Tam Coc, (9 km south of Ninh Binh, along Hwy 1). One of Vietnam's most spectacular sights. A boat must be hired that will take you through the waterways between vast limestone cliffs that rise out of the rice paddies. The area is somewhat similar to Halong Bay, but more accessible and much less touristy. Beware, the floating drink sellers can be very persistent. They are located after the third cave. Most will ask if you would like to buy a drink for the rower. This is usually sold back immediately for half price. Rowers can usually row with their feet as well as their hands, which makes quite an interest sight. Possibly the best time to go is in the morning or late afternoon, when its quieter and cooler with more shade. Last boats start out about 5:30PM in the summer and 4:30PM in the winter. Its an easy bicycle ride here from Ninh Binh, with no hills. When leaving your motorbike in the carpark, beware of scamming thieves (such as removing a mirror while the motorbike is parked then selling it back to you for 100,000 dong) and look for official parking areas to avoid such scams. Those can be found on the big parking lot to your left when you arrive, just before the village, there is a booth at the gate. We paid 5000 Dong while at first being asked 10k, possibly the official rate is even lower. Some boats have boxes loaded upon departure. They are filled with handicrafts (you can check it), and are meant for you to buy. During the return trip the rowers - your own or those of nearby boats - might suddenly turn from friendly rowers to pushy sellers. Don't ruin your experience by allowing this. Demand a rower/boat without handicraft/souvenir boxes and/vor clearly show desinterest. The area around Tam Coc is equally beautiful, and is best viewed from the back of a motorbike or by bicycle. There is also a temple Bich Dong (free entrance) built into one of the hills which provides incredible views. To get there just follow the road pass the Tam Coc 'pier' for about 3km to the west. While seing the temple don't forget to go through the cave to reach the upper level and the next little temple. You may also like to ignore the sign and climb up the rocks (there is a clear path) to the top of the rock, the view is worth the scramble. 80,000 dong per boat, maximum 2 foreigners per boat plus entrance fee of 100,000 per person.