Nice experience, very customer-oriented company fast and easy booking, very fast reaction. Mr. Bien a well-prepared guide and enthusiastic. You should try this experience.
Ninh Binh Experience Small Group Tour - Shore Excursion
From Cai Lan (Halong) Port
English-Speaking Guide
15 Passengers Maximum
Ninh Binh is famous for its stunning and diverse landscapes that cover natural magnificence, cultural landmarks, and serene rural scenery. This shore excursion is a perfect day trip option if you disembark from your cruise ship at Cai Lan Port, offering a unique experience beyond Hanoi or Halong Bay.
Highlights
Pick-up & Drop-off From Cai Lan Port
Admire the Splendour of Historic Architecture
Cycle Through Serene Rice Paddies
Take a Boat Trip Through Tam Coc
Explore Limestone Karst Formations
Click the Tabs to See More
Tour Details
Price
From $123 per person
Season
Year-round!
Duration
Our shore excursions are approximately 8 hours. At the end of the tour, we always make sure that you return on time to board the cruise ship.
Meeting point
Cai Lan (Halong) Port
Port Permit Service
Our guide and transport will go inside the port, right to your cruise ship for pick-up and drop-off. This requires passport details such as full name, passport number, DOB, expiry date and nationality.
Max Group Size
We limit the number of guests to 15 to ensure the best experience at every destination.
Included
- All Entrance Fees
- All Taxes
- Fully Air-Conditioned Vehicle
- Unlimited Bottles of Water
- English-Speaking Guide
- Port Permit Service
- Lunch (please note we can cater for any dietary requirements, just be sure to get in touch beforehand)
Not included
- Gratuities
- Booking Fees
What to bring
- Sunscreen
- Hat
- Insect Repellent
- Light Jacket
What to wear
Please ensure you dress respectfully. Knees and shoulders should be covered when you visit religious sites.
Itinerary
Revitalise Amidst Serene Surroundings
After disembarking from your cruise ship, you will join a small group tour to explore Ninh Binh, a true hidden gem in Northern Vietnam. Although Ninh Binh has flashed on tourists’ maps, the city remains relatively uncrowded and largely untouched.
Our first stop is Hoa Lu, the former capital of Vietnam during the Dinh Dynasty and early Le Dynasty in the 10th century. Ranked as a cultural and historic relic at a national level, Hoa Lu Ancient Capital offers a rare chance for you to view amazing palaces, tombs, and pavilions that have withstood the test of centuries.
You will visit Dinh and Le Temples, one is dedicated to Emperor Dinh Bo Linh, and the other one honours his successor, Emperor Le Hoan, along with Empress Duong Van Nga, the wife of two successive emperors. Your guide will tell you fascinating stories about Vietnam’s feudalism during this period.
Cycle Through the Peaceful Paths
An essential highlight of the trip is a scenic bike ride along the paddy rice fields with lime karsts towering above. Cycle slowly to drink in the typical scenery of Vietnam’s countryside. You can see the birds, storks, cows, buffaloes, and goats climbing on the karsts – all add more liveliness to the bucolic area.
After a refreshing bike ride, we will visit a local family to deepen our culinary experience and savour authentic home-cooked dishes. A cold beer will rock your taste buds even more.
Row a Boat to View Limestone Mountains
Tam Coc, translated as “Three Caves”, includes three caves created by the flow of Ngo Dong River through cinematic limestone mountains. A truly unforgettable part about Tam Coc is the sight of local boatmen paddling with their feet. It is thought to be awkward at first, but the local boatmen will amaze you with their graceful movements.
To soak up the landscape featured in many Hollywood movies, take a rowing-boat ride passing the caves and limestone karsts along the river. If your trip falls during the harvest season (between May and June), you can capture breathtaking photos of the golden rice fields.
Following the boat trip, meet your guide for the transfer back to your port. If you need some more recommendations for other shore excursions, feel free to discuss with your expert guide.
See What Our Guests are Saying
I now refer my friends, family and colleagues, as well as book all of my tours, accommodation and flights with Maika because I feel very lucky to have finally found an organisation in Asia that gives me the confidence to do so.
The tour was very well organized, and the guide spoke very good English. We got to see and experience so many things: Besides visiting a pagoda and Buddha statue, we also went on a boat ride (with a stop to enjoy a coconut drink) and visited local businesses producing rice paper, conical hats and mats. We had fresh fruit and tea for a snack and Pho soup for lunch which was delicious! We had such a good day and would highly recommend this tour!
We went on this tour, two families of four, with children aged 9-12 years old. We were really happy with it and highly recommend. Lin was our guide and she was fantastic, would really do a trip with her again. It was nice to do this privately and easy to adjust with Lin if needed. Maika helped us book the accommodation in Can Tho which we really appreciated. Would highly recommend and for sure do again.
You did a great job looking after all of our family of 7. The kids enjoyed all the tours and especially the Mekong cruise …as did we……because the kids were so happy we got to enjoy some time to ourselves too. I would recommend Maika Tours if your thinking of visiting Vietnam!
