Ancient Capital - the first stop on our journey.
Located in Truong Yen commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province, Hoa Lu was the capital of Vietnam in the 10th and 11th centuries. Together with Bai Dinh, Trang An, Tam Coc - Bich Dong, Hoa Lu is one of the most famous tourist destinations in Ninh Binh and Vietnam. Hoa Lu not only shows off the magnificent beauty of nature but also was the place where many significant events of our nation took place. In the past, Hoa Lu Ancient Capital had an area of 300 hectares, including three areas called Inner City, Outer City, and South City. These three cities created a shape like a number 80. Inner City and Outer City were used to place imperial buildings and often called Hoa Lu Citadel. Meanwhile, South City, commonly known as Trang An Citadel, was a military base.
Dinh and Le temples
Today, although Hoa Lu Ancient Capital was no longer kept its beauty intact due to the volatility of history, many ancient temples and historical sites are still preserved. Built-in the base area of the old capital, Dinh and Le temples are two must-visit places once you come here. Dinh Temple is one of the unique architectural works in Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, worshiping King Dinh Tien Hoang. The temple offers an ancient beauty with unique art of wood and stone carving made by Vietnamese folk artists in the 17th century. It is divided into three small shrines: the outside is Ngo Mon Gate, the middle is called Thien Huong, and the inside worships King Đinh Tien Hoang.
Not far from the temple of King Dinh is Le Temple, worshiping King Le Dai Hanh. Its architectural style is similar to Dinh Temple but smaller in size. This temple also has three parts: the front shrine, Thien Huong House, and the sanctum worshipping King Le. Both Dinh and Le temples are symbols of Vietnamese people's respect and gratitude for the two kings who have made great contributions to the nation's construction and development.
Bai Dinh pagoda
At about 11:30 am, after discovering Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, our motorbike team will head to Bai Dinh pagoda. Enjoy lunch before we take an electric car to go to the site of the pagoda, which is honored as the largest Buddhist complex into the temple in Southeast Asia. The population of Bai Dinh pagoda covers an area of 539 ha, including 27 ha of the old Bai Dinh pagoda and 80 ha of the new Bai Dinh area. Ancient Chua Bai Dinh is located near the top of a quiet forest area, including a Buddhist cave, the Temple of God Cao Son, and the temple of Nguyen. It was recognized as a historical-cultural of the nation that is home to many architectural details and antiques marked the Ly dynasty.
The new Bai Dinh Temple is about 800 meters from the old one and was built in 2003 with materials recruited from local craft villages. It consists of several temples and more than 500 intricately carved Buddha statues, including a huge bronze statue with a height of 10 meters.
Trang An - "Halong Bay on land"
After 1 hour exploring Bai Dinh Pagoda, we keep riding to Trang An, which is known as the "Ha Long Bay on land" and the first mixed world heritage site in Vietnam. Considered one of the most stunning tourist destinations in Ninh Binh, Trang An impresses travelers by the wildness of the majestic limestone mountains along rivers and breathtaking caves.
Participating in Trang An boat tour will certainly not disappoint you. It offers a great chance to visit many mysterious caves of different sizes. You will see a mixture of many types of caves, such as long and short caves, dark and light caves with a lot of impressive and unexpected things. The limestone mountains popping out of the water create incredible scenery that can make everyone fall in love at first sight.
The boat trip will end at around 4:00 pm, and then, we are once again ready to hop on our motorbikes to return to Hanoi. Finish your memorable 1-day Vietnam Motorbike Tour From Hanoi To Ninh Binh at 7:30 pm in the capital city.
END OF TOUR