Tràng An Landscape Complex, Tam Coc, Vietnam

A 3-hour boat ride in Trang An is a wonderfully authentic experience: you get to enjoy a journey on a wooden boat rowed by a local oarswoman – traditionally, it’s always women who do this demanding work. She navigates skillfully through water-filled caves and majestic limestone formations, stopping at spiritual sites where you can set foot on land. Light refreshments (fruit, water, dry snacks) are allowed on the boats, but eating is forbidden around the sacred temple grounds where the boat stops. There’s an ice cream vendor with covered shelters and benches, though, behind Trinh Temple, a stop on Routes 3 and 1. Route 1 is for cave lovers, Routes 2 and 3 pass the Kong: Skull Island filming location, and Route 3  also covers the 1-km-long Dot Cave. The rower will patiently wait for you at each stop and mercifully let you take off your orange safety vest.

Pro Tip: you can get a boat to yourself if you buy all 4 seats, which is about US$40 and leaves the rhythm up to you. There are picnic tables and seats at the drop-off site – a good way to end this fantastic trip. These boat trips are extremely popular, so arrive early to beat the tour bus crowds.