Hoa Lu was the capital of Dai Co Viet (name of Vietnam under the Dinh Dynasty ruled 968-980 and the Early Le Dynasty ruled 980-1009) nearly 10 centuries ago. The site is located in Truong Yen Commune, Hoa Lu District, Ninh Binh Province, about 100 km south of Hanoi.

The mountains and sea combined to make Hoa Lu’s picturesque landscape. Hoa Lu lays in a flat valley surrounded by the Trang An lime stone mountains, which form a natural wall protecting the old citadel. The city’s northwest is bordered by the Hoang Long River, the tributaries of which run through the capital, cooling the weather within the city and serving as convenient waterways. The Royal Court was built in an area of 150 hectares in the eastern part of the capital while the western part served as a site to educate and protect children.

Tam Coc is located in Van Lam hamlet, Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, in the tourist route of Tam Coc-Bich Dong. Tam Coc means “Three caves”. These caves were made due to the transformation of geology, seawater and rainwater that have worn cliffs in a long period of millions of years.

Tam Coc is situated on Ngo Dong River and are permeated by the water of this river, so they are also called the “3 water caves”. Known as "Ha Long Bay on the rice paddies", it can only be reached by boats rowed along a meandering river which makes it way through three caves before unveiling a secluded watery valley.