Pac Bo Cave, Phuc Sen Valley - Cao Bang, Vietnam - June 2023

 We took a 3 day/2 night tour on Cao Bang loop with Ivivu. From Ha Noi, this loop would lead us through many famous landmarks and attractions of Vietnam's highland by Chinese border.

The tour is popular with Vietnamese, especially in the summer. Because of the windy roads through passes and summits, our transportation for the tour was a small bus. It was a bit too small for about 20 people. Paul, one man from Hong Kong and one woman from Australia were the only non Vietnamese speaking people. 

It rained very hard early morning the day we departed for Cao Bang. By 6:30 when we met up with the tour group at the Opera House, the rain had stopped. It turned out a nice day after all. It was a long drive from Ha Noi to our overnight destination on the first day.  We made a few stops for lunch and sightseeings along the way.

First tourist attraction was Pac Bo, a small village in Cao Bang province, on the border with China. The village is well known for its historical place called Pac Bo Cave (The Waterwheel Cave). When Ho Chi Minh arrived back in Vietnam after 30 years of exile, he settled in a indigenous Nung village and soon moved to Pac Bo Cave in 1941. Pac Bo Cave is located in a beautiful area with stunning view of stream, mountains, forests and limestone rocks. Lenin River and Water fall, Karl Marx mountain are among famous landscape of Pac Bo.

Pac Bo Monument

Group picture at the monument

Village entrance

Fruit orchard where Ho Chi Minh planted his garden

Near the cave

Pac Bo Cave entrance

Pac Bo Cave entrance

Lenin River

Lenin River and Waterfall 

Group picture in front of Lenin Waterfall.

 

Beautiful landscape in the area


Karl Marx Mountain

                                                                                              

At  Chinese border.


Vendor at a small (sidewalk) market in the village.

Leaving this rural district of Cao Bang, we headed to our first night at Home Stay in the Nung Village. We stopped at Phuc Sen valley/village in the northern province of Cao Bang. The village is home to about 350 blacksmiths of the Nung ethnic minority and famous for manufacturing knives the traditional (blacksmith) craft.  

At the "Knife" shop.

Blacksmiths at work.


We bought a knife from Phuc Sen Knife shop.

Family style dinner.

Ninh Binh, Trang An - Vietnam - June 2023

 First time we took an organized tour in Vietnam, a day trip from Ha Noi with Ivivu tour agency. The English speaking tour started with a big bus called Limousine picking us up early in the morning for Ninh Binh, Trang An. There were about 10 of us, mostly foreigners on the tour. 

Ninh Binh is a province about two hour drive from Ha Noi. Ninh Binh is also the capital of the province. It was an Ancient Capital from the 10th to 11th century located in Hoa Lu District, Ninh Binh Province. 

Our first stop was Bai Dinh Temple, a largest complex of Buddish temples in the country. The temple represents a mix architecture of old and new styles. 

Bai Dinh Temple Complex Entrance

Complex Entrance

Entrance to the Triple External Gate

At the Triple Gate entrance

Quan Cong Statue by the gate

Corridor with about 500 Arhat Statues

At the corridor

The Bell Tower

Largest Bell in the country

Dai Hong Bell

Dong Son Drum, biggest temple drum in Vietnam

View from the bell and drum tower - Bao Thap Tower in the background

Bao Thap Tower with 13 floors and 72 steps, holding Buddha relics from India and Burma.

Entrance to the main sanctuary

In front of the Ancient Bai Dinh Temple

Temple complex

Buddha Statue in the main sanctuary

Quan Yin Statue in Bai Dinh main sanctuary.

After Bai Dinh Temple, we headed to Trang An Scienic area near Ninh Binh. Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex is famous for its boat cave tours. In 2014 it made UNESCO World Heritage Site list. The boat tour is about 3 hour ride along a tributary of the Hong River (Red River).

Trang An wharf is located about 2 miles south of Hoa Lu ancient capital where paddleboats go along the river from the village through rice field and limestone karsts, through the caves and back.  It is nicknamed "The Inland Ha Long Bay" because of its magical river landscape, with sheer limestone mountains rising up from the paddies.  

The bridge at Trang An wharf - Paddleboats in the background.

Bridge at the wharf.

All aboard at Trang An wharf

Enjoying a peaceful boat ride.

Our boat guide/rower

The shimmering river with sheer limestone mountains in front of us.

Lam Cave Entrance 

Inside Lam Cave

Entrance to Vang Cave

In Vang Cave

Exiting Vang Cave

Beautiful landscape along the way

Leaving Vang cave, the boat going around toward the temples. Hidden temples appearing between mountains. The scenery is quite dramatic, mystic and tranquil.  

 

Hidden temples between mountains

A quick stop to view the temple.

Trinh Temple

Cruising

Thanh Truot Cave

Inside Thanh Truot Cave

Thanh Truot Cave

In Thanh Truot Cave

Approaching the cave exit.

Exiting Thanh Truot Cave

Suoi Tien Temple

Back to the wharf

Leaving Trang An, Ha Long Bay on Land, we made a last stop to Mua or Dancing Caves complex nearby. The Mua Cave complex is a charming sequence of cave temples with Mua Cave situated under Mua Mountain. Following path leading to the foot of the mountian and climb about 500 stairs to the top. From here visitors can get all magnificent sides of the area with stunning view of golden rice paddies and the serene rivers.

Hang Mua Complex entrance


Tiger Cave


Inside Tiger Cave


In front of Hang Mua (Dancing Cave)




Hang Mua entrance with about 500 step hike to the top


Panoramic view from the top of the mountain.

Lotus field in Hang Mua complex

A sea of lotus flowers at the foot of Mua Mountain

Sunset over Mua Cave complex

Last view of the complex when leaving for Ha Noi