Though it’s not on the coastline, Tam Coc often gets compared to Vietnam’s Halong Bay. The connection is the rugged rock formations. In this case they jut out of rice paddies rather than the sea.
This is a popular daytrip destination with crowds filing in from as far away as Hanoi in the late morning. Visitors board small boats and a ferried through the spectacular landscape in pairs. The journey takes about two hours.
Along the way you’ll pass through changing landscape. The Ngo Dong River passes through a network of three caves and then emerges into a field of rice paddies and towering karst structures. Anyone who has visited Halong Bay will easily see the resemblance at this point.
There are a few restaurants and a handicraft village here to entertain daytrippers. Prices are reasonable and this is a good place to shop for embroidery. You’ll have the added peace of mind of buying direct from the artisans.
Getting There & Away
It is possible to visit Tam Coc on a daytrip from Hanoi, which is home to the closest international airport, but this involves a lot of travel time (2 hours each direction by bus, longer by train). The most comfortable way to enjoy Tam Coc is to base yourself in Vinh Binh and either take a taxi or hire your own ride. A favorite means of getting to the pier is by hiring a motorbike or bicycle from Vinh Binh.