Tam Coc, Ninh Binh: Hours, Address, Tam Coc Reviews: 4/5
Tam Coc
4
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
About
Located in Ninh Binh province 100 km southeast of Hanoi, Hoa Lu and Tam Coc are two of the most picturesque spots in all of the north. For 41 years, from 968 to 1009 CE, Hoa Lu was the ancient capital of Vietnam. Nearby Tam Coc is often referred to as “Ha Long among the rice paddies.” Visitors are conveyed by rowboat along the peaceful Tam Coc stream past green fields and the feet of mountains into the mouths of caves, where they encounter new surprises, like stalactites and stalagmites that shimmer like gemstones just inches from the water.
Suggested duration
More than 3 hours
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The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
118 within 5 kms
Chu's House Tam Coc
164
0.2 km₹₹ - ₹₹₹ • Fast food • European • Vegetarian Friendly
T-Pub Restaurant
157
0.2 km₹ • Bar • Pizza • European
Family Restaurant
1,080
0.2 km₹ • Barbecue • Beer restaurants • Vegetarian Friendly
Thao Beo Restaurant Bar
233
0.2 km₹ • European • Asian • Vietnamese
Aroma Indian Restaurant
446
0.3 km₹₹ - ₹₹₹ • Indian • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options
Khoa Dung Restaurant
274
0.2 km₹ • American • Bar • Cafe
Thuy Linh Restaurant
187
0.2 km₹ • Cafe • Asian • Vietnamese
Hoa Luan Restaurant Hostel
171
0.2 km₹ • Asian • Fusion • Vietnamese
Minh Toan Restaurant Father Cooking
667
0.2 km₹ • Asian • Vietnamese • Vegetarian Friendly
Banh Mi Hanoi
70
0.2 km₹ • American • European • Asian
Attractions
14 within 10 kms
Mua Caves
1,657
1.6 kmCaverns & Caves
Thai Vi Temple
86
1 kmReligious Sites
Bich Dong Pagoda
699
2.1 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Tràng An Landscape Complex
170
4.4 kmPoints of Interest & Landmarks
Trang An Grottoes
2,628
Bodies of Water • Caverns & Caves
Linh Coc Pagoda
15
3.1 kmReligious Sites
Hoa Lu temples of the Dinh & Le Dynasties
698
Points of Interest & Landmarks
Thung Nham Bird Park
106
4.7 kmNature & Wildlife Areas
Tuyet Tinh Coc
26
Points of Interest & Landmarks
Hoa Lu Temple
114
Historic Sites • Ancient Ruins
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Popular mentions
4.0
2,902 reviews
Excellent
1,371
Very good
994
Average
348
Poor
120
Terrible
69
Louie Boracay
Boracay, Philippines105 contributions
I love this tour though the traveler is very far but you were able to see beautiful mountains go biking in the rice field with tourist the lunch is also good it has lots of vegetarian options and the Tour is well organized
Written 1 September 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
henry067
Melbourne, Australia7 contributions
Oct 2020
Great day in Tam Coc Ninh bing with Conical Travel. The landscpae was so amazing and worth the name Inland Halong Bay. The boat ride was so unique and funny as well. We will come back!!!
Written 1 December 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
JSTrip_77
Hanoi, Vietnam1,068 contributions
Sep 2020
We've done the caves at Trang An several times now but this was our first visit to Tam Coc. It was truly a spectacular experience. Due to COVID, they will charge a "surcharge" if you want more than two adults and two small children in a boat. (They seem to charge both Vietnamese and foreigners an extra fee. No, it makes no sense...but what can you do?) The two hour trip was lots of fun. The really sweet and kind woman paddled with her feet which I'd heard of but never seen. (This was featured on one of the seasons of the US version of The Amazing Race.) I would highly recommend this tour. But, in high season, Trang An might "feel" less crowded as it's more spread out.
Written 22 September 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
TravelinGypsey
305 contributions
Jun 2020 • Friends
Beautiful!!! Absolutely Gorgeous!! Pictures don’t do it justice! This place is awesome!! The sweet ladies who paddle you in the canoes are the kindest and are very hard working- please be generous to them and consider tipping! This place offers multiple options of the canoe ride you would like to take and all of them are gorgeous views! They let you out along the way as well to view and walk around the beautiful and interesting temples (there are also restrooms- if you do a long tour as well) it goes fast though as your immersed in the beauty of Ninh Binh! Highly highly recommend doing this tour- it’s a must and main thing you should seek to do while in Nihn Binh! Price is excellent and well worth the experience!!
Follow @travelingypsey on Instagram for more travel tips & pictures on GoogleMaps as well!
Tam Coc-Bich Dong
(Picture below with info)
Follow @travelingypsey on Instagram for more travel tips & pictures on GoogleMaps as well!
Tam Coc-Bich Dong
(Picture below with info)
Written 28 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Bart Och
London, UK25 contributions
Jun 2020
Tam Coc is beautiful! I stayed in Chezbeo Valley Bungalow and it was such a wonderful place! So close to the small but lovely town centre as well as Hang Mua where you can easily spend a day!
Written 15 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
amanda5805
Duncan, Canada3,896 contributions
Dec 2019
We arrived here around 2pm. It was starting to get a little grey out but was the perfect temperature for going down the river.
We were told to grab lifejackets and get in line to get on a boat. It was just the 2 of us plus the rower. Which was nice now they are small. Some boats had 3-4 people in them. There was a lot of people here but the line up moved very quickly.
The ride is about 2 hours and the rower rows most of the time with their feet. Pretty incredible to see. You will pass threw 3 water caves complexes Sang Cave, Toi Cave & Ba Goit Cave. The river runs along side other limestone mountains and rice fields. The tour is not a loop but has a turn around point. So you pretty much see everything twice. The way back can be a little boring and very uncomfortable.
There is people along the way taking pictures if you want to purchase them later as well as boats selling food & beverages.
Our boat guide didn’t say 2 words to us. After trying many time we actually assumed she couldn't speak English. Then in last 5mins she just repeated tip for me? Then when we tried to give her a $5usd tip she got mad (in English) that it wasn’t more and demanded $10usd.
On the bus before we arrival we asked our Tour guide what a good tip would be he said to tip $2usd per boat. He also told us that they would give us information along the way and point things out. Our boat guide talked on her phone quite a bit and if she was not on the phone she would talk to other paddlers passing by. Other guides would allow the people on the boat to attempt paddling with either their arms or feet. So we really $5usd was generous. back on the bus others on our tour said their guide talked to them the whole time.
Others on our tour were threatened at the halfway/ turn around mark that she wanted $5usd a person and she wanted it now or she was going to leave them there (they had 3 people onboard).
Even with it being a little boring and uncomfortable it is worth doing. So much stunning beauty. It was such a highlight of Ninh Binh.
We were told to grab lifejackets and get in line to get on a boat. It was just the 2 of us plus the rower. Which was nice now they are small. Some boats had 3-4 people in them. There was a lot of people here but the line up moved very quickly.
The ride is about 2 hours and the rower rows most of the time with their feet. Pretty incredible to see. You will pass threw 3 water caves complexes Sang Cave, Toi Cave & Ba Goit Cave. The river runs along side other limestone mountains and rice fields. The tour is not a loop but has a turn around point. So you pretty much see everything twice. The way back can be a little boring and very uncomfortable.
There is people along the way taking pictures if you want to purchase them later as well as boats selling food & beverages.
Our boat guide didn’t say 2 words to us. After trying many time we actually assumed she couldn't speak English. Then in last 5mins she just repeated tip for me? Then when we tried to give her a $5usd tip she got mad (in English) that it wasn’t more and demanded $10usd.
On the bus before we arrival we asked our Tour guide what a good tip would be he said to tip $2usd per boat. He also told us that they would give us information along the way and point things out. Our boat guide talked on her phone quite a bit and if she was not on the phone she would talk to other paddlers passing by. Other guides would allow the people on the boat to attempt paddling with either their arms or feet. So we really $5usd was generous. back on the bus others on our tour said their guide talked to them the whole time.
Others on our tour were threatened at the halfway/ turn around mark that she wanted $5usd a person and she wanted it now or she was going to leave them there (they had 3 people onboard).
Even with it being a little boring and uncomfortable it is worth doing. So much stunning beauty. It was such a highlight of Ninh Binh.
Written 2 June 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Christopher P
Scarborough, UK256 contributions
Feb 2020
this tour even picks one up at ones hotel, and drops one off at the end. But it is the tour itself that was so good, the tour guides were telling us in good English all about where we were going and the history of the places we visited. and the rowing boat journey was great. Not only the scenery but also the fact that we had never seen people rowing boats using their feet and not their hands. WOW! We too got exercise, we borropwed cycles and cycled. The history was interesting, we had good rides and some good exercise on the bikes. I took many photos & a few videos (Of the rowers rowing with their feet)
Written 27 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Rafe Wood
Perth, Australia270 contributions
Oct 2019 • Solo
If you can deal with the buses of Chinese tourists you will have a blast at this place. The scenery and water blew me away at Tam Coc and once you get out onto the water is surprisingly peaceful. This was a place and travel experience that really exceeded my expectations!!
Written 4 April 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
G2Kpauly
Melbourne, Australia1,308 contributions
Mar 2020 • Friends
What an amazing beautiful area of northern Vietnam! I will definitely go back. I'd reccomend tam Coc melody homestay! Hire a motorbike and explore this amazing part of the world!
Written 16 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
AgiBebi
Budapest, Budapest, Hungary5 contributions
Feb 2020
We took a boat trip alog the river to the three caves. Nature here is stunning. It is recommended to take some kind of protection against the sun. Beautiful rice fileds along the way.
Written 9 March 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
ashoka shotoku
Vitoria, ES123 contributions
Guys, intending fly from Hong Kong to Hanoi on November 7th or 8th arriving about 3 PM . Question : it is easy do get a transfer by car or Van for 2 people???
Carla
Nieuw-Vennep, The Netherlands44 contributions
Ik heb van te voren een taxi transfer geregeld bij het hotel.
Xael ignis
Indonesia1 contribution
So im going to Ninh Binh with train..
Where can i buy train ticket in hanoi ?
Is there any sugestion ?
millwall_fan
Chiang Mai, Thailand203 contributions
Try Baolau Travel You book your tickets online and then use the QR code they send you to print the ticket at the station. If you are travelling in the next 48 hours the best thing to do is take a Grab taxi down to the station and buy your ticket there.
Mike E
Grantham, England, United Kingdom261 contributions
Hi, I'm loooking at getting a flight to Hanoi, then I would like to travel to Halong Bay, then on to Tam Coc before returning to Hanoi.
Could anyone give me any information about traveling times in between each area, what is the best form of travel, and how long would I need to stay at each area
Many thanks
RTC411
Honolulu, HI68 contributions
You can arrange through an agent such as whoever you book your cruise to take a shuttle bus to Tam Coc from the dock. The cost is about $20 US. It takes about 4 hours?
Stay at the Tam Coc Boutique Hotel. They will pick you up and take you to the hotel.
Eat at Fathers or any one of the nearby rec. restaurants.
We stayed for 3 days free bikes from the hotel. Two river cruises,temples, hikes etc. Two nights min.
Catch a shuttle taxi to Hanoi train to Danang though a bus or plane is much faster.
WingInIt81
15 contributions
I'm looking to visit in July 2019. Where does the boat tour down the river start from? All blogs and website point to a place a little South West of Ninh Binh centre but this looks like a lake (shaped like the letter "M"). The blogs and travel guides mention the Ngo Dong River but on a map I can't find this, nor does it look like any river connects to the lake. Is the lake boat tour separate? Many thanks
Michael H
North Wales, UK50 contributions
It certainly is a river, but there are several places where you can take a boat but the main one is pretty well in the town centre. There may be a lake near by but we did not see it.
Tom K
3 contributions
Why is it the headline review we see on the Tam Coc boat tour is a five star review from 2017, when the boat tour is being panned all over the place, as an uncomfortable couple of hours of being pestered by sellers and people looking for tips. Why don't you post something more recent, and more accurate?
RTC411
Honolulu, HI68 contributions
Expect to see amazing scenery. It is a boat ride, not a yacht. Take a cushion if you need it. Ignore the peddlers, They’re just trying to earn some money from those that have more.
I went in April ‘19. Also expect to be uncomfortable due to the weather.
Valentina U
Fombio, Italy637 contributions
In che mese si vede la zoba di Tam Coc colorata di giallo dai fiori ? Grazie
giorgio m
Villasanta, Italy241 contributions
La raccolta avviene intorno al mese di settembre e a febbraio. Le due o tre settimane precedenti sono quelle buone.
Celia Rios Perez
Valencia, Spain44 contributions
Hola.. llego a ninh bin a las 6 am y en teoria no recogen a las 14h para ir a halong bay .. mi pregunta es .. me da tiempo a ver lo de laa mujeres que reman??O mejor quedarse una noche ahi y quitar un dia en hanoi???
cawap68
Cerdanyola del Valles, Spain425 contributions
Hola, sí que te da tiempo, la excursión en barca dura 2 horas, si vas a primera hora no hay problema. Yo no me quedaría a dormir en Tam Coc. Saludos.
Celia Rios Perez
Valencia, Spain44 contributions
Hola.. llego a ninh bin a las 6 am y en teoria no recogen a las 14h para ir a halong bay .. mi pregunta es .. me da tiempo a ver lo de laa mujeres que reman??O mejor quedarse una noche ahi y quitar un dia en hanoi???
krystianAGP
Torremolinos, Spain2,214 contributions
Hola, te da tiempo tranquilamente ya que el paseo de barquito ese dura 1,5 hora aprox.
Lo de quitar dias en Hanoi no se.. depende de cuantos dias tienes previstos, en mi opinion para Hanoi hay que tener como minimo 2 dias enteros.
Saludos
Debashree B
3 contributions
Hello Sir,
I will be visiting Ninh Binh soon. Hows the lunch thats provided and how much is the tip? Also is it better to visit Trang An?
Regards
Debashree
RTC411
Honolulu, HI68 contributions
The people in Vietnam get paid very little so tip if the service is good.
Alice K
Singapore, Singapore
Hi If I reach Ninh Binh around 5pm. Is the view at Tam Coc still nice (still got sunlight or already dark? Is it convenient & safe to go there at this hour? Maybe sight viewing by bus not taking boat.
Hoang Lan
Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam10 contributions
No, the boat tour takes at least 2hours so you can’t visit at 5p.m.I think boat is the only access to the sight.You can rent a Homestay by the river there if you want.
Frequently Asked Questions about Tam Coc
- Tam Coc is open:
- Sun - Sat 7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
- We recommend booking Tam Coc tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 316 Tam Coc tours on Tripadvisor
- According to Tripadvisor travellers, these are the best ways to experience Tam Coc:
- Ninh Binh Full-Day Tour from Hanoi to Hoa Lu, Tam Coc & Mua Cave Via Boat & Bike (From ₹ 3,874.79)
- Guided Day Tour of Mua Caves Ninh Binh Hoa Lu and Hanoi (From ₹ 3,827.04)
- Hoa Lu, Tam Coc, Mua Cave With Amazing View- All Inclusive (From ₹ 3,090.58)
- Hoa Lu and Tam Coc with BUFFET LUNCH Small Group Full day From Hanoi (From ₹ 2,216.83)
- Luxury Hoa Lu- Tam Coc,Rural Village Cycling -Cooking Class-Small Group 7 people (From ₹ 5,740.19)
- Hotels near Tam Coc:
- (0.14 km) Tam Coc Mountain Lake Homestay
- (0.17 km) Lys Homestay
- (0.17 km) Tam Coc Westlake Homestay
- (0.17 km) Tam Coc Friendly Homestay
- (0.18 km) Tam Coc Holiday Hotel
- Restaurants near Tam Coc:
- (0.17 km) Thao Beo Restaurant Bar
- (0.15 km) Hoa Luan Restaurant Hostel
- (0.18 km) Family Restaurant
- (0.19 km) Chu's House Tam Coc
- (0.17 km) Linh Chi Family Bar and Restaurant
- Attractions near Tam Coc:
- (0.02 km) Genesis - The Luxury Cruise
- (0.13 km) Luxury Ninh Binh - Small Group Only 7 People
- (0.12 km) Garden Spa Tam Coc
- (0.12 km) Ninh Binh Getaway
- (0.22 km) Amazing Ninh Binh