Day Trip: Hoa Lu - Tam Coc Vs. Perfume Pagoda ??

Hi,

I am planning to visit Vietnam this month for 5 days. I will be spending 2 days in Hanoi and 2 in Halong Bay (2D1N). I have one spare day and i want to go on a day trip - i have shortlisted Hoa Lu - Tam Coc and Perfume Pagoda as detination but as i can do only one of them so wondering which one to go for.

Which one should I prefer for better scenery and peaceful experience?

Also if anyone of you have found a nice and different tour for either of these places, I will really appreciate the recommendation.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Day Trip: Hoa Lu - Tam Coc Vs. Perfume Pagoda ??

Hi

We (family of 4 including 2 teenagers) went on the Hanspan Hoa Lu - Tam Coc tour last June and thoroughly enjoyed it. It included a visit to a temple, a bike ride through villages (the highlight), lunch and then a boat ride. Highly recommended. We didn%26#39;t do the Perfume Pagoda trip so can%26#39;t compare them.

Good luck with your planning.

Harvey

Day Trip: Hoa Lu - Tam Coc Vs. Perfume Pagoda ??

Thanks Harvey - also thanks for pointing me to Handspan .Just a quick query on them. I saw their rates on website - are they fixed or negotiable about price of their tours ?

We did Ninh Binh (Tam Coc) on our own for a few days and thoroughly enjoyed the region. Hired a bike and got out into the countryside and mixed with the locals.

We have some pics and story of our trip here.. www.bobandjanette.com which may prove useful in your planning.

Happy %26amp; safe travels

Tam Coc is well-known for travellers so if you looking for something not with hassle then Van Long is an alternative, Footprint travel offers Hoa Lu and Van Long, see footprintsvietnam.com/tours/Classic/HoaLu-Va…

From memory, Handspan had fixed prices but they had a %26#39;special%26#39; going at that time. We did see quite a few people cycling through the villages on their own without a guide so maybe you could do that - but our guide was great - very knowledgeable and fun to be with.

Harvey

My son and I did the Perfume Pagoda and the scenery was very nice, large limestone hills as you near the destination. Boat ride was excellent but I must admit I felt sorry for the person having to row all the way upstream and then back again.

The temple is very interesting and on the day we visited there was a Buddhist nun who took my 10 year old son around the temple and showed him around and then they prayed together which was pretty special. They would not let us into the main temple as we both had shorts on and I had a sleeveless shirt but it was really hot.

We then went on the extra tour catching the cable car up the mountain and visiting the cave temple which was spectacular and then walked back down. Took about an hour and it was really hot and humid but worth the trip.

Thnaks All for your inputs. We have decided on Hoa Lu - Tam Coc day trip. Now busy figuring out a ';off-the beaten path'; tour. Any recommendations ?

Off-the-beaten-path is only be done by private tour.

Experienced guide and driver will give you extra stops on the way to discover more the Northern villages that showing you the real life. Timing and swithching around the activities will get you out of crowded places too.

Happy travels.

HI!

Did you end up finding an off-the-beaten path guide or group to go with to Hoa Lu/Tam Coc? I too am looking for that but I%26#39;m one person and would need to hook up with a group. I am also trying to decide between Hoa Lu and Perfume Pagoda but am leaning toward Hoa Lu...

Thanks!