Our Spectacular Trip to Ninh Binh Province in Vietnam

Written by Rebecca and Dingeman Kalis cazenove+loyd – specifically Penny and her team put together a spectacular trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. It turned out to be beyond our expectations – they really listened to what we wanted to experience.

Written by Rebecca and Dingeman Kalis

cazenove+loyd – specifically Penny and her team put together a spectacular trip to Vietnam and Cambodia. It turned out to be beyond our expectations – they really listened to what we wanted to experience.

One part of the trip stands out – the Ninh Binh Province in Northern Vietnam – even in the rain! It is an area known as “Halong Bay on Land.”

Leaving busy Hanoi with a great guide (Mr. Linh) and driver, we drove three hours to that area. Our guide suggested stopping to visit the village famous for making conical hats.

Once in the village, after asking around, Mr. Linh guided us to the local hat maker.

This small family business welcomed us with a traditional cup of tea.

This was a moment that we could never have hoped to find on our own…

The hats are traditional, practical and worn everywhere.

After a private lunch prepared by a local woman and herbalist, we continued by rowboat upriver (through caves) to our small and lovely hotel – Tam Coc Garden. We were greeted with lemongrass and licorce root tea and shown to our room overlooking the rice paddies and mountains.

We spent the following day with a local family going to the market, visiting the temple, talking with the local mayor and eating a typical TET (New Year’s) lunch prepared by the family.

The family prepared a feast…

We could have never arranged such a day on our own!

Overall, what we most appreciated was the in depth knowledge of Vietnam and Cambodia provided by cazenove+loyd, the excellence and professionalism of the guides and drivers and the experiences that were personal to us and our interests. Looking forward to our next trip…