Bich Dong and Tam Coc

The area surrounding Tam Coc and Bich Dong is characterised by stony outcrops not unlike those at Ha Long Bay, though a bit smaller in size and of course without the water. If you're there at the right time of the year, when the paddies are full of water, the reflections make Bich Dong, in particular, almost as beautiful as Ha Long Bay.

At Bich Dong there's a series of pagodas and a fascinating collection of caves farther up the outcrop. Some of these caves were used by the Viet Minh to hide from the French during the First Indochina War. The caves are full of stalactites that have been carved into Buddhist images, as well as stalactites that are hollow upon which tunes can be played.

You can climb all the way to the top of the outcrop, from where there are fantastic views. The rice paddies all reflect the surrounding peaks giving the effect of an emerald mirror.

At Tam Coc the scenery is very similar to Bich Dong but you can observe it from a small boat that one of the locals will paddle you around in. This is quite a tourist scene so expect to have to bargain hard to get a decent price. During the boat ride you will have the opportunity to visit Thai Vi Temple and a series of caves as you drift along a shallow river densely packed with reeds and birdlife.