Location: Hoa Lu & Tam Coc Ninh Binh Province, Northern Vietnam
A short drive south from Hanoi sits the ancient capital of Hoa Lu. Once the home of Kings, these well-preserved royal palaces are now a popular tourist attraction in the Ninh Binh Province. Surrounding by limestone mountains, visitors can tour the ancient palaces of the imperial family, dating back to the 10th century.
The site has been impeccably maintained, with pristine gardens and stone paths leading to the various temples & palaces.
The area surrounding the site is filled with limestone mountains, towering impressively over the entire landscape. Nearby, the rice paddies were abundant, the harvest not yet completed. I had the opportunity to ride a bike on narrow paths through the flooded fields. Farmers were hard at work, tending to their precious crops (Vietnam is one of the top 5 exporters of rice worldwide). Although the most important rice producing region is the Mekong Delta (south Vietnam, near the Ho Chi Minh City area), the Ninh Binh Province in the Red River Delta region is another important agricultural environment. As well as the main export, ‘rice is a staple of the national diet and is seen as a “gift from God”‘ (Wikipedia).
Rice fields near Hoa Lu. You can just make out a farmer, in red, hard at work.
An essential member of the rice production team is the water buffalo, which are used to till the rice fields. The handsome fella on the right was all dressed up and itching to get its photo taken with visiting tourists. Locals often show up in popular areas, trading a unique photo-op for a few thousand Vietnamese Dongs ($).
Not far from the ancient capital of Hoa Lu sits Tam Coc, a region characterized by karst outcrops and murky green waters. The area, locally referred to as the ‘inland Ha Long Bay’ (more on that in the next post!), is stunning! Surrounding on all sides by limestone mountains, the Ngo Dong River lazily carves its way through the countryside. Most visitors opt for a 1-2 hour cruise in a sampan (flat-bottomed) boat, expertly rowed by un-tiring locals. Relying on tips, some go the extra mile and put on quite the show by rowing the boat with their feet! Quite impressive, let me tell you.
Vietnam continues to amaze me with the variety of its landscape. In a single day, one can go from being in a vibrant & colourful capital to being immersed in a uniquely beautiful karstic landscape.