Vietnam Heritage and Wonders 14 days

Arriving at Danang airport in the mid-day, you’ll be met by your tour guide and driven to your hotel in Hoi An to check-in. In the afternoon, your guide will meet you to show you the Ancient Town and explain its considerable significance in the history of Vietnam. You’ll spend the night in Hoi An.

After breakfast, you’ll be driven to the World Heritage ‘My Son Sanctuary’. Your guide will show you the remains of the remarkable towers constructed by the Cham builders, many centuries ago - their origins and purpose have yet to be fully explained. In the afternoon, you’ll return to your hotel. When you return, the rest of the day will be free. You’ll spend the night in Hoi An. The Cham craftsmen built a network of intricately-worked red brick columns heavily incised with figures and motifs as well as many striking statues. Their towers were badly bombed in the American war, but are still impressive, as is its remote valley setting. The complex is set in a quiet, richly forested area bisected by a clear stream. However, the tree cover is not complete and the valley acts as suntrap, so good sun protection is important.

The day starts with cycling the narrow roads through the countryside, passing by rice paddy fields, water buffalos, bamboo bridges and local farmers on their daily work. You’ll then board a boat to the mouth of the Thu Bon estuary where the river meets the Cua Dai Sea and cruise along the coastline observing the lives of the local fishermen. After joining the fisherman to try your hand at catching fish in a traditional ‘Thung Chai’ basket boat, you will meander through the water palm coconut canal. During the American War, Viet Cong soldiers made use of this area as a highly effective hiding place from enemy attacks through their long struggle. Following an insightful visit to a local fishing village, you’ll be free to relax and enjoy a fresh seafood lunch before cycling back to your hotel. In the evening, you will have tickets of A O show in Hoi An. The À O Show captures, in the engaging style of contemporary circus, much of the uniqueness of Vietnam. A free-ranging dreamscape largely unconstricted by linear plotlines, the hour-long show fuses dance, acrobatics and live music into a theatrical drama tracing the arc of Vietnam’s passage from a rural village culture to the modern, urbanizing society it is today. Note: we will check the schedue of the show and put in the appropriate days in Hoi An for your convenience.

After breakfast, you will take your drive to Hue via the Hai Van Pass. The views from the top are excellent – you’ll be able to see Lang Co beach and the lagoon far below. Before entering into Hue, you will stop to visit Bana Hills in Danang. The Ba Na Hills mountain resort is a wonderful mix of surreal fun and classic beauty — the perfect place for you and your family to escape the heat. You will take The cable car ride up to the Ba Na Hills, have time to experience the Funicular train, see the Le Jardin D’Amour, the newly build Golden Bridge and the Giant Buddha Statue. Your ticket also includes entrances to games in the Fantasy Park if you feel interesting (it is great for children). Note: The tour guide will not join you in Bana hill to save your cost of cable car ticket for guide. After Ba Na, you will arrive in Hue in the afternoon. You’ll spend the night in Hue.

After breakfast, you will join the complimentary Yoga Class from 7.30 – 8.30AM and then the Chakra balancing class from 9.00 – 9.30AM at Pilgrimage Vilalge. You also can join their complimentary Taichi class from 7.00 – 7.30AM if you are interested. Complimentary program at Pilgrimage Village: ( Contact us ) *prebooking necessary / program subject to change on short notice / 10 person per class maximum ** private classes available, surcharge applies At 10.00AM, you’ll be met by our guide and driven to visit the Imperial Citadel of Hue. In the afternoon, you’ll visit Emperor Tu Duc’s Tomb and one of Hue’s ‘garden houses’. After returning to your hotel to freshen up, you’ll return to sit down for dinner in the pleasant surroundings and a comfortable atmosphere of another of the garden houses. The owner will prepare and serve a traditional meal based on the distinctive characteristics of classic Hue cuisine. Each Royal Tomb reflects the personality of the ruler. The tomb of Tu Duc, the ‘poet Emperor’, is set in an elegant garden with a magnificent lake and pavilion complex. The simplest of the actual tomb (a monument – he was buried elsewhere to thwart grave robbers) is at odds with the lavish opulence of his reign. The garden houses are a unique feature of Hue. The houses are traditional, privately owned, and set in attractive formal gardens. Some have connections with the old Royal Imperial Court. Hue traditional architecture has long had close associations with the natural environment. The garden houses reflect this association. Each is highly individual - house and garden, people and scenery, plants, clouds and water co-exist and blend with each other in a harmonious context. The narrow streets and abundant flora give the garden house area a country village feeling.

After breakfast, at 8.30, you will be driven to Hue airport to fly the noon flight to Hanoi VN1542 10.25 11.45. Arriving at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you’ll be met by your tour guide and driven to your hotel to check-in. In the late afternoon, at 17.30 you’ll be transferred to the home of a local family where you’ll spend the evening. On arrival, your host will welcome you, and usually introduce a bit about the family and the history of the house, particularly the ancestral altar and the worship room. As the family finishes the food preparation and arranging the setting for dinner; you can join in the cooking process or simply observe as your host makes and serves dinner. During dinner, your hosts will be happy to introduce the dishes on the menu, typically including traditional Vietnamese foods such as stir-fried vegetables, noodles & fresh vegetables, spring rolls, and soup with vegetables and pork or beef. After enjoying the meal, continue your conversation in the living room over traditional tea and sweets. Your hosts are usually happy to talk about Vietnamese culture and family traditions, and show you the family photo album, while you can also share your own story with them. At 21.00, bid your hosts farewell and transfer back to your hotel for overnight accommodation. Here are a few tips to keep in mind as you enjoy visiting with your Hanoi host family. Make a point to be respectful; your hosts will very much appreciate your interest in understanding Vietnamese behavioural etiquette. Be social and curious; ask about your host’s work, lifestyle, health, and anything that peaks your interest about the house, furniture, family mementos, and, especially, Vietnamese cuisine. Try to learn some basic Vietnamese vocabulary, teach your host children some English or play a game with the family. Make the effort to communicate with your host, sharing about your life and your experiences in Vietnamese culture. Avoid touching personal belongings, complaining about the food, or discussions about sensitive topics such as politics or divorce. Do your best to try all the Vietnamese dishes your host has prepared. You’re welcome to bring a small gift to thank your host.

You’ll have the whole day to explore Vietnam’s capital city on the back of a motorbike. Your guide will take you to the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam dating back to the 11th century, and The Women’s Museum – small, but a fascinating narrative of the role of women in Vietnam, particularly during the war. After lunch, you’ll call in at the serene Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest in Hanoi, on the banks of Hanoi’s Ho Tay (West) Lake. The centre of Hanoi, including Hoan Kiem Lake, the Ngoc Son temple and the bustling Old Quarter, is a magnet for visitors – it’s noisy and hectic, but definitely a ‘must-see’ attraction. The Old Quarter is a maze of shopping streets and restaurants with a hotchpotch of architecture - traditional tube houses, religious buildings, artisans’ workshops and cottages, colonial houses and modern concrete edifices. Late afternoon also includes a ‘Street Life’ experience, also on the back of a motorbike or on foot. You’ll spend a couple of hours wandering around the back streets in and nearby the Old Quarter. A street food brunch is included – take your pick from traditional Hanoi Pho (beef noodle soup), Nom (green papaya salad with seasoned beef), Banh Goi (pillow-shaped rice pastry with minced pork and mushroom), Banh Cuon (hot rice paper with pork and fried onion) or Bun Cha (fresh noodle with grilled pork). If you’re hungry, try two or three varieties – they’re snacks rather than a meal. You will have room for late check-out till 20.00 in the evening, when your guide and driver arrives to take you to Hanoi railway station in time to board the evening overnight sleeper to Lao Cai.

You’ll arrive in the early morning, where you’ll be met and taken by car to visit a market frequented by ethnic minority peoples. After a picnic lunch, you’ll return to Lao Cai and continue your journey into the mountains to Sapa, a small town perched on the mountainside opposite Mt. Fan Si Pan, Vietnam’s highest peak. You’ll arrive with time to relax and stroll around the town. You’ll spend the night in a Sapa hotel with good mountain views. Although it’s quite a long drive, the landscape is attractive and the ethnic markets are a fascinating experience. Unlike those in the tourist areas, the markets that we choose are for not only for buying and selling, but are also meeting places for ethnic minority people to meet and exchange news. There will be plenty of colour and authentic costumes, but very little to buy as souvenirs unless you want to barter for a water buffalo or a sack of fertiliser! The trips to ethnic minority markets can be arranged on Monday (Ban Phiet or Phong Hai Market), Tuesday (Coc Ly or Ban Cam Market), Wednesday (Cao Son or Sin Cheng Market), Thursday (Lung Khau Nhin or Binh Lu Market), Friday (Chau or Phong Hai Market), Saturday (Can Cau, Pha Long or Tam Duong Market) or Sunday (Bac Ha, Muong Hum or Muong Khuong Market).

The trip today will begin with a 15 minute drive to the start of your one hour hike up a long dirt trail to the Sa Seng village. As soon as you arrive, you’ll be able to have a great view of the Ma Tra and Ta Phin village, home to the Black H’mong people. Another one hour ‘rolling hill’ before downwards hike towards Ta Van and Hau Thao village will enable you to have a panoramic view over the Fansipan Mountain. After plenty of photo opportunities, you’ll stop for a picnic lunch. In the afternoon, you will continue your 2 hour walk through rice paddy fields and spectacular views over a valley in the Lao Chai village. When you meet the main road, your vehicle will be waiting to take you to Topas Ecolodge Sapa for your overnight accommodation. Approx: Grade 2 of 5/ 30 minute driving/1 hour for lunch/ 4 hour hiking.

After breakfast, you will have return Muong Hoa train, cable car and mountain train tickets to Fansipan mountain. The cable car in Sapa is the world’s longest and highest cable car, running up from sleepy Sapa Town in Lao Cai Province to the peak of 3,143-meter Fansipan Mountain, known as Indochina’s rooftop. Enjoy the view from the highest point of this incredible mountain. The lush green and subtropical vegetation makes this mountain really very beautiful. Take some pictures for unforgettable experience from the top. You will spend time on the mountain, visit the Temple of Heaven and return by cable car around noon. When you are back the Sapa town, your guide will take you for a lunch in a restaurant, then you will be driven back to Topas Ecolodge for overnight accommodation.

After breakfast, the morning will be free at your leisure at the ecolodge. In the afternoon, you will be picked up and driven along the new highway back to Hanoi. You should arrive in Hanoi by late afternoon, and will spend the night in Hanoi.

After breakfast, at 9.00AM, you’ll be picked up and leave for Bai Tu Long Bay by the new highway, which takes about 2,5 hours only. Bai Tu Long is every bit as beautiful as its famous neighbour, Halong Bay or actually more stunning according to many traveller’s feedbacks. There you’ll board a wooden junk named Dragon Pearl Junk to take you through Bai Tu Long Bay area, admire the fascinating limestone karsts on the way. After lunch, you will arrive at Mua Hoa area to enjoy swimming or kayaking through the mystery Karst Mountains. The Dragon Legend Cruise will then head to Cap La while refreshing yourself in Mineral Seawater Pool, Fitness Room or the Spa and Massage Services (Spa and Massage services are excluded) before dinner. The route is designed to avoid the busy areas and includes a very quiet location in Tra San area for your overnight stay.

Start off your day with an optional Tai Chi session on the sundeck, and then enjoy breakfast in the fresh air while cruising to Vung Vieng Fishing Village. You will visit Vung Vieng fishing village by a bamboo rowing boat, then swim, paddle kayaking or visit Thien Canh Son cave. After BBQ lunch on a wild sandy beach, you will be back to the boat and start cruising to Cong Dam or Cua Lach area (depending on weather conditions) to explore the mystery Karst Mountains. You’ll have dinner and stay overnight in Thien Canh Son area.

Start your day with a cup of tea or coffee. Have breakfast in the fresh air. After breakfast, you’ll continue your cruise towards the harbour. You will check out of the cabin and cruise towards the harbor while a buffet lunch is served. You’ll arrive back the dock around noon whereupon you’ll be picked up to return to Hanoi. You will stop at Yen Duc village in Dong Trieu province to enjoy a water puppet show performed by local artists (inclusive). After that you will be driven to Hanoi by the luxury shuttle bus. After arriving at your hotel in the mid-afternoon around 16.30, the remainder of the day will be your own. In the evening a private car and driver arrive at 21.00 PM to take you to the Noi Bai airport for your departure flight.