Ninh Binh - the land known as "Ha Long Bay on land", is always a favorite destination for nature lovers and those who are passionate about exploring majestic landscapes. Among them, Tam Coc stands out as a precious gem of this land, with the wild and majestic beauty of limestone mountains and winding rivers. Not only is it an ideal place to enjoy the beautiful natural landscape, Tam Coc also carries within it a long-standing cultural and historical value. Let's explore Tam Coc wharf - an ideal destination for an exciting and memorable Ninh Binh tour.
Where is Tam Coc wharf?
Tam Coc wharf
Tam Coc wharf is located in Van Lam village, Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province. This is one of the famous tourist attractions in the Trang An - Tam Coc scenic complex, recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site. About 6 km southwest of Ninh Binh city center, Tam Coc wharf is a convenient place for tourists who want to explore the wonderful natural beauty of Ninh Binh.
Located right in the special national relic site of Trang An - Tam Coc, Tam Coc wharf attracts numerous tourists every year because of its majestic mountain scenery, natural cave system and gentle river. This is the starting point for the journey to explore Tam Coc, through three famous natural caves: Hang Ca, Hang Hai, and Hang Ba. Each ferry trip gives visitors a wonderful experience when rowing through the brilliant golden rice fields on both sides of the river.
Thanks to its proximity to Ninh Binh city and its location within the world heritage site, Tam Coc wharf is not only an ideal tourist destination but also carries the cultural and historical values of the ancient capital of Hoa Lu.
About Tam Coc
Tam Coc is picturesque in the ripe rice season
Tam Coc, also known as "three caves," is a famous tourist destination located in the Trang An - Tam Coc scenic complex, in Ninh Binh province. The name "Tam Coc" comes from three beautiful natural caves located along the Ngo Dong River: Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba. Each cave has its own unique beauty, contributing to the majestic and enchanting natural landscape.
Hang Ca is the largest of the three caves, 127 meters long and the cave entrance is more than 20 meters wide. When entering the cave, visitors will admire the unique stalactites, created by nature over millions of years, creating a majestic and mysterious picture. The strange and diverse shapes of the rocks make Hang Ca an unforgettable highlight in the journey to explore Tam Coc.
Hang Hai, although smaller with a length of about 60 meters, offers visitors a peaceful and quiet space. The highlight of this cave is the fresh, cool atmosphere, bringing a feeling of relaxation when floating on the green water surface among the majestic limestone mountains.
Hang Ba is the smallest cave but is the most popular with many tourists. The cave is about 50 meters long, standing out with sophisticated natural details as if carved by the hands of a talented artisan. Not only providing beautiful scenery, Hang Ba is also an ideal place for visitors to enjoy the feeling of being close to nature in a peaceful space.
Trang An - Tam Coc scenic complex is a harmonious combination of majestic mountains and clear blue rivers, creating a beautiful natural picture. The poetic river scenery, the vast rice fields and the tranquility of the caves give visitors a feeling of relaxation and peace, making Tam Coc one of the destinations not to be missed when coming to Ninh Binh.
Opening hours and ticket prices to visit Tam Coc ferry
Opening hours and ticket prices to visit Tam Coc ferry
Tam Coc Ferry is one of the attractive tourist destinations in Ninh Binh, famous for its beautiful natural scenery and the journey to explore three caves by boat. When visitors come here, they will experience a tour lasting from 1.5 to 2 hours, sitting on a boat drifting along the cool Ngo Dong River, winding through majestic limestone caves.
Regarding the ticket price to visit Tam Coc Ferry, the cost is clearly regulated and suitable for many types of visitors. Specifically:
- Adults (over 1.3 meters tall): 250,000 VND/person.
- Children (from 1 to 1.3 meters tall): 120,000 VND/person.
- Seniors: 120,000 VND/person.
Boat trip to explore Tam Coc
Boat trip to explore Tam Coc
Starting your journey to explore Tam Coc, you will start from Dinh Cac Wharf. As the boat glides gently on the water, you will gradually admire the wild beauty of the majestic limestone mountains. About 600 meters after departure, Van Mountain appears before your eyes with its majestic appearance, next to it is Thai Vi Temple, where King Tran Thai Tong and the kings of the Tran Dynasty are worshiped. The ancient temple, hidden in the middle of nature, brings a solemn and peaceful atmosphere that makes you feel like you are going back in time.
Continuing the journey, the boat takes you into three famous caves of Tam Coc: Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba. Each cave has its own beauty, with magical stalactites and natural cave arches that curve to form beautiful stone paintings. Hang Ca - the first cave, is the largest and longest, making a strong impression on visitors thanks to its airy space and wild beauty. Hang Hai and Hang Ba, although smaller, have equally unique details, with stalactite shapes that nature has skillfully carved over millions of years.
After passing through the three caves, you will admire Suoi Tien and Hang Toi. The cool stream flows through the crevices, leading to Hang Toi, where the light is obscured by large limestone boulders, creating an attractive dark space. The boat trip to explore Tam Coc is not only a tour but also a journey that brings you back to nature, with history and culture imbued with identity.
Best time to visit and explore Tam Coc
To have a complete tour of Tam Coc, you need to pay attention to choosing the right time to visit. Sinhcafe suggests the right time for you:
Ideal time of day
Ideal time to explore Tam Coc
Tam Coc has its own charm at any time of the day, but if you want to fully enjoy the peaceful beauty and avoid the harsh sunlight, early morning or late afternoon are the two most ideal times. In the early morning, the air is still fresh, the Ngo Dong River sparkles under the early morning sunlight, creating a cool, pleasant feeling. This is also the time when there are few tourists, you will feel like you are immersed in the quiet nature. In the late afternoon, when the sunset falls, the whole space of Tam Coc is immersed in a gentle yellow color, the scenery becomes shimmering and magical.
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Best time of year
In addition to choosing the time of day, the time of year also plays an important role in discovering the unique beauty of Tam Coc.
- From May to mid-June: This is the most popular time for tourists, because the landscape of Tam Coc in the ripe rice season is truly impressive. The rice fields stretching on both sides of the Ngo Dong River turn a brilliant yellow, creating a colorful and vibrant natural picture. When you sit on a boat gliding across, it feels like you are floating in a sea of gold, along with the majestic mountain scenery surrounding you, it will definitely be an unforgettable experience for you.
- Dry season (from November to April): If you want to avoid the rainy season and enjoy the cool, pleasant weather, the dry season will be the ideal time to explore Tam Coc. In this season, the sky is blue, the clouds are white, the landscape is peaceful and airy. The weather is not too hot, very suitable for outdoor activities and visiting caves.
- From January to April of the lunar calendar: This is also the time when Tam Coc attracts a large number of tourists, thanks to the unique traditional festivals of the Ninh Binh region. Among them, Thai Vi Temple Festival and Bich Dong Pagoda Festival are two outstanding cultural events. When participating in these festivals, you have the opportunity to learn more about the culture, beliefs and customs of the local people.
Activities and experiences not to be missed when visiting Tam Coc ferry
When arriving at Tam Coc ferry, there are activities and experiences that you definitely should not miss to have a complete tour.
Rowing along the Ngo Dong River
The most typical experience when coming to Tam Coc is sitting on a boat, drifting on the Ngo Dong River. Operated by local people, the boat gently drifts through the majestic limestone cliffs, creating a sense of peace and relaxation. In particular, you will have the opportunity to admire the beautiful stalactites in the three Tam Coc caves: Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba. Each cave has its own unique features. This is an opportunity to explore the natural landscape and learn about the culture and life of local people through the stories they share.
Take photos in the middle of beautiful mountains and rivers
Take photos in the middle of beautiful mountains and rivers
Tam Coc is an ideal destination for those who love photography. The natural space here with towering limestone mountains and golden rice fields in the harvest season, creates a vivid and poetic picture. Any angle can become an artistic photo. Especially, in the early morning or sunset, when the sunlight gently covers the river surface, the scene becomes sparkling and charming. This is the ideal time for you to capture the most beautiful moments of Tam Coc.
Visit nearby destinations
In addition to the boat trip to explore Tam Coc, visitors can also combine visiting famous neighboring landmarks. One of the destinations not to be missed is Bich Dong Pagoda, known as "Nam Thien De Nhi Dong". In addition, Thai V Temple, not far from Tam Coc, is an important historical relic worshiping the Tran Dynasty kings. If you have time, Trang An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is also a destination not to be missed.
Places not to be missed when visiting Tam Coc
Here are the must-see attractions when you visit Tam Coc.
Explore the Tam Coc three cave complex Tam Coc
The journey to explore Tam Coc by boat is an opportunity for you to immerse yourself in the majestic and poetic beauty of limestone mountains, Ngo Dong River, and lush rice fields. On the river, you will pass through three main caves: Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba. Each cave has interesting shapes created from stalactites over millions of years. The scene inside the cave is dark and quiet, creating a mysterious and majestic feeling.
Thai Vi Temple
Thai Vi Temple is located quietly in the mountains, a place to worship the Tran Dynasty kings who have contributed to protecting the country. The temple was built during the Tran Dynasty, with typical traditional architecture with elaborately carved stone and wooden structures. Coming here, you can both admire the ancient architecture and immerse yourself in the spiritual, quiet space with heroic anecdotes about the Tran Dynasty. Thai Vi Temple is a sacred place for visitors to burn incense and pray for luck and peace.
Bich Dong Pagoda
Bich Dong Pagoda in lotus blooming season
Bich Dong Pagoda is an ancient pagoda located on a limestone mountain. Coming to Bich Dong, you will enter a peaceful space with beautiful scenery of mountains, forests, rivers and streams. The pagoda consists of: Ha Pagoda, Trung Pagoda and Thuong Pagoda. From the top of the pagoda, you can admire the panoramic view of the picturesque Ninh Binh land. The combination of pagoda and cave creates a unique space, both sacred and mysterious.
Thien Huong Cave
Thien Huong Cave is a prominent natural wonder of Ninh Binh. The cave is located in a high position, with the cave dome resembling a large bell suspended in space. With a height of nearly 60m, 40m long and 20m wide, Thien Huong Cave gives visitors an overwhelming feeling when entering. Inside the cave is a large, airy space, where you can admire stalactites of many unique shapes.
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Old Garden Tower
If you love traditional architecture, Co Vien Lau is a destination not to be missed. This is an ancient house complex collected from many places in Ninh Binh and the Northern Delta provinces, recreating ancient living scenes and architecture. The houses at Co Vien Lau all bear the cultural imprint of the people of the Northern Delta, with wooden architecture, gardens, and red tiled roofs. When coming here, visitors will have the opportunity to learn about the lifestyle and culture of the ancient Vietnamese and admire unique architectural works of art.
Suggested clothing when going to Tam Coc
To make your tour more perfect, choosing clothes that are suitable for the scenery and weather conditions is also important. Here are some suggestions for clothes when visiting Tam Coc:
- Jeans and T-shirts: If you love convenience and dynamism, jeans combined with T-shirts are a great choice. This outfit brings a comfortable feeling for outdoor activities such as climbing, walking or rowing, suitable for the cool climate of Tam Coc.
- Ao dai and conical hat: Tam Coc with its peaceful, ancient space is the perfect setting for traditional costumes such as ao dai and conical hat. Ao dai enhances the elegance and grace of Vietnamese women, combined with conical hat to create a harmonious image, full of culture.
- Maxi dress: If you are looking for an outfit that is both comfortable and outstanding for taking photos, a maxi dress is the perfect choice. With a long, flowing, gentle design, the maxi dress enhances the feminine beauty, helping you stand out in nature.
Above, Sinhcafe sends readers all the information related to Tam Coc ferry so that you can prepare for your upcoming Tam Coc trip. Joining Sinhcafe's Vietnam discovery tours, especially the journey to Tam Coc, you will have the opportunity to experience the majestic natural beauty and rich culture of Ninh Binh. With professional service, Sinhcafe's tours bring visitors relaxing and comfortable moments, along with memorable memories. Let Sinhcafe accompany you on your journey to discover Tam Coc and many other beautiful places across Vietnam, so that each trip is not only about discovery but also a great experience. Readers, don't forget to refer to our hottest tours: 5 days 4 Nights South Vietnam Tour, Amazing North of Vietnam 6 days 5 nights.