The day started similarly to the previous one, with an early morning pick-up for our full-day tour. The bus arrived around 7 AM, and as it made its way through Hanoi to collect the rest of the group, we took a brief stop near the Opera House. It was drizzling in the morning, making the weather refreshingly pleasant.

By around 10:30 AM, we arrived at Mua Caves, where it was still drizzling. We had to buy rain covers before beginning our climb up Mua Mountain—roughly 500 steps to the top. It was a challenging ascent, but the panoramic view from the peak made it absolutely worth it. Everywhere you looked, there was lush greenery, making it easy to see why this place is recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage site. One of the peaks had a dragon statue, but it was quite a crowded spot, so we didn’t linger too long. After taking in the views and capturing some photos, we descended.

At the base, there was a large lotus pond—a serene and beautifully set-up spot. As I strolled around, soaking in the tranquility, a man approached me and said, “Hope you had fun watching cricket yesterday.” It took me a moment to realize he was referring to the India vs. New Zealand Test match that India had lost. A little surprised, I asked if he was from New Zealand, and he affirmed with a proud “Yes.” I acknowledged, “Your team played well,” and continued my walk. It struck me later that he had assumed I was Indian right away—perhaps a bit stereotypical, but I brushed it off.

After spending some time near the pond, we got back on the bus and headed to a local restaurant for lunch. The buffet had a variety of options, and the meal was quite satisfying. Once everyone was done, we went for a peaceful half-hour cycling tour through a scenic village. The mountains, covered in greenery, reflected beautifully in the water, creating a surreal atmosphere.

Our next stop was Hoa Lu, where we visited the Dinh King Temple. It holds significant historical importance for the locals, but we didn’t spend too much time there before moving on to our final and most anticipated activity—the boat ride.

For the next two hours, we drifted along the serene waters, rowed by an incredibly skilled boatman who, impressively, used his legs to row. Nearly every rower there seemed to do the same. The journey took us past pagodas and through three low-hanging tunnels, where we had to duck at times to avoid hitting the ceiling. As we emerged from the tunnels, it felt as if we had stepped into an enchanted world—silent, untouched, and brimming with natural beauty. The experience was incredibly peaceful, though I felt the ride could have been a little shorter.

As the day wound down, we boarded our bus back to Hanoi. By 8 PM, we were back in the Old Quarter and decided to check out a recommended restaurant, Quan An Ngon, for dinner. We ordered some local dishes, though we had little idea of what they were or how to eat them. Thankfully, the servers were kind enough to guide us. The meal was decent—not particularly memorable, but a nice experience nonetheless.

After dinner, we took a cab back to our hotel and wrapped up another eventful day.