Tam Coc, nicknamed the “Land Halong Bay”, is one of the most fascinating sites in Vietnam. You can best appreciate the magic of the place with a rowing boat trip along the Ngo Dong River between the picturesque limestone hills dotted with rice fields that surround the villages or reflected in the clear water of the river. A destination not to be missed during a trip to Vietnam!
Located 100km south of Hanoi, listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, Tam Coc attracts travelers from all over the world with its picturesque landscape.
Tam Coc means “three caves” in Vietnamese, it includes three natural caves Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba. These three caves are formed by the Ngo Dong river which crosses the mountains.
When you visit Tam Coc, there is only one waterway, in and out takes about 1.5 hours along the Ngo Dong River on small rowing boats from Van Lam pier. The trip will take you through rice fields and three caves carved into the sugar loafs, with only the sound of water lapping under the oars.
The Hang Ca cave, meaning “first cave”, is the largest cave with 127m length and a 20m high entrance. Once you enter the cave, you can admire the many stalactites of different shapes in a cool and exceptional atmosphere.
Continue the tour to about 1km from Hang Ca cave, Hang Hai cave, the second cave, 60m long, is known for its beautiful ceiling with stalactites of various shapes.
Hang Ba Cave, the third cave, which is located not far from Hang Hai Cave, is about 50 meters long and has a lower ceiling than the two previous caves.
On either side of the winding river are limestone mountains and rice fields that change with the seasons. You can see goats on the steep slopes of the karst peaks or curious pink snail eggs on the plants (a real nuisance for the plantations), some buffalos grazing. A boat trip in the middle of poetic landscapes of rivers, mountains, clouds and sky, is a precious moment to relax and immerse yourself in nature.
Best time to travel to Tam Coc
November to February: This is the winter and dry season. It is cold and does not rain. The sky is sometimes gray.
March to April: This is the good season to travel in Tam Coc. It is mild and the sky is often blue.
May to June: This is the rice harvesting period which offers you the beautiful landscape of golden rice fields. June is also the time when the lotus blooms.
July to August: This is the summer or monsoon season. It is hot.
September to October: It is also the harvest time. The climate is the mildest.
To avoid the crowds of tourists, we recommend taking a boat trip to Tam Coc early in the morning (before 9am) or late in the afternoon (after 3pm).
Practical information
Boat hours: all day (from 7am to 6pm) and every day
Entrance fee: 120 000 VND/person
Rowing boat: 150 000 VND for 2 persons
