Vietnam Culture and Heritage Journey 15 Days

Arriving at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel. You’ll have time to relax after your journey. You’ll spend the night in Hanoi.

You’ll be picked up at your hotel at 08.30 to Quang Phu Cau Village. You’ll arrive at the village at around 10.00. By this time, the villagers have already set out incense to dry in various formations, and you’ll get pictures of people working among this sea of red. You’ll have time to capture a variety of shots of the workers in action.

You’ll then visit the village workshops, shooting images of the incense-making process, including bamboo chopping, dipping the sticks in dye, and the creation of incense paste. You’ll take more images of the friendly locals who have worked on producing incense in this village for generations.

In the afternoon, your guide will take you to Van Phuc, a small village once renowned for creating fine material for the robes of the Royal Court. The local families have specialized in weaving and dyeing silk for centuries, retaining some of the ancient secrets that make their fabrics unique. Then, you’ll be driven back to Hanoi.

In the evening, you’ll have tickets for a performance of traditional Water Puppetry (an art form unique to northern Vietnam, and a good, light-hearted introduction to its rural culture). You’ll spend the night in Hanoi.

In the morning, you’ll be driven to Ninh Binh. Upon arrival, you’ll relax on a local rowboat trip in Tam Coc (three caves), a peaceful valley among limestone ‘karst’ hills, There, you’ll be rowed along a gentle river between paddy fields and through the caves.

You’ll come to a host family to enjoy a special lunch prepared by the home chef with the local cuisine featuring the yin-yang balance of the Asian culture.  In the afternoon, you’ll pick up your bike to ride along a scenic canal with walking around open rice fields and looking around at the amazing folds of the rock formations. You’ll have a chance to learn about Vietnamese agriculture and cycle through different villages and a unique area known for its magnificient limestone peaks. Then you’ll visit Mua Cave, the most beautiful place to view in Ninh Binh, where can see the city far from the standing in front of Tam Coc in back and the limestone mountain along to the south of Vietnam. In the late afternoon, you’ll be driven to your hotel in Ninh Binh for overnight. You’ll spend the nigfht in Ninh Binh.

After an early breakfast, you’ll leave for Ha Long Bay, one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Areas and the world’s largest marine limestone ‘karst’ landscape. There you’ll board a deluxe junk to take you round the Bay before stopping off at a beach on an island.

Weather permitting, you’ll be able to swim, fish, and climb a hill (not a mountain!) for an overview of the Bay’s remarkable seascape. From there, you’ll continue your cruise to visit a fishing village – you’ll also have an opportunity to investigate one of the bay’s sea level caves in a small sampan or a kayak. Back on board, you can enjoy cocktails while watching the sunset. Later, unwind with a lavish dinner before an overnight stay on the board. The route is designed to avoid the busy areas and includes a very quiet location for your overnight stay.

You’ll wake in the fresh air on the bay with a swim and/or a Yoga or Taichi session on the large sundeck (beginners welcome!). After a light pastry and a tea or coffee for breakfast, you’ll dock to visit one of the most famous caves in the Bay. You’ll return to the junk for a brunch while cruising back to dock around noon whereupon you’ll leave for Noi Bai airport for your afternoon departure flight to Hue. When you arrive, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel to check in. You’ll spend the night in Hue.

Your morning will begin with a cruise along the Perfume River to visit to the Thien Mu Pagoda. From there, you’ll visit the Imperial Citadel and then drive to the Royal Tombs of Emperor Minh Mang and, in the afternoon, Emperor Khai Dinh. After that, you’ll return to Hue to visit one of city’s ‘garden houses’ and then return to your hotel to freshen-up.

In the evening, you’ll sit down for a private dinner in the pleasant surroundings and a comfortable atmosphere of another of Ngoc Son Princess garden house. The owner will prepare and serve a traditional meal based on the distinctive characteristics of classic Hue cuisine. You’ll spend the night in Hue.

In the morning, your car will drive you to Danang. On the way, you’ll cross the Hai Van mountain pass. The views from the top are excellent – you should be able to see Lang Co beach and village, and the lagoon far below, with Danang spread out before you to the south.

Upon arriving in Danang and a brief look at the remarkable Hindu statuary in the Cham Museum, you’ll arrive at Hoi An. After lunch, you’ll have a guided visit to the Ancient Town of Hoi An and 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. At early afteroon, 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 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 lunch before cycling back to your hotel. You’ll spend the night in Hoi An.

You’ll be free in the morning until your car anfd driver arrive to take you to Danang  airport for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. When you arrive, a private car will be waiting to take you to your hotel in the city centre. After checking in, you’ll be free for a preliminary wander around District 1.

In the evening, at 18.00, you’ll then be picked up at hotel for Vespa tour. Your first stop is to Café zoom to “watch the world goes by” (quoted by The Lonely Planet) and enjoy cocktail and appetizer (inclusive) before adventuring into favorite local eating spot. You’ll experience the nightlife of Saigon the way locals do, all from the back of a vintage Vespa scooter. Then the tour will continue to a hidden Vietnamese-style coffee shop to have a taste of Vietnamese music (live) as a local. After this the tour will bring guest to a Mall (Diamond Plaza or Birdie Buddies Kids Club at Crescent Mall) to enjoy some games before returning to your hotel. Your overnight stay will be in Ho Chi Minh City.

After breakfast, your guide will arrive to show you around Ho Chi Minh City. You’ll visit the Reunification Hall – an early colonial masterpiece constructed to accommodate the Governor –general of Indochina. The Museum of War Remnants provides a very partial, but riveting, perspective of the ‘American War’: not for the squeamish! The Binh Tay market and the China Town are worth a stroll to explore the local daily life and the culture mix.

After lunch, you’ll also call in at the Jade Emperor Temple. It’s one of the best Taoist temples in Vietnam, with superb effigies, remarkable carved panels of the descent to Hell and somewhat incongruous terrapin and tortoise sanctuaries. You’ll then return your hotel for freshen up or wander around the huge Ben Thanh market, one of the liveliest areas of Ho Chi Minh City, is packed with every conceivable commodity. You’ll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

A morning drive will take you to Tay Ninh to visit the Cao Dai Holy See in time to watch the mid-day ceremony. After lunch, you’ll visit the famous Cu Chi tunnels, a Byzantine maze of underground passages, chambers, rooms and booby traps used by both the Vietminh and the Viet Cong to suddenly materialise as if from nowhere, launch a lightning ambush, and vanish equally rapidly. You’ll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

After escaping from Ho Chi Minh City’s urban sprawl, you’ll travel to Ben Tre.

11:30 Arrive at Mango Home Riverside, you will board your Mango cruise boat at Mango Home pier and head to An Hoa River. Enjoy your welcome drink and peaceful scenery while crew members board your luggage.  The cruise will take you to Phong Nam village in Giong Trom, where you will take a rowing sampan boat through the small canals, which are covered green by the water coconut plants.

Stop at a local house to taste the tropical fruits and chat with the farmer. Visit the coconut spirit factory before starting your bike or rickshaw trip around the village. Relax and enjoy lunch at Mango Restaurant before getting back on the boat and continuing to cruise to Mo Cay canals. Stop for a visit at the coconut processing workshop where you can see how the locals utilize every bit of the coconut.

Continue cruising to Vung Liem province and stop for a visit at the brick making factory.  Here you will see how bricks are made using traditional methods, which are centuries old.

Return to your boat and freshen up for your cooking demonstration and dinner on board.  The rest of the evening will be spent at your leisure. Overnight will be spent onboard on the Co Chien River.

In the morning, breakfast will be served on board before starting to explore the town of Vung Liem by bicycle. Visit the Happy Buddha Temple, a beautiful and characteristic Khmer Temple of this small town.  After that continue on to visit the Cao Dai Temple in one of the most popular local religions, which is a combination of Taoism, Buddhism and Confusium.

After that get back to the cruise and refresh, check out and you will transfer to Vung Liem Market at 10.00 where you’ll be met by your driver, who will take you to Ho Chi Minh City and your hotel. You’ll spend the night in Ho Chi Minh City.

Your time will be your own until your private car and driver arrives to take you to Tan Son Nhat airport for your departure flight. End of services.