Tam Coc — the boat trip through three caves
Photo: Quang Nguyen Vinh / Pexels
About
Tam Coc means "three caves", and that is exactly what the trip is: a rowing boat down the Ngo Dong river, through Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba, between karst cliffs that rise straight out of the rice fields. The nickname "Ha Long Bay on land" gets used a lot in Ninh Binh; this is the place that earned it.
The combined ticket also covers Thai Vi temple, Thien Huong grotto and Bich Dong pagoda, so Tam Coc and Bich Dong are usually visited as one trip.
Where it is
Boats leave from the Dinh Cac wharf in Van Lam village, in what was Ninh Hai commune — the administrative name changed in the recent mergers and is still being settled. It is south of Trang An and close to Mua Cave, which is why the two are so often combined in one day.
What to expect
The boat takes about two hours there and back, and the scenery changes completely with the season: bright green in early summer, gold at harvest, and a dark mirror of cliffs in the wet months. Some boatwomen row with their feet, which is a Tam Coc speciality and worth watching.
Expect boats selling drinks and embroidery to come alongside partway through. You are under no obligation to buy anything. As at Trang An, a tip for the boatwoman at the end is customary rather than required.
Pair the boat trip with the climb at Mua Cave — from the top you look down on the very stretch of river you have just rowed.
Photos of Tam Coc
Photos: Franzfoto — licence CC BY-SA 3.0.
Tickets — Tam Coc
| Ticket | Price | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard package, adult (sightseeing and boat, no electric shuttle) | 250,000₫ | Since 2023–2024 the sightseeing ticket and the boat fare are sold as one; boat fares are no longer sold separately |
| Standard package, child | 120,000₫ | Children 1 m – 1.3 m |
| All-inclusive package, adult (includes the electric shuttle) | 350,000₫ | Children 190,000₫ |
Checked on 31/08/2026 · Source: trangandanhthang.vn. Prices can change with the season and around festivals — worth confirming with the management board before you go.
Opening hours
approximately 07:00–17:30. (compiled from secondary sources, not yet confirmed with the management board — call ahead if you plan to arrive very early or very late)
When to go
The famous time is the rice harvest, from late May into early June, when the fields on both banks turn gold and the valley fills with photographers. It is also the busiest and hottest time — go early. The rest of the year is quieter and, in its own way, just as good.
Worth knowing
One thing that trips people up: since 2023–2024 the sightseeing ticket and the boat fare have been sold as a single ticket. Older price tables that split them into a 120,000₫ entry plus a 150,000₫ boat fare are out of date. There are two packages — the standard one, and an all-inclusive one that adds the electric shuttle.
Distance and getting there
From Thang Long Restaurant (Chi Phong hamlet, Tay Hoa Lu, on the Trang An – Bai Dinh road) to Tam Coc: 17.6 km (about 16 minutes by car) by road.
Measured with OSRM along real driving roads on 31/08/2026. The coordinates of the destination are approximate, so the figure may be slightly off; we are standardising them. Distances from the city centre are still being measured.
Map
The pin follows the place name; exact coordinates are still being standardised.
Frequently asked
How long is the Tam Coc boat trip?
About two hours for the return trip through the three caves. Allow half a day with parking, tickets and the pagoda.
When is the rice harvest at Tam Coc?
Late May into early June. That is when the fields on both banks turn gold — the most photographed time of year, and the most crowded.
Is the boat fare included in the ticket?
Yes. Since 2023–2024 the sightseeing ticket and the boat fare are sold as one. Older sources that split the two are out of date.
What is the difference between Trang An and Tam Coc?
Both are rowing-boat trips through karst scenery. Trang An goes through a chain of flooded caves inside the World Heritage core and takes two to four hours; Tam Coc is a shorter run down a river between rice fields, through three caves. Many visitors do both, on different days.
Reading this in Vietnamese? Bản tiếng Việt của trang này has the same figures and a longer local section.
Where to eat nearby
Thang Long Restaurant is 17.6 km (about 16 minutes by car) away, on the Trang An – Bai Dinh road in Chi Phong hamlet, Tay Hoa Lu. We are a family restaurant that has served travellers in Ninh Binh for nearly twenty years: mountain goat cooked a dozen ways, com chay (crispy rice), free-range hill chicken. Prices are printed on the menu, an English menu is available, there is room for tour buses, and we are open 7:00 – 22:30, every day.