Active Adventure in Vietnam and Laos

Undoubtedly Ninh Binh’s greatest allure is the small village of Tam Coc. Meaning the ‘three caves’, it is often referred to as ‘Halong Bay on land’ for its dramatic limestone formations that rise out of rice paddies. The Ngo Dong River flows through three natural caves, Hang Ca, Hang Hai, and Hang Ba, which are home to stalagmites and stalactites, wild vegetation and often, monkeys.

Located in Ninh Binh Province, Hoa Lu was the ancient capital of Vietnam. While the ancient citadel has largely disappeared, the temples of the Dinh and Le dynasties still stand surrounded by rice paddies. After lunch at a local restaurant in Ninh Binh, continue to the 3,500 hectare Van Long Nature Reserve, the largest wetland natural reserve in the Red River Delta. Enjoy a boat trip taking past local villages dotted among the limestone karsts and caves, perhaps encountering rare langur and birds on the way.

Visit the Hmong village of Xa Linh and set out on a walk through picturesque mountain scenery. This excursion offers a unique insight into daily life in this region, including rice planting, herding buffaloes and building traditional houses.

Explore Mai Chau’s beautiful landscapes by bike, cycling past impossibly green rice paddies and local villages, where you can discover local traditions and soak up the scenery.

Journey by 4×4 along a picturesque route to Ban Houai Chang, the entry point to the national park at Phouhipi. Continue to the Khamu-Hmong village of Ban Houa Nam Bak, ideally located to reach the waterfall at Nam Pung. Only accessible on foot, the 1.5 hour hike to these falls goes through some incredible rock formations from which you’ll have breathtaking views of the mountainous countryside.

Cycle along the banks of the River Nam Pak, passing beautiful scenery and villages where workers harvest vegetables on the riverbank. You’ll reach the village of Tad Muan after around 11 kilometres, where you can learn how traditional houses are built and how the villagers hunt before cycling back to the resort.