Ngo Dong river, Ninh Binh province, Vietnam

© Jeremy Woodhouse/Getty Image

Info. Boats float by rice fields on the Ngo Dong river in Ninh Binh province, Vietnam

We’re looking down on the winding Ngo Dong river, which is about 100 kilometres south of Hanoi in the Ninh Binh province of Vietnam. This area is part of the Tràng An Scenic Landscape Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage site famous for its boat cave tours. Tourists can be taken in small boats along the river, travelling through caves, limestone mountains and rice fields. Don’t be surprised if the person rowing your boat moves the oars from hands to feet. It’s tradition here for rowers to take a break and let their legs take over.