
Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet
Traveler rating
4.9/5
Based on 412 traveler reviews. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Quick answer
Is Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet worth booking?
Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet is a 9-hour experience in Hanoi, Vietnam, from $48 per person. It scores 87 out of 100 on the Outty Ranking, which we label “Exceptional”, based on a 4.9/5 rating across 412 reviews. Cancellation is free up to 24 hours before the start time. Same-day spots are currently showing.
- Outty Ranking
- 87 / 100
- Rating
- 4.9/5 (412)
- Duration
- 9 hours
- From
- $48 per person
(Fullday Trip - pickup from 7.15 am , drop off at 19.00 pm) ---- Visit the ancient capital of Hoa Lu—with its 1,000-year history—to learn about Vietnam’s feudal dynasties, and enjoy a cycling excursion through the countryside. Indulge in an exquisite Asian-European buffet lunch featuring a wide selection of 32 dishes. Take a relaxing boat trip to admire the scenery in either Tam Coc or Trang An (your choice). Option 1: A boat trip through Tam Coc, featuring three stunning water caves (with rice paddies visible in the summer, or water lilies in the winter, depending on the season). Option 2: A boat trip through the Trang An Heritage Site (Route 2), which includes four water caves; the caves here are longer and the water is clearer (note: there are no rice paddies in this area). Climb the 500 steps to the peak of Mua Cave for a panoramic view from above. (Stroll along the path to admire the lotus pond—accessible from April to October, with the best views in May, June, July, and August.)
What you get
About this experience
(Fullday Trip - pickup from 7.15 am , drop off at 19.00 pm) ---- Visit the ancient capital of Hoa Lu—with its 1,000-year history—to learn about Vietnam’s feudal dynasties, and enjoy a cycling excursion through the countryside. Indulge in an exquisite Asian-European buffet lunch featuring a wide selection of 32 dishes. Take a relaxing boat trip to admire the scenery in either Tam Coc or Trang An (your choice). Option 1: A boat trip through Tam Coc, featuring three stunning water caves (with rice paddies visible in the summer, or water lilies in the winter, depending on the season). Option 2: A boat trip through the Trang An Heritage Site (Route 2), which includes four water caves; the caves here are longer and the water is clearer (note: there are no rice paddies in this area). Climb the 500 steps to the peak of Mua Cave for a panoramic view from above. (Stroll along the path to admire the lotus pond—accessible from April to October, with the best views in May, June, July, and August.)
What's included
Included
- Bottled water
- Limousine Bus with experienced driver (17 seats)
- Buffet Lunch with Vietnamese cuisine
- English Speaking Guide
- Cycling activity
- Entrance fee
Not included
- Drinks for lunch not include
- Tips for tour guide & driver
- Or anything is NOT mentioned above
What you'll see and do
Ninh Binh Province
07h30 – 8h00: Get picked up by our friendly guide then depart for Ninh Binh province 09h15: Have a short break for 15 – 20 minutes to relax
300 minutes here
Hoa Lu District
10h30: Visit Hoa Lư ancient capital of Vietnam between 968 and 1010. You have a chance to learn about Vietnamese history in the feudal system under Dinh, Le, and Ly Dynasty 11h45: Have a buffet lunch in the restaurant with many local foods such as goat meat, fish, chicken, and fried rice…Vegetarian foods are always available in the buffet lunch
60 minutes here
Tam Cốc-Bich Dộng
13h00: Visit Tam Coc by 1.5-hour bamboo boat. You will be surprised by the charming beauty here with paddy fields, river, water, cloud, sky, and a stunning cave system during the boat trip. All make a masterpiece that the Vietnamese people called “Ha Long Bay on land” 14h30: Continue the tour for 45 mins - cycling around the village to discover the life of the local people.
90 minutes here · Admission included
Mua Caves
15h30: Get back to Limousine Bus then leave for Mua Cave (Dancing Cave). Walk up almost 500 steps, you can reach the top of Lying Dragon Mountain & have an amazing panoramic view of Tam Coc from here 16h30: Get on the bus to return to Hanoi 18h30: Get dropped off at Hotel in Hanoi
60 minutes here · Admission included
Where it starts and ends
Meeting point
Hanoi
Hotel pickup
Pickup is available for selected locations. Pickup begins about 15 minutes before departure.
Ends at
Returns to the starting point
Before you book
- Cancellation
- For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
- Languages
- en
- Ticket
- Mobile Only
- Runs on
- Every day
- Group size
- Up to 17 travelers per booking
- Operated by
- Ninh Binh Excursion Luxury Tour
Know before you go
- Wheelchair accessible
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Specialized infant seats are available
- Transportation options are wheelchair accessible
- All areas and surfaces are wheelchair accessible
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Photos






What travelers are saying
Outty’s summary of the themes that recur across 412 traveler reviews. Written by us, not quoted from reviewers.
The guide
9 mentionsTravelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works.
Knowledge and storytelling
6 mentionsReviewers describe the commentary as informative rather than scripted.
Organization
5 mentionsPickup, timing, and logistics are described as running smoothly.
Food and drink
5 mentionsThe tastings and food stops are a highlight for most reviewers.
Photo opportunities
4 mentionsThe views and photo stops come up again and again.
Physical effort
3 mentionsExpect real walking or climbing: reviewers mention the effort involved.
Traveler reviews
412 verified traveler reviews for Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet. Ratings and reviews provided by Viator and Tripadvisor.
Ninh Binh Day Tour
Really a great experience, comfortable vehicle, kind and passionate guide. The entire tour was seamless and Ninh Binh is such a beautiful area. Duyen as a tour guide, she is such a beautiful soul. 🫶🏻
via Tripadvisor
Absolute must see - Ninh Binh
We had a fantastic day with Thomas. I cannot rate him highly enough. He was informative, intelligent, funny, easy going (some of the clients tested the rest of us ie: not meeting at arranged times) but he kept his calm and tried his best to make things flow well. Thank you again Thomas for a memorable day. Pick up was well organised and easy. The tour itself is worth every cent spent, a beautiful part of the world. Plenty of time allocated for each activity. The boat tour was out of this world spectacular!! For us it was so incredible, far superior to the Ha Long Bay Caves IMHO. The climb to Mua Cave wasn't easy (63 and 67) but very doable and well worth it. Time allocated for this activity is plentiful, so take your time and enjoy the experience. The buffett lunch was incredible. So much variety. Dietary requirements catered for. My only suggestion would be to book directly with this company they are awesome. Regrettably we booked with Get Your Guide and SST Travel was the 3rd party - both have received poor reviews from us regarding our package deal.
via Tripadvisor
Really Not A Tour - Just A Bus Ride😦
This was supposed to be a tour to the Buddhist Pagoda/Stupa, River Caves & Mau Cave. They skipped the Pagoda/Stupa Elevator View because it needed an electric cart to get there. They viewed just one of the temples & left. The guide said all but old people were athiest & he did not know anything about the Pagoda. The river was just ugly like the Mississippi. They brought us to Mau cave at 4pm the hottest part of the day to climb a very steep mountain which the tour guide refused to do himself. He just said good luck with the impossible challenge. The tour bus owned their own cafeteria for the lunch. Very unpleasent. Charged US$60. $6 more than the HaLong Bay tour. Total scam.
via Tripadvisor
Great Experience!
We had such a great time touring Ninh Binh with Quan! He was organized, easy to communicate with, and very responsive to our questions even before the tour. His English is good, which made everything smooth and enjoyable. Quan was friendly and polite, and he even offered to take photos for us. He also shared interesting history about the places we visited, which made the experience even better. We choose the biking experience, went to Hoa Lu, Trang An, and Mua Cave; everything was beautiful and well planned. The ride was comfortable, the bus was clean, and the driver was experienced. Overall, it was a really enjoyable trip. We’d definitely recommend Quan as a tour guide!
via Tripadvisor
Almost perfect tour!!!!!!!!
The "luxury van" wasn't luxurious at all. The life of the tour was our guide, Quan or Cute 🤣! Funny guy with a lot of knowledge. I give him 5⭐️. Great great single guy. 🤣
via Tripadvisor
Good to know
- Duration
- 9 hours
- Free cancellation
- Up to 24h before
- Minimum age to book
- All ages
- Availability
- Bookable today
- Runs on
- Every day
- Price range
- $48 to $50
- Hotel pickup
- Available for selected locations
- Booked in 30 days
- 144
- Verdict
- Exceptional
Why this scores 87
The Outty Ranking is a weighted composite. Here is how this experience performed on each component.
Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet: questions travelers ask
Practical detail on this experience, plus the wider planning questions for Hanoi.
How much does Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet cost?
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Prices start at $48 per person. The final price depends on the date, the time slot and the number of travelers, and peak weekends in Hanoi usually price higher than midweek mornings. Live pricing and remaining availability are confirmed on the booking screen before you pay.
How long does Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet take?
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Plan for about 9 hours from start to finish, not counting travel to the meeting point. Most travelers leave another 30 minutes on either side so the rest of the day in Hanoi is not rushed.
Is Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet worth it?
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It holds an Outty Ranking of 87 out of 100, which we label "Exceptional". That score blends traveler sentiment (4.9/5 across 412 reviews), the depth of that review evidence, recent booking momentum, value for money against comparable most highly reviewed in Hanoi, and how flexible the cancellation terms are.
Can I cancel or reschedule Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet?
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Yes. Cancel free up to 24 hours before the start time for a full refund. Inside that window the booking is non-refundable, and no-shows are not refunded.
Is Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet suitable for kids and families?
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Yes, all ages are welcome. Families should still weigh the 9-hour running time, and strollers are easier on the earlier, quieter departures.
How far in advance should I book Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet?
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Around 144 people booked this in the last 30 days, so popular slots go early. Two to three weeks ahead is comfortable in shoulder season, while summer weekends and holidays in Hanoi can sell out a month out. Same-day spots do open up when other travelers cancel, so it is worth checking if you are already in town.
What should I bring or wear?
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Bring photo ID, your booking confirmation on your phone, a refillable water bottle and comfortable shoes. Dress for the weather in Hanoi and add a light layer if any part of the 9-hour experience runs outdoors or after sunset.
Where does Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet start and how do I get there?
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The exact meeting point and directions are on your voucher once you book, and they sit in central Hanoi within reach of public transport. Arrive 15 minutes early: late arrivals are treated as no-shows by most operators.
What are the best things to do in Hanoi?
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On Outty we rank every Hanoi experience on the same 0 to 100 scale, and alongside this one the highest scorers right now include Ha Giang Loop 3-Day Small Group - from Hanoi, (Group/Individual) HANOI STREET FOOD TOUR, Incense Village Quang Phu Cau, Hat Village and Hanoi City Tour. The city page groups everything into most popular, highest reviewed, last minute and family-friendly so you can build a day around what actually delivers.
When is the best time to visit Hanoi?
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Booking patterns follow the same curve: prices and queues climb in peak weeks, while shoulder season gives you better availability on the top-ranked experiences and more room to change plans.
How many days do you need in Hanoi?
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Three full days covers the headline sights without sprinting. A workable rhythm is one anchor experience each morning, such as this one, an unhurried afternoon in a single neighborhood, then a food or nightlife booking in the evening. Five days lets you add a day trip outside the city.
Do I book through Outty or through the operator?
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Outty ranks and explains the experiences, then hands you to Viator to complete the booking with the operator directly. The price is the same as booking on Viator yourself, and Outty earns an affiliate commission on the referral, which is how the rankings stay free to read.
What is included in Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet?
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Included: Bottled water; Limousine Bus with experienced driver (17 seats); Buffet Lunch with Vietnamese cuisine; English Speaking Guide; and Cycling activity. Not included: Drinks for lunch not include; Tips for tour guide & driver; and Or anything is NOT mentioned above. Always check the voucher for the final list before you travel.
Does Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet include hotel pickup?
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Yes, pickup is offered, or you can meet at the start point instead from 440 listed pickup locations in and around Hanoi. Be ready about 15 minutes before the start time. You can also enter a custom pickup address when booking.
What languages is Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet offered in?
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It runs in English. Pick your language when choosing a date and time, as not every departure runs in every language.
Will I get instant confirmation and a mobile ticket for Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet?
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Confirmation is sent by the operator after booking, usually within 48 hours; if it is not confirmed you are not charged. Mobile tickets are accepted, so you can show the voucher on your phone.
Is Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet wheelchair or stroller accessible?
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The operator notes: Wheelchair accessible; Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller; Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap; and Specialized infant seats are available. If accessibility is critical, contact the operator after booking to confirm arrangements for your date.
What happens to Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet if the weather is bad?
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This experience depends on good weather. If it is canceled because of poor weather, you are offered a different date or a full refund.
What do travelers say about Day Tour : Hoa Lu, Tam Coc/Trang An Boat Ride, Mua Cave & Buffet?
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Across 412 reviews averaging 4.9 out of 5, recurring themes include the guide, knowledge and storytelling, organization. Travelers single out the guide as the reason the experience works. One thing to know: Expect real walking or climbing: reviewers mention the effort involved.
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