The caves outside Tam Coc

This isTran.

Tran of Tam Coc

A resident of the village of Tam Coc, he makes a living for himself and his family by rowing tourists through the caves outside his village. He rows his boat with his feet and legs, fast and efficiently. He was one of several guides who rowed us down the river and through three caves, including the long and dark Galaxy Grotto.  Since their livelihood is based on tourism, they maintain good relations with local and regional travel agencies who bring tourists to their town to see the sites nearby and to experience what the area has to offer.

Floating down the river

We met Tran when a group of us accepted Hailey Greene’s invitation to organize a day trip to the village of Tam Coc to visit Buddhist temples, float through the caves, and take a scenic bicycle ride. Our guide introduced us to two temples built in honor of two kings from the 10^th century. The temples were built in 969 and have stood the test of time beautifully. After visiting the temples, we rode in Vietnamese dinghies down the river and through the caves.

Scenery

Vietnam is a land of geological wonders, from expansive rice fields and vegetable farms to savannahs with tall grasses and trees, to green mountains formed from limestone and shooting skyward from the earth (see the posts on Halong Bay for some incredibly beautiful formations). The scenery along the boat ride was fantastic.

The water has been flowing through these mountain caves for ages, forming the smooth and relaxing ride that we enjoyed. Drifting through the caves was eerie: the caves were dark, the water cold, stalactites hung down from the tops of the caves, and rocks took on the shapes of familiar figures, including the Buddha.

The geography of rural Vietnam can be breathtaking, as these photos show. Thanks, Hailey, for the opportunity to see and experience this beautiful countryside.

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