Hanoi Trip Day 4 – On to Tam Coc!

It was another 2-hour car ride to Tam Coc (Three Caves). Tam Coc is also called "The Halong Bay of the rice paddies," in reference to similiar karst formations that rise out of the South China Sea. The three caves are named Hang Ca, Hang Guia, and Hang Cuoi.

For me, the view itself was pretty nice enough, but more interestingly was the 2-hour boat ride under the hot sun, up and down the Ngo Dong River, paddled by the rowers of Tam Coc. Some even used their feet to row the boat! Simply amazing. Imagine how tough it was already to row endlessly on, and to use the feet! It was a hard life for these rowers, incidentally, they earn only US$1.25 per 2-hour trip (about RM4.30) – excluding tips, and relied on sales of T-shirts, drinks as well as other stuffs to make ends meet. No wonder most of them were skinny and tanned under the harsh rays of the sun.

Onwards back to Hanoi and more shopping in the evening at the night market. Getting back to the hotel after the shopping expedition proved to be a challenge with disagreement on the direction. I was pretty sure of my directions, but bowed down to the superior knowledge of females and their directional sense which technically couldn’t be faulted, just that it took a longer route.

Somehow, the trip so far has been part relaxing and part exhausting with all the walking. My poor aching feet!