Vietnam Adventures: Ninh Binh

So tired tonight, so this will be short...

Where: Ninh Binh & Tam Coc
Who: with our fantastic guide Thai (www.gobambootrek.com)
How: private car w/ driver

* Two hour drive stopping at pagodas & temples and for tea.

* Buffalo "ride" - AUS$1 to sit up on a buffalo.

* Lunch at a restaurant, tried local specialty - goat.

* Boat ride in Tam Coc region. "Tam Coc - The area called Tam Coc is known among travelers as "Ha Long Bay on the rice paddies".

The area is full of huge rock formation protruding from the rice fields scattered along the Ngo Dong River. The meaning of the name is "the 3 caves". The name comes from the 3 caves that the river formed in the rocks on it's path - 127, 70 and 40 meters long. The route: In order to see Tam Coc, you can rent a boat and sail along the river. During the cruise the boat passes through the caves.".(http://www.trekker.co.il/english/ninh_binh/)

* Amazing scenery as we travel along in the boat.

* Buying drinks (beers) for our oarsman and laughing with the ladies selling goods from their little boats. We read plenty of information informing us not to buy from these sellers but we couldn't say no to buying our oarsman a beer, Thai a Red Bull & ourselves a beer as well. After paying the young girl generously for our treats, she hands us "sour apples" which we try. She laughs loudly as I scrunch up my nose at the taste, then informs me that I'll now have a baby (the apples bring fertility) and finds my widened eyes and shocked expression absolutely hilarious!!!

* Spotting the "wild" monkey - our oarsman points out a monkey in a tree as we sip our beers. I'm so excited to see it and snap photos of the little cutie... Until I spot his leg chain. The drink sellers toss apples up the him and stir him up so he "performs".

We have dinner under the sparkling lights around the lake to the tune Christmas carols.

Halong Bay tomorrow.

Sleep now,
Jess x

Location:Lương Ngọc Quyến,Hanoi,Vietnam