However, Dinh Bo Linh defeated the warlords in 968 and reunited the country, which he called Dai Co Viet.

He founded the Dinh Dynasty and ascended to the throne under the name Dinh Tien Hoang.

The emperor chose Hoa Lu as his capital because it was protected by the Trang An mountains on three sides and by the Hoang Long River to the northwest.

With strong walls linking the limestone mountains, Hoa Lu was easily defended but also allowed the emperor's forces to mount attacks against its foes and communicate with its subjects.

During its 42 years at the centre of the nation, the Dinh and Le dynasties erected many palaces, pagodas and temples within the city walls.

The most beautiful of these was the Bach Bao Thien Tue Palace, meaning A Hundred Valuables and A Thousand Ages, which was plated in gold and silver.

Time, the elements and Viet Nam's tumultuous history have taken their toll, and very little remains but ruins.

When the capital was moved to Thang Long, the local residents built temples to honour the emperors Dinh Tien Hoang and Le Dai Hanh that are now known as the Thuong and Ha (Upper and Lower) temples.

The temples were restored in the 17th century to worship Duong Van Nga, the only woman in Vietnamese history to be married to two emperors.

When Dinh Tien Hoang died, Nga married Le Hoan. After one thousand years, the debate about Nga's intentions continues. Was she a good woman, or was her second marriage simply political opportunism?

There are three altars inside each temple, known as Thai Duong, Thien Duong and Chinh Cong. They have a characteristically Vietnamese design, and complement the temples' elegant wooden and stone carvings.

"The biggest drawcard is the carvings," Manh says. "The block of green stone that formed the emperor's throne is decorated on both sides with sophisticated carvings added in the 17th century and representing two dragons."

Towering over the temples is Ma Yen Son – the words translate as horse-saddle shaped mountain.

Two hundred and sixty-five steps lead from the temples to the tomb of Emperor Dinh, which was added alongside Emperor Le's tomb.

Viewed from the south, Ma Yen Son appears to be a gigantic throne.

Even when Hoa Lu was demoted from the nation's capital, successive dynasties still regarded it as a sacred site and the homeland of heroes.

Visitors to contemporary Hoa Lu can still imagine the grandeur of the two dynasties and get a glimpse of the soul of old Viet Nam.

Ha Long Bay on land

Not far from Ninh Binh town is another must-see attraction: the caves of Tam Coc.

Known as "Ha Long Bay on the rice paddies", the three caves can only be reached by boats rowed along a stream and under Cong Rong, a stone bridge built in 1604 whose name means Dragon Culvert.

In the past, the Tam Coc karst system lay under the sea and water carved out the three caves: Hang Ca (Big Cave), Hang Hai (Second Cave) and Hang Ba (Third Cave).

The water followed cracks in the limestone but left behind the mountain range that now runs along the banks of the Ngo River.

The river gets narrower and narrower as you pass through the caves where stalactites billow from the ceiling like clouds.

After 127m, the boats stop at a vast and open space where visitors can appreciate the cool, quiet atmosphere and listen to droplets of water falling onto the river.

They may also see people searching for kindling-wood on the mountain, goats chewing leaves or be able to spy the orchids clinging to the rocks.

Down below, schools of fish dart between the rocks and plants at the bottom of the river.

On a busy day, however, visitors may not quite be able to feel the serenity over the sounds of boatloads of happy tourists having their photographs taken and bargaining for a cool drink or an embroidered tablecloth.

The nearby villages are famous for their skills with a needle and thread, and the rowers are proud to show you their handiwork as they paddle you back to base.

Back to nature

The truly adventurous can really get away from it all when visiting Ninh Binh.

Viet Nam's first national park, Cuc Phuong, was declared in 1962 and its 22,000ha are home to a diverse range of plants and animals.

For years, the forests of Cuc Phuong have inspired poets, musicians and writers. Vietnamese and foreign archaeologists have found artefacts such as coffins and stone tools dating back thousands of years in the park's Con Moong and Nguoi Xua caves.

These days, nature lovers can stay in comfort near the entrance or in the middle of the national park and enjoy some of the local rice liquor.

In the morning, early risers can arrange to visit the Endangered Primate Rescue Centre, where several species of rare monkeys are being rehabilitated for their release back into the wild.

Walking trails inside the park can lead visitors through the forests to see several remarkably old trees, and the intrepid can walk even further to stay overnight in Muong villages where life seems to have changed little since King Dinh began calling Hoa Lu home. — VNS