The one-day cycling tour is customized for active adventure travelers, family travel, holiday with kids and all those who would like to cycle in countryside village lanes, through rice fields and rural villages. The one day biking tour starts at about 7:00 am in the morning and ends up in mid or late afternoon. This depends on how long they will cycle. The day biking tour is provided with support vehicle, experienced English-speaking tour guide, meals, mountain bikes, bottled drinking water and snacks. The day trip takes you to Van Huong liquor village and Tho Ha village where you will see the real Vietnam. The best time to do this one-day bicycle tour is the dry season starting from October until April the following year. Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.

Itinerary:

7:00 am: You will be met up with Lotussia Travel team at your hotel in Hanoi (Please let us know your hotel name and hotel contacts upon your confirmation). You will be then transferred by car through Bac Ninh to Bac Giang province, in the northern Hanoi.

As the car leaves the Hanoi busy streets your guide will give a short briefing about the day tour, the biking trail and other useful information.

After about one hour drive, you will arrive in the Duong Riverside where you cross the river and turn left following a dirt trail. Take your bikes out of the car and start riding along the dykes. This portion of the road offers beautiful scenery of the countryside and rural villages. Some stops can be made en route for you to enjoy the wild nature and to take picture of the rice paddy fields of the immerse fields of lotus.

After about one hour cycling, you arrive in a dirt biking trail. This is a small dirt road that runs along the Duong River. You turn right sometimes taking small village lanes to visit rural villages which are located amidst rice fields. The bike ride offers you the opportunity to cycle to one of the less traveled places in northern Vietnam. There are very few tourists coming to this area. We are sure that the local villagers will be surprised to meet up any foreigners there.

Keep cycling along the dykes until you arrive in Van Huong village. The village is said to be home to a special kind of liquor for which the recipe is a closely guarded recipe that has survived since the early 18th century. Liquor distilled in Van village was renowned and in feudal times bottles made it as far as the royal court. Nowadays there is a factory making liquor but you have the opportunity to meet up with local villagers who will tell you how they make this in traditional way.

Continue cycling through Van Huong village, you arrive in Tho Ho Village where you make a stop for lunch.

Located at the waterfront Bridge, Tho Ha village famous as the career list with pottery from the 14th century. Tho Ha was an economic center for pottery, full of kilns, businessmen, and boats trading in ceramics. These days, young people only know of Tho Ha’s former fame through the splendid walls, roofs and houses made using broken pottery.

After lunch, enjoy a short walk through small village alleys to experience the local life. Most of the houses are built with tiles roofs. Pigs are growth in almost every house since the villagers now make noodle for living.

Take the ferry and cross the river to the other side where you vehicle will be waiting for your drive back to Hanoi.

Arriving back in Hanoi around 16:00 – 17:00, you will be dropped off at your hotel. Trip ends.

Need more information? Either mail to travel at lotussia.com or visit www.lotussiatravel.com

The post Day Trips out of Hanoi: Cycle to Van Huong and Tho Ha Villages Bac Giang Province appeared first on Hanoi Day Trips.

The day tour out of Hanoi to Tho Ha village is customized for family travel, small group tours and those who would like to see the rural Vietnam. Begin the tour at 8:00 am in the morning, you travel through the busy northern Hanoi to Bac NInh and then Bac Giang where you make the first stop to visit Tho Ha village, used to produce ceramic and pottery. The tour can be extended with a short walk from Tho Ha village to Van Huong village which is specialized in making rice liquor. The tour is provided with support vehicle, English-speaking tour guide, meals and can be book all year round. Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.

Itinerary:

8:00 am: You will be met up with Lotussia Travel at your hotel in Hanoi (please advise your hotel name and hotel contacts upon your confirmation).

You will be transferred out of Hanoi busy street to Bac Ninh province. You travel up to the north through the Duong river. This portion of the road is quite busy with lots of traffic.

After about one hour drive, you arrive in Bac Ninh town, there you turn left taking a provincial which leads to Tho Ha village. Located at the waterfront Bridge, Tho Ha village famous as the career list with pottery from the 14th century. Tho Ha was an economic center for pottery, full of kilns, businessmen, and boats trading in ceramics. These days, young people only know of Tho Ha’s former fame through the splendid walls, roofs and houses made using broken pottery.

You take a ferry crossing the Duong river and immediately arrive in the entrance of Tho Ha village. Spend some time walking through small village alleys to experience the local life. Most of the houses are built with tiles roofs. Pigs are growth in almost every house since the villagers now make noodle for living. If you arrive in the morning, you may have the chance to see people village making rice paper and probably you can try to make some (they only work in the morning; the afternoon is for drying these rice papers).

After visiting Tho Ho village, you may want to make a short walk to Van village. The village is said to be home to a special kind of liquor for which the recipe is a closely guarded recipe that has survived since the early 18th century. Liquor distilled in Van village was renowned and in feudal times bottles made it as far as the royal court. Nowadays there is a factory making liquor but you have the opportunity to meet up with local villagers who will tell you how they make this in traditional way.

Mid afternoon, you will be picked up again by your vehicle and transferred back to Hanoi. Trip ends.

Need further information? Either mail to travel at lotussia.com or visit www.lotussiatravel.com

The post Hanoi Day Trips: Travel to Tho Ha Village appeared first on Hanoi Day Trips.

The one-day cycling tour is customized for active adventure travelers, family travel and those who would like to spend hours biking on village lanes in the rural Hanoi. The tour starts at about 7:00 am in the morning and ends up about early afternoon. The day biking tour is provided with support vehicle, experienced English-speaking tour guide, meals, mountain bikes, bottled drinking water and snacks. The best time to do this one-day bicycle tour is autumn or spring when the weather is cool and the rice fields are green. Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.

Itinerary:

7:00 am: You will be met up with Lotussia Travel team at your hotel in Hanoi (Please advise your hotel name and hotel contacts upon your confirmation). You will be then transferred by car to the outskirts of Hanoi.

As the car leaves the Hanoi busy streets your guide will give a short briefing about the day tour, the biking trail and other useful information.

After about a half hour drive, the first stop will be made. You will take your bike out of the car and start your cycling adventures. You turn right following a small village lane leading to Hoa Binh village. The ride is easy as you bike on paved road without up and downhill ride. You pedal through popcorn fields, vegetable gardens and passing by smiling faces.

You will bike through this small rural village and reach the river dyke. Keep cycling on the dyke further to the west. Enjoy beautiful rural scenery along the ride. You may have a chance to visit a local market which is open twice a week following the lunar calendar.

You then cross the river and enjoy some more rides before arriving in Tram pagoda. The pagoda was built in early 16th century by a General. It is exactly located at Tu Tram mountain, an architecture that combines architecture of pagoda in North, mountain architecture, and natural cave.

It is possible for you to have short rest by the pagoda before continue bicycling to Tram Gian pagoda. This portion of the road is also flat without much traffic. If you arrive here around 11h00 you will meet up with lots of local pupils going out their school. They are happy to pedal along with you as they are keen to see foreigners and to try practice English.

After about one more half hour biking, you will arrive Tram Gian pagoda. Tram Gian Pagoda is the folk name of the pagoda which is also known as So Pagoda, Nui Pagoda and Tien Lu Pagoda. The pagoda is thought to have been built in 1185 during the reign of King Ly Cao Tong and sits on top of a low hill named Tien Lu. The pagoda keeps precious artifacts such as a stone dragon of the Tran Dynasty made as a banister, many bricks of the Mac Dynasty used to build a Tam The (past, present and future lives) statue, and many paintings and bas-reliefs depicting animals and Arhats.

You may wish to spend a little time visiting the pagoda before taking an off-the-beaten path road which goes through rice fields, vegetable gardens and noodle village. This portion of the biking trail is the highlight of the day since the cycling trail is beautiful, off-the-beaten path offering authentic life scenery. There you may want to make a stop by a local house to learn how the noodle is made.

Keep cycling until you find the dyke again where you turn right following a paved road. You may want to cycle a bit more before making another stop for lunch.

After lunch, you upload the bikes on your vehicle and get transferred by car to Thay pagoda. Built in the 11th century during the reign of King Ly Nhan Tong, Thay Pagoda consists of three sections: the outer part for offerings and ceremonies, the middle part for worship of Buddha and the inner part for worship of the monk Tu Dao Hanh, the master after whom the pagoda is named.

Visit the pagoda and travel back to Hanoi. Arriving back in Hanoi at about 16:00 – 17:00, you will be dropped off at your hotel. Trip ends.

Need further information? Either mail to travel at lotussia.com or visit www.lotussiatravel.com

The post Day Trips out of Hanoi: Biking to Tram Gian and Thay Pagodas appeared first on Hanoi Day Trips.

The one-day cycling tour is customized for active adventure travelers, family travel and those who would like to spend hours biking on village lanes in the rural Hanoi. The tour starts at about 7:00 am or 8:00 am in the morning and end up about early afternoon. The day biking tour is provided with support vehicle, English-speaking tour guide, meals, mountain bikes, bottled drinking water and snacks. The best time to do this one-day bicycle tour is autumn or spring when the weather is cool and the fields are green. Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.

Itinerary:

7:00 am: You will be met up with Lotussia Travel at your hotel in Hanoi (Please advise your hotel name and hotel contacts). You will be then transferred by car to the outskirts of Hanoi.

As the car leaves the Hanoi busy streets our guide will give a short briefing about the day tour, the biking trail and other useful information.

After about a half hour drive, you will take your bike out of the car and start your cycling adventures. You turn right following a small village lane which leads to Hoa Binh village. The ride is easy as you bike on paved road without up and downhill ride. You pedal through popcorn fields, vegetable gardens and  smiling faces.

You will bike through this village and reach the rive dyke. Keep cycling on the dyke further to the west. Enjoy beautiful rural scenery along the bike ride. You may have a chance to visit a local market which is open twice a week following the lunar calendar.

You then cross the river and enjoy some more rides before arriving in Tram pagoda. The pagoda was built in early 16th century by a General. It is exactly located at Tu Tram mountain, an architecture that combines architecture of pagoda in North, mountain architecture, and natural cave.

It is possible for you to have short rest by the pagoda before continue bicycling to Tram Gian pagoda. This portion of the road is also flat without much traffic. If you arrive here around 11h00 you will meet up with lots of local pupils who are happy to pedal and to try practice English with you.

After about one more half hour, you will arrive Tram Gian pagoda. Tram Gian Pagoda is the folk name of the pagoda which is also known as So Pagoda, Nui Pagoda and Tien Lu Pagoda. The pagoda is thought to have been built in 1185 during the reign of King Ly Cao Tong and sits on top of a low hill named Tien Lu. The pagoda keeps precious artifacts such as a stone dragon of the Tran Dynasty made as a banister, many bricks of the Mac Dynasty used to build a Tam The (past, present and future lives) statue, and many paintings and bas-reliefs depicting animals and Arhats.

You may wish to visit the pagoda before being picked up again by your vehicle and transferred back to Hanoi. Trips ends.

Need further information? Either mail to travel at lotussia.com or visit www.lotussiatravel.com

The post Day Trips out of Hanoi: Biking to Tram and Tram Gian Pagoda appeared first on Hanoi Day Trips.

The one-day bike tour takes you to the outskirts of Hanoi city center. You begin the tour with a short walk from your hotel to our bike store, at about half hour walking from the old quarter. You then cycle the Hanoi back roads going through small lanes and busy streets where you can experience the other side of Vietnam’s capital, Hanoi. Opportunity to visit, bonsai, flower gardens, ceramic shops, catholic church and different spiritual sites such as communal house, temple and pagodas…The one day cycling tour is available all year round and highly recommended to those looking for something active and different discovery. Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.

Itinerary:

7:30am You will be met up with Lotussia Travel guide at your hotel in Hanoi (Please advise your hotel contact details). Depending on the location of your hotel, you can either enjoy a short walk or take a taxi to get to our bike store.

Arriving at our bike store, the guide will give a short briefing about the bikes such as how to change the speed drivetrain (there are 24-speed drivetrain). He also gives useful information about the biking trail, biking tips. You can try to test our bikes riding for some rounds before starting your outdoor adventure.

You start your day adventure by cycling along the Red River. You mostly cycle on the back roads are small alleys that run zigzagging along the dyke. After about half hour riding, you arrive in a small hamlet, located by the riverside where people live of selling ceramics.

You may want to spend some time taking picture before continue your bike ride. You keep cycling through Bonsai and flower gardens until you reach a catholic church where you may make one more stop for a short rest/visit.

Then continue cycling on the back roads, along the Red River dyke to the Dong Ngac communal house where you make one more stop. The communal house, known as an ancient temple in the 17th century, was built to the north of the village near the dyke of the Red River. In 1635, it was restored and expanded to worship three spirits, including Thien Than (Doc Cuoc who was invited to the communal house by Phan Phu Tien from Sam Son, Thanh Hoa), Dia Than (the tutelary god who helped the villagers prevent disasters, fight against drought and performed some miracles) and Nhan Than (Le Khoi, a nephew of King Le Thai To, who was a famous general and was awarded the title “Senior lieutenant-general”. The communal house also pays homage to Pham Tho Ly, who gave land to build the communal house in 1635, and Doctor Pham Quang Dung who restored the communal house in 1718.

After visiting the communal house, you take another road cycling back to Hanoi. After about one hour or two, you arrive in the restaurant where your Vietnamese lunch will be served.

After lunch, you continue pedaling along the shores of Hanoi West Lake to get back to Hanoi city center. Another optional stop can be scheduled when you cycling to Tran Quoc Pagoda. Located on an islet connected to the eastern shore of West Lake (Ho Tay, Tran Quoc Pagoda is the oldest in Vietnam. Its construction dates back to 514 and its restoration in the fifteenth century (according to a stele placed on the pagoda in 1639).

On the way back to your hotel, you have the opportunity to visit some other city highlights such as the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh (outside), the flag tower, the north gate of the ancient citadel in Hanoi.

Arriving back at your hotel at mid afternoon, trip ends.

Lotussia Travel is a Hanoi based tour operator offering a wide selection of cycling tours in all over Vietnam. The above cycling tour is only a sample we list on this site for your reference. That can be flexible, customizable and subject to weather conditions and other circumstances. We have lots of other itineraries we don’t put all here since there are some dishonest individuals have copied, without our agreement our contents and pasted on their site for commercial purpose. If you need further information or have any suggestions or comments, please feel free to contact us at any time. We look forward to seeing you soon in Vietnam!

The post Hanoi biking tours: Cycle along the Red River to Dong Ngac ancient village (one day) appeared first on Hanoi Day Trips.

Enjoy a short walk from your hotel to our bike store, located in Hanoi city center. Those staying in Hanoi outskirts can take a taxi or hire a private car to get to our bike store.

8:00am: You will be met up with Lotussia Travel English-speaking guide at our bike store. He will give a short briefing about the bikes such as how to change the speed drivetrain (there are 24-speed drivetrain). He also give information about the biking trail you can try to test our bikes riding for some rounds before starting your outdoor adventure.

Begin your day tour by cycling along the Red River dyke, taking the Long Bien bridge, formerly known as the Paul Doumer Bridge – was one of the greatest engineering accomplishments of the French colony and a showpiece of colonial infrastructure.

After crossing the Red River, you continue riding along the dyke for some kilometers before joining a small biking trail that furrows among pop corn, vegetable and fruit gardens. You mostly cycle on the back roads amidst the wild nature.

After about two hour cycling, you arrive in Bat Trang village, a small village in the north of Vi?t Nam, is about 13 kilometers southeast of Hanoi center, on the other side of the Red River. The village is famous for ceramic and pottery products of high quality.

Lunch will be provided in a local restaurant in town.

After lunch, you will have a short walk to visit the village, discovering the village ceramic market, the Bat Trang temple, Bat Trang communal house. Discover the real life as you walk through tiny alleys that furrow continuously right and left.

Before taking the ride back, you stop by a local workshop where you learn all the steps of making a pottery. You have the opportunity to make your own pottery before saying good bye your “teacher” and enjoy two more hour cycling back to Hanoi. Those are not fond with the ride back can take a car to get back to your hotel. Trip ends.

Lotussia Travel is a Hanoi based tour operator offering a wide selection of cycling tours in all over Vietnam. The above biking tour is only a sample we list on this site for your reference. That can be flexible, customizable and subject to weather conditions and other circumstances. We have lots of other itineraries we don’t put all here since there are some dishonest individuals have copied, without our agreement our contents and pasted on their site for commercial purpose. If you need further information or have any suggestions or comments, please feel free to contact us at any time. We look forward to seeing you soon in Vietnam!

The post A day bicycle tour to Bat Trang village appeared first on Hanoi Day Trips.

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The post Photo Gallery: Cycling But Thap pagoda and Dong Ho village appeared first on Hanoi Day Trips.

The one day cycling tour, provided by the Hanoi based tour operator Lotussia Travel takes you to Hoa Lu and Tam Coc, Ninh Binh province. You travel by car from Hanoi to Hoa Lu where you will make a stop visiting the Dinh and Le temples before embarking on a push-bike and start your fun bicycle ride from Hoa Lu to Tam Coc. You cycle on paved roads, through rice fields and local agricultural villages. Most of the bicycle ride is on a peaceful inter-communal routes where the traffic is not two busy. After the bicycle ride from Hoa Lu to Tam Coc, you can either enjoy a sampan cruise tour or another cycling trip around Tam Coc before getting on your car again for the journey back to Hanoi. Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.

Itinerary:

8:00 am: You will be met up with Lotussia Travel team at your hotel in Hanoi (please advise your hotel name).

Head south for the three-hour drive along Highway One.

Upon your arrival in Hoa Lu around 11:00, visit the Dinh and Le sanctuaries. These are the two remaining temples of the ancient citadel of Hoa Lu. The first is dedicated to Dinh Tien Hoang (also known as Dinh Bo Linh), an Emperor from the Dinh Dynasty. The second commemorates the rulers of the Le Dynasty.

Then, we move on to Hoa Lu enjoying one hour cycling through peaceful countryside villages.

Arrive in Tam Coc and have lunch in a local restaurant.

After lunch, take a three-hour boat trip along the Boi River. This area is rightly often referred to as the “Ha Long Bay on land” due to the similar topography.

Return back to Hanoi at 18:00. End trip.

Need more information? Contact us

About Dinh & Le temples in Hoa Lu:

Dinh Temple was built in the shape of a Chinese character. Through the first entrance called Ngo Mon, there is a stone royal bed with Nghe (imaginary animals of the old times) standing on both sides. Inside the temple is Khai Thanh in worship of Emperor Dinh’s parents.

The temple consists of three parts: Bai Duong for the community, Thien Huong in honour of mandarins, and Chinh Cung where Dinh Tien Hoang’s statue is located. On his left is the statue of his eldest son Dinh Lien, and on his right are those of Dinh Hang Lang and Dinh Toan. On each side of the altar, there is one stone dragon similar to the ones placed near the royal bed.

Le Temple is almost the same as Dinh Temple in term of architectural design, except for some details. Le Temple also consists of three parts: Bai Duong used for the community, Thien Huong, in memory of the royal mandarins of King Le, and finally, the altar in memory of the King. The Le Hoan Statue is at the centre, on the left is the statue of Queen Duong Van Nga and on his right is that of Le Ngoa Trieu, his fifth son and the third King of the Pre Le Dynasty.

About Tam Coc:

Tam Coc means three tunnel caves, entailing Ca Cave, Hai Cave and Ba Cave. Tam Coc can also be called Tam Thuy Dong as the Ngo Dong River wends through all three tunnel caves that have bored through the limestone hills.

The enchanting world of Tam Coc can only entered from the Van Lam Wharf. Here, visi-tors travel by rowboat on the Ngo Dong River about 3km to visit all three caves. The first is Ca Cave which is 127m long and 20m wide. The next is Hai Cave of 60m long and 18m wide which is reached by traveling about 1km from Ca Cave. And the last is Ba Cave with 50m long and 18m wide located near Hai Cave These caves are adorned with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites of different shapes and colors that sparkle like gemstones.

This is very peaceful and scenic trip while admiring a magnificent view of the river, mountain, and caves. Worth visiting Tam Coc takes place in March, or the end May and early June. In March, the Ngo Dong River peacefully blends with green rice fields and cotton trees having red flowers in the spring. At the end of May and early June, the Ngo Dong River goes together with fields of ripe rice covered the yellow color. During the time, boats carrying tourists in and out of Tam Coc are mingled with the locals transporting harvested rice.

Need more information? Contact us

The post Hanoi day trips to Tam Coc and Hoa Lu appeared first on Hanoi Day Trips.

The Hanoi cycling tour one day is provided to those are familiar with cycling in the city where the local traffic is quite busy. Lotussia Travel biking guide will meet you up at your hotel in Hanoi and you start your day adventures right from your hotel. You cycle as the local do, through the busy traffic to all the major sights of Vietnam’s capital. Depending on the weather and individual interest, the tour can be the one-day cycling or just for some hours in the early morning. If you just like doing some hours cycling in the early morning, when the traffic is not busy yet, the tour can be combined with a Tai Chi lesson. Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.

Itinerary:

At 08:00am, you will be a met up by Lotussia Travel team at your hotel in Hanoi. After briefing and a short warming up exercise, we will leave hotel for a full day sightseeing tour of Hanoi by bicycle.

The tour is split into a morning session with a visit to Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed on Mondays, Fridays and Afternoons), his House On-Stilts, the One-Pillar Pagoda and the Temple of Literature.

After lunch (not included), we will visit the Museum of Ethnology where you can find the biggest object collection of 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups.

Return you to your hotel at around 17:00. End trip.

Need further information? Contact us

The post Hanoi city tour by bike appeared first on Hanoi Day Trips.

The one-day outdoor adventure tour takes you to the urban of Hanoi. You begin the tour with a short walk from your hotel to our bike store, at about half hour walking from the old quarter. You then cycle the Hanoi back roads going through small lanes and busy streets where you can experience the other side of Vietnam’s capital. Opportunity to meet up with Hanoian peoples, bonsai gardens, peach garden, ceramic shops, local church, temple and pagodas…The day cycling tour is available all year round and the most recommended for those looking for something active and different. Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.

Itinerary:

You will be met up with Lotussia Travel guide at your hotel in Hanoi. The one-day cycling tour begins with a short walk through the Old Quarter of Hanoi. You will walk through the Dong Xuan market, the ancient gate of the citadel of Hanoi and the Long Bien Bridge before arriving at the departure point.

After a brief introduction to the use of our bicycles and the biking road, we begin our adventure by cycling along the Red River. Visit the market of ceramics, located by the riverside. Then continue cycling until we reach the village of Bonsai where we will make another break. We make another stop in a church. Then we cross the street which is also the dam to reach the West Lake.

We cycle a little more before we arrive in the restaurant where the lunch will be served. We will the the opportunity to taste the fried shrimp, a specialty of Hanoi.

After lunch, we continue to ride along the shores of West Lake. We stop at the Tran Quoc Pagoda for the visit of the pagoda. Located on an islet connected to the eastern shore of West Lake (Ho Tay, Tran Quoc Pagoda is the oldest in Vietnam. Its construction dates back to 514 and its restoration in the fifteenth century (according to a stele placed on the pagoda in 1639).

After visiting the pagoda, we have the opportunity to visit some other sites such as the mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh (outside), the flag tower, the north gate of the ancient citadel in Hanoi. We reach the hotel around late afternoon. End of our adventure.

Need further information? Contact us

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The one day cycling tour is arranged in the north-western Hanoi where you have the opportunity to experience the farming and spiritual life. Begin your day adventure with a car transfer to Song Phuong village. Make a stop and assist to the real life as you learn how to plan vegetable and other agricultural activities. Enjoy your home-hosted meal before continuing your bicycle ride further south-west to Thay pagoda. Visit the pagoda and cycle for some more kilometers to Tay Phuong pagoda. You cycle through a rural area where people live of planting rice. Ending the cycling activity, you will be picked up again by your support vehicle for the drive back to Hanoi. Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.

Itinerary:

7:00 a.m you will be met with Lotussia Travel team at your hotel in Hanoi. After a short briefing about the day tour and the biking trail, you will be transferred out of Hanoi city center. After about one hour drive, you will arrive in a countryside village where you will have the opportunity to do gardening with local farmers. The local farmers grow different type of vegetable and orchards which include cauliflower, cabbage, tomato, green peas, Chinese peas, corn, oranges, pomelo, papaya and more.

Join with local farmers to work on the farm. Depending on the season your works might involve with raking, sowing, watering greens, picking greens and other gardening activities.

This morning is ended with a lunch in a local house and you will enjoy local dishes, seasonal vegetable, fruits and Vietnamese green tea.

In the afternoon you will visit the Thay Pagoda – a complex of temples, communal houses and pagoda nestled at the foot of a large limestone cliff formation, characteristic of the area. Built in the 11th century during the reign of King Ly Nhan Tong, Thay Pagoda consists of three sections: the outer part for offerings and ceremonies, the middle part for worship of Buddha and the inner part for worship of the monk Tu Dao Hanh, the master after whom the pagoda is named.

In front of the pagoda is a small stage built on stilt in the middle of Long Tri Pond. It is the place where water puppet performances are held during festivals from the fifth until the seventh days of the third lunar month.

We then proceed to Tay Phuong Pagoda which is situated on the top of Buffalo Mountain. This pagoda could be the most beautiful pagoda in Northern Vietnam with an ancient architecture, impressive wooden statues of Buddha and Arhats.

After visiting the Tay Phuong pagoda, you will be transferred back to your hotel in Hanoi. The end of our services.

Need further information? Contact us

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The one day bicycle tour, provided by the Hanoi based tour operator Lotussia Travel takes you to the outskirts of Hanoi. Begin the tour with a taxi transfer from your hotel to our bike store. Then you start your Hanoi urban adventure visiting some local houses, bonsai garden, going through villages lanes before embarking on a local ferry to the other side of Vietnam’s capital. Just after one hour cycling, you find yourself in the outskirts of Hanoi, the Hanoi rural area. Cycling along Duong dykes, through agricultural villages, rice fields and meeting up with local friendly people. Opportunity to visit Co Loa citadel before taking another biking trail to get back to Hanoi. The day biking tour is recommended for small groups touring, family travel, holidays with kids or those loving outdoor, active, fun tour to the rural Hanoi. Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.

Itinerary:

7:00 am you will be met up with Lotussia Travel guide at your hotel in Hanoi (please inform us your hotel name). After a short briefing about the bike, gears and the biking trail, you will begin your adventure by pedaling from your hotel to the other side of the Red River (for those who are not familiar with cycling in the city where the traffic is quite busy, we recommend booking a support vehicle. The extra charge will be advised by your Lotussia Travel consultant when you book the tour).

After about a half hour, you will leave the Hanoi busy town behind. You cycle across the Long Bien Bridge,  the first steel bridge spanning the Red River in Hanoi, built by the French (1899-1902) and named for Doumer, read as though-love (the name of Governor Paul Doumer Indochina).

Once you are on the other side of the town, you will cycle along the dyke, goring into the rural area of Hanoi.

Visiting an ancient village that is located by the Red river will help you know further the real life of Vietnamese people. You may want to visit a master of martial who practices Vietnamese Kungfu for years or a retired person who has lots of beautiful Bonsai.

Then take a ferry crossing the Duong river. You will arrive in the area where people live of agriculture. You cycle from villages to villages, through rice fields and friendly people. You will arrive Co Loa citadel around noon. This old fortress attracts many foreign tourists for its historical and cultural value. It would be interesting for tourist to find that this Citadel is not only built in a large scale, but also took a very long time to construct. Especially, it has also been the source of various relics of the Dong Son culture of the Bronze Age. This would be a precious chance for tourists to explore such large site and its potential beauty. This spiral-shaped complex will take you to the mysterious ancient Vietnam thousands of years ago.

Lunch will be provided in a local restaurant or picnic lunch can be arranged.

In the afternoon, it is possible for you to cycle for some more kilometers before being picked up by our vehicle and transferred back to your hotel in Hanoi. The end of Lotussia Travel service.

Need more information? Contact us

About Co Loa citadel:

Co Loa Citadel is a citadel built near Phong Khe, about 20km to the North of today’s Hanoi, during the end of the Hong Bang Dynasty (about 257 BCE). The fortress is a spiral-shaped complex of the then new capital. Its name is derived from the Sino-Vietnamese, meaning “old spiral.” The site has been the source of various relics of the Dong Son culture of the Bronze Age.

According to folklore, Thuc Phan (An Duong Vuong) defeated the last of the Hung kings in 257 BCE and founded the kingdom of Au Lac, choosing the site of Co Loa as his capital. Co Loa is a very large site and is the dominant presence in the northern floodplain of the Red River Delta, which would have required a large amount of labour and resources to have built in its time.

The site consists of two outer sets of ramparts and a citadel on the inside, of rectangular shape.

The outer rampart comprises a perimeter of 8 km and is lined with guard towers. The ramparts still stand up to 12 m high and are 25 m in width at their base. Archaeologists have estimated that over two million cubic metres of material were moved in order to construct the entire fortress, including moats that were fed by the Hoang River.

Excavations made by archaeologists have revealed Dong Son style pottery that had stratified over time under the walls, while a drum was found by chance by Nguyen Giang Hai and Nguyen Van Hung. The drum included a hoard of bronze objects. The rarity of such objects in Southeast Asia and the range found at Co Loa is believed to possibly be unique.

The drum itself is one of the largest Bronze Age drums to have been recovered from the Red River Delta, standing 57 cm high and boasting a tympanum with a diameter of 73.6 cm. The drum itself weighs 72 kg and contains around 200 pieces of bronze, including 20 kg of scrap pieces from a range of artefacts. These include socketed hoes and ploughshares, socketed axes, and spearheads.

The artefacts are numerically dominated by the ploughshares, of which there are 96. Six hoes and a chisel were in the set. There were 32 socketed axes of various shapes, including a boat shaped axehead. This was almost a replica to a clay mound found in the grave of the bronze metalworker at Lang Ca.

Sixteen spearheads, a dagger and eight arrowheads were also found. One spearhead generated special interest because it was bimetallic, with an iron blade fitting into a bronze socket.

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The post Hanoi outskirts bicycle tour one day: cycling to Co Loa citadel and Dong Anh rural villages appeared first on Hanoi Day Trips.

A day bicycle tour around Hanoi takes you to the Hanoi countryside, rural area where you will experience the real, authentic life. Begin your day adventure biking along the Duong dyke, through Vietnam northern countryside villages until you reach the But Thap pagoda where you will make a stop for visiting the pagoda. Continue biking along village lane, passing by smiling faces to Dong Ho painting village. The one-day biking tour is customized for both amateurs and professional cyclist. Kids, and family can also join the easy biking trip. Contact Lotussia Travel for more details.

Itinerary:

8:00: You will be met up by Lotussia Travel guide at your hotel in Hanoi (Please advise your hotel name).

After briefing and a short warming up exercise you will leave Hanoi busy streets biking out of the city center. The first part of the tour is a bit challenging because of the local traffic.

After about a half hour, you will arrive the Duong riverside where the cycle tour really begins. The name of the Duong River sounds intimately in the heart of every Vietnamese because of the charming and peaceful countryside the river meanders through. The numerous pagodas bordering the Duong River through history have added a major attraction to the Kinh Bac (northern) region.

We will cycle through some small villages, meeting up friendly local countryside farmers before arriving at But Thap Pagoda in time for lunch at a local restaurant (lunch is not included).

The name “But Thap” (Pen Stupa) was given by King Tu Duc in 1876 when, in Kinh Bac, he saw the beautiful stone stupa shaped like a pen at this pagoda, which had previously been known as Ninh Phuc Tu (Pagoda of Peace and Happiness). Visit the But Thap pagoda before continuing on to Dong Ho village.

Dong Ho village is famous for an old and special art form called Dong Ho. This art is attractive to the local and foreign people alike. Coming here visitors watch the artisan’s produce pictures using carved boards painted with various colors of ink.

Once in the village a visit will be made at craftsman Nguyen Dang Che’s house who is renowned for his traditional paintings.

Late this afternoon, we will cycle back to Hanoi. Trip ends.

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About But Thap pagoda:

But Thap Pagoda is situated on the dike of the Duong River, Thuan Thanh district, in Bac Ninh province.

The pagoda was built in the late Le dynasty in the 17th century. Its founder was Chinese Buddhist Priest Zhus Zhus, who died in 1644. Queen Mother Trinh Thi Ngoc

Truc asked Lord Trinh Trang to enlarge the pagoda in 1646.

The pagoda was built according to ?Noi Cong Ngoai Quoc? architectural style, and includes 10 buildings spread over 100 meters, from the three-entrance gates to the bell-tower and back house. Two 13m towers, Ton Duc and Bao Nghiem, are made of white rock, making the pagoda seem higher, more majestic and peaceful. Some remains of the 17th century are kept here such as statues and valuable donations,

Nine-storey lotus tower, Tuyet Son statue, Bao Nghiem tower and Xa Ly tomb.

The last renovations of the structure were carried out in 1992.

About Dong Ho Painting village:

Dong Ho Village with its famous paintings has become an aesthetic symbol in Vietnam culture. Located to the left side of Duong River, Dong Ho stood for centuries making their unique art work. From over 100 families in the 1950s,currently there are only a handful of families still making the traditional craft. Most villagers have now turned to joss paper making, since the regulation has relaxed and again allowed for religious practices that were once deemed “unfit of the revolutionary”. The families of Nguyen Dang Che and Nguyen Huu Sam both run their own galleries and employ a number of workers. To everyone relief, the essence still remains and thrives.

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The post Cycling rural Hanoi (one day) appeared first on Hanoi Day Trips.

There is no better way to discover Hanoi than by bicycle. Join our newly-discovered bicycle day tour and experience both the old quarter of Hanoi and its new suburb area in just a half day. Begin the tour with a short walk from your hotel to our departure point. You then bike the back roads of Hanoi pedaling through small street lanes and narrow alleys. You then find yourself in the green paddy fields before continue your ride to the Long Bien historical bridge and bike back to your hotel. The tour can be extended to one full day bike tour with another ride to the other side of the red river. Contact us for more details.

Itinerary:

You will be met up at your hotel at 8:00am by our tour guide. He then give a brief explanation about the biking route, riding tips and related information. Leaving hotel, we will follow an narrow road where there is surprisingly little noise of bike horns. We will bike along these small streets  until we reach the peach garden there we cross the river to join an immense corn field. As you bike through the corn field, and vegetable gardens, we will see how the life is quiet and peaceful after just few minutes biking.

The dog barks; farmers plant vegetable working on their fields; children play on their house court with simple toys…these are common sceneries we will experience during our trip. Stopping by a local house and talking with local people will make your trip more enjoyable.

We will join the Long Bien historical bridge before biking to another part of Hanoi – the rural Hanoi. Long Bien bridge is a historic cantilever bridge across the Red River that connects two parts of the city of Hanoi, Vietnam. It is also commonly referred to as the Paul Doumer Bridge. After crossing the bridge, we continue biking through local villages, rice fields and smiling faces.  With the guide, you will know how we plant rice, how the villager life is, how our rituals are…

Around noon, we bike back to the hotel. Trip end.

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About Hanoi:

Hanoi was founded in 1010, and became the centre of government for the Indochina Union under French rule in 1888. In 1945 Hanoi became the official capital of independent Vietnam. Today ancient buildings dating from the 11th century lie scattered among grand French colonial residences and modern office buildings. The streets of the Old Quarter preserve age-old customs, where trade takes one back half a century, and temples, pagodas and monuments reflect the historic character of Vietnam.

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