This river delta is formed by two branches (song Thai Binh and song Day), with Hanoi at their apex. Now billed as the "inland Ha Long Bay", the region has unquestionable charm. From the modern epicentre of Ninh Binh you can head out to explore the cradle of the Vietnamese dynasties near Nam Dinh, the Vietnamese Rome on the Phat Diem road, or the sites of Tam Coc and Cuc Phuong. The region boasts delightful landscapes of typical rice paddies.