Through the lens of German photographer Hans-Peter Grumpe, the untouched beauty of Tam Coc – Bich Dong, Hoa Lu, and Cuc Phuong National Park in the northern province of Ninh Binh has become true to life than ever.
Hans-Peter Grumpe is a German teacher. With a great passion for photography and traveling, Hans spent most of his holidays discovering different corners of the world, including three trips to Vietnam in the 1990s.
The German photographer had taken thousands of pictures that captured the various Vietnamese landscapes, daily life, and the local people throughout his trips in the country. Among them, there are 10 stunning shots of the landscape and daily life at some tourist destinations in Ninh Binh province.
Tam Coc, Bich Dong in 1991
Tam Coc – Bich Dong complex is considered the most attractive tourist destination in Ninh Binh, which is widely hailed as the “Ha Long Bay on land”. While Tam Coc is a flooded cave karst system, Bich Dong is a series of mountain pagodas.
Tam Coc tourist wharf in 1991. At this time, people already severed the ferry service, with basket boats were used to carry tourists from and to Tam Coc – Bich Dong. (Photo courtesy of Hans-Peter Grumpe)
The tour guide who accompanied Grumpe in Ninh Binh, who both interpreted and introduced to Grumpe the beauty and local culture of the area. (Photo courtesy of Hans-Peter Grumpe)
The outside of a cave in Tam Coc (Photo courtesy of Hans-Peter Grumpe)
Hoa Lu Ancient Captial in 1991
The ancient capital of Hoa Lu, which covers an area of 400 hectares, is the first capital of Vietnam in the tenth century. In 968, Dinh Bo Linh proclaimed himself emperor of Dai Co Viet (Great Viet) and since then, Hoa Lu had become the capital of the country for 42 years until the year 1010, when Emperor Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long, known as Hanoi today.
Bich Dong Temple is an ancient temple built on Truong Yen limestone mountain range in Ninh Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province. Hai commune, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province. The temple was originally named “Bach Ngoc Thach Son Dong”, which means a beautiful and pure temple. It was renamed to Bich Dong Temple in 1774. (Photo courtesy of Hans-Peter Grumpe)
The temple worshiping Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang in Hoa Lu (Photo courtesy of Hans-Peter Grumpe)
The temple worshiping Emperor King Le Dai Hanh (Photo courtesy of Hans-Peter Grumpe)
Local people were taking away the duckweed and fishing on crabs and snails in the swamp (Photo courtesy of Hans-Peter Grumpe)
Cuc Phuong National Park in 1991
Cuc Phuong National Park is around 22.000 hectares in size, of which three quarters are limestone with height from 300 meters to 600 meters above sea level. Established in July 1962, it’s known as the first national park in Vietnam and is famous for an abundant population of flora and fauna.
A thousand-year-old arcade tree in Cuc Phuong National Park (Photo courtesy of Hans-Peter Grumpe)
After discovering Cuc Phuong National Park and walking in the forest, Grumpe learnt himself that it’d better to stay alert in the forest as there could be a lot of leeches. (Photo courtesy of Hans-Peter Grumpe)
A thousand-year-old arcade tree in Cuc Phuong National Park (Photo courtesy of Hans-Peter Grumpe)
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