Thung Nham Bird Sanctuary is just a 15 minute drive from Tam Coc village, and a very scenic/peaceful place for walking or biking. I visited one afternoon and barely saw any birds; I was told by other visitors they fly out in the mornings and come back around 5PM, so my timing was bad.

There is an entry fee; there’s also a “luxury hotel” in the middle of the park if you feel like paying $70+/night for the same scenery available elsewhere for $20. The park is more or less a single circuit; there are three caves at the beginning of the route; a lookout point and tiny island mid park, and a steep trail to an ancient tree about 3/4 of the way around. There are no guides.

The caves weren’t particularly scenic; one you practically have to crawl through, and another is lit throughout with irritating colored lights. The entrance to the trail towards the ancient tree isn’t clear; I couldn’t find it and there was no one to guide me so I didn’t see it. Unless they mean the giant banyan near the little temple?

I spent around 2 hours here, that’s how long it took me to wander around at a leisurely pace. It’s a nice half-day of exercise in nature, but not a must-see.