ninh Binh and how it was. We’re eager to know others’ experiences and thoughts.

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2 Responses

Good morning, I came across your website while searching how to do the boat tours in Ninh Binh and Tam Coc. Your website is incredibly detailed and has been so useful for first timers in this part of Viet Nam. Can you let me know what is the the latest time the boat tour runs? We are planning to do a day trip from Hanoi to Ninh Binh and would like to go on this boat tour but we are not sure if they close by 5pm.

The tickets are sold until 5 pm, so it would be best if you could organize your trip to be there at least by 4:30 pm, just in case.

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Trang An Boat Tour: A Full Guide for Backpackers

Nestled amidst the verdant landscapes of Vietnam lies Trang An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site renowned for its ethereal beauty and natural splendor. Here, limestone karsts punctuate the tranquil waterways, creating a mesmerizing tapestry of ancient caves and lush foliage. Are you ready to witness one of the most magical places Vietnam has to offer? Join us for the ultimate guide to a Trang An Boat Tour!

Planning to visit Vietnam? Start here:

Backpacking Vietnam: the Ultimate Travel Guide for First Timers

What is trang an.

Trang An is a scenic area located in the Ninh Binh province of northern Vietnam. It is characterized by its karst landscape, featuring limestone formations that rise dramatically from the surrounding plains.

The region is intersected by a network of waterways , including rivers, streams, and canals, which wind their way between the karst peaks and through lush green valleys. These waterways are dotted with numerous caves, some of which are accessible by boat, adding to the area’s natural allure.

In 2014, Trang An was recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site for its outstanding natural beauty and cultural significance. Trang An Landscape Complex is home to several temples and pagodas, adding to its cultural importance and charm.

Trang An is often referred to as “Halong Bay on Land” due to its similar landscape of limestone karsts and picturesque waterways, reminiscent of the famous Halong Bay.

Planning to visit Halong Bay? Check Lan Ha Bay too before making a decision!

What to Do at Trang An?

For the best experience at Trang An near Ninh Binh, take your time to fully appreciate its captivating landscape. Specifically, we recommend joining a Trang An boat tour.

The Trang An boat tour offers a scenic journey through Ninh Binh’s karst landscapes. This is the best way to fully appreciate the beauty of the Trang An Landscape Complex. Travelers glide on small wooden boats along tranquil waterways, passing limestone cliffs, caves, and temples.

The Trang An boat tour is a captivating experience immersed in nature’s beauty and cultural heritage. The boats can accommodate 4 people, and life vests are mandatory.

How to get to Trang An?

The Trang An Departure Boat Ticket is located about 8 kilometers (approximately 5 miles) from Tam Coc and about 7 kilometers (approximately 4.5 miles) from Ninh Binh town .

You can easily reach the departing point by motorbike, bicycle, or taxi. Renting a bike in the Ninh Binh / Tam Coc area costs between 100.000 VND and 150.000 VND per day (roughly $4-6 USD), while a bicycle is much cheaper and costs about 20.000 VND per day.

Parking costs 15,000 VND for motorbikes and 10,000 VND for bicycles . It’s always a good idea to have cash on you for small transactions.

Below is the exact location of the Trang An boat tour departure point:

Trang An Boat Tour Overview

First of all, something most people don’t know is that there are three possible routes for a Trang An Boat Tour, and you get to pick up one.

What is the difference between the 3 options? Here is an overview:

Trang An Routes: choose the best one for you

Below is a picture of the map you’ll find at Trang An, describing the different routes. Each route is accompanied by a brief description detailing its highlights and attractions.

Route 1 – (9 caves, 3 temples)

Route one, also known as the Caves Tour, guides visitors through nine caves: Toi, Sang, Nau Ruou, Ba Giot, Seo, Son Duong, Khong, Tran and Quy Hau caves. Along the way, explorers will encounter three temples: Trinh Temple, Tran Temple, and Khong Temple with Bao Hieu Pagoda.

Covering a circular path spanning 15 kilometers, this tour typically requires around 3 hours to finish. It is the longest

Route 2 – (4 caves, 3 temples)

Route two offers a journey to three temples and four caves: Thanh Truot, Dai, Vang, and Lam caves. Visit the Cao Son Temple, dedicated to the mountain god, followed by the Suoi Tien Temple, a springtime gathering place for prayers. Complete the route with a visit to the Vu Lam Royal Steps, once a Tran Dynasty military base and Buddhist center.

Route 2 is the shortest of the three, and it is the ideal choice for those short on time. Lasting just over 2 hours, this tour allows ample opportunity to explore the natural caves and temples while making the most of your visit.

Route 3 – (3 caves, 3 temples)

Introduced in late 2017, the third tour route is the latest addition to the Trang An boat tour itinerary. Despite appearing to offer the least, route 3 comes highly recommended by many locals as the premier choice in Trang An. Tour number three leads through Trang An’s longest cave , Dot Cave, spanning one kilometer.

Explorers will also visit Van and Dai caves. Additionally, the tour includes stops at Trinh Temple, Suoi Tien Temple, and Vu Lam Royal Steps. The excursion culminates at the movie set of “Kong: Skull Island,” featuring renowned actors Samuel L. Jackson and Brie Larson.

Which route is best in Trang An?

Determining the best route ultimately depends on your preferences and interests. Each route offers its own unique attractions and experiences, catering to different tastes and time constraints.

Route 1 provides a comprehensive exploration of caves and temples, while Route 2 offers a shorter option with diverse cave visits. Route 3, the newest addition, promises a captivating journey through the longest cave in Trang An.

Consider your preferences for duration, sights, and activities to determine which route aligns best with your interests.

In our case, we had heard good things about Route 3, and we ended up choosing it over the others. We had a lovely experience, and we would highly recommend it.

Trang An Boat Tour Price

The ticket price for the Trang An Boat Tour is 250.000 VND per person , about $10 USD.

The ticket counter is located near the parking lot, in a big building on the opposite side of the harbor. Once you’ve secured your ticket, you’ll pass through an underground tunnel to reach the wharf.

For everyone’s safety at the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, wearing life jackets is required during the trip. While tipping the ferryman at the end of the journey is optional, it’s always appreciated.

PLEASE NOTE: Each boat can accommodate 4 people. If you’re traveling with just 2 or 3 people, you might need to wait until more passengers join your journey. Alternatively, you will have to pay for the additional empty seats if you want to have the boat to yourself.

Trang An Boat Tour Opening Times

Trang An boat tours are available all year round, and you can purchase tickets at the booth daily from 7:00 am to 4:00 pm .

There is no fixed time for boats to leave. Whenever 4 people are ready, you’ll be introduced to your boatman and the tour begins.

The Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex is becoming a popular place, so going early in the morning is the best to avoid the crowds.

Our adventure on the Trang An Boat Tour

Here is a detailed overview of what our experience at Trang An looked like:

Finding our boat

We set out to explore Trang An on a misty morning in January 2024. Upon arrival, we headed straight to the ticket counter, where we had the option to purchase tickets for the Trang An boat tour. There was also a combo deal available, bundling the Trang An boat tour with a visit to the Bai Dinh Pagoda, offering a slight discount.

With our group consisting of three people, we were informed upon reaching the deck that we needed to wait for a fourth person to join us on the boat. This was also the moment to select our route, requiring us to find one other passenger interested in the same itinerary.

Opting for route number three, we soon found another person willing to join us, and we embarked on our journey. Although we couldn’t compare it to routes one and two, we found route three to be incredibly scenic and were pleased with our decision.

Unfortunately, our boatwoman didn’t speak English, which was a bit disappointing as we missed out on insights about the places we visited. Nonetheless, she was charming and made the experience enjoyable despite the language barrier.

Trang An boat tour: Temples

Route three encompasses visits to three temples along with three caves. These temples, nestled like precious gems in the breathtaking and distinctive landscape of Trang An, add an intriguing dimension to the tour. Plan to spend approximately 10-20 minutes at each temple to soak in their history and ambiance.

Upon reaching each site, the boatman will patiently wait on the shore, allowing visitors the flexibility to explore at their own pace. Whether you choose a brief visit or a leisurely exploration, the decision rests entirely with you. Additionally, amenities such as toilets and small food snack shops are available at these locations, ensuring a comfortable and convenient experience for visitors.

Trang An boat tour: Caves

The caves we visited in Trang An, like Hang Dot, are pretty tight, and you might need to crouch to avoid bumping your head on the ceiling. But even in these narrow spots, there are cool rock formations to check out as you go along.

Taking photos inside can be tough because it’s pretty dark, but there are some light bulbs scattered around so you won’t be left completely in the dark.

Ongoing construction works

While you might expect to see only restoration works at historical sites, it’s not unusual in Vietnam to witness expansion projects with new developments at ancient sites. Trang An is no exception.

Here, you can see one of the new temples currently under construction in Trang An, situated right next to other temples.

It’s ultimately your decision to determine whether Vietnam’s choice to expand historical sites affects the authenticity of the places you visit or not.

Our Honest Thoughts on the Trang An Boat Tour

First, it’s important to mention that we don’t know exactly what route 1 and route 2 look like. However, we loved our time in Trang An doing route number 3, and we’d highly recommend it. On this tour, we had enough time to see each site, and it didn’t feel rushed at all.

On the other hand, it is a touristy place and it gets crowded. Trang An attracts many visitors, and the mandatory bright orange life vests don’t help to reduce their visual presence. If you want to have an even better experience, try to go early before the crowds arrive.

Overall, the landscapes of Trang An are among the most beautiful you can find in Vietnam. And for just $10 USD, a 3-hour boat tour here is great value for money.

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Tam Coc or Trang An

If you are planing a day trip to Ninh Binh, and you only have limited time in one day, you might consider to choose visiting Tam Coc or Trang An as it features a boat trip with stunning scenery around with mountain and clear water. I sometimes also get this questions from our guests to advise which to choose for better boat trip in Tam Coc or Trang An. Frankly it’s not always easy to give the advice for this comparison, however there’s some minus advantages/disadvantages which I can bring forward to help you choose the tour.

The scenery and boat trip

Tam Coc has been known for long time ago as ‘Halong bay on land’, the scenery and the boat trip like on small Halong bay. In Trang An, the scenery is also the same but on a larger area of the river (wetland). The boat trip on Tam Coc takes about 2,5 hours and bring you go through 3 caves, going and return on the same waterway — a small river. On Trang An, you go through more caves (7–9 caves), going through caves on return different way and so time on boat is longer about 3,5 hours.

Tam Coc would be much more beautiful during rice fields season —  from Mar to June , best time during the yellow rice fields from May to early June . Tourist crowds are usually around 10.00Am till 3.00pm, and so it’s recommended that you take the boat ride in early morning or later afternoon after 4.00pm for Tam Coc. There’s no rice fields in Trang An, but the ecosystem under water, look-through clear water would be a worth. I also suggest if possible you take the boat ride in early morning or late after noon to avoid the crowds. You should also avoid the time from Feb to late Mar when there are many local tourists going to Trang An on a pilgrimage trip.

I also hear some other reasons which said to choose Tam Coc instead of Trang An because Tam Coc is more natural while Trang An is artificial, but I think it’s not true at all. You might see some pagodas along the trip in Trang An, and also some caves needed to construct the way to go inside but generally it’s a natural ecosystem and all the caves are nature and more beautiful than in Tam Coc. Also some people complaint about rowing boat hawkers in Tam Coc keep asking you to buy stuff on her boats, I don’t think this is a hassle too.

You might think of taking boat trip on both Tam Coc and Trang An in 1 day from Hanoi? Yes, it’s possible in one long day trip. You need to go early in the morning and come back late in the evening.

If you want something more natural and tranquility , less of tourist crowds, I would suggest a boat ride on Van Long nature reserve instead.

Thank you HVG! Your insights are appreciated. I will be traveling to northern Vietnam. (Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Sapa, Ha Giang loop). My itinerary allows me 2.5 days following Ha Giang before flying back to Washington state. Any suggestions? (Ha Long Bay/Lan Ha Bay would REALLY be out of my comfort zone – too posh.) I desire more authentic experiences with the Vietnamese people/culture vs two day boat ride with other foreigners. Also, what are your thoughts on having my lodging hosts reserve sleeper buses vs doing myself? No worries about paying a few extra bucks, but am concerned about getting decent rests/sleeps between destinations. Cam On Chuck

Hi Chuck, I’ll reply to your email! Thank you.

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Trang An Boat Tour Review: Everything You Need To Know

by Mark and Kristen Morgan

Published: March 6, 2020

A Trang An boat tour is one of the most popular activities in Ninh Binh , Vietnam. The 2-3 hour boat ride passes through caves, temples and limestone karsts. Tickets cost 250,000 VND per person or you can purchase the entire boat for 1,000,000 VND if you want a private experience.

In this guide, we are going to show you everything you need to know about the Trang An boat tour.

Our Trang An Experience

We spent 27 days traveling through Vietnam in  October 2018  as part of our 18 month trip around the world. During this trip, we stayed for three nights in the Ninh Binh region and took the Trang An Boat ride. It was one of our favorite experiences in central Vietnam. Read more  about us .

To make planning easy for you, we’re going to walk you through how to get to Trang An, how to buy tickets and what you can expect on the boat tour.

About The Region

Dubbed the Halong Bay on Land , this stunning region has been altered very little by human influence so you truly feel as though you’re a centuries old explorer discovering new territory before the world was fully mapped.

Ninh Binh was once the hidden gem of Vietnam, but it can no longer hold that title. The secret is out, and UNESCO declared Trang An a world heritage site in 2014 .

Hollywood then swooped in and built a movie set on the Trang An complex to film Kong: Skull Island in 2017. As you can imagine, this had a huge impact on tourism in the area.

Today, the tour is more popular than ever and you can take a boat tour any day of the week from 7:00am-4:00pm .

Further Reading : The best things to do in Ninh Binh

How To Get To The Trang An Boat Tour

Use the map below to see directions from Tam Coc and Ninh Binh to Trang An.

• Address : 7W39+7G5, Ninh Xuân, Hoa Lư, Ninh Bình, Vietnam
• Location : Google Maps

The Trang An boat tour is located within the Ninh Binh Province of Vietnam. It’s only 5 miles away from the popular tourist destination of Tam Coc and 6 miles from Ninh Binh train station. You can reach the boat tour by motorcycle or bicycle from Tam Coc or Ninh Binh. We hired a motorbike for the day from our hotel in Tam Coc and drove it to Trang An.

You can rent a motorbike for  100,000-150,000 VND  ($4-6) per day. Fuel for a full day will set you back no more than $3. Alternatively, you can rent a bicycle for  50,000 VND  ($2) per day. Many hotels even offer free use of bicycles in Tam Coc.

It should take about  15 minutes  to ride your scooter from Tam Coc town to the ticket booth for the Trang An boat tour. The roads are in fairly good shape and you’ll often find yourself cutting through gorgeous green fields with limestone towers sprouting up around you.

Travel Tip : If you’re planning to visit Hang Mua and Bich Dong the same day, it would be much quicker and more efficient to go by motorbike.

Getting To Ninh Binh Independently

Are you planning to travel independently to Ninh Binh? Once you arrive at Ninh Binh train station, hire a motorbike right outside for roughly 150,000 VND ($6) and follow our map to the Trang An Boat Tour.

There are no airports close by so travel by plane isn’t an option. But you can take a bus from Hanoi and many other popular spots on the typical Vietnam tourist trail. We took a bus directly from Halong Bay to Tam Coc, Ninh Binh.

Use 12Go Asia to check the best available options for travel. You’ll find the cheapest and quickest options are typically by bus or train .

Further Reading : What to expect on a Vietnam sleeper bus

Best Ninh Binh Tours From Hanoi

Another option would be to travel from Hanoi to Ninh Binh with Tam Coc and Trang An included as part of a full day organized tour with  transport completely covered .

Most tours include entrances fees for the Trang An Boat tour, Mua Cave Viewpoint, Hoa Lu ancient capital and Bich Dong Pagoda.

Here are top rated tours from Hanoi to Trang An :

• 12 hour day tour – Visit Bai Dinh Pagoda, experience the Trang An boat ride, climb up to Mua Cave and enjoy stunning panoramic views as you cycle around the gorgeous countryside of Ninh Binh.
• Popular day trip option – Visit the Trang An cave complex via rowing boat, see the temples of Dinh King and Le King, enjoy a buffet lunch and climb up Mua Cave with an english guide.

Motorcycle And Bicycle Parking

The Trang An complex is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, which means there are no scams when it comes to parking for your boat tour . If you’ve already been to Mua Caves or the Bich Dong Pagoda , you’ll know exactly what we are talking about.

You’ll park your bicycle or motorbike in a legit parking lot and pay a set fee that will be the same for everyone. There’s no worrying about bartering or concern about paying the same as everyone else. This structured parking system is one of the best reasons to choose the Trang An boat ride over the Tam Coc option .

The parking fee for motorcycles is 15,000 VND ($0.62) and the parking fee for bicycles is 10,000 VND ($0.41). We also felt very comfortable leaving our motorbike parked which was a relief.

Once you’ve parked up, cross the road to the entrance. You’ll walk over a bridge and see boats to your right as they set off up the river towards.

Trang An Boat Tour Tickets

Carry on walking straight towards the wooden rails and get in line so you can purchase your Trang An boat tour tickets. We arrived at 9:00am and there was no one in line.

By the time we left at 1:30pm, the ticket line was extremely long. If you want to avoid the lines, you should try to visit as early in the day as possible .

Buying tickets for the boat ride at Trang An is easy. We liked that the whole process was hassle free . Prices are clearly stated and there are no vendors trying to sell items to you.

A ticket for the Trang An boat tour costs 250,000 VND (about $11) per person. There is a 3 people minimum per boat so if you are a couple or plan to ride solo, you may be sharing the boat with another group.

If you want to want to have the entire boat to yourself, you can purchase all four tickets for the boat. Therefore, your total cost would be 1,000,000 VND (about $41).

A child ticket costs 120,000 VND (about $5), but if your child’s height is under 1m, they will receive free entry for the Trang An boat tour.

Once you have your tickets in hand, walk over to the dock and you’ll be escorted into the next available boat . You’ll have to wait in a line until the boat can be filled to either 3 or 4 people.

In our case, we shared with just one other solo traveler, a lovely woman from the Netherlands. Because there was no one else in line, they let us disembark with 3 of the 4 seats filled .

Trang An Boat Tour Routes

Before you purchase a ticket and run to the boats, you’ll have to choose one of the three routes for your boat ride . Near the ticket counter you will find a map on a wooden board displaying the details each boat tour route.

The boat ride lasts about 2-3 hours depending on which route you select. Here is a simplified version of the three Trang An boat tour options:

• First route – 9 caves and 3 temples
• Second route – 4 caves and 3 temples
• Third route – 3 caves and 3 temples

Each route is a little bit difference so we will explain each one below in detail. But the price is the same no matter what Trang An route you choose.

Here is what you can expect from the first route:

Trinh Temple – Toi Cave – Sang Cave – Nau Ruou Cave – Tran Temple – Ba Giot Cave – Seo Cave– Son Duong Cave – Khong Palace – Bao Hieu Pagoda – Khong Cave – Tran Cave – Quy Hau Cave

Highlights of Trang An boat tour Route 1 :

• 9 caves and 3 temples
• Longest option with the most grottoes
• Duration about 3 hours

If you want to see many caves and geological features such as stalactites , this is the route for you. We chose this first route and it was incredibly peaceful . However, if you are claustrophobic, you might want to choose route 2 or 3 because you will go through less caves.

Here is what you can expect from the second route:

Lam Cave – Thanh Cao Son Temple – Vang Cave – Thanh Truot Cave – Suoi Tien Temple – Dai Cave – Hanh Cung Vu Lam Temple – Kong Skull Island Film Set

Highlights of Trang An boat tour Route 2 :

• 4 caves and 3 temples
• Medium length route
• Film location of King Kong Skull Island
• Duration about 2.5 hours

We like this route because it’s a good combination of caves and attractions . This route will also make a stop by the filming location of Kong: Skull Island. But this is usually the most crowded route because it’s a medium length route with a film location.

Here is what you can expect from the third route:

Trinh Temple – Dot Cave – Van Cave – Suoi Tien Temple – Dia Linh Mountain – Dai Cave – Hanh Cung Vu Lam Temple – Kong Skull Island Film Set

Highlights of Trang An boat tour Route 3 :

• 3 caves and 3 temples
• Shortest length route
• Dot Cave is 1,000m long
• Duration about 2-3 hours

Take this route if you want to see less caves and experience more of Trang An’s gorgeous scenery . It’s the shortest route, but it features Dot Cave, the longest cave in the Trang An Landscape complex.

This third route is a good option for those who want to go through a very long cave , see the King Kong filming location and visit many spiritual sites.

Travel Tip : If you want to shorten your ride, you can opt to skip any of the attractions during your visit.

Caves On The Tour

The moment your boat driver pushes away from the dock, let yourself relax and be consumed by unrivaled tranquility.

You are in rural Vietnam, venturing into areas only accessible by boat . There are numerous limestone rocks jutting out of the ground surrounded by water. Just imagine King Kong appearing from out behind one of them.

Expert boat drivers will guide your boat towards low hanging entrances to caves as the spectacular limestone karsts meet the water’s surface.

The drivers know exactly which angles and paths to follow through the caves. There are spot lights positioned in the caves to allow some visibility but not too much that it ruins the atmosphere.

There are 30 valleys and 50 caves throughout the entire Trang An complex, although your boat will only pass through 9 caves at the most. You can expect to see various species of birds, flora and fauna along the way. Beautiful lotus flowers are in bloom during the summer months too.

Each time you leave a grotto, you are met with stunning views of open waterways, vegetation and limestone hills sprinkled emerald green by trees.

This is a wonderful serene environment where it’s easy to forget the outside world. You will lose perspective of direction as the river meanders left and right.

Overall, we were impressed by how well our driver navigated the route and showed us points of interest throughout the entire journey.

Travel Tip : Our route 1 tour lasted about 3 hours which was a little too long for us. In hindsight, we would have chosen one of the shorter routes.

Temples On The Tour

Along the way, you will stop at various temples. At these locations, you will be able to leave the boat and explore the surrounding areas.

Every time you leave the boat, be sure to see as much as possible. You’ll find small temples and pagodas. One temple in particular has a fairly difficult peak to summit if you enjoy a challenge.

At this summit stop off, there is a large stone staircase to walk up, which is hard work in the heat and humidity . We haven’t told you the name of the temple in order to keep your ride a bit of a mystery.

Granted, the view from the top is nothing to shout home about. However, once you descend and follow the path all the way around to the end, there is a small shrine where tourists leave food as an offering .

This climb is best done earlier in the morning to avoid the hottest part of the day . Each time you leave your boat, the driver will row on alone and pick you up at another location a short walk away.

One such occasion the boat passes through a man made tunnel that leads under a towering rock. This is one of our favorite photos from the entire day.

Travel Tip : Be sure to wear appropriate clothing or bring a sarong to cover up for the temples at Trang An.

Tam Coc Vs Trang An Boat Tour

There are often comparisons drawn between the Tam Coc and Trang An Boat tour. This is the question everyone always wants to ask when they visit Ninh Binh.

Personally, our research and experience from other visitors told us the Tam Coc boat tour is a prime scamming spot . We read many reviews and heard from fellow travelers about the boat drivers on the Tam Coc tour stopping mid journey and demanding a big tip or refusing to row back.

We liked how the Trang An boat tour was legitimately controlled due to its UNESCO status. So the advantage of the Trang An boat tour is that it’s regulated and hostility is minimized .

Additionally, Trang An is supposed to be a more scenic boat tour. We can’t confirm the claim as we didn’t take the Tam Coc boat tour but we can confirm Trang An is a beautiful complex to glide slowly around.

But the final decision maker for us was that the boat drivers at Trang An are treated fairly .

However, one of the downsides to the Trang An boat tour is that it’s not conveniently located right in town like the Tam Coc boat tour. So if you are short on time, Trang An might be difficult for you.

Further Reading : 30 key things to know about Vietnam

Tips For Your Boat Ride

We’ve covered everything you need to know in this guide, but here are a few tips to keep in mind for your visit to the UNESCO complex:

• Trang An is open everyday from 7:00am-4:00pm . The earlier you arrive, the better chance you have experiencing a lost world feeling with minimal people around.
• Tickets for the boat tour are priced at 250,000 VND . You will be placed in a boat of 3-4 unless you pay for the entire boat.
• Be sure to wear sturdy footwear . You’ll be climbing in and out of the boat all day plus a few of the temples have areas where you can explore with stairs and uneven ground.
• Take as much water as you can fit into your day bag . You will be exposed for about 90% of the boat journey so you may also want to bring a hat.
• You can use an extra set of oars in the boat . We helped row for part of our journey. It gave us such an appreciation for the men and women who do this everyday.
• Tipping is appreciated . The man or woman who guides your boat will pick up another tour once your tours has ended. Although it is not required to tip, it’s a nice gesture and a small amount will go a long way to help the locals.

Looking for a place to stay nearby? We stayed at Tam Coc Dream Homestay and here are a few top rated hotel options for the region:

• Tam Coc Sunrise – Budget
• Tam Coc Wonderland – Mid-range
• Tam Coc Garden – Luxury

Tam Coc is a gorgeous rural town perfectly located among all the best things to do in Ninh Binh.

In Conclusion

So is it worth visiting the Trang An boat tour in Ninh Binh?

Yes! According to  TripAdvisor , the Trang An Grottoes are the best thing to do in Ninh Binh. We agree with this rating because you will get to see one of the most attractive places in Vietnam. You should include this stunning UNESCO site on your Vietnam itinerary.

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We hope our detailed guide to the Trang An Boat Tour in Ninh Binh helps you enjoy your time in Vietnam!

Please let us know if you have any questions about the Trang An Boat Tour or Vietnam in the comments below.

Happy Travels ,

Mark and Kristen

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2 thoughts on “Trang An Boat Tour Review: Everything You Need To Know”

Love that hotel view! Looked like an incredible day!

Thanks Braden! The boat tour was really relaxing and later that day we went up to the summit of Mua Cave for that view over the Ngo Dong river … definitely one of our better days in Vietnam!

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The inland Ha Long Bay

The Trang An Landscape in Vietnam is often called the ‘Inland Halong Bay’. Here’s what it’s like to take a boat trip amongst the mountains and in the caves.

Written by Michael Turtle

Michael Turtle is the founder of Time Travel Turtle. A journalist for more than 20 years, he's been travelling the world since 2011.

Michael Turtle is the founder of Time Travel Turtle and has been travelling full time for a decade.

Updated: June 19, 2023

A boat tour around Trang An at Ninh Binh

It’s known as the Ha Long Bay of the land. About 150 kilometres from the famous Vietnamese bay where hundreds of islands form a natural wonder is another equally as impressive landscape.

This one, known as Trang An, is nowhere near the coast, though. The mountains are connected by rice paddies, not water. You can cycle to them, not sail. And – best of all – they are not full of foreign tourists. Such is the joy of a Trang An boat tour.

Trang An at Ninh Binh is easy to get to from Hanoi. It’s dominated by the large limestone karst peaks which create steep vertical cliffs covered in plants.

Unlike a traditional mountain range where the slopes connect to each other in a long undulating stretch, most of these peaks stand in isolation – making them even more dramatic in appearance.

The stretches of flat land surrounding them look like valleys but, in reality, they are not the space between mountains but what the area would look like without mountains. Fields fill many of them and the fertile grounds are perfect for agriculture and settlements.

There are sections that are submerged under water, though, and this is what has been claimed by the tourism industry as the best way to explore the Trang An area. While it is possible to cycle, drive – or even walk – around the mountains, most people choose a Trang An boat tour to travel through some of the most scenic parts of the region.

I board one of these small boats myself and it waits at the dock until all six seats are taken. It doesn’t take long because there is a steady stream of visitors coming here to take a ride.

Interestingly, most of them seem to be locals on holiday in large groups. For foreigners, Trang An is not nearly as well known as Ha Long Bay and most people who do visit come on day trips from Hanoi that leave early in the morning.

The boat driver sits at the back with two large oars. She paddles down the large river towards some of the impressive limestone karst peaks. I realise that I have no idea how long we are heading out for – it’s probably something I should have asked – but I sit back and enjoy the view.

It turns out the boat trip is much longer than I expected. For almost two hours we explore the area. The large river appears to come to an abrupt end after about thirty minutes but then I notice a small cave. We row into it and it turns out it is a tunnel that we emerge from on the other side of a mountain.

The waterway is much narrower here and the boat comes close to the shore of reeds. Mountains surround us in almost every direction and, if it wasn’t for the tunnel, it would feel like we were in a lake. At the other end there’s another tunnel and we go through it and emerge in another part of the landscape.

There is definitely something quite special about seeing Trang An from this perspective. I think you get a better understanding of how it all fits together by seeing the different vantage points – from the water, from the shore, and even from within the mountains themselves.

I am told there are about 30 valleys and 50 caves in the area and, although we certainly don’t get to them all, I do lose count, perspective and my sense of direction as we glide throughout the various waterscapes.

It’s a long hard trip for the driver, I imagine, and there are a few points where I pick up one of the spare oars and help out. I’m not sure how much of a token effort it is, though. It does make me feel a bit better about being rowed around for hours.

The Trang An boat tour

If you’re interested on going on one of these boat trips at Trang An, there are a few different ways to do it. As I mentioned, quite a few people organise day trips from Hanoi that include this as part of the itinerary. If you choose that route, everything will be looked after for you.

To do it more independently, you first need to get to the city of Ninh Binh. There is a direct train from Hanoi which leaves several times a day. From there, you can get a taxi to Trang An.

Once you’re at the site, the ticket office is clearly marked. You buy a ticket for 200,000 dong (US$8.80) and then the staff will direct you to a boat.

The trip around the waterways will take about two hours. The most important bit of advice I can give here is to take sunscreen and some water. It can get extremely hot and there is no shade, so you’ll need some protection with you.

It’s also worth noting here that there are some great affordable tours to Trang An from Hanoi that take all of the hassle out of organising things for yourself – especially if you’re short of time. Have a look at some of these options:

I stayed in the Ninh Binh area for a few days, which I highly recommend if you have time. There are lots of other things to see and it’s a beautiful area to relax.

I stayed at the Nyugen Shack ( click here for current prices ) which is a wonderful place with basic cabins on a small lake. You can even borrow a bike for free and cycle out to Trang An for the day.

Where is Trang An?

Trang An is very close to the city of Ninh Binh. It is on Trang An Road. You can see it on a map here .

How much does a Trang An tour cost?

A ticket for the boat tour is 200,000 VND (US$8.80) per person. They normally try to fit about four people in a boat, so you may not have it to yourself.

How do you get to Trang An?

If you want to get to Trang An independently, you first need to get to the city of Ninh Binh. The easiest way to get there is by train and you can reserve your seat in advance here . From the train station, I suggest getting a taxi as the best option.

Are there tours to Trang An?

Yes, there are tours, and this may be the best way for you to go if you are short of time. Everything will be organised for you, including transport and meals. I would suggest having a look at this day trip from Hanoi .

THE BEST ACCOMMODATION IN NINH BINH

There’s not a huge amount of accommodation in Ninh Binh, but you will find something for any style of travel.

My favourite place in Ninh Binh is definitely the relaxed  Nguyen Shack  with its charming bungalows.

For a comfortable budget hotel, you can try  Nam Hoa Hotel right near Tam Coc.

A lovely homestay option with amazing views is the  Limestone View Homestay .

And for a stunning luxury resort, you can’t go past  Emeralda Resort  and its pool!

This site is on the UNESCO World Heritage List ! I'm on a mission to visit as many World Heritage Sites as I can. Only about 800 more to go... eek!

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7 thoughts on “The inland Ha Long Bay”

Great pics, especially the one in the cave! The place looks like a piece of heaven. A little bit frightening on these little boats.

It’s a beautiful place but it’s not really that scary at all. I was worried about hitting my head in a couple of the caves but, other than that, it was very relaxing.

I guess that exploring all this by boat was a fantastic experience. When landscapes are like this, just two hours are too little. Great guide.

You can also spend a bit of time in the area and do some explorations on your own – I would recommend by bike. That way you can see the different views from the water and from the land.

Wow this place looks amazing. Where was this post before my Vietnam trip. Looks like I’ll have to go back.

I don’t think it’s that well known so don’t be too surprised you missed it. But definitely a beautiful place and worth checking out if you’re ever back in Vietnam!

I was surprised to learn its 6 people to a boat. Did you get to visit the temples and things during the trip? I’ve read that you do, and return to your boat in your own time – but how does that work if there are other tourists on a different time schedule?

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What to expect on the Trang An Boat Tour in Ninh Binh, Vietnam

Last updated on March 15th, 2024

Want to see Ninh Binh’s striking limestone towers from the water? Learn what to expect on the Trang An boat tour, including the costs, route options, and more! One of the best things to do in Ninh Binh, Vietnam is the Trang An boat tour. Ninh Binh is nicknamed “Ha Long Bay on land” and this boat tour makes it very clear why. Over the course of 2.5 to 3 hours, you’ll be paddled among lush limestone towers, through caves, and have the chance to witness and explore multiple temples. It is a magical experience!

Watch our two days in Ninh Binh where we took a Trang An boat tour, visited the Mua Caves, the Bich Dong Pagoda, and more! 

While there are multiple boat tour options in Ninh Binh, including the famous Tam Coc, in our opinion, Trang An is the must-do experience. And in this guide we’re sharing all of our reasons why, plus everything you need to know before you hit the water. Such as the cost, how to get a private boat, the different routes, and what to expect along the journey.

What is the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex?

Trang an boat tour- cost & logistics.

• How to get tickets Trang An boat tour tickets

Trang An boat tour route options

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The Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex is a UNESCO World Heritage site, just minutes from Ninh Binh, Vietnam. It is a gorgeous landscape of limestone karst peaks, covered in thick rainforest jungle, which reach heights of almost 200 meters (~650 feet). Between these towering rocks you can find flat valleys, winding waterways, temples, and caves. Besides its obvious scenic beauty, this protected area is also recognized because of the archaeological findings in the caves. These findings reveal that there has been continuous human activity in this area for over 30,000 years! Note: During our visit to the area we heard locals pronounce Trang An as “Chahng Ahn.”

Here’s a quick glance at the Trang An boat tour logistics. We’ll cover everything in more depth throughout this guide! Location The Trang An boat wharf is a bit north of the Tam Coc area in Trang An. This is where you’ll park, purchase your tickets, and get on the boat.  Hours The Trang An boat tour is open everyday from 7 AM to 4 PM.  Parking Parking costs 15,000 VND for a motorbike and 10,000 VND for a bicycle. Make sure to have cash!  Cost  The Trang An boat tour costs 250,000 VND (~$10.25 USD) per person, plus a tip, which we will share more about later. 

Are the boats private? The boats are not private. They can carry up to 4 passengers, plus the driver, so you could have strangers in the boat with you. If you’d like it to be private you would need to pay for the other spots, which would cost a total of 1,000,000 VND (~$41 USD) per boat. This is what we did!

How to get Trang An boat tour tickets

After parking your motorbike or bike, you will want to head to the ticket office . There are no reservations or set boat times, so you can arrive whenever you’d like. Once at the counter, you do not need to know which route you want to take. The only information you will need to provide is how many people are in your party.  If you want a private boat, this is where you tell them, because you’ll need to pay for the entire boat. It costs 250,000 VND (~$10.25 USD) per person and the boats carry 4 passengers, so you’ll pay 1,000,000 VND (~$41 USD) at the ticket counter. You can pay in cash or card, which is nice.

After purchasing your ticket, you’ll be given a receipt. From here, you’ll go down some stairs and through a tunnel to get to the other side of the road. When you pop back out, you’ll be right by the water and by where the boats leave.

Now for the tough part…choosing which route to take! There are three route options to choose from for the Trang An boat tour. They all cost the same and last between 2.5-3 hours, but each offer a slightly different experience.  Here’s a quick breakdown of all three route options!

Route 1 (9 caves and 3 temples)

Route 1 takes you through 9 caves and 3 temples. So if you want to go through as many caves as possible, then this is your pick!   Temples on this route: Trinh Temple, Tran Temple, Khong Palace, Bao Hieu Temple Caves on this route: Toi Cave, Sang Cave, Nau Ruou Cave, Ba Giot Cave, Seo Cave, Son Duong Cave, Khong Cave, Tran Cave, Quy Hau Cave This is also the longest of the three routes. If you aren’t comfortable in tight spaces for extended periods of time, you might want to choose 2 or 3.

Route 2 (4 caves and 3 temples)

Route 2 is possibly the most popular route because it is a middle length option in terms of time. It’s a great mix of caves and temples!  Temples on this route: Thanh Cao Son Temple, Suoi Tien Temple, Hanh Cung Vu Lam Temple Caves on this route: Lam Cave, Vang Cave, Thanh Truot Cave, Dai Cave  One interesting thing about the area is that parts of the movie “Kong: Skull Island” were filmed here. For a couple years after the release (2017) there was a movie set you could tour on Routes 2 and 3. They have since torn down the movie set, but your boat driver will surely point it out to you. 

Route 3 (3 caves and 3 temples)

Route 3 is best if you want to see the least amount of caves and spend most of your time outside enjoying the scenery. It is the shortest of the 3 routes, but it does include the Dot Cave which is the longest cave in the area at 1 km long!  Temples on this route: Trinh Temple, Suoi Tien Temple, Hanh Cung Vu Lam Temple Caves on this route: Dot Cave, Van Cave, Dia Linh Mountain, Dai Cave  

What is the best route? 

No matter what route you take you’ll see a great mix of caves, temples, and immaculate scenery. So there really is no “best route.” It all depends on what you are more excited to see! We had a tough time deciding which to go with, but we ultimately decided to go with Route 3 .  What made our decision was we had just got done with a big cave adventure the previous few days, so we wanted to spend more time admiring the outside scenery than seeing more caves. Plus, we thought going into the longest cave sounded pretty cool…and it sure was!

Getting to the boats

After getting your ticket, crossing the street, and figuring out which route you want to take, you’ll want to head to the boats. You will tell them which route you want and they’ll give you a driver. Depending on how busy it is, you may have to wait in line for the next available boat. Or if it isn’t very busy, you may have to wait for your boat to fill with the required four people. Once you are assigned to your boat and driver, you’ll put on your life jackets (mandatory) and off you go!

Experience on the boat

Regardless of the route you choose, the overall boat experience is about the same. Your driver will paddle you through the water (you can help them if you’d like!) and possibly point out major landmarks. Our driver did not speak English, but she knew a few words, like “King Kong” and we also used Google Translate to speak with her. She was very kind and offered to take multiple photos of us. We had a great experience with her! Along the tour, your driver will paddle you through the tight caves (they are pros!) and up to the different temples on your route. Whenever you get to a temple, your driver will stop and let you off the boat to explore. You typically get about 10-15 minutes at each temple, before meeting your boat driver back at the boats.  Since all of the drivers wear the same shirt, you may wonder how you’ll find your driver again. Ours always remembered who we were and each boat is numbered, so we suggest learning your boat number.

Going through the caves

Besides the scenery from the water, the caves were our favorite part of the tour. It’s pretty impressive how well the drivers can maneuver these boats through the tight caves. They know the perfect line to take and how to get through without even bumping a wall! But be warned: some of the ceilings of the caves are very low and you’ll need to duck your head! For Route 3, going through the 1 km long Dot Cave was such a neat experience! It takes about 10 to 15 minutes to get through the cave, which feels extremely long, especially compared to the others on the route. We loved it and are very glad we chose Route 3 so that we could go into this one. 

Visiting Temples

When visiting the temples on the Trang An boat tour, make sure to be respectful and follow all rules. According to the signage at the temples, you are not allowed to take photos inside, smoke, talk loudly or talk on the phone, and eat food. You also need to cover your shoulders and knees. On Route 3, we got to see three temples. And each one was very different! The first (Trinh) was a quick stop, right where the boat dropped us off. Temple number two (Suoi Tien), required us to walk a bit to get to, as it was tucked into the mountains. And the third temple (Hanh Cung Vu Lam) had multiple buildings to check out, plus a pagoda on an island.

Food and toilets

There are a couple restaurants in the main ticket area, along with an ATM and toilets. Along the route, specifically at the temple stops, you will find a snack stand and toilets as well. 

Should you tip your driver?

Tipping isn’t technically required at the Trang An boat tour, but you should tip your driver. They work VERY hard to paddle!  Unlike the Tam Coc boat tour, where drivers can be aggressive about tips, you will not find that here. Our driver did not ask for a tip, but they will expect one.  We read that it’s customary to tip at least 25,000 VND (~$1 USD) per person. However, we would suggest 50,000 VND (~$2 USD) per person at minimum. Personally, we tipped 250,000 VND (~$10 USD) total. And there were a few reasons for this:

• We had the entire boat to ourselves. In theory, this would have meant less of a tip for our driver, since she only had two passengers.
• Our driver was very patient with us filming. We for sure took longer than we were supposed to at many of the stops.
• In Vietnam, we personally preferred to tip extra. What may seem like a small amount to us can mean a lot to them.

We think the Trang An boat tour is 100% worth it! The serene, tranquil beauty, with the towering limestone peaks, temples, and caves, make this a must-do as part of any Ninh Binh itinerary . It was one of the most beautiful activities we did in all of Vietnam.

There is a similar boat tour in Tam Coc, which leaves from the Tam Coc Van Lam Pier . On this tour, you will be paddled through a valley, with fields and limestone peaks surrounding you, as well as go into caves and see temples. And while it is shorter and cheaper than the Trang An boat tour, it comes with some drawbacks.  On this boat tour you’re likely to encounter hassling from vendors, both before the tour and on the boat ride. Sometimes, boats will pull up to your boat and basically corner you until you buy something from them. Your boat driver may even try to guilt you into buying them a snack or drink from the vendors.  We have also read some pretty bad stories about boat drivers stopping the tour half way and demanding a tip or they will refuse to paddle back. They will also demand a tip at the end of the ride.  Of course, not every experience is the same and you may have a positive experience on the Tam Coc boat tour. But from our experience and many others, the Trang An boat tour is hassle free. Since Trang An is inside a UNESCO World Heritage site, it is very well managed. You won’t experience any haggling from vendors, parking scams, or other common tourist scams. So for all of those reasons, we’d highly recommend the Trang An boat tour over the Tam Coc boat tour.

The Trang An boat tour is located in Trang An, a smaller town just north of Tam Coc. 

By bike or motorbike

Getting to the Trang An boat dock is very easy by bike or motorbike from Tam Coc, Ninh Binh, and the surrounding homestays. Many homestays and other accommodations offer to borrow bicycles for free and motorbikes for a small fee. We stayed at Trang An Lamia Bungalow which is a bit north of the boat tour and it was an easy ride on the road. Once you get to the Trang An boat tour, there is lots of parking.

Tour from Hanoi

If you’d prefer to visit the Ninh Binh area through a tour from Hanoi , you have several great options. Deluxe Hoa Lu Trang An Mua Cave Small Group – Cruising, Biking,Hiking, Limousine This action packed small group tour includes the Trang An boat tour, lunch, a bike ride, the Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, a guide up the Mua Cave, and more! Entrance fees are included in the price. Private Ninh Binh – Mua Cave – Trang An – Bich Dong Full Day Tour This private tour includes travel in a very nice limo (van) to Mua Cave, Trang An boat tour, bike ride, lunch, and more! Deluxe & Small Group- Bai Dinh Trang An Mua Cave Tour with Limousine Transfer Included in this small group tour is Trang An boat tour, a visit to the Bai Dinh Pagoda, Mua Cave, lunch and more. 

Want to save some money on this tour or experience? Book it on Tripadvisor and use our code APLUSK10 for 10% off!

Like much of Vietnam, Ninh Binh experiences two main seasons, rainy season and dry season. We would recommend visiting in the dry season during the months of November through April ! The rainy season typically begins in May and ends in October. We visited in late March and the weather was just getting to be pretty warm, but not unbearable. Although we did have some cloudy days, we didn’t experience any rain.  You can still have a wonderful time in Ninh Binh during the rainy season. One perk of visiting during the rainy season (June especially) is that the surrounding rice fields will be lush and green! Also, the lotus and water lilies will be in full bloom! However, it will be very hot and humid in the summer. And there is no shade on the boats. If visiting during the rainy season, make sure to pack the right gear, including a rain jacket , for your boat ride. And possibly an umbrella, but only under one condition. And that’s if you paid for a private boat.  The boats aren’t very big, so if you’re sitting at the front of the boat, your umbrella will be in the couple’s faces behind you blocking their view. And if you’re sitting behind them, then your umbrella will be in the boat driver’s face. If you’re the only two on the boat, then we’d say an umbrella is a great idea.

We’d recommend visiting as early as possible for the most peaceful experience. By midday, the tour groups will have arrived and it will be extremely busy! We got here early in the morning (around 8 AM) so we could avoid the crowds as much as possible. There were a handful of people, but it was very calm compared to some pictures we’ve seen.

Sun protection

There is no shade on the boat and very little relief from the sun along the ride, except for temples and caves. Make sure to bring a hat to cover your face from the sun, as well as sunscreen!

Temple Attire

If you plan to go inside the temples, make sure to have something to cover your shoulders and knees! We suggest something lightweight. I wore a cardigan and it was VERY hot.

While you can pay for your ticket with a credit card, you will want cash to tip your driver.

Snack 

While there are some restaurants and snack shops on the complex, you might want something to snack on during the ride. We’d suggest packing a snack just in case you get hungry.

Water 

Even in the cooler months, it is still warm (and humid) in Ninh Binh. Make sure to pack some water to drink along the way!

You’re going to want to take loads of photos, so bring your camera! You can see what camera we use here .

If you have more time in Ninh Binh, check out our guide with 9+ AMAZING things to do in Ninh Binh . In this guide we share a two day itinerary, plus a bunch of suggestions of where to eat and stay, including a beautiful bungalow with a private plunge pool!

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Trang An Boat Tour in Vietnam — Which Route Is The Best?

Trang An ecotourism complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a fantastic way to experience the natural beauty that Northern Vietnam has to offer. Located less than 6 km from nearby Ninh Binh and around 100 km from Hanoi, the Trang An boat tour has become a popular destination for tourists from around the world. Avoid the tourist trap that Tam Coc has become and visit Trang An instead.

Learn about the different rowing boat route options available at Trang An and my recommendation as to which is the best.

Although you’ll get to see the towering limestone mountains and majestic caves no matter which boat ride you choose to do at Trang An, not all routes are created equal—except for the price and duration. All Tang An boat routes cost 200,000 VND per person or just under $9 USD and last approximately 3 hours. Children under 1 meter are half price or 100,000 VND.

After a logical process of elimination, I ended up choosing to embark on Route 3 in Trang An. While we’ll look at what each route has to offer below, I landed on Route 3 because it not only boasted the longest cave of 1 km long in all of Trang An, but it also stopped at Kong Skull Island which is the filming location for the 2017 King Kong movie.

Trang An Boat Route 1

Most people who choose Trang An Route 1 do so because you visit the largest number of caves—nine in total. While you visit nine caves on Route 1, you do not get the chance to visit the longest cave at Trang An which can only be done on Route 3.

Caves on Route 1 include:

• Nau Ruou Cave
• Ba Giot Cave
• Son Duong Cave
• Quy Hau Cave
• Cooking Wine Cave

All caves on this route are exclusive to Route 1 meaning there is no overlap with Route 2 or 3.

In addition to caves, you’ll visit three spiritual sites. At these spiritual sites, you’ll learn the history of the Dinh Dynasty when you visit the Trinh Temple and Khong Palace.

Probably most importantly, Route 1 exclusively stops at the Tran Temple which some consider to be the heart of the Trang An world cultural and natural heritage site.

Bottom line : If you want to maximize your cave experiences and time in the row boat and/or visit the Tran Temple, Route 1 is your best choice.

Tran An Boat Route 2

Route 2 offers a good balance between caves, natural beauty, and spiritual site visits. You’ll visit four caves and three spiritual sites in addition to the King Kong filming location called Skull Island.

The caves of Route 2 include:

• Thanh Truot Cave
• Dai Cave – 150 meters long

All caves on Route 2 are exclusive except for the Dai Cave which visitors also boat through on Route 3.

As far as spiritual sites are concerned, Route 2 stops at the Thanh Cao Son Temple, Suoi Tien Temple, and the Hanh Cung Vu Lam spiritual site. At all three of these spiritual sites, you’ll take a step back into time and learn about the history of the Tran Dynasty.

As a bonus that’s not well-advertised, just outside of Dai Cave is the magnificent Vu Lam Royal Step. Although you don’t stop here and just see it from a distance, this man-made structure is a spectacle worth seeing. You also follow this same path from Dai Cave to Hanh Cung Vu Lam and Skull Island on Route 3.

Also similar to Route 3, Dia Linh Mountain and Kim Quy Mountain are among the endless natural beauty that you’ll see on Route 2.

Last but not least, Route 2 also stops at Skull Island which is the filming location for the 2017 King Kong movie.

Bottom line : For a nice balance between stopping at spiritual sites and boating through caves, Route 2 is a good option for you, especially if you are a King Kong fan.

Trang An Boat Route 3

While Route 3 only takes your rowing boat through three caves, one of these caves is Dot Cave—the longest cave in Trang An of 1 kilometer in length. In addition to this, you’ll also boat through Van Cave which is a lengthy 600 meters long.

• Dot Cave – 1000 meters long (also known as May Cave)
• Van Cave – 400 meters long

In addition to caves, Route 3 also stops at three spiritual sites including Trinh Temple, Suoi Tien Temple, and the Hanh Cung Vu Lam spiritual site.

As a bonus that’s not well-advertised, just outside of Dai Cave is the magnificent Vu Lam Royal Step. Although you don’t stop here and just see it from a distance, this man-made structure is a spectacle worth seeing. You also follow this same path from Dai Cave to Hanh Cung Vu Lam and Skull Island on Route 2.

Similar to Route 2, Dia Linh Mountain and Kim Quy Mountain are among the endless natural beauty that you’ll see on Route 3.

Last but not least, Route 3 also stops at Skull Island which is the filming location for the 2017 King Kong movie.

Bottom line : In order to boat through the longest cave of 1 kilometers long in Trang An, see the King Kong filming location, and visit multiple spiritual sites, Route 3 is perfect for you.

  View this post on Instagram   A post shared by luc zimmermann (@lucs.lens) on Aug 6, 2019 at 9:44pm PDT

Vietnam Boat Trip in Trang An Review

While I initially was leaning towards Route 1 because it sees the most caves, I reasoned with myself and ended up choosing Route 3 because it had the longest cave, Dot Cave, which is 1 kilometer long. In addition, Route 3 also stops at 3 spiritual sites as well as Skull Island.

Although I wasn’t too interested in the history of the spiritual sites, I found them to be stunningly beautiful. Not only was each temple and spiritual site beautiful in it’s own respect, the fact that it was located amongst the sheer limestone cliffs made these sites extra special.

My favorite part was probably Dot Cave which was the longest cave in Trang An. Dot Cave is a total of 1 kilometer long and it takes close to 15 minutes for the paddler to drive through. I went in July 2019, and while it was hot outside the cave, it was even hotter inside. The opposite was true inside Van Cave which had a nice cool breeze for the entire 400 meter length.

In all, I my whole experience at the Trang An landscape complex was peaceful and relaxing. I won’t soon forget the natural beauty that I witnessed on Route 3. I think, regardless of which route you choose, you’ll have a similar experience.

You made it this far! Seems like you’re interested in Vietnam travel. I vlogged my Vietnam travels, so you can watch those videos here on YouTube .

Traveling without spending a fortune is one of my specialities, so go here for some of my best budget travel tips .

Do you have any questions about Trang An, Ninh Binh, or backpacking Vietnam or Southeast Asia in general? Let me know in the comments below.

After years of backpacking the world solo, Tony is an expert when it comes to budget travel. Discover why Tony quit his job to travel on the cheap, and follow him on YouTube for all the latest.

1 thought on “Trang An Boat Tour in Vietnam — Which Route Is The Best?”

Thanks Tony, this was helpful.

Do you know how I can book a boat tour directly? I’ve spent hours researching on-line and all of the tours are from Hanoi. My lodging will be in Tam Coc.

And any advice on how I could also book directly other chargeable locations eg a podaga or temple would be much appreciated.

Any thoughts on how I could get from location 1 to location 2 (eg the boat tour to a podoga)? Are taxis always available waiting at each location? Or is this all local enough where I could ride a bike around?

Many thanks. Steve

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Trang An Boat Tour: Everything You Need to Know! (2024)

What is trang an scenic landscape complex.

Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex boat tours

Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex is an area of immense beauty in Ninh Binh province in the north of Vietnam. It’s famous for its impressive limestone mountains, caves, and scenic waterways and is also often referred to as “Halong Bay on land”.

Trang An Vietnam

Comprising Trang An Complex itself but also Tam Coc-Bich Dong and the ancient capital of Hao Lu, the whole area was listed as a World Heritage UNESCO-protected site in 2014. 

A boat tour is the best way to explore the area. While there are boat rides on offer in the center of Tam Coc , the main tourist hub in the area, it’s far more interesting to go to Trang An, where the magic is unequaled and beyond compare. 

What to expect from a Trang An boat tour

Trang An boat ride, Ninh Binh area

The Trang An boat tours leave every day from the Trang An wharf . If you are staying in Tam Coc, you’ll first have to make your way to the wharf, which is seven kilometers away. Another option is to stay at Trang An village, which is only 2,5 kilometers from the Trang An wharf. 

Boat ladies and local fisherman at a Trang An tour

Boat tickets are sold on the other side of the street, opposite the wharf. After that, you’ll have to pass through an underground walkway to get to the boat wharf. There, you’ll have to show your ticket and you’ll be assigned to a boat. 

Boats can take four people so it’s possible you’ll be paired up with other people. Note that it’s very convenient if you can sit in the front of the boat. That way, you’ll get a good view of the surrounding area and it’s way more comfortable to take photos. 

When buying your tickets, you will also receive a brochure. In the brochure, you can find three different boat routes of Trang An. When boarding, you will have to tell which tour you want to take. 

→ Also read:  Cat Ba National Park: Everything You Need to Know

The various boat tour routes of Trang An

Boat tour Trang An, Vietnam, Ninh Binh

There are three routes into the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex. It’s important to pick your tour carefully before boarding one of the boats. Each of the routes has a main focus, although there are also overlaps. 

Here are the three boat routes into Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex. 

Route number one is called the grottoes tour. It passes through nine caves (Son Duong cave, Khong cave, Sang cave, Toi cave, Seo cave, Son Duong cave, Ba Giot cave, Nau Ruou cave, and Quy Hau cave) and you will also visit three temples on this route.

The first temple is the Trinh temple, which has two large statues of carp at the entrance. The second one is the spiritual Tran temple which is a place of worship for Saint Quy Minh Dai Vuong (the ambassador of the general of Son Nam) and the queen consort. The third one is the Khong temple together with the Ban Hieu pagoda.  

The second route takes you to three temples and four caves (Thanh Truot cave, Dai cave, Vang cave, and Lam cave).

The first temple is the Cao Son temple which worships the god of the mountain. The second one is the Suoi Tien temple, which translates as “Heaven Stream” and is a place where many Vietnamese come at the beginning of Spring to pray for health, good weather, and a nice harvest. The third one is the Vu Lam Royal Staps, a former military base during the Tran Dynasty and a place where a lot of kings came at that time to practice Buddhism. 

Route three

Tour number three takes you through the longest cave in the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex. Dot cave is one kilometer long and is the most impressive cave in Trang An. Aside from that, you’ll also visit two other caves, Van cave, and Dai cave). 

 This tour also includes a visit to three temples, the previously mentioned Trinh Temple, Suoi Tien Temple, and Vu Lam Royal Steps. The tour finishes at the movie set of the King Kong movie “Kong: Skull Island”, which was released in 2017 and featured famous actors like Samuel L. Jackson and Brie Larson. 

Trang An boat tour: best route

Trang An boat trip, Vietnam, Ninh Binh

Before embarking on your trip to Trang An, it’s maybe good to already think about what you really want to see during your boat tour. As for me, I was unaware that there were three boat tours to choose from. 

Trang An Boat tour route 3, Ninh Binh, Vietnam

At breakfast at my homestay, the host lady assured me that tour number three is the most scenic one because it is the only one that includes the one-kilometer-long Dot cave. Also, the most impressive site we visited in my opinion is on this route and that is the Vu Lam Royals Steps. Not that the palace itself is that impressive but the surroundings are magnificent. 

I haven’t been on routes one and two but I can definitely say that taking route three won’t disappoint you!

Trang An Boat tour, Ninh Binh, Vietnam

The tour I took lasted for about two and a half hours and that was just enough for me. After buying our tickets, my boyfriend and I went to the boat wharf and were paired with a boat lady and another Vietnamese couple. 

We were given life vests and embarked on the tour, accompanied by loud chatter from the boat lady and the two other Vietnamese tourists. I have to admit that, even though I was impressed with her rowing skills, I didn’t find the boat lady particularly friendly. She also didn’t speak any English. 

Dot cave, Trang An, Vietnam

The most impressive feature of this tour is indeed the one-kilometer-long Dot cave. Do be aware that you won’t be alone in the cave. I took this boat tour in the winter when it was relatively cold in the north of Vietnam but there were still hordes of tourists. 

Trang An boat tour route 3, Vietnam

Although the Southeast Asian temples are beautiful and serene, the scenery at Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex is what makes this tour an absolute must-do in Vietnam. The most fascinating areas are around Dia Linh Mountain and at the end at the Vu Lam Palace. 

A scenic view at the Vu Lam Palace

From the Vu Lam Palace, you can walk to the movie set of Kong: Skull Island. I have to say that, for me, this was my least favorite part of the whole boat trip. The artificial movie set, mostly consisting of bamboo huts, doesn’t do justice to the magical natural landscape and is of zero cultural importance to the area. 

Kong: Skull island films set (2017)

At the end of the boat ride, the boat lady will also ask you to fill out a form. It is some kind of survey to check if you were satisfied with the service and if you have tips for improvement. You will be dropped of at the wharf again, after which you will need to take the underground passageway again before arriving at the souvernir shop. 

Opening times and entrance fee

Boat wharf of Trang An boat tour complex, Ninh Binh, Vietnam

The Trang Scenic Landscape Complex and more specifically, the Trang An boat tours are open year-round. Here are the opening hours and the entrance fees.

Note that the ticket booth is located on the other side of the road, opposite the place where the boats are located. Here is the Trang An boat tour location but this is the location of the ticket booth . 

Trang An boat tour opening hours

The wharf is at the other side of the river

The Trang An boat tours operate year-round and the ticket booth is open every day from 7 A.M. until 4 P.M. There are no fixed Trang An boat tour timings. You can just show up, buy a ticket, and you will be assigned to a boat.

I argued that going early would pay off and that I would be able to take the tour without crowds of other tourists. However, upon arrival at 8.30 P.M., there were already a lot of people waiting in line. Maybe, it pays off to be there at 7 A.M.

Trang an boat tour ticekts and price

A ticket for a Trang An boat costs 250.000 VND/per person. The boats can carry four people plus the boat lady. If you want to have a boat all to yourself you’ll have to buy the remaining other seats as well which will set you back 1.000.000 VND. 

THE BEST TRAVEL RESOURCES FOR VIETNAM

Here are the websites I personally use whenever I travel to Vietnam:

ACCOMMODATION

Booking.com : For the best cheap guesthouses, homestays or small hotels

Hostelworld : To find the best hostels located in the cities

Homestay : For unique immersive homestays in the cities as well as in the Vietnamese countryside

12GO and Bookaway : The best transport websites for long-distance buses and train travel in Vietnam

GRAB : for taxi rides in cities and nearby attractions

Skyscanner : For affordable flights to Vietnam

Eatwith : Dine with locals inside their home for an immersive foodie experience

Withlocals : Experience cities in Vietnam with local people that show you around. This is a good idea if you want to stray off the beaten path!

Viator and Get Your Guide : For (vegan) food tours, street food tours, and tours in general

Get your Visa for Vietnam online through the Evisa website

If you’re looking for travel insurance, the one with the best benefits online is without a doubt Heymondo ! It’s very easy to ask for a quote on the website and if you book with this link you’ll get 5% off!

Get access to mobile data straight away when entering the country with a Vietnam E-sim or an Asialink E-sim when traveling through multiple countries.

Do you need to tip the boat lady?

Ha! This is a very tricky question. Do they expect it? Yes. Are you obliged to? The answer is: no. At the end of our tour, we were given a small questionnaire that was clearly going out from the management of the Trang An boat complex site. 

One of the questions was if the boat lady asked for a tip. I wrote no because she didn’t ask for one and frankly, she had been very rude to us the whole boat trip, clearly favoring the Vietnamese tourists, so I didn’t see any reason to tip her.

Boat ladies at the Trang An boat tour, Vietnam

This question also indicated that there is no formal rule for tipping them. To my surprise, when I got out of the boat, she got very upset and screamed at me. The Vietnamese tourists kindly gave her a tip and I understand: she had been friendly to them. But, in my opinion, she didn’t deserve one.

Afterward, I heard that the Trang An boat tour complex is managed really well, being a UNESCO world heritage site and that the boat ladies (and men) are being paid a very good and correct salary for their job. So don’t feel obliged to tip them, unless you truly want to. 

More tips before taking a Trang An boat tour

Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex

Here are a few more tips so you can make the most of your Trang An boat tour. 

Best time to visit Trang An

Dark Clouds above Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, Vietnam

The best time to visit Trang An is in March or April and in October and November. At those times of the year, the weather will be sunny and there won’t be too much rain.

During the summer months, temperatures can get very high and there’s nothing on the boats that will protect you from the sun. Additionally, the summer months are also the wettest months. Summer is not the best time to visit Trang An, however, it is the peak season for Vietnamese tourists and the place will probably be packed with domestic travelers.

Visiting during the winter months, when it’s relatively cold but dry, is also a good option but don’t expect a lot of sunshine. It is pleasant though, with temperatures hovering around 15 to 20 degrees during the day.

Is it a private boat?

As said before, no, the boat are not private. If you want to have a boat all to yourself you’ll have to buy all the seats in the boat. One boat can take four people so you’ll have to pay 1.000.000 VND. 

tam coc vs trang an boat tour

The Tam Coc boat wharf, Ninh Binh, Vietnam

If you only have time for one tour in the area: go to Trang An and skip the tour in Tam Coc . I haven’t gone on the Tam Coc boat tour personally. I wanted to though. It was the plan all the way to be able to compare them with each other so that I could write an in-depth post about this on the blog.

However, I refrained from doing this after hearing disgusting stories from other travelers and reading reviews online on Google Maps. Although I can’t attest to this myself, I believe that taking a boat tour in Tam Coc will leave you scammed and unsatisfied. 

Tourists repeatedly reported being overcharged for fake parking, pushed into buying insanely priced snacks from other boats that halted them in the middle of the tour, and pushy boatmen that ask for a huge tip before even finishing the tour.

It became clear to me that Trang An is the real deal and that the Tam Coc Wharf is nothing but a tourist trap. Many tourists probably fall for it though because of its convenient location in the center of Tam Coc but don’t be fooled. This place had nothing to do with the UNESCO-protected heritage site of Trang An.

Van Long Wetland Reserve

Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve

Now, if you do have time for a second boat tour while you are in the area then I can highly suggest taking a boat tour of the Van Long Wetlands Nature Reserve! This reserve is a bit similar to Trang An and Tam Coc but there’s wildlife to be seen here and there are hardly any tourists.

Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve, Vietnam

Aside from the scenery, the star of the show here is de highly endangered Delacour’s langur. These monkeys are on the brink of extinction and the largest group that still exists lives here, in the Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve. 

Read my full guide about the Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve to learn more about this stunning area in Ninh Binh!

Trang An boat tour: how to get there

Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, Ninh Binh, Vietnam

To get to the Trang An boat wharf, the most convenient place to base yourself is Trang An, Tam Coc, or Ninh Binh. On the other hand, there are also a bunch of tours that include Trang An starting from Hanoi.

Trang An complex from Trang An, Tam Coc or Ninh Binh

The Trang An wharf is easily accessible from Trang An, Tam Coc as well as Ninh Binh City.

From the center of Trang An, depending on where you are staying, it’s only a 2-kilometer walk to the wharf. Alternatively, you can go by bicycle. Almost all the accommodations in the area can provide you with bicycles that are often free of charge. 

From Tam Coc or Ninh Binh, which is a little further away, Trang An is still within easy reach for visiting by bicycle. One of the big joys of the area is that, in between the limestone mountains, the terrain is completely flat and it’s incredible (and the most eco-friendly!) to cycle around the gorgeous rivers, lakes, mountains, and rice paddies. 

However, if your health doesn’t allow it, there’s also a possibility to hire a motorbike or take a taxi to get from Tam Coc or Ninh Binh to the Trang An wharf. Every guesthouse or hotel can arrange this form of transport for you. 

You can visit Trang An from Hanoi by taking a tour or by public transport. If you decide on visiting by public transport, you can check out 12GoAsia for prices and timetables for the bus and train. From Ninh Binh, it’s best to grab a taxi to take you to the Trang An wharf. 

If you have very limited time on your hands, you can visit Trang An on a day trip from Hanoi . Here are a few full-day tours from Hanoi that make a stop at Trang An.

Where to stay in Trang An

If you want to visit Trang An you can opt to stay in Trang An village, the touristy area around Tam Coc, or the city of Ninh Binh.

I have to say that, after visiting the city of Ninh Binh, I was glad that I didn’t choose to stay there. It’s a rather dusty city that absolutely lacks charm and the main sights and attractions are closer to Tam Coc and Trang anyway, so there’s no reason to stay there.

Here are some options for both Trang An and Tam Coc. I spent two weeks in the area and changed accommodations three times plus checked out a few other ones so you can be assured that these places are really worth it. 

Do note that I love to stay in local accommodation options for which you don’t have to break the bank. As a conscious traveler , I love it when my money funnels back into the local community and in this way supports a healthy economic system. 

Here are my recommendations for both Trang An and Tam Coc:

• Trang An Moon Garden Homestay : this is the location where I stayed in Trang An. It’s a cute, compact homestay with a small pool that takes up most of the backyard garden. The room was very comfy, with one of the nicest bathrooms I’ve seen in Vietnam in this price category. There’s a kettle in the room to make tea and coffee which is always a nice bonus if you travel long-term. Breakfast is included but I found the pancakes to be a bit icky. 
• Ninh Binh Valley Montana Homestay : This is another homestay located in Trang An. I didn’t stay here but it was my favorite place to eat in Trang An. The outdoor area by the water is a great place to have dinner in the evening and the staff at Montana Valle is incredibly kind. They even gave us treats on Christmas day. The rooms look good too and they get some raving reviews on Booking . 
• Ninh Binh Valley Homestay : If you fancy sleeping at a spectacular remote location in between the limestone cliffs then the bungalows of this homestay are a perfect choice!
• Tam Coc Memories Homestay : This is the perfect place for young backpackers who like to play pool and have a beer by the beautifully designed pool with water that flows into a limestone cliff. The rooms at this homestay are immaculately clean and the beds are super comfy. I stayed here for a few nights but decided to look for a place with a calmer vibe a little further out of the center. 
• Mom’s homestay : Mom’s homestay can also be found online as Tuan Ngoc hotel which is a little confusing. Nevertheless, this was my favorite place to stay in Tam Coc. This family-run hotel/homestay has a very nice pool and the family running the hotel is genuinely kind en incredibly helpful. The included breakfast is a la carte and they have motorbikes and bicycles on site for hire. 
• Tam Coc Ngo Dong homestay and vegan restaurant : This little homestay has the best vegan restaurant in Tam Coc. While there are a few plant-based eateries in Tam Coc, the food at this homestay is the best we had in Tam Coc. Do be aware that the portions of some of the dishes can be quite small. The rooms were very clean and the fact that they looked out onto a wall didn’t seem to bother the guests. 

Where to eat in Trang An

Thung Sen restaurant in Tam Coc, Ninh Binh

There aren’t that many actual restaurants in Trang An itself. Most of the dining options in Trang An are the restaurants of the guesthouses. Here are two places I really enjoyed:

• Valley Montana restaurant : This is the restaurant of the Ninh Binh Valley Montana Homestay . The outdoor area by the water here is very scenic to spend the evening and they make great spring rolls and tofu spaghetti. 
• Ha Lan homestay coffee and restaurant : Here, they make a great (vegan) coconut coffee, and the portions for most of the dishes are huge! The girl working there is also extremely friendly and speaks English really well. 

The best restaurants, however, are located in Tam Coc. You won’t have trouble finding delicious vegan Vietnamese food as a traveler. Here are some great options!

• Thung Sen Tam Coc restaurant & café : Thung Sen is my top choice in the area around the Mua caves and Tam Coc. It is located off the beaten path on a side road close to the Thai Vi temple. The location of this restaurant is absolutely mindblowing and the whole enterprise is family-owned. In between the limestone mountains, you can find several places to sit and eat lunch or dinner or just enjoy a Vietnamese coffee. Most of the food you’ll get on your plate is organically grown in their own garden.
• Tam Coc Ngo Dong homestay and vegan restaurant : The best vegan food in Tam Coc can be found at the restaurant of this homestay. Be sure to try the pho, pumpkin soup, and mushroom fritters. 
• Minh Khoi restaurant : this place has the best Banh Mis in town. Vegans can order the one with tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables. Do ask them if the sauce is vegan. They used mayonnaise at the time of my visit. 
• An Tam Coc Restaurant : I ate one of the tastiest dishes here during my whole trip through Vietnam, eggplant with tofu in a clay pot. 

Trang An boat tour in Vietnam: final thoughts

Trang An, Vietnam

Are you feeling inspired yet? The Trang An boat tour promises an unforgettable experience that you won’t soon forget! 

For more information and other attractions around Trang An, don’t forget to check out my guide to the Mua Caves and read my full guide to Tam Coc to discover even more gems like the Bich Dong pagoda and Bear Sanctuary Ninh Binh . 

I hope this guide was helpful. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below or drop me a message through my contact page !

Also, don’t forget to check out my resources page with my favorite booking platforms and tips to start planning your trip. Additionally, have a look at my favorite travel gear if you want to pack more consciously!

Disclaimer: This post may include affiliate links. If you click on them, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.

Fancy more Vietnam travel advice?

• Pu Luong, Vietnam: Things to Do, Where to Stay and How to Get There
• Mai Chau, Vietnam: Everything You Need to Know
• Hanoi to Cat Ba: A Complete Transport Guide for 2023
• 12 Excellent Vegan Restaurants in Hanoi
• Can You Drink Tap Water in Vietnam? Things to Know!

• December 31, 2023

Hi! This is so useful, thank you. Do you think the Trang An boat trip is suitable in pregnancy? (I’m 5 months along) Thank you

annelies_degelas

Hey! Yes, sure! The boats are small and a bit wobbly sometimes to get in and out but they are completely safe. 🙂 Enjoy it!

Hi! Would you suggest joining group tours for Trang An? I am planning to do it myself (DIY), but I’m a bit wary that buying tickets, lining up, or getting lunch might be complicated.

Hey! No, it’s perfectly doable on your own. If you feel uncomfortable though, you can ask at your accommodation to give recommendations for an organized tour. There are also a few tourist agencies in the center of Tam Coc.

Hello. Thanks for this post. It is very useful! The Trang An boat tour looks amazing. We will be travelling with a 4-year old. Any idea how we will be able to bike with her? As well, I haven’t found anything online about the toilets. Are the toilets in restaurants and near tourist attractions typically western styles or squats? Thank you!

Hey! Sorry for my late reply. Biking with her might be hard, I haven’t seen any bicycles with a children chair on it but I would ask around. And yes, the toilets are mostly Western style at the restaurants. During the boat tour there are also western-style toilets at the temples. 🙂

Thinking the woman is rude because she doesn’t speak English is a hilariously entitled and ignorant perspective

Hi Dave, I think you didn’t read that correctly. Indeed, I mention that she didn’t speak any English but that’s not the reason why I think she was rude. She just was plainly rude and even a little agressive in her words and attitude towards us! And that while she was laughing and joking all the time with the Vietnamese tourists. This happens unfortunately sometimes. I’m a cultural worker by education and what you suggest is something that I would never ever say!

Hi, This Is Very Helpful Thank You So much.

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Hi! I am Annelies and this is Travelers & Dreamers, a blog about conscious travel which means traveling in a more mindful way, with a positive impact on the world and  yourself!

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Tam Coc Boat Tour – Let’s Ride Your Trip to Ninh Binh Now

Imagine how it would be with sitting on a wooden boat in Viet Nam? In a far-off time it’s familiar to anyone when reminiscing about dreamy and romantic boatmen on the river, the boats appearing in some annual festivals, the boat carrying a man’s singing voice…

And the Tam Coc boat tour in Ninh Binh everyday riding tourists on Ngo Dong river ( Ngô Đồng ) looks extremely interestingly and peacefully

Table of Contents

To visit Ninh Binh, you have read a lot of information about what to do, where to visit especially how to visit some places, finally you’ve found a Tam Coc boat tour is a must-do thing in Ninh Binh .

Are you curious about Tam Coc boat ride in Ninh Binh? I’ll show you more information about the trip

You might want to visit some attractions near Tam Coc:

• Thai Vi Temple Ninh Binh
• Bich Dong Pagoda
• Mua Cave – The Vietnamese “Great Wall of China
• Van Lam Embroidery Village
• Thung Nham Bird Garden in Ninh Binh
• Trang An Landscape Complex – Ninh Binh
• Bai Dinh Pagoda and Significant Records in Ninh Binh Viet Nam

Tam Coc Boat Ride Ninh Binh – Overview

Located not far from Hanoi only 90km, Ninh Binh province is an ideal off-the-beaten track in Viet Nam.

It’s is known as an ancient land of Viet Nam with unspoiled nature formed by majestic karst mountains.

Besides, there is a large ecosystem offering various flora and fauna… All these things you can find them when visiting Hoa Lu – to learn about history of Ninh Binh, listen to Vietnamese legends, Tam Coc – Trang An to see marvelous sceneries, temples, grottos,..or Cuc Phuong national park to trekking adventurously. They are the most popular tourist places

And now, i am sure the first thing you must know and it is not quite strange to anyone is Tam Coc boat ride in Ninh Binh. If you want to experience Tam Coc you have to board a wooden boat by local people, so:

>>> Get directions on Google Map

Why should you choose to travel by Tam Coc Boat Tour?

• Explore Boat Trip by local people who have skill of sailing with their great feet

Boat Tour of Tam Coc – Bich Dong (Ninh Binh) is not only famous for destinations like “ Ha Long Bay on Land ” but also for great experiences of riding a boat by foot, which makes tourists very excited

Recently, the Insider newspaper has just posted a video about boatmen of  Ninh Hai commune who are using their foot to make the boats move smoothly on Ngo Dong river with up to a million of viewers.

The result is that a large amount of domestic and foreign travellers come to Ninh Binh province for experiencing.

Each household of  Ninh Hai has one boatman and work in the tourism area. So riding the boat only by hand will surely be handworn; therefore, the idea of rowing by foot appeared.

According to the beat of the feet, they gentlely control two oars and take toursits through golden rice fields planted alongside Ngo Dong river.

By the way, may you want to have a look at:

• Trang An Boat Ride – A Spectacular Boat Ride Must Do in Ninh Binh
• Ninh Binh Boat Tour: Should visit Ecotourism Trang An Boat Ride or Tam Coc Boat Ride?

A man is rowing boat ride at tam coc – Hanoi Explore Travel

• Enjoy the most beautiful scenery in Ninh Binh

Tam Coc is known for wonderful views with the surrounding limestone mountains. The two banks of the river were full of fields of local people.

At the halfway of this boat trips, you will have an opportunity to admire the peak of Mua cave from a different point of view. During this tour, you will relax and feel serenity of this place.

What To See in Tam Coc whilst sitting on your rowing boat

• See More: Travel Guideline in Tam Coc Ninh Binh

To explore Tam Coc, the only way is using boats. To visit Tam Coc, tourists get on the boat from the wharf. The boatmen will take you through the cliffs and rice fields on Ngo Dong river. The rice fields can be changed according to the rice season ( green rice, yellow and golden rice season)

Tam Coc means three caves , which consisting of Ca, Hai and Ba caves. Three caves are formed by Ngo Dong river that runs through the mountains. You are going to spend around 2 hours on boat trip.

Here are Tam Coc Boat Tour Routes:

• As the boat whisks you away onto mesmerizing sceneries of the blue sky, pure current of water, imposing karst mountains…you will actually see that the view of Tam Coc – Ninh Binh is enchanting to feel every relaxing moments

• During the trip, local people follow a ready-planned route for tourists to see a system of three caves including Hang Ca (Hang Cả) which is called the first grotto measures 127m, the second grotto is Hang Hai, it is far from Hang Ca 1km, with the length of 60m; Hang Ba, the third grotto is near Hang Hai, 50m in length. The system of three caves in Tam Coc has many shining stalactites hanging down, they are all strange-looking shapes this is a gift from nature
• See the atmosphere of a floating market where local people sell a variety of food, snacks and drinks on boat
• It seems to be interesting for visitors to watch the local people row their own boats with legs. According to local people, this unique way helps to reduce the pressure on the back and arm

When To See Tam Coc Rice Fields – Best time to take Tam Coc Boat Ride

• Tam Coc is beautiful in all seasons and has a unique beauty on every season. If you would like to enjoy the charm of green rice paddy fields  on a river, the period of January and February after Lunal New Year of Vietnam will be the reasonable time. It will bring tourists a sense of comfort and admiration of the taste of the sky, the river and nature
• If you want to observe the magnificent picture of the Mother of Nature dotted with yellow rice paddy fields, green forests and floating boats along the rivers at the end of May and early July. This is a appropriate time to explore beauty of Tam Coc
• From the end of May to July (harvest season) this time, the rice fields which are ripe in bright yellow attract many visitors

” Vietnamese farmers look so radiant in the harvest season along with their boats full of fruits lightly passing on the Ngô Đồng river “

>>> Read more about: Ninh Binh Weather: Best Time to visit Ninh Binh for Your Amazing Trip

Travel Tips and Price of Tam Coc Boat Tours

Here are some tourist information helps you when you travel by yourself

Tam Coc boat tour price:  You can buy tickets from Van Lam port at main gate. Maximum 2 Persons on a Boat

• Adults: 200,000 VND per person in total for the tour
• Children: 100,000 VND per child: from 1 metter to 1.4 metter. Child under 1 meter will be free

Tam Coc boat ride time: It takes you about 1.5 – 2 hours to visit all the caves ( 3 Caves : Hang Ca – Ca Cave, Hang Hai – Second Cave, Hang Ba – Third Cave

• If you take a boat tour at noon, don’t forget to bring your hat as well as a bottle of water, sunglasses, wear sunscreen if you want.
• Opening hours: 8:00 am – 6:00 pm.
• During the boat trip, if you would like to stop for taking photos, ask the paddling local before.
• If you stand up immediately without asking, you can make danger for yourself and people on the boat.
• In Summer, it often rains heavily so you should bring along an umbrella, a hat, raincot.
• Early morning and late afternoon on weekdays is a appropriate time to visit without disturbance of the crowd.

How To Get To Tam Coc Boat Ride

If you are staying in Tam Coc, then getting to the lake should only take you a few minutes. However, if you are based in any other city in Vietnam, I recommend one of the following alternatives:

• From Ha Noi, take a train at Hanoi Station or bus to Ninh Binh at Giat Bat Station
• From Cat Ba, Ha Long you take a shuttle bus directly to Ninh Binh in 5 hours

All transportation can be arranged if you contact some travel agencies to buy tickets.

• From the Southern of Vietnam (Dong Hoi, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Ho Chi Minh City…) there are also plenty of buses or train to choose from. However, keep in mind that these buses will leave you in Ninh Binh city. You will have to take a taxi from there to Tam Coc.
• From Ninh Binh City to Tam Coc the distance is about 7km so you need to take to taxi in 20 minutes. (Taxi fare around 12,000 VND per kilometer). Or You can rent a motorbike for a full day at your hotel, homestay.. daily rate rental motorbike in ninh binh is roundly 100.000VND

You might want to check out:

• Is Tam Coc Ninh Binh Easy To Travel by your own?
• Hanoi Tam Coc Tour
• How to Travel from Hanoi to Ninh Binh by Bus? 

How To Spend 1 Day with Tam Coc Boat Tours

The most popular itinerary including Tam Coc boat ride to have a tremendous chance to explore stunning scenery in Tam Coc. If you have 1 day to visit Ninh Binh and you are also interested in joining in a boat day trip, this tour is for you:

The package 1 day trip in Ninh Binh offers you interesting places in Tam Coc – Ninh Binh area

Hoa Lu Ancient Capital – Tam Coc – Mua Cave Tour – All in One

• A perfect combination of a tour for a day.

You will visit 3 most famous places, explore history and culture of Hoa Lu Ancient capital – the oldest and first capital of Vietnam, experience the feeling of sitting on a bamboo boat along river, go through 3 caves of Tam Coc, Hiking to the peak’s mountain of Mua cave with 500 stairs where there is a great panoramic view to Ninh Binh city and take great photos.

>>> Explore Hoa Lu Tam Coc Mua Cave Small Group Tour with maximum 15 Person, transfer by Limousine Car, Reasonable Price, All Included

>>> BOOK NOW to GET 20% SALE OFF <<<

Hoa Lu Ancient Capital – Tam Coc in 1 Day Trip

Hoa Lu – Tam Coc gives you the chance to visit two well-know places of Ninh Binh. The first one is Hoa Lu Ancient Capital where it left a range of ancient architectures, pagodas and other historical heritages…

Visiting Hoa Lu you will have a chance to explore the ancient temples worshiping the Kings of Vietnam. Then relax in natural scenery in Tam Coc by bamboo boat on river, explore a beautiful picture combined with natural beauty and rural countryside on bicycle

>>> Explore and Book Hoa Lu Tam Coc Day Trip with us to Get 20% Sale Off 

Tam Coc – Bich Dong Pagoda ( Full Day)

At about 8 a.m, depart from Hanoi to Ninh Binh and arrive at Hoa Lu ancient capital to visit the temples of King Dinh and King Le. Here to take in the surroundings while strolling, followed by a lunch stop at a restaurant.

Remember to sample regional specialties like goat meat and crispy rice!

After taking a rest, move to the next attractions – Mua Cave and Tam Coc Bich Dong. These two places are sufficient for the afternoon visit before wrapping up the 1-day trip and returning to Hanoi.

Rower is using his foot to control the boat ride

>>> Interested In Other Ninh Binh Tours From 1 To 4 Days? Click To See All The Reasonable Itinerary!

Hope you have tranquil, peaceful moments floating on poetic, a calming river in Tam Coc Boat Ride. Do not hesitate contact to Hanoi Explore Travel Team to get more tips, useful information for having a great Tam Coc boat tours in Ninh Binh !

Frequently Asked Questions

We are here for you! If you have any questions about this cruise, please don’t hesitate to contact us 24/7 and we will get back to you latest within 2 hours! Got a question about this tour? Reach out to our travel experts.

Tam Coc is open: Sun – Sat 7:00 AM – 6:00 PM

3.6/5 - (229 votes)

We recommend booking Tam Coc Boat Ride ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 307 Tam Coc tours on our webiste

Hotels near Tam Coc:

• Tam Coc Mountain Lake Homestay
• Tam Coc Westlake Homestay
• Lys Homestay
• Tam Coc Friendly Homestay
• Tam Coc Holiday Hotel

Restaurants near Tam Coc:

• Dao Phuket Bar
• Family Restaurant
• Chu’s House Tam Coc
• Hoa Luan Restaurant Hostel
• Linh Chi Craft Beer Pub

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Home » Guides » Trip ideas » Trang An or Tam Coc

Trang An or Tam Coc

You are planing a day trip to Ninh Binh, and you only have limited time in one day, you might consider to choose visiting Tam Coc or Trang An as it features a boat trip with stunning scenery around with mountain and clear water. I sometimes also get this questions from our guests to advise which to choose for better boat trip in Tam Coc or Trang An. Frankly it’s not always easy to give the advice for this comparison, however there’s some minus advantages/disadvantages which I can bring forward to help you choose the tour.

The scenery and boat trip

Tam Coc has been known for long time ago as ‘Halong bay on land’, the scenery and the boat trip like on small Halong bay. In Trang An , the scenery is also the same but on a larger area of the river (wetland). The boat trip on Tam Coc takes about 2,5 hours and bring you go through 3 caves, going and return on the same waterway – a small river. On Trang An, you go through more caves (7–9 caves), going through caves on return different way and so time on boat is longer about 3,5 hours.

Tam Coc would be much more beautiful during rice fields season -  from Mar to June , best time during the yellow rice fields from May to early June . Tourist crowds are usually around 10.00Am till 3.00pm, and so it’s recommended that you take the boat ride in early morning or later afternoon after 4.00pm for Tam Coc. There’s no rice fields in Trang An, but the ecosystem under water, look-through clear water would be a worth. I also suggest if possible you take the boat ride in early morning or late after noon to avoid the crowds. You should also avoid the time from Feb to late Mar when there are many local tourists going to Trang An on a pilgrimage trip.

Others to choose for same trip?

I also hear some other reasons which said to choose Tam Coc instead of Trang An because Tam Coc is more natural while Trang An is artificial, but I think it’s not true at all. You might see some pagodas along the trip in Trang An, and also some caves needed to construct the way to go inside but generally it’s a natural ecosystem and all the caves are nature and more beautiful than in Tam Coc. Also some people complaint about rowing boat hawkers in Tam Coc keep asking you to buy stuff on her boats, I don’t think this is a hassle too.

You might think of taking boat trip on both Tam Coc and Trang An in 1 day from Hanoi? Yes, it’s possible in one long day trip. You need to go early in the morning and come back late in the evening.

If you want something more natural and tranquility , less of tourist crowds, I would suggest a boat ride on Van Long nature reserve instead.

Tam Coc travel guide – boat tour & 6 highlights

Tam Coc (Tam Coc – Bich Dong) in Ninh Binh is one of the most popular tourist destinations in northern Vietnam. It is after Trang An the most popular attraction in the province. The most popular attraction here is a boat tour on the Tam Coc river, but you can also explore this beautiful area by bike.

Tam Coc boat tour

Things to do in tam coc.

• Best time visit Tam Coc
• How do you get there?

Getting around

Accommodation in tam coc.

With limestone mountains, vast rice fields and small rivers that run between them, Tam Coc can best be experienced with a quiet rowing boat trip. The boats are rowed by women and men who often use their legs and feet to row. They taught themselves this technique because they spend long days rowing and this way they can rest their arms. A boat trip takes you past rice fields and between huge limestone mountains with three small caves (Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba) that you sail through.

Unfortunately you have to be prepared for a number of persistent sellers. The boys you photograph ask for money for photos, and overpriced drinks and snacks are sold during and especially at the end of the river. Bring some water and food yourself and say clearly and politely “no” and show that you are not interested.

Location : Van Lam, Tam Coc, Ninh Binh ( Google Maps ) Tam Coc boat tour price : You can buy tickets at the port of Van Lam at the main entrance. You have two costs: entrance per person plus the costs for the boat.

• By boat : 150,000 VND
• Adults : 120,000 VND per person.
• Children (up to 1.40 meters): 60,000 VND per child. Children up to 3 years old are free.

Duration : 1.5 – 2 hours Opening hours : 8:00 am to 6:00 pm Number of people per boat : Maximum two people per boat. What to bring : Drinks and snacks. Protect yourself well against the weather. Take something with you on sunny days to protect yourself against the sun and something against the rain on rainy days.

Tam Coc is more than just a boat trip on the river. There are a host of other places of interest nearby or rent a bike to explore the area with high limestone mountains and rice fields.

1. Tam Coc boat tour

The biggest highlight is the Tam Coc boat tour, as mentioned before. Enjoy being paddled between the rice fields and the impressive karst mountains. Make sure to read the best time to visit Tam Coc , if you want to see the rice fields here on their best, with bright yellow or green colors.

2. Mua Cave

Mua Cave is no longer a hidden place, but now a tourist highlight. Nevertheless it is still of the best things to do in Ninh Binh and this viewpoint is definitely worth a visit, because the views you have here are amazing! Mua Cave is approximately 4 km from where the boats leave form the Tam Coc boat tour.

3. Bich Dong Pagoda

About 2 km from the port you will find the Bich Dong Pagoda . Through the iconic bridge you enter the small complex with a number of temples and a cave that you can visit. Admission is free but you pay a small fee to park your motorcycle or bicycle.

4. Thung Nham Bird Park

The Thung Nham Bird Garden is about 7 km from Tam Coc harbor. In this park you will find limestone mountains, many valleys and you can visit a number of caves, but the real highlight is the storks that fly back to their nests in the late afternoon.

5. Thai Vi Temple

Thai Vi Temple is an ancient temple from the 13th century and is located directly in the same village as the harbor for the boat trip (Van Lam).

6. Cycling in Tam Coc

Cycling in Ninh Binh is great, because the roads are flat, the scenery stunning and the traffic is low. Some of the best scenery for cycling can be found in Tam Coc. Enjoy biking through the rice fields with views of the impressive mountains in the background. Go more off the beaten track to discover the more rural countryside life of Vietnam. If you don’t like to bike around, you can also choose to rent a scooter.

7. Staying overnight in Tam Coc

Tam Coc is one of the best areas to look for an accommodation in Ninh Binh. Inside the Tam Coc village are some cozy accommodation, which is a lot better then the accommodation you will find in the main town, Ninh Binh City. But if you really are looking for something special, you should check the accommodation right on the countryside of Tam Coc. Here you can enjoy stunning views from your place on the rice fields, lotus lakes and impressive mountains.

8. Visit some of the attractions around Tam Coc

Tam Coc is also a great base to visit some of the other attractions in Ninh Binh. The Trang An boat tour is just 10 km from the Tam Coc boat tour port. The road between the two places is flat through the villages and along the coutnryside without much traffic. This makes it perfect for cycling or driving it by scooter. Also Hoa Lu , the ancient capital of Vietnam is located in that area. You can visit here some old temples in a beautiful location.

Van Long Nature reserve (25 km), a scenic wetland area full of births and Bai Dinh Pagoda (22 km), the biggest temple in Vietnam , can be visiting a bit further from Tam Coc.

Best time to vsit Tam Coc

The best time to visit Tam Coc is from mid-April to early June, during the rice harvest season. In April the rice fields are green and from the end of May to the beginning of June they turn yellow as they mature. But you can visit Tam Coc all year round and it is always impressive, but try to avoid September because there may be typhoons.

How to get there?

There are various 1-day and multi-day tours from Hanoi to Tam Coc. You will be picked up at your hotel in the old center of Hanoi and via a new highway you will be in Ninh Binh in 1.5 hours. You can also travel to Tam Coc yourself. With a tourist bus to Ninh Binh from Hanoi, Phong Nha or Halong Bay (Cat Ba), transportation is usually included to your accommodation in Ninh Binh city or Tam Coc. Ninh Binh also has a train station with connections to Hanoi, Dong Hoi (Phong Nha), Hue and Da Nang.

From Ninh Binh

If you travel with a local bus or train to Ninh Binh you have to travel from the city to Tam Coc. From Ninh Binh city to Tam Coc is about 7 km and it is best to take a taxi for this. When you stay in Ninh Binh city or somewhere in the countryside you can also visit Tam Coc by bike or scooter.

The landscape here is flat, so cycling through the rice fields is very nice. Drive at your leisure while enjoying the breathtaking view and the lush green colors. Bicycles can often be borrowed for free at your homestay or hotel and otherwise very cheap to rent. You can also rent a scooter or motorcycle to visit different places. Renting a scooter costs around 5 to 6 euros per day. The most comfortable option, especially if you want to travel a little further than Tam Coc, is to rent a car with driver for a day or go by taxi to the different sights in Tam Coc and beyond.

The accommodations in Tam Coc have been greatly improved in recent years to cater to tourists. You have a choice of regular hotels, homestays, bungalows and dreamy resorts among the rice fields with a great view. Tips for best accommodation in Tam Coc are:

• Tam Coc Rice Fields Homestay – From $ 14
• Tam Coc Westlake Homestay – From $ 19
• Tam Coc Melody Homestay – From $ 13
• Tam Coc Craft Homestay – From $ 15
• Tam Coc Tropical Homestay – From $ 16
• Gia Bao homestay – From $ 13
• Tam Coc Sunshine Homestay – From $ 19
• Tam Coc Nature – From $ 40
• Tam Coc Horizon Bungalow – From $ 40
• Ninh Binh Hidden Charm Hotel & Resort – From $ 80

Alternatively you can also find a hotel or homestay in Ninh Binh city, Trang An or in the countryside between the rice fields.

Tam Coc tour

Interested to visit some of these highlights in this area of to do the Tam Coc boat tour? Check our combination tours, where you can visit Tam Coc with some of the other great sights you can find in Ninh Binh. There are also options to combine Tam Coc with Halong Bay or Pu Luong Nature Reserve.

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Local tip! You might like these experiences

Ninh Binh 2 day experience: Hoa Lu, Mua Cave, Tam Coc, cooking class & local market

• Learn more about the local culture and history at Hoa Lu and Bich Dong Pagoda.
• Enjoy a boat trip between rice fields and impressive mountains
• Visit a local market and join a cooking class
• Walk to the top for the best viewpoint in Ninh Binh

Ninh Binh experience: Hoa Lu, Tam Coc boat trip & biking day tour from Hanoi

• Visit Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam
• Explore the rice fields and caves on a sampan boat through Tam Coc
• Discover the countryside of Ninh Binh by bike

Ninh Binh discover: Hoa Lu, Mua cave, Tam Coc & cycling day tour from Hanoi

• Learn more about the ancient history of Vietnam at Hoa Lu.
• Visit the best viewpoint of Ninh Binh at Mua Cave
• Enjoy a calm boat trip in Tam Coc with beautiful rice fields and impressive mountains
• Day trip from Hanoi by comfortable limousine van
• Destination: Ninh Binh
• By: Marnick Schoonderwoerd
• September 23, 2019
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Boat Tour Tam Coc Or Trang An Grottoes

Boat tours in Ninh Binh where should we go?

Traveling to Ninh Binh will be a big miss to enjoy spectacular scenery of mountains, mountains and rivers if you don’t take part in rowing boat trips to Ninh Binh.

There are serveral boat tour destinations that you can think of such as  Tam Coc , Trang An, Thung Nang, Hang But, Van Long & Kenh Ga . Among them,  Tam Coc grottoes  & T rang An Eco tourism area  are considered as the best attractions with beautiful & natural landscapes to view in rowing boat excursions. In this  Ninh Binh tours from Hanoi  site, we’ll share our own experiences on boat tours in Ninh Binh hope you can find right one to do visit Tam Coc or Trang An.

Suggestion Boat tours in Tam Coc & Trang An.

Tam Coc and Trang An are the most beautiful  attractions in Ninh Binh . Both provide us with pristine scenery of limestone mountains along the rivers & striking caves that you could view from a rowing boat.

Quiet, relaxed, pleasant & beautiful are the phrases we hear from our clients about the two these sites. It’s got the same opinion as  Halong bay cruise best  – that’s the reason why we call it Halong bay on land. To prevent the mass tourists coming Tam Coc & Trang An, you ought to visit them in the morning when many tourists are on their way to reach or in the afternoon when the other tourists complete their travel routes.

In addition you’d better not travel to these sites in festival times, there’ll be a number of tourists heading to Ninh Binh to get  Bai Dinh pagoda  that attracts a number of buddhish followers yearly. When Vietnamese visit this pagoda, they spend their time angling in Trang An & Tam Coc. As a result, these sites become very cramped and busy.

If you do two day  tours to Ninh Binh , our proposal is to visit both of them since they’ve their very own beauty. Butif limited time you’ve, then your choice will be doing your day tour to Ninh Binh. You want to join your visit to other attractions in Ninh Binh like  Mua cave , Bai Dinh Pagoda,  Phat Diem cathedral  or  Hoa Lu ancient Capita l with one boat tour path, then it hard to choose whether to select Trang An or Tam Coc.

Here are our shares about Trang An & Tam Coc – its own strengths which might function as good comparision to pick the one of your interests.

For Tam Coc Boat trip:

Tam mean three and Coc mean grotto including  Hang Ca, Hang Hai & Hang Ba . It has been the most famous attraction in Ninh Binh for a long time for local and international tourist. Rowing boat trip is a very nice way to contemplate those three natural caves, magnificent limestone mountains & authentic farming activities along the journey.

Those are the several reasons why we love & introduce Tam Coc for your  Vietnam day tour  in Ninh Binh. Different with Trang An,  boat trip in Tam Coc  offers you the view of rice fields & authentic farming acitivies along the river banks: fish catching, rice planting, ploughing with buffaloes or harvesting….

Actually, many beautiful pictures of golden rice fields encompassed by the limestone mountains are taken from Tam Coc area. To get this impressive spectacular view of yellow rice fields, we suggest you to visit Tam Coc in summertime time. (April and beginning of May only) To have panoramic view of this natural golden rice & limestone mountain. For hunting this wonderful view, visitor have to goes the other site of Tam Coc. It’s call  Mua Cave . After submit to the peak of mountain visitor will get  360 degree view of Tam Coc .

The entrance fees & boat fees in Tam Coc are more reasonable for private rowing boat tour.

Many tourists travel in pairs or alone, they want to have their sampan privately rowed in Tam Coc with less payment than in Trang An. You only have to pay 400.000 vnd for a private boat with a rower in Tam Coc, but 800.000 vnd for private boat in Trang An.

In term of the price & comfort, which destination would you like to select Trang An or Tam Coc? Surely, it is Tam Coc. Nevertheless, Tam Coc get bad reviews on tripadvior like some scams you could easily avoid for your beautiful trip.

Tam Coc is under the government management which they use local villagers who also take in turn with their serial numbers serving tourists to make additional incomes.

Local photo grapher. On your boat excursion, some neighborhood with their camera from others boat invite you to have photos. But sometime they tried to make you happy and smile. Should you like to have some, you can let them to select good scenes for your nice images, then you get it in the end of the boat tour. If you don’t like it, you simply ignore them say No.

In low season, they only have a possibility to row once or twice a month. Most of them do not know English. On your boat trip, they invite you to purchase their local embroidery products. If you like any item, you may bargain & buy it for them. If you don’t like it, you simply refuse them politely.

Another thing that you should to know is tipping. When you’re on the 3rd cave, there are a fleet of small boats loaded with fruits, sweet & drinks. The owners of these selling boats try to invite tourists buying their stuffs over priced rates as a tipping present to your boat driver.

Our suggestion is to state No, with them in a friendly manner and after that state or signal your vessel driver you’ll tip later in the end of the boat excursion. In fact, you cover the boat & entrance fees when have rowing boat excursion. The tip is optional. Typically, you’re back to the sanctuary, the boat rower will ask for a tip. For their hard work they do, we suggest our clients tipping them around 3-4usd/1 boat as a thank you to them. When they are happy & so you are!

For Trang An boat tour:

Trang An is a brand new travel route which has recently opened and operated to travellers.  Trang an  was recognized as a  natural & cultural heritage site by UNESCO in 2014 . Thanks to its own natural & cultural values and has increasing number of tourists year after year.

Trang an has no rice fields & authentic farming activities we adore Trang an for these many reasons. The  boat trip in Trang An  is longer than boat trip in Tam Coc. The boat excursion in Trang It’s around 2-2, 5 hours along limestone mountains with this repetition as Tam Coc. More caves that you can visit in Trang An. This boat tour is filled with exploration to many tunnel temples, angling in Trang a gives you stops in certain temples or trekking up place for picturesque view of the region. This surely makes your trip more interesting with natural & cultural exploration. Especially where you will have chance to visit  Kong Skull island movie  set.

You’ll get acquainted with more details on the  history of Vietnam  when Ninh Binh was selected as the capital in 10th &11th century. Not with the rice field view because of its protected area, but this river in which doing Trang an is very clear & clean so you will have nice view of plants growing & alive from bed of the river. It may get a more majestic mountain views within a longer rowing boat excursion. What a view of rivers & mountains.

More professional service that you can expect. Trang An is operated by a private company so they care much about the service & its environment. All the rowers work for the company and they get paid by the company monthly. They have to follow  Ninh Binh tours company’s  rules and serve the clients well. They work hard to meet the customer’s satisfaction so most of customers are happy to thank them with tips at the end. It is not compulsory but is a nice complement to encourage them. Different with Tam Coc ( the boat rowers may suggest you with tiping, tiping, tiping at the end of the boat trip.

In Trang An, you feel relaxed with their service without any tipping suggestion at the end.

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Ninh Binh Boat Tour – Trang An Or Tam Coc Boat Tour?

Table of Contents

Ninh Binh Boat Tour Introduction

Ninh Binh boat tour is a top sought-after service for visitors who do not have much time but want to explore majestic nature. Because most of the heritage is located in rivers, lagoons and lakes, you need to take a Ninh Binh boat ride to visit. Plus, the distance from Hanoi to Ninh Binh is about 100 km, so moving won’t take long.

Ninh Binh boat tours include Trang An boat tours and Tam Coc boat tours to explore the beauty of nature with caves, valleys, lakes, rice fields, temples, and more. Let Culture Pham Travel take a look with you!

Ideal Time To Do A Ninh Binh Boat Tour

Ninh Binh is a place you can visit many times a year. However, it is recommended to come here in spring (January – March) when the weather is cool and there are many festivals. Next is the summer (May-August) to see the golden rice fields or the fragrant lotus ponds.

Ninh Binh Vietnam map

What To Expect From Ninh Binh Boat Tours?

Should you choose the Trang An or Tam Coc Boat Tour? Tam Coc or Trang An boat tour also has each own unique and special. Plus, it depends on the feeling of each visitor. Therefore, you can explore both Trang An and Tam Coc in one day to feel the difference between each tourist area.

Nevertheless, the best Ninh Binh tour is Trang An because you can explore the Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex by boat or kayak. Above all, Trang An Ninh Binh, Vietnam, has many exciting things to discover. For example, temples, Bao Hieu pagoda – one of Ninh Binh pagodas, Trang An cave, etc.

Furthermore, you can also take a Ninh Binh boat tour in Thung Nham bird park, Van Long lagoon, Thung Nang (Nang valley), and so on. Generally, taking a boat tour to explore the UNESCO World Heritage Site is the most unique and fantastic experience ever!

Trang An Boat Tours

The Trang An boat trip is a fantastic chance to explore Trang An grottoes and Ninh Binh temples. Moreover, you can also admire the beauty of valleys, lakes, rivers, and majestic karst mountains by Trang An boat ride.

Furthermore, the river water of Trang An Landscape Complex is so clear that you can see each pebble, and the fish swimming in the lake is hiding in the water. Plus, the green mosses make you feel like you are sitting in the middle of a massive aquarium.

What’s more? When you take a Trang An river tour by boat, you can discover more about Vietnam’s feudal dynasties’ history and Trang An ancient culture through temples and archaeological remnants in Trang An, Vietnam. Hence, Trang An boat tours are one of the best Ninh Binh tours that you should take a chance to visit.

Trang An boat tour opening hours

• Summer: 6:00 am – 4:45 pm
• Winter: 7:00 am – 4:30 pm
• Anniversary days and New Year’s Day: 6:00 am – 4:45 pm

Note: sightseeing service time may change depending on weather conditions and seasonal times.

Trang An boat tour route

Trang An boat tour Ninh Binh has three routes you can choose from below. Besides, the Trang An boat tour time depends on each route.

Route 1: The Trang An boat tour best route

Route number one takes you to visit spiritual sites and caves in a closed circle. Therefore, you not only explore nature’s beauty but also learn more about the Dinh dynasty’s history.

Boat wharf => Trinh Temple => Dark Cave => Light Cave => Nau Ruou Cave => Tran Temple => Ba Giot Cave => Seo Cave => Son Duong Cave => Phu Khong (Khong temple) => Bao Hieu Pagoda => Tran Cave => Quy Hau Cave => back to the boat wharf (visiting time is about 3.5 – 4.5 hours).

Route 2: Boat wharf => Lam Cave => deity Cao Son’s temple => Vang Cave => Thanh Truot Cave => Dia Linh Mountain => Suoi Tien Temple => Kim Quy Mountain => Dai Cave => Hanh Cung Vu Lam => back to the boat wharf (visiting time from 2 – 2.5 hours).

Route 3: With this route, you will admire the longest cave and all other ecological zones of the same type in Ninh Binh, Vietnam.

Boat wharf => Trinh Temple => Cloud Cave => Suoi Tien Temple => Dia Linh Mountain => Kim Quy Mountain => Dai Cave => Hanh Cung Vu Lam. After all, you will return to the boat wharf (duration: 3 hours).

Trang An boat tour price

Note: The ticket price of the Trang An boat trip includes the boat and sightseeing fees by a waterway on the Dong Ngo and Sao Khe rivers. Plus, the Trang An boat ticket price is only used for Trang An boat tour (excluding other services: dining, parking, shopping, etc.).

The Trang An boat tour cost is as below:

• Adults and children over 1.3m tall: 250,000 VND/person.
• Children from 1m – 1.3m: 120,000 VND/child.
• Kids under 1m: free.
• Private Trang An boat ride ticket (survey, record music video, filming, etc.): 1,250,000 VND/boat. The boat goes to places on your request without following the usual route.
• Hire a guide: 300,000 VND/tour.

Depending on their weight, a boat may accommodate up to 4-5 passengers. To maintain river traffic safety, visitors must adhere to the department’s regulations for boat stowage.

Tam Coc Boat Tours

An experience by boat is the best thing for you to discover the hidden beauty as well as the peace of Tam Coc. The boatman will take you through the vast rice fields or the giant limestone mountains with three small caves (Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba).

Furthermore, you can go on a Tam Coc boat ride through each rock crevice and rice field. From that, you will feel the cool, peaceful space, separate from the busy life out there. Additionally, you can take photos, immerse yourself in nature, and enjoy the fresh air.

When you take a Tam Coc boat tour, you will witness the boatmen rowing the boat with their feet instead of their hands, like in Trang An. It is a unique thing just simply because the leg muscles are more robust than the arm muscles. Plus, they must carry many groups of guests, so rowing the boat with their feet to reduce fatigue is understandable.

Tam Coc boat tour routes

Take a Tam Coc boat tour to see the Tam Coc rice fields and Ninh Binh caves are one of the must things to do in Ninh Binh, Vietnam. Tam Coc Bich Dong tourist area includes many routes to visit by boat, bicycle, and walking, connecting many tourist attractions. Hence, the Tam Coc boat tour route has three routes that you can choose.

Tam Coc boat tour price

Tam coc boat tour route price.

Address of Tam Coc wharf: Van Lam, Tam Coc, Ninh Binh

Ticket price for Tam Coc boat trip: buy tickets at Van Lam pier’s main gate and includes 2 tickets: an entrance ticket and a boat ticket.

Tam Coc entrance ticket price

• Adults and children over 1.3m: 100,000 VND/person.
• The elderly people: 120,000 VND (including boat ticket price).
• Children from 1 – 1.3m: 120,000 VND/person (including boat ticket). Children under 1m are free.

Tam Coc boat ride price: 150,000 VND/boat/trip

• Duration: 1.5 – 2 hours
• Opening hours: 7:00 am to 6:00 pm
• Domestic guests: The maximum number of people on the boat is four people per boat. (5th person surcharge: 40,000 VND for adults; 20,000 VND for children).
• International guests: The maximum number of people on the boat is two people/boat/trip. (3rd person surcharge: adults: 75,000 VND; children: 35,000 VND).
• You should bring mineral water, sunscreen, hat if going on sunny days.

Thach Bich – Thung Nang boat tour route price

Thung Nang belongs to Tam Coc – Bich Dong tourist area (Hoa Lu district), 7km from Ninh Binh city center. Most importantly, October to the end of December is when water lilies bloom most beautifully. Hence, it is the best time to admire the beauty here. You can follow the signposts on both sides of the road from Tam Coc wharf to Thach Bich wharf and take a boat to the water lily area.

Sightseeing tickets

• Adults: 20,000 VND/person
• Children from 6-15 years old: 10,000 VND/person
• Older people (from 60 years old and above): 10,000 VND/person

Boat tickets

• Adults: 100,000 VND/trip
• Children from 6-15 years old: 50,000 VND/trip
• Older people (from 60 years old and above): 50,000 VND/trip
• Domestic passengers: 4 people/boat/trip
• International guests: 2 people/boat/trip

Ninh Binh boat trip to visit Pagoda cave – Ghe cave – But cave

• Adults: 120,000 VND/trip
• Children from 6-15 years old: 60,000 VND/trip
• Older people (from 60 years old and above): 60,000 VND/trip

Ninh Binh Boat Ride In Thung Nham Bird Park

Taking a Ninh Binh tour by boat is a unique way to discover the Thung Nham bird garden and caves in the Thung Nham ecotourism area. It is not only known as a complex of poetic landscapes, caves or immense rivers, but it is also home to many rare birds, such as starlings, fire warblers, etc.

Anything else? Thung Nham has many things to explore, including fishing tourism, orchards, and flower islands. Plus, the valley of love, primeval forests, caves, wild bird gardens, climbing mountains, etc.

• Adults: 100,000 VND/person
• Children from 6-15 years old: 50,000 VND/person
• Older people (from 60 years old and above): 50,000 VND/person
• Adults: 20,000 VND/trip (But cave), 40,000 VND/trip (bird garden)
• Children from 6-15 years old: 10,000 VND/trip (But cave), 20,000 VND/trip (Bird Garden)
• Older adults (from 60 years old and older): 10,000 VND/trip (But cave), 20,000 VND/trip (Bird Garden)

Notes: Small boats are 5 passengers/boat. Large boats are 10 passengers/boat.

Admire Thien Ha Cave By Ninh Binh Boat Tour

Although less famous than Trang An, Tam Coc Bich Dong, or Mua cave when traveling to Ninh Binh. However, if you once set foot in Thien Ha cave, you will have to be fascinated by the fanciful space of “the galaxy in the heart of Ninh Binh mountain.”

G alaxy grotto is about 700m long, including a 200m long dry cave and a 500m long water cave. Inside the large cave, there are many unique stalactites. In addition, archaeologists also found traces of ancient Vietnamese with mollusk shells. Plus, raw pottery fragments, animal bones, shells and turtle bibs.

(Route of the wharf of the Le Dynasty, But Cave, Thien Ha cave)

Address: Son Ha commune, Nho Quan district, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam.

Cave entrance ticket

• Adults: 70,000 VND/person
• Children from 6-15 years old: 35,000 VND/person
• Older people (from 60 years old and above): 35,000 VND/person
• Adults: 50,000 VND/trip
• Children from 6-15 years old: 25,000 VND/trip
• Older people (from 60 years old and above): 25,000 VND/trip
• Max pax/boat/trip: 5 passengers on the boat

Explore Van Long Nature Reserve By Ninh Binh Boat Tour

Van Long Nature Reserve (Van Long Lagoon) is one of the ecological tourist areas in Ninh Binh. Moreover, Van Long lagoon is known as “a bay without waves”. Because visitors will see the flat water surface without a ripple when taking a boat tour to visit the lagoon. Besides, the water is not as blue as the sea but clear, revealing each layer of moss below.

In 2020, the Global Green List Commission (IUCN) officially listed Van Long Wetland Nature Reserve (Ninh Binh) on the Green List.

Not only the charming scenery and mysterious caves, but Van Long nature reserve also has many temples and pagodas. For instance, Dich Long Pagoda, Thanh Son Pagoda, Thanh Mau temple, etc.

Address: Gia Van commune, Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam.

Visiting tickets

• Children under 1m tall: 10,000 VND/person

Van Long boat tour ticket price

• Children under 1m tall: 25,000 VND/trip

In conclusion, when taking a Ninh Binh boat tour on the rivers and lakes, you will have an unforgettable experience that you won’t find elsewhere. Culture Pham Travel hopes our article will help you with your travel plans in Ninh Binh, Vietnam! Thanks for reading our article, and we wish you the best experience with the Ninh Binh Binh boat tours!

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Ultimate Guide to Tam Coc Boat Tour in Ninh Binh (2023)

Looking for the most updated information for Tam Coc? 

You’ve come to the right place! Here is a comprehensive guide to the Tam Coc Boat Tour that covers everything you need to know. Find out the ticket prices in 2023, opening hours, how to get to Tam Coc, the best time to visit, where to stay near Tam Coc, and much more! 

Also, don’t miss out on our detailed Tam Coc Boat experience, where we outline what to expect on the tour. Read our top tips on how to avoid the crowds, how much to tip your rowers, and whether the Tam Coc boat tour is a scam!

Plan your Trip to Tam Coc

If you’re planning to visit Tam Coc last minute, here are the links to hotels, tours, and other services that you can book right away! 

Transportation: Van Transfer , Private Car

Where to Stay: Tam Coc Dibi Villa  

Best Tour from Hanoi: Ninh Binh Full-Day Tour 

Protect yourself from unexpected emergencies . Buy your travel insurance with COVID cover at Heymondo and get 5% off for being our reader !

Overview of Tam Coc

Tam Coc-Bich Dong in Ninh Binh is a popular tourist destination that takes you on a relaxing boat ride along the Ngo Dong River. One of the highlights of this boat tour is the amazing views of lush rice fields surrounded by stunning limestone cliffs. Tam Cốc also translates to three caves, which you will pass on the boat tour. 

Another symbol of Tam Coc are boat rowers, who use their legs to row. As you glide through the calm waters, you can see the skill and agility of the boatmen as they maneuver the boats effortlessly with their feet. 

How to Get to Tam Coc From Hanoi

The famous scenic area of Tam Cốc is located at the center of Ninh Bình Province and is around 2 hours drive from Hanoi. To start your boat tour, buy your tickets at Van Lam Pier by the main gate, and head to the boat dock to board one of the boats.

Here are the best ways to reach Tam Coc from Hanoi: 

Bus: There is a tourist bus that leaves from Hanoi old quarter and stops at Ninh Binh bus station, directly across from the boat dock in Tam Coc. A ticket costs around 6 USD. Book your bus here !

Van: A comfortable option to get to Tam Coc is taking the van that seats from 9 to 11 people. It also stops directly in front of Tam Coc boat station. A ticket costs around 11 USD. Book your van here !

Private Car: Taking a private car from Hanoi is a great choice for families or a group of friends. You can leave whenever you want, and it is convenient. Expect to pay at least 50 USD to book a private car. Book your car here !

Tam Coc Boat Tours from Hanoi

You may want to consider taking a day trip from Hanoi if you want a hassle-free way to visit Tam Coc. There are plenty of tours that  include a sampan boat to Tam Coc complex and also includes other highlights in Ninh Binh. 

However, we only recommend it if you’re pressed for time or just want the convenience of having everything taken care of. If not, it's very simple to take the Tam Coc boat ride on your own.

Here are the most popular Tam Coc Tours you can book:

Tam Coc Opening Hours

The Tam Coc boat tour opens daily and sells tickets from 7:30am to 5pm . We recommend getting there not later than 4:30pm just in case. You should set aside at least 2 hours to take the Tam Coc Boat ride. 

Tam Coc Ticket Price

There’s an entrance fee of approximately 5 USD per adult and 3 USD for children. Additionally, you’ll have to pay for your boat ticket and rower. The boat can only carry two foreign guests for about 7 USD, whereas it can accommodate four Vietnamese nationals. 

Tam Coc Boat Tour Price: For two adults to ride on one sampan boat, budget at least 17 USD total.

Best Time to Visit

The boat tour is available all year, but the best time to visit Tam Coc is from April to June . 

The rice fields will be carpeted in lush green in April, while the harvest season begins in late May to early June. During this time the rice fields turn golden yellow, creating a spectacular landscape alongside the towering karst mountains. 

Read: Best Time to Visit Vietnam

Tam Coc Boat Route

The Tam Coc boat tour lasts around 1.5 to 2 hours.

There are no stops or temples to visit along the way, but there is a long stretch of rowing along the Ngo Dong River, passing through rice fields and overlooking towering karst mountains. You’ll also be going through three caves.

It is not a loop, but rather you go up and down the same route with a turning point where vendors are selling drinks and snacks. 

Our Boat Experience

We visited at the end of May in the afternoon and got on the boat at around 4:30pm. There was no line up, buying entrance tickets was very straightforward, and everything went smoothly. It took us at least 2 hours to complete the boat tour. 

Once you get to the wharf, staff will direct you to a boat and you will be automatically assigned to a rower waiting. 

Meet our Tam Coc rower. A 63 year old veteran who has been a boat rower in Tam Coc for over 20 years! Despite the language barrier, he was kind and friendly, with a great sense of humor. We enjoyed his company, which made our boat experience better.  

Weather in May

If you want to see the yellow rice fields in Tam Coc, May is one of the best months to visit. However, keep in mind that the weather can be hot and humid. 

During the week we were there, there was a heat wave, with temperatures reaching 41 ° C and the midday heat was unbearable. It remained hot throughout the day, even in the early morning and late afternoon.

Tam Coc is one of the most visited tourist attractions in Ninh Binh, so expect some crowds. Since we visited later in the afternoon, we saw only a few other boats, most of which were returning to shore. The boat ride in Tam Coc was peaceful to say the least, and the views as the sun set were spectacular.

Tip: Avoid crowds by visiting early in the morning or late in the afternoon. 

One of the most common online reviews, particularly on Google Maps, is that the Tam Coc boat trip is a scam. In our experience, this was not the case at all!   

We've read about the boat vendors who hassle you to buy drinks and snacks at the turning point. However, we only encountered one boat near the middle, and the woman on board was polite. We turned it down, but she suggested we buy snacks and drinks for our rower instead, which we agreed to. 

Sure, the prices were higher, but we were more than happy to get our rower a refreshing drink as he rowed us in that heat! He also insisted on sharing the fruit that we'd bought for him. 

Also, we encountered one woman at the beginning of the tour rushing on her boat to take photos of us to print as a souvenir. We quickly showed our own camera and politely declined and she didn’t push. 

We believe it was because we did the tour late in the afternoon, when most of the boat sellers left for the day. Honestly, knowing a little bit of the language and how to say no politely goes a long way.

The majority of people online also discussed being harassed and being forced by their rowers to give more tips. While everyone's experience varies, our rower couldn't have been more opposite. 

We also asked our rower to stop at various viewpoints along the way, and we agreed on the tip to give him at the end. Even if he hadn't asked, we would have given him tips just for rowing us for that long in that heat!

So, how much should you tip? This all depends on you and what your experience is. We gave our rower 200,000 VND, which is about 9 USD. While your rower may suggest you give them tips, know that you can always politely decline. 

Tam Coc Viewpoints

One of the highlights of the Tam Coc boat tour is the golden yellow rice fields, which are best seen from above. If you don't have a drone, stopping at the viewpoints is the best way to capture Tam Coc's yellow rice fields. 

We mentioned that the Tam Coc boat ride does not have any official stops, but you can plan your own with your rower. Just keep in mind that they may request additional tips if you do.

Here are four viewpoints to see the rice fields in Tam Coc.

Viewpoint 1: Easy Hike

The most accessible viewpoint is right after the first cave on your left. There is a small path with a few dozen steps that are not very high. We didn't stop at this viewpoint because there were people taking photos and it was getting dark on our way back.

Viewpoint 2: Medium Hike

The medium-difficulty viewpoint is located on the left side, just before entering the second cave. You will notice a small entrance to the stairs cut directly into the mountain. The stairs are quite steep and narrow, so keep an eye on your head. When you reach the top, you'll see a small platform with railings.  

Viewpoint 3: Hard Hike

The third viewpoint, which is also located before the second cave but on the right, is the most difficult to reach but also the most beautiful. There is a small karst mountain to climb, and at the bottom is a small building. 

When you get to the building, turn right, and you'll see some makeshift bamboo ladders. Climb slowly because the ladder is shaky and some steps are missing. You will also have to climb sharp rocks to get to the top, but the views will be well worth it. 

Tip: Only hike to this viewpoint if you're in good shape and wearing appropriate shoes. 

Viewpoint 4: Hang Mua 

Though this one is not particularly part of the boat tour, you can also view the Tam Coc rice fields from Hang Mua viewpoint. Hike up to the dragon statue and you can view the rice fields from above. 

Is Tam Coc Worth Visiting?

The Tam Coc boat tour is a popular activity in Ninh Binh Province, but it can get very touristy. While we enjoyed our experience, we think that Tam Coc is only worth visiting if you hike to the viewpoints.

While you can easily enjoy and take photos while on the boat, we believe that seeing the rice fields from above is one of the best things to do in Tam Coc. 

Read: Plan your Trip to Ninh Binh: 2 Day Itinerary

Trang An or Tam Coc Boat Tour?

Tam Coc and Trang An boat tours both provide spectacular views of Ninh Binh. Choosing which boat tour to go on depends on what you want to see and experience. 

Take the Trang An boat tour if you want to see more caves and temples and the Tam Coc boat tour if you want to see beautiful limestone cliffs and golden rice paddies from May to June. 

If you have the time, we recommend visiting both, but we think the Trang An Boat Tour is more worthwhile for its price and value. 

Where to Stay Near Tam Coc

Tam Coc is located in the center and there are many accommodations you can choose from. However, we recommend staying a bit further from the main area to enjoy a more peaceful stay.

Here are the most highly rated accommodations close to Tam Coc. 

Where to Eat Near Tam Coc

If you're looking for places to eat near Tam Coc, there are several options to choose from. One popular option is the Family Restaurant, which offers extensive Vietnamese cuisine. 

The restaurant is always busy and for good reason as it has delicious meals for an affordable price. Note that some restaurants nearby have the same or similar name, so check the correct address here .

Tip: We recommend trying out their grilled goat on skewers, which is a specialty in Ninh Binh. The meat was very tender and flavorful. Also try out their roasted duck. 

For those who prefer international cuisine, there is the Aroma Indian Restaurant , which serves delicious Indian cuisine for reasonable prices. The restaurant is always busy so we recommend booking a table in advance. 

Other highly rated restaurants in the area include the Father Cooking Restaurant which serves Vietnamese food and the NGON Restaurant for vegan food options. 

Tam Coc Boat Tour Tips

Here are our top travel tips for visiting the Tam Coc in Ninh Binh to make the most out of your boat tour. 

Read: 17 Top Tips for First Time Visitors in Vietnam

1. Plan your visit for the early morning or late afternoon. To avoid crowds and make the most of your experience, arrive at Tam Coc Boat Tour early in the morning or towards sunset when the tour groups are smaller. 

If you go in the afternoon, aim to start before 4pm so you can still enjoy the light for the duration of your boat tour. We started around 4:30 and it was already getting dark on our way back. 

2. Learn a few basic Vietnamese phrases. To enhance your interactions with the locals and boat rowers.

3. Keep some cash handy for tipping. Especially if you intend to hike to the viewpoints. 

4. Stay hydrated. Ninh Binh can get hot and humid, especially during the high tourist season. You can buy your water at the entrance or from locals selling it on their boat for a higher price. 

5. Wear comfortable shoes . If you want to hike to the viewpoints, avoid wearing sandals. Additionally, don’t forget to wear a hat to protect your face and head from direct sunlight.

And that’s the ultimate guide to the Tam Coc boat tour in Ninh Binh! 

Let us know in the comments if we’ve missed anything. Plan your perfect Vietnam trip using our comprehensive itineraries. We have a 14-day , 3-week , and one-month Vietnam itinerary designed for first time visitors!

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Trang An boat tour – prices, routes and tips & tricks

The Trang An boat tour is probably the most touristic activity in Ninh Binh Province. People from all around the globe come here to admire the caves and temples while enjoying a peaceful boat ride. The limestone mountains popping out of the water create an incredible scenery and it’s no wonder so many people fall in love with this place.

If you are in the area, you can also visit the Hang Mua Peak , the Thai Vi Temple or take a boat tour in Tam Coc .

Why you should take a Trang An boat tour

1. admire the breathtaking scenery.

I find the scenery at Trang An boat tour very similar to Halong Bay – tall, round mountains with lush vegetation, surrounded by water. With every turn, the boat ride uncovers more and more stunning landscapes. From time to time, birds fly and sing peacefully. Everything about this place is magical.

-> Read more about all the Ninh Binh must see attractions here .

2. Invest in the local economy

Many Vietnamese people living in the Ninh Binh Province rely heavily on tourism as their main source of income, including the locals who row the boats. By taking a boat tour at Trang An, you are contributing to the local economy. Don’t forget to leave a tip for these hard working people (anything between 20.000 VND and 40.000 VND would be great).

-> Book a tour to Trang An here

About Trang An boat tour

1. Route 1 – 9 caves, 3 temples

This route is designed for those passionate about geology. It is the only tour that will take you through that many caves.

2. Route 2 – 4 caves, 3 temples

This route is the most balanced one with a fair number of caves and temples to visit.

3. Route 3 – 3 caves, 3 temples

If you want to enjoy the limestone mountains, then this route is definitely for you. Most of the tour will be out in the open air.

The ticket office is right on the left side of the map (the one from the picture above). Each boat can accommodate maximum 4 people and the price per person is 200,000 VND.

If you are a group of 2 you will have to look for some partners to fill the empty spots. If you don’t find anybody, you will have to pay the full price of 800,000 VND per boat. However, I would’t stress too much about it as the influx of tourists at Trang An boat tour is very high.

Evey boat has one guide/ rower who sits in the back of the boat. Although the boat tour is safe, make sure to put your life jacket on before starting the tour.

Things to keep in mind:

• If you are planning to take a boat tour in the middle of the day, do not forget your hat and sunscreen home. There is little to no shade along the way.
• Bring water and food (something sweet or a sandwich) as the boat tour will take about 3 hours.
• Each boat has an extra pair of paddles. If you want, you can use them and help your guide. I can imagine that paddling for that many hours per day can get pretty tiring for the guides.

How to get to Trang An boat tour

1. From Ninh Binh city or Tam Coc

If you are staying in any of the above cities, the easiest way to get to Trang An boat tour is either by motorbike or taxi. You can rent a motorbike for one day for about 150,000 VND per day. The taxi will cost you around 15,000 VND per kilometer.

2. From Hanoi

There are many tour companies which offer one day or two day tours to Ninh Binh area. Below are a few suggestions:

• Mua Cave and Trang An tour from Hanoi –   click here
• Bai Ding and Trang An tour from Hanoi – click here

Where to stay in Ninh Binh

I’ve been searching for the best accommodation in Ninh Binh. Below are the best hotels, for every budget:

• Budget –  Tam Coc Craft Homestay  – great location, big & comfortable rooms, very clean
• Mid-budget –  Hidden Charm Hotel & Resort  – amazing pool with a view, good location, spacious rooms, breakfast included
• Luxury –  Aravinda Resort  – amazing location near the limestone mountains, luxurious rooms, super-friendly staff, excellent breakfast

Taking a Trang An boat tour is a must when visiting Ninh Binh. I would recommend spending at least 2 days in the area. Far less touristy than Halong Bay, Ninh Binh offers spectacular views and many attractions to choose from. Read below which other tourist hot spots you can visit in the area.

May the travel bug bite you!

More about nearby attractions:

• Ninh Binh must see attractions  –  click here
• Thai Vi Temple  – a peaceful place in Ninh Binh –  click here
• Hang Mua Peak  – the best view in Ninh Binh –  click here
• Bich Dong Pagoda –  a Ninh Binh must see –  click here
• Tam Coc boat tour  – Ninh Binh –  click here

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Aurelia Teslaru is a professional travel blogger and the writer behind Daily Travel Pill. With a 4-year experience as a travel writer and photographer, Aurelia only shares travel guides about destinations that she visited.

She has been to more than 40 countries during the past 10 years and aims to explore 50 countries before turning 30 years old. Aurelia is a digital nomad who transformed her passion for travel into a lifestyle. Read more about her here .

To follow her adventures, check out her Instagram and Facebook pages!

Very informative article, I will keep it in mind for when I visit Vietnam

So happy to hear this!

Thank you for putting this helpful info together! I feel better prepared going into the ride.

I am so happy to hear this! Ninh Binh is incredible!

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