Thung Nai (Thung Nái) is a tourist attraction located in Cao Phong district, about 100 km from Hanoi city center. Thung Nai means “deer valley” in Vietnamese, because of the legend that there used to be many deer living in this area. Thung Nai is also known as “Halong Bay on land”, because of its similar scenery of karst formations and waterways. Thung Nai is a popular destination for visitors who want to enjoy the natural beauty and relax in a peaceful and romantic atmosphere. In this blog post, we will show you how to rent a car to Thung Nai and explore the best things to do and see in Thung Nai.
Why Rent a Car to Thung Nai?
Renting a car to Thung Nai is one of the best ways to travel from Hanoi to Thung Nai and enjoy your visit at your own pace and convenience. By renting a car, you can:
- Save time: You can avoid the hassle of finding and waiting for public transportation, which may be crowded, slow, or unreliable. You can also choose the shortest and fastest route to your destination, without having to stop at multiple places along the way.
- Save money: You can compare different prices and options online and choose the one that suits your needs and budget. You can also save on fuel costs by choosing a fuel-efficient car type.
- Have flexibility: You can choose your own itinerary and schedule, without having to follow a fixed or limited tour program. You can also visit places that are not easily accessible by public transportation, such as the Windmill Island or the Da Bia Mountain.
- Have comfort: You can enjoy a comfortable and private mode of transportation, particularly during Hanoi’s hot and humid seasons. You can also avoid the hassle of carrying your luggage or dealing with crowded and noisy vehicles.
- Have safety: You can drive safely with a reliable and well-maintained car that meets the international standards and regulations. You can also avoid the risk of getting scammed or overcharged by dishonest drivers or operators.
How to Find the Best Deals and Services for Car Rental to Thung Nai?
There are many factors that you need to consider when looking for the best deals and services for car rental to Thung Nai, such as:
- Car type: You need to choose a car type that matches your group size, luggage needs, and preferences. There are different car types available for rent in Hanoi, such as economy, standard, SUV, people carrier, estate, convertible, or luxury. You can check out some examples and compare prices on platforms like Rentalcars.com1.
- Car rental company: You need to choose a reputable and trustworthy car rental company that offers high-quality cars and services. There are many car rental companies operating in Hanoi, such as Avis2, Rental Cars Hanoi3, or Hanoi Journey. You can read reviews and ratings from previous customers to get an idea of their performance and reputation.
- Pick-up and drop-off location: You need to choose a convenient and accessible pick-up and drop-off location for your car rental. The most common pick-up location is Noi Bai International Airport (HAN), which is about 45 km away from Thung Nai. However, you can also choose other locations in the city, such as your hotel or a designated point.
- Booking method: You need to choose a convenient and secure booking method for your car rental. The most common booking method is online, where you can easily compare different options and prices, make reservations, and pay with cash or credit card. You can use platforms like Grab1, Welcome Pickups2, or Klook3 to book your car rental online or through their apps.
- Additional services: You need to check if there are any additional services or fees that are included or excluded in your car rental deal. Some of the common additional services or fees are insurance, fuel, driver, tolls, taxes, surcharges, or extras. You need to read the terms and conditions carefully before confirming your booking.
What to Do and See in Thung Nai?
Thung Nai offers a variety of attractions and activities for visitors of all ages and interests. Some of the highlights include:
- Boat ride: The main attraction of Thung Nai is the boat ride along the Da river that takes you through many islands with different shapes and sizes. The boat ride is a relaxing and scenic experience, as you pass by green hills, forests, temples, and villages. The boat ride takes about 2 hours and costs 100, 000 VND per person (including entrance fee).
- Windmill Island: This is an island located in the middle of the Da river that has many windmills that generate electricity for the island’s residents. The island also has a resort that offers accommodation, food, entertainment, and activities for visitors. The island is accessible by boat or by cable car from Thac Bo temple. The entrance fee to Windmill Island is 50, 000 VND per person.
- Da Bia Mountain: This is a mountain located near Thung Nai that has a height of 1,200 meters above sea level. The mountain has a distinctive shape that resembles a giant chopstick standing upright on the ground. The mountain also has a historical significance as it was where King Le Loi set up his camp during his resistance against the Ming invaders in the 15th century. The mountain is accessible by road or by cable car from Windmill Island. The entrance fee to Da Bia Mountain is 30, 000 VND per person.
Conclusion: Enjoy Your Visit to Thung Nai with Car Rental
As you can see, renting a car to Thung Nai is one of the best ways to visit this relaxing and romantic destination from Hanoi. By renting a car, you can save time, money, have flexibility, comfort, and safety while exploring the natural beauty and culture of Thung Nai.
We hope this blog post has helped you learn more about car rental to Thung Nai and how to visit this attraction with ease. If you have any questions or comments, feel free to leave them below. We would love to hear from you!
ideal tourist destination for those who love to travel in the summer because of the extremely cool climate. As a lake-bed commune of the Da River, Thung Nai is located more than 100km from Hanoi, the road to Thung Nai will take you in the direction of Binh Than port along the Da River with about 10km of mountain roads with extremely beautiful scenery. This is also one of the tourist attractions near Hanoi that you can arrange to go with your family and friends.
Thung Nai is a commune in Da river lake bed, in Cao Phong district, Hoa Binh. This is a difficult commune in the province, people live mainly by farming. With natural advantages and great tourism potential, Thung Nai has not yet been able to turn up tourism to become a mainstream economic sector that brings people’s lives up.
Thung Nai was originally the land of Muong Thang, one of the famous and rich living places of the Muong people (including the Muong Bi, Vang, Thang, and Dong). According to local people, the name Thung Nai was given because in the past, in a valley on this land, there were many deer living together. The word Thung Nai is a combination of two words valley and forest deer.
In the 80s of the last century, when the Da River hydropower plant was built and started to store water, Thung Nai became a huge reservoir, the rocky mountains that were once majestic are now flooded. It turns into undulating green islands, creating a very poetic landscape. Currently, coming to Thung Nai, you can easily see and explore many floating rocky islands scattered everywhere on the bed of Hoa Binh hydropower reservoir.
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Thung Nai is not suitable for busy and noisy entertainment activities, instead it is relaxing moments with family and friends, watching the amazing natural scenery and forgetting about the worries of the people. Busy daily life.
When should you go to Thung Nai?
It is recommended to go to Thung Nai in the summer to enjoy the cool feeling as well as comfortably swim and paddle on the lake bed
Should go to Thung Nai in the summer, from May to August to enjoy the cool feeling, away from the sweltering heat of the North on this occasion. In other seasons you can also go to Thung Nai, but it will be difficult to take off your clothes and jump into the cool water of the lake bed. If possible, choose the day to go on the right day of the full moon, watching the moon in the evening in the middle of the vast sea is an interesting experience for you.
How to go to Thung Nai?
Private vehicles
Relatively close to Hanoi, using personal vehicles will be the most active
From Hanoi to Thung Nai port
From Hanoi, you move along the route of Thang Long Boulevard with cars and the route with motorbikes to Hoa Lac, from here continue to follow the new route Hoa Lac – Hoa Binh to reach this city. From the center of Hoa Binh city to Thung Nai port about more than 20km, you just follow Tay Tien road and the signpost system to come here.
From Thung Nai port to the island
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To rest on the island and walk around the lake, the only means of transport is to rent a boat from Thung Nai port
Currently, in Thung Nai, there are not many choices of motels for you, so depending on which motel you are staying at, please contact your guesthouse owner (or rent a boat yourself if the motel is not available). You can arrange a train to pick you up) so that they can pick you up.
Public transport
It is about 20km from Hoa Binh city and is a small commune with no direct public transport routes. If you don’t have your own vehicle, you can take a bus to Hoa Binh and then hire a motorbike taxi or taxi to go to Thung Nai. If traveling by bus routes to other provinces such as Son La and Dien Bien, remember to get off at the intersection of Hoa Binh City’s bypass (at the foot of the Cun slope on the Hoa Binh side, at the beginning of Tay Tien street) because these cars will run bypasses, do not go into the city center.
Moving on Hoa Binh Lake
On the lake bed, you can only travel by boat
If you don’t plan to stay overnight in Thung Nai, you just need to go to the port and rent a boat to go see around the lake and then return. Right at Thung Nai port, there are many boats serving tourists to visit the lake, you can rent a whole boat if the group is large or accept to go with other groups, the boats also prepare lunch. so that you can organize a “party” on the lake if you have a need.
Stay in Thung Nai.
In Thung Nai, there are a number of resting places but not as many as in other tourist destinations, the two most popular ones are Windmill Lodge and Coconut Island guesthouse.
Overnight in Giang Mo village
Tourist attractions in Thung Nai
Located right on the heart of Hoa Binh hydroelectric lake, you should not miss the opportunity to visit the tourist attractions of the lake. Some famous places such as Thac Bo Cave, Ba Chua Thac Bo Temple, Suoi Trach …. are about 20-30 minutes away by boat from where you stay.
What to play in Thung Nai?
Swimming in the lake
In the summer, almost every team that comes to Thung Nai has to jump into the cool lake bed to relieve the heat
In the summer, Thung Nai is like a giant swimming pool, blue and cool so that you can comfortably swim on the lake. Please note, the water level in the lake is often very deep (30-40m), so even if you know how to swim, you must wear a life jacket to ensure safety.
Boating on the lake bed
Boating on the lake
If you don’t like swimming, you can row a boat, the water in the lake is quite calm, so rowing is not too difficult if the weather is calm. Even if you have never rowed, it only takes about 15 minutes to get used to this, you can form racing teams to row to the nearby rocky islands.
Campfire
Campfire is an activity to connect and exchange between groups of friends
Thung Nai is an extremely suitable place to organize collective activities and exchanges between friends. After a day of fun and eating, it is indispensable to have a campfire, singing and exchanging songs. If you want to organize a campfire, you just need to inform the owner of your resting place in advance so that they can prepare it.
Go to Ngoi Hoa water park
The water park is located at Ban Ngoi Hoa, on the bed of Hoa Binh hydropower reservoir
The park is located on a beautiful bay, river and mountains in Ngoi village, Ngoi Hoa commune, Tan Lac district, Hoa Binh province, one of the oldest Muong villages located deep in the lake bed, where it is completely deserted. There are almost no tourist footprints.
With 34 game clusters floating on the water and water sports such as: water motor, inflatable boat, fishing canoe, floating swimming pool cluster and local traditional sports such as rafting. , shrimp boating, floating restaurants on the river…
Muong Giang Mo village
Giang Mo Village
About 10 km from Hoa Binh city, Giang Mo village, Binh Thanh commune, Cao Phong district has long been an attractive destination, attracting a large number of domestic and international tourists. The village is nestled in the valley at the foot of Mo mountain. The peaceful life of more than one hundred Muong households, though simple, attracts visitors by the culture in daily life and the architecture of the stilt house which still retains many imprints of the old Muong house style.
Thac Bo Cave
Thac Bo Cave in dry season
Thac Bo cave is located in Bung hamlet, Ngoi Hoa commune, Tan Lac district, located right on Ngoc wharf in the northern mountainside, in the Chua mountain range on the banks of Hoa Binh lake. Not only associated with the complex of Bo temple relics to worship Ba Chua Thuong thousand, who helped King Le Loi to quell the Northern rebellion, this was also the shelter of many traders up and down the Da River when they encountered big waves here. . Therefore, Thac Bo cave has long attracted tourists from all over the world to worship and travel.
In the dry season, visitors who want to visit the cave must climb nearly 100 stone steps from the foot of the mountain to the cave entrance. During the high water season, visitors go from the boat to the floating house, on a bamboo raft that runs about 50 meters long and goes straight to the entrance of the cave. From the top of the cave, visitors can zoom out to see the whole wonderful Da Giang strip, enjoy the natural masterpieces of the Creator with overlapping mountains and the beauty of the mysterious cave. .
Thac Bo Cave in the high water season, the pontoon bridge will be built into the cave
Thac Bo cave is divided into three areas, in addition to the cave with stalactites, there is also a reception area for visitors, about 50 m high is the area for worshiping Buddha. The arch of this cave is quite large, with cool air. In addition to the huge altar of worshiping the Buddha, Guan Yin Bodhisattva, the gods that govern this area, in the cave there is also an altar to worship Uncle Ho, always fragrant with fresh flowers and incense.
Going deep into the cave, discovering the various shapes of stalactites formed by the sediment of dripping water over hundreds of thousands of years, you will see that the creativity of Mother Nature is endless.
Thac Bo princess temple
Ba Chua Thac Bo Temple
Lord Thac Bo’s real name is Dinh Thi Van, daughter of a Muong patriarch – Hoa Binh, in 1431 She gathered the Muong and other ethnic groups in Hoa Binh to collect food and transport supplies to help King Le Loi defeat foreign invaders. invasion (Cat Han Pass – Lai Chau)
On a day when the weather was not calm and the boat was full of food, when passing through the area of the cave, the big waves broke the plate, Ba waterfall and the body drifted back when the area of Thac Bo – Thung Nai – Hoa Binh stopped there, people Around the area to commemorate the heroic daughter who built a temple here after King Le Loi returned from winning the battle, she was ordained as: Hoang Kim Mother of Muong Son Trang.
In 1979, the state decided to build a dam to block the river to build Hoa Binh hydroelectric power plant, the old Thac Bo temple no longer exists, a family of the Quach family has developed a heart and thanks to the contributions of the crosses through 5 times of construction and relocation. moved and built Bo temple today.
Bo Market
Thac Bo floating market meets and dissolves very early
People here trade mainly at Bo market. The market only meets in the morning and closes when it is still quite early, about 8 o’clock, the market is already sparse. Thac Bo Floating Market is held on Sunday, about 20 minutes from Thung Nai wharf. Not too noisy. The market is a common place for boats from all over the lake to come here. They bring in the products caught from the night before.
Suoi Trach
Suoi Trach is like a fresh and cool swimming pool in the hot summer days
Suoi Trach is one of the places that should not be missed when entering Thung Nai. This place is an ideal natural bath with clear, cool water.
Noni Flower
Ban Ngoi is a very beautiful eco-tourism site in Hoa Binh (Photo – Vuong Bich)
Located nearly an hour by boat from Thung Nai port on Da river hydroelectric lake, Ngoi village in Ngoi Hoa commune, Tan Lac district is one of the most beautiful Muong ancient villages of Hoa Binh, over the decades this place is still the The oasis is located deep in the heart of Hoa Binh hydroelectric lake, there is no road, the main means of transportation are shrimp boats and rafts, the lives of the villagers here are isolated and isolated as if “forgotten” in the majestic Da river lake bed.
Delicious food in Thung Nai
Coming to Thung Nai, do not forget to enjoy the special delicious taste of grilled bamboo shoots in Da River, and mountain specialties such as steamed chicken with lemon leaves, grilled Muong pork with honey on banana leaves, boiled bamboo shoots, upland rice, etc. Cat cider, wild vegetables dipping fish heart…
Muong pig
Leaf dish from Ban pork
The Muong – Hoa Binh pig (man, badger, underarm pig, …) is an indigenous breed that always digs for food, also known as wild boar, reaching only 25-30 kg/head is the maximum. raised freely and forage for themselves, raised for a long time, the main food is fiber (90%), they eat directly almost all the trees, vegetables, tubers and fruits available locally. Muong pork is especially delicious, soft and crispy, fatty and delicious to eat. Characteristics of small bones, pointed snout, short face, wrinkled forehead, small ears, long slender body, thin legs, especially long and stiff hair (the thicker the hair, the more delicious it is to eat, because the denser the hair, the more hybrid it is. wild boar), 03 pores, 01 hole.
Thung Nai jogging chicken
Charcoal grilled chicken in Thung Nai
With mountainous terrain, chickens raised in Thung Nai are genuine running chickens. The meat will be tougher and more fragrant than the chicken below. In addition to chicken in the main meal, you can book the guesthouse to prepare a few more (depending on the number of people) to grill or cook porridge in the evening.
Grilled Da river fish
It is easy to see grilled fish with bamboo sticks everywhere when traveling to Thung Nai
Song Da has long been famous for many delicious fish species such as minnows, black carp, milkfish, etc. In the basin of Da river lake, grilled fish is a specialty. Fish are sold all year round, but in the water season from September to October, milkfish, carp, and minnows are in season. New stores have a lot of fresh fish to sell to customers. Especially at the foot of Ba Chua Thac Bo Temple, there are many delicious grilled fish for you to enjoy, if you have time, just sit by the wood stove, grill and sip the fish, and add a few cups of wine. great.
Hot Da river fish are sold a lot right at the temples / pagodas to visit. However, if you buy here, you should choose carefully because people often use frozen fish, eat it and don’t taste it. How to check if the fish is frozen or not: poke the ball with a sharp stick, see that the fish is grilled but still red, it is frozen fish.
Thung Nai travel schedule
Thung Nai is quite close to Hanoi, so it is suitable for weekend trips
Thung Nai is quite close to Hanoi, so if you don’t combine to go anywhere else, you only need 1 night before and 1 morning the next morning is quite enough to explore this place. Let’s share with you some simple Thung Nai backpacking schedules and also some Thung Nai backpacking schedules combined with other locations.
Hanoi – Thung Nai 2 days
Day 1: Hanoi – Thang Thien Waterfall (Ky Son) – Hoa Binh – Thung Nai
8:00am: Departure in Hanoi
9:30 am: Go to Thang Thien Waterfall, buy tickets to visit, lunch break and eat right on the way
14h00: Depart from Thang Thien waterfall to Thung Nai
Evening rest, enjoy the cuisine of Thung Nai, make a campfire and watch the moon in the lake of Da river
Day 2: Thung Nai – Lake tour – Hanoi
8:00: Wake up and rent a boat to visit some attractions such as Thac Bo Cave, Ba Chua Thac Bo Temple, Coconut Island, enjoy the beautiful scenery of Thung Nai Lake.
11:30: Back to the motel for lunch and rest
14h00-15h00: Swim freely on the lake bed
15h00: Depart for Hanoi
Hanoi – Kim Boi – Thung Nai
This schedule goes from Friday night to about Sunday afternoon. You can sleep 2 nights, one night in Thung Nai and one night in Kim Boi.
Day 3: Kim Boi – Cuu Thac Tu Son – Hanoi
Get up in the morning from Kim Boi to Hanoi, go to Bai Chao street and stop at Cuu Thac Tu Son. At noon, you can prepare picnic food in advance to organize a collective meal at Cuu Thac Tu Son.
Afternoon departure to Hanoi
Hanoi – Thung Nai – Mai Chau
Day 1: Hanoi – Hoa Binh – Mai Chau (140km)
8:00 am – 10:00 am: Depart from Hanoi
10:00: Arrive in Hoa Binh city, visit Hoa Binh hydropower plant. Lunch break in Hoa Binh City
12h30 – 16h00 : Hoa Binh – Mai Chau on the way can stop at Thung Khe pass to eat grilled corn, take pictures. Up to the stop to see Mai Chau town, you can stop to take panoramic photos of Mai Chau valley from above
Evening sleep in Mai Chau stilt house, enjoy Mai Chau cuisine. Can organize collective activities, watch dances and make campfires
Day 2: Mai Chau – Cao Phong – Thung Nai
8:00am: Departure towards Hoa Binh city, reach the foot of Cun slope, turn to Tay Tien street, visit Muong cultural museum.
Go to Thung Nai port to board the boat to the motel that you have booked in advance.
Overnight in Thung Nai.
Day 3: Thung Nai – Hanoi
Get up in the morning to rent a boat to explore the lake bed, some beautiful places in Thung Nai such as Ba Chua Thac Bo Temple, Suoi Trach, Cho Bo …
In the afternoon, back to Thung Nai port, on the way back to Hanoi
Some notes when going to Thung Nai
Please call to book the motel in advance (at least 1-2 days) + inform the number of people to prepare food. If you intend to cancel, you should notify 1-2 days in advance because all items and food outside the lake are not available, must be moved from the inside out.
Road 6 often has traffic police speed check stations, always reduce the speed to below 40km/h for motorbikes and 50km/h for cars when entering residential areas.
Although Thung Nai is quite close to Hanoi, it is not recommended to go in the evening if you are not familiar with the road, moreover you need to go to Thung Nai early to be able to go to rest at the lake.
When swimming in Thung Nai, you should wear a life jacket, even if you are a good swimmer, safety is still first.
Bringing a small mini speaker, a guitar and a guy who knows how to use it will make your “fire party” much more interesting, of course if you have a need to make a bonfire to scream.
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