Well Worth It: Tràng An & Tam Cốc, Vietnam

Sometimes too slow is the right speed after-all

After a quick stop in the bustling city of Hanoi, we were ready to get back to nature — which is more our style. Our next stop: The Tràng An and Tam Cốc region in Northern Vietnam.

Known for its surreal limestone towers, tranquil rivers, and intricate caves, it’s a place we were admittedly drawn to because of the photos. We didn’t know much else, but the landscape alone pulled us in.

In classic “us” fashion, we didn’t over-plan this stop. We tend to pick beautiful places based on the geography, then figure the rest out as we go. Maybe that’s naive — but sometimes, you learn best by going.

With Hanoi behind us and a big 4-day motorcycle adventure ahead (more on that soon!), we needed a quiet, beautiful place to connect with nature.

Most people visit Tràng An and Tam Cốc on a day trip from Hanoi. Some stay a night or two. We stayed for two full weeks.

Too long? Probably.

But after two months of full-throttle travel — plus both of us getting sick — we hit the brakes. Hard. This slow-paced pause was exactly what we needed.

Do you ever hit a wall while traveling? How do you recharge? Tell us below.

We know “we’re tired from traveling” can sound like a privileged complaint. But we also want to share the reality of long-term travel: it’s not always glamorous. When you upend your normal life, even the beautiful places can feel exhausting.

That said… let’s get into it. What made Tràng An and Tam Cốc well worth it?

What’s Well Worth It?

We only recommend things we’d do again, share with friends, and that were worth the time, money, and memory. Our picks lean toward affordable, adventurous, and experience-first. We go for nature over luxury, bold flavors over fancy plating, and balance chaos with calm. Healthy-ish, curious, and always chasing what feels well worth it.

Explore all our destinations here.

The Destination: Tràng An & Tam Cốc

Tràng An and Tam Cốc are both part of the UNESCO-listed Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex, tucked away in Vietnam’s Ninh Bình province. Often dubbed “Ha Long Bay on land,” they’re known for stunning land formations that rise out of flat rice paddies and winding rivers.

What sets this region apart is its peaceful pace. You’ll float past ancient temples, glide through caves, and watch local rower navigate rivers — often with their feet — against an incredible backdrop.

It’s the kind of place that invites you to pause, take in the view, and appreciate how different and beautiful the world is.

This area is also a common launch point for excursions to the Ha Giang Loop, Sapa, or simply back to Hanoi.

What to expect in Tràng An & Tam Cốc

Getting There: A Small Hack

Most people arrive via a day tour from Hanoi. We did the same — but with a twist.

We booked a day trip to Tràng An, but instead of returning to Hanoi, we asked to be dropped at our homestay. It wasn’t part of the original tour itinerary, but the organizers graciously agreed.

Little moments like this — where people go out of their way for you — kept showing up on this trip, reminding us how much kindness is out there. Unfortunately, many of us are conditioned to think that kindness is rare. But this trip is giving us a renewed belief in the number of good people across the globe.

On that same tour, we met two Vietnamese couples with family in the U.S. who insisted on treating us to coffee. With Vietnam’s language barrier being one of the steepest we’ve faced, that small gesture and good conversation felt like gold.

Rock Formations, Gray Skies & Two Wheels

The landscape here is surreal — steep limestone humps shooting up from pancake-flat, rice paddy fields. Unlike a typical mountain range, formations seem to shoot up out of nowhere. And with every turn, you get a new perspective.

Thanks to the flat terrain, we opted to use the free bikes from our homestay almost daily. We also rented a scooter for a few days to venture further out — to local gyms, barbers, grocery spots, and scenic lookouts. For just a few bucks, it gave us the freedom to explore.

During our two-week stay, the skies were gray the entire time. Not one sunny day in two weeks. The only exception was our last night, when we saw a glimpse of the sunset — a special moment to end this chapter on a high note.

We visited during the burning season — November through April — when agricultural fires can impact air quality. If you’re planning a trip here, consider going outside of this season.

Nonetheless, we made the most of our time in the region and found some bright spots we loved, like the Hoa Lua Old Town and Bai Đính Pagoda.

• Hoa Lư Old Town – Peaceful riverside walk with food stalls and shops, and glowing temples at night. This was one of the most photogenic stops we found!

• Bai Đính Pagoda – A sprawling Buddhist spiritual complex with impressive temples and art. Keep reading for more details!

Well Worth It Eats

Many restaurants in the tourist strip area seemed designed to serve cut-and-paste meals for day travelers. We joked that every menu looked the same, even using the same goat photo.

Although it was very easy to get local favorites like Pho and Banh Mi, we spent more time cooking our meals and adapting some local favorites to improve the nutrition for our needs.

Bánh Mì with a Twist

Banh Mi is everywhere in Vietnam. Originating from French colonialism, bánh mì’s base is a baguette — a crisp, airy, French-bread vessel. Inside, it’s smeared with Pâté — a chicken liver spread. Over time, Vietnam made it its own by adding grilled meats, pickled vegetables, fresh herbs, chili, and tofu. It’s fast food that comes with layers of flavor, history, and individuality.

We found one standout in Tràng An — Banhmi Minh Khoi — thanks to a local recommendation. The best combinations: Chicken with scrambled egg — and yes, tofu with peanut butter. It sounds bizarre, but trust us, it worked.

Would you try a bánh mì with tofu and peanut butter?

The Goat Buffet?

We’ll be the first to admit that the major reduction in meat consumption on this trip took adaptation. Any chance we had to load up on protein, we jumped at it.

Part of our day tour included lunch at Nhà hàng Minh Quân Ninh Bình — yes, a touristy buffet, but also where we had some of the best grilled goat (a regional specialty). With unlimited goat, eggs, chicken, beef, and pork — we finally found a protein-packed meal that wasn’t deep-fried. Hitting our protein goal for the day was a huge win.

The American Food system gets a lot of flak - not an argument worth getting into today. However, traveling to new places has given us an even greater appreciation of what we do have at home — variety, safety, and abundance.

This stop was so good, Justin put in a request to return. Goat was more his thing than Leslie’s, but hey, we don’t agree on everything. While at the buffet, a European couple from the tour joked, “I guess you aren’t vegetarians?” We all had a good laugh.

Hidden Gem - Tam Coc Noodle Soup Restaurant

On a side street, off the main strip in Tam Coc, we discovered Tam Coc Noodle Soup Restaurant, which served bún bò xào — a dry-ish noodle beef salad with peanuts, herbs, and a splash of broth/sauce. Not your typical salad, but a welcome change up. And honestly, covering anything in peanuts and fried garlic makes it better.

Iron Chef - Electric Kettle Edition

When restaurant fatigue and lack of nutritional variety set in, we got creative. We turned an electric kettle and mini-fridge into a cooking HQ, whipping up:

• Soft-boiled eggs

• DIY pho with noodles, tofu, and greens

• Fresh vegetable spring rolls

Justin first had the idea to use that electric kettle to make hard-boiled eggs. The eggs, and sometimes tuna, would provide a protein base. Then we would use the kettle to cook some noodles. This DIY Pho/Ramen dish served alongside fresh vegetable spring rolls turned out even better than we could imagine.

Pro Tip: Electric Kettle Hacks

You can make perfect soft-boiled eggs in an electric kettle.

Place eggs in the kettle with water. Turn it on and let the water boil. Let the eggs sit in the water for 5-7 minutes after it shuts off, depending on how soft you want them. Then chill eggs in ice water for at least 15 minutes before peeling.

Electric kettles are also great for using boiling water to cook noodles, soften vegetables, or even reheat cooked proteins. Just drain the water off to your liking and reseason if needed.

The kettle was fun, but it wasn’t long before Justin got the blessing from our hosts to use their “Cave Kitchen.”

The “Cave Kitchen” was one of the most unique kitchens we’ve ever seen. The walls were openings in the cave and rock formations that surrounded the homestay.

Our host also had the most impressive wok collection we’ve ever seen.

Justin cooked up 7 lbs of chicken in a single session. Discovering new ingredients, ingredient combinations, and cooking methods has been a constant highlight of this trip and knowledge that we think will stick with us forever.

If you’re going to cook like the locals, you also have to shop like the locals. Justin loves the art of the hunt for the best fruits and vegetables (and the best prices), so we frequented markets.

There always seemed to be an appreciation (and sometimes confusion) from local vendors when we came to their markets. But it was important to us to get out of our comfort zone and not just be tourists on this adventure.

Shopping like a local earned us some smiles, deals, and new culinary discoveries.

Pro Tip: Local Market Shopping

When shopping for fruits, vegetables, eggs, or even tofu, you’re guaranteed a significantly better price at a local market, instead of going to a normal grocery store.

Most of the world is accustomed to bartering, but do so kindly. Start with an offer of 20% less than the first price you’re given. Or, if you’ve shopped around enough to know a good price, start with an offer yourself.

Well Worth It Experiences & Adventures

Full-Day Trang An River Tour

We do a lot of what many would consider non-touristy things, but sometimes, packaged tours are a perfect fit. This was truly a full-day tour, which included:

• Hotel Pickup in Hanoi

• Hoa Lư

• Biking through the countryside

• Buffet Lunch

• Trang An River Tour

• Mua Cave

• Drop off at our next destination

We were picked up from our hotel in a nice bus. Buses with more spacious captain seats are often called limousines in Vietnam, even though they’re not the stretched vehicles we’re used to seeing in Vegas.

Our first stop was Hoa Lu, which was the capital before being relocated to Hanoi. This portion was more history lesson than scenery, although here you begin to see the big rock formations that make the region famous.

From there, you head over for a short bike ride around the area with continued history lessons sprinkled in. Then it was time for the infamous goat buffet.

After lunch, we embarked on the Trang An river tour. It was one of the most unique landscapes we’d ever seen. You are on this slow-moving river with water like glass, gliding by giant rock formations and navigating caves that the canoe barely fits through.

Fun fact: Parts of King Kong were filmed here.

After the river tour, it was time for the Mua Cave area. With 500+ stairs, you can get to one of the best views of the region. We didn’t have a lot of time here, but we both wanted to go all the way to the top, and it didn’t disappoint.

These stairs presented another moment for us to remember why we are so grateful for our physical conditioning. Being strong and physically active opens up so many doors for exploration.

After Mua Cave, most people would take the bus and journey back to Hanoi, but we got the bus to drop us off at our next hotel. We’ve mentioned it a few times, but this little hack is a great thing to keep in mind when navigating transportation. Get a 2-for-1 and just exit your tour at your next destination — save yourself a travel day and a train ticket.

Bai Dinh Pagoda: A Spiritual Complex

Bai Dinh Pagoda is one of the most reputable religious destinations in Vietnam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and a must-see for culture and history lovers.

We had no prior knowledge of the Complex, but found it by looking at our surroundings on Google Maps. From the pictures, it looked vast, which made for a great full-day trip.

We arrived at the complex by scooter. There are different entrance fees based on whether you want access to shuttles, but even the cheapest option requires you to pay for a shuttle to the entrance. We navigated the entire complex on foot, which maxed out our daily step count.

Inside the complex, there are impressive installations, temples, and attractions. Points that stood out to us: The corridor with 500 Arhat statues, the largest gilded bronze Buddha in Asia, and the Mother’s Cave.

Well Worth It Stays

Stay 1 - TamCoc Việt Tân Homestay & Garden

When we were dropped off at our stay, we thought we were lost — a restaurant sign, no visible rooms. The entrance was about a 15-minute walk from the heart of the tourist strip, and we asked: Did we get something really wrong here?

But tucked behind was a quiet property built into the cliffs. We were pleasantly surprised (shocked?) to see nice little cottage houses tucked into a natural surrounding. The property also had a beautiful pool with a very Instagrammable heart light.

Every day, a beautiful breakfast spread was served by our gracious hosts. You could choose between pho or an omelet — served with fresh fruit, baguettes, and a dessert pastry.

This is also the stay and host who allowed Justin to use the kitchen. We had been craving some control over our diet, and it’s always fun trying out our spin on the local cuisine. Below was a routine dinner we made from ramen, tofu, bokchoy, kimchi, and broth.

Stay 2 - HoangLong Riverside Homestay

For the next stay, we did something we’ve never done before — preview our stay.

On the day we rented the moped, we drove to see where we were staying next: HoangLong Riverside Homestay. We didn’t get a lot of sunshine at this spot, but even with the clouds and fog, it had an impressive backdrops for our balcony view.

It was also another location with a lovely breakfast view. Justin had his breakfast order so dialed in that he had a collage photo that showed pictures of garlic, cilantro, and red chilis, so he could get them on the side every morning.

While this stay had some big landscape views, the furniture was exceptionally tiny. We’ll never forget making dinners with our electric kettle yet again, sitting in these chairs that seem like they were borrowed from a dollhouse.

This was a restful stop we needed as we both experienced a bout of fatigue and sickness that left us both in bed all day. Is this whole travel thing trying to take us down?

Well Worth It Wellness

Really Nice & Really Unique Gyms

The Trang An area wasn’t filled with a ton of typical vacation activities, but it did come with the best access to a gym we had so far on this trip.

During our first stay, we had a very well-equipped gym - Tam Coc Gym - just a five-minute walk from our room. It was $20 for the week. Compared to the pricing of hotels and food in Vietnam, we could see how it might seem a bit pricey, but we’re happy to splurge on a chance to lift some weights and hopefully keep us on track.

That gym was the first pictured, but we also had two more gym stops in this area. One was a fancy gym that we had 100% to ourselves and only cost $2 for the day. Both of us just kept pushing for “one more set” while we had access to such an array of machines. Justin got in his final lifting session before turning 35, hence the 35-lb plate photo op.

Last, and certainly least fancy, was the random cave gym. It was near the end of the driveway for our second stay. It was dark and maybe a touch creepy, but the concrete weights and pull-up bar couldn’t be walked by without at least a few reps. Do we look like the Flintstones?!

What we missed:

• Tam Cốc river ride (you can’t do it all!)

• Sunshine (next time, different season)

• The “perfect” length of stay (2 weeks = too much for most)

What we learned:

• Air Quality will be a priority for future trips

• Consider the implications of locations that are generally just an overnight stop

• Listen to your body, slow down

What we spent per person in Trang An: $371

• Number of days: 15

• Here’s a link to our full spending breakdown by location if you’re interested.

This includes accommodations, excursions, transportation, dining out, groceries, gym…everything we promise.

Wrapping It Up

Did we feel our best here? → No.

Did we stay too long? → Probably.

Do we regret it? → Not at all.

Would we recommend it? → Yes — just with better timing.

At the end of the day, we saw some world-class scenery, pushed ourselves into new experiences, and met amazing people along the way.

It’s unfair to judge every stop against the rest or to expect every week to be as jam-packed as the next.

If you’re not on a six-month journey, we could suggest a more efficient itinerary for the region, but if you’re going to Northern Vietnam, Tràng An & Tam Cốc are well worth it.

Questions about Tràng An or Ninh Bình? Drop them below.

Coming up: 4-Day Motorcycle Tour in Vietnam

This was our first big change-up of the trip. (Spoiler: We get good at changing our plans throughout this six-month adventure.) Originally, we planned to spend time in Cat Ba. But we reorganized days so that Justin could get his epic 35th birthday wish and tackle the Ha Giang motorcycle loop.

The Ha Gaing Loop is tucked far north in Vietnam. The route is a four-day motorbike journey, with 4-6 hours of riding per day, through the country’s tallest mountains and most treacherous roads. The stunning and demanding path winds through spectacular peaks, rice terraces, and deep river valleys near the Chinese border. The Loop is equal parts adventure and cultural immersion.

Accommodations are mostly homestays — these won’t be Hiltons by any stretch.

The request meant asking a big favor of Leslie to set aside the fears around how uncomfortable or rough this might be. There are a few instances where either of us would ask the other to do something that they know they wouldn’t be excited about.

So, how did it go? Would the fears be reinforced, or would it be the greatest last-minute addition ever?

Before you go, if you like these posts and want to ensure you don’t miss any, give us a subscribe. Everything we write will come straight to your inbox. Until next time, stay curious and travel well.

Curious to catch up with our past posts?

You can find those here on → 6 Month Travel Page. Thanks for reading Life Well Worth It! Subscribe to follow our journey and get tips for your adventures.