Vietnam Off the Beaten Track

In the afternoon, we visit The Temple of Literature, is often cited as one of Hanoi’s most picturesque tourist attractions. Originally built as a university in 1070 dedicated to Confucius, scholars, and sages, the building is extremely well preserved and is a superb example of traditional-style Vietnamese architecture.

Later, we will visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex (outside) where the great President Ho Chi Minh rests in peace. We will visit the traditional stilt house and the respected One-Pillar Pagoda, the special pagoda with a particular structure. 

Afterward, our tour guide will take you around the Old Quarter for a street food tour tonight. Walking through the maze of bustling streets, the tour guide will suggest to you the most popular street foods in Hanoi which will surely make you water your mouth whenever you think of and some of them passed from mother to daughter for generations. Try the famed Hanoi dishes such as Bun Cha Ta (a grilled pork and noodle dish) or Banh Cuon at a local eatery and watch as the skilled chefs demonstrate how this tasty dish is put together.

The next two snack stops are at outdoor BBQ stalls. Sit down with the Hanoi locals and sample various meat, vegetable, and bread specialties that are flame-grilled over hot coals for extra flavor.  It’s now time for dessert!

Do not miss our famous Egg Coffee – there was a shortage of fresh milk in the country in the old-time so whisked egg yolk was used as a substitute and it became a must-try drink when you visit Hanoi. This hard-to-find café is one of the few left in the narrow street inside the old quarter of Hanoi.  Back to the hotel. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, your personal driver will meet you at your hotel and take you to Ha Long Bay in a comfortable car. Enjoy the views of rice paddies along the scenic route. The drive will take approximately 2.5 to 3 hours.

 

Start your day early at 6:00 am with a rejuvenating Tai Chi session on the sundeck to awaken your senses while taking in the breathtaking views of the bay. Then, treat yourself to a delicious breakfast of coffee, tea, and pastries served in the restaurant at 7:00 am.

At 7:30 am, visit Sung Sot Cave, the largest limestone cave in Ha Long Bay. Marvel at the stunning stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years after a steep climb on Bo Hon Island. It is highly recommended to wear proper shoes, especially when it is wet.

Return to the cruise ship, settle your bill at the reception, and check out. Have brunch while cruising back at 10:00 am, and relax on the sundeck or in the restaurant.

Disembark at Tuan Chau Marina at 11:30 am, bid farewell to the crew, and end your cruise journey with us.

 

 

In the afternoon, your friendly guide and driver will pick you up from your hotel in the center of Hue and take you on a tour of the Tam Giang Lagoon. The first stop is the An Dinh Palace, a stunning European-style palace, that has been recognized as a world cultural heritage site by UNESCO. Then, you’ll visit the Ru Cha mangrove forest, which is named after the type of mangrove tree that grows abundantly in the area. This forest acts as a natural barrier against the Thuan An Sea in Thua Thien Hue province.

Your guide will then take you to Chuon Lagoon (Tam Giang Lagoon), where you’ll board a boat and receive an introduction to the Tam Giang Lagoon system. You’ll explore Chuon Lagoon, passing by floating houses and taking stunning sunset photos on the lagoon. You’ll also have the opportunity to experience life as a fisherman on the lagoon by participating in activities such as beating the water, pulling fishing nets, and catching fish. Additionally, you can try kayaking on the vast lagoon and jump straight into the crystal blue water for a swim. Be sure to bring your camera for some amazing photo opportunities and soak up the sunshine.

Finally, you’ll stop at a local’s house or restaurant to enjoy local specialty dishes or seafood and chat together. Afterward, you’ll be driven back to your hotel in Hue City and have the rest of the day to relax and explore at your leisure.

Once the imperial capital of the Nguyen Dynasty between the 17th and 19th centuries, Hue keeps an undeniable royal charm with its splendid emperors’ tombs, ancient pagodas, and the remains of the Citadel.

Start your exploration with the Imperial Citadel at the center of the Complex of Hue Monuments, a UNESCO World Heritage site. Enter through the towering main gate and appreciate the magnificent architecture and gardens while your guide tells you about the events and the intrigue surrounding the former royal court. Despite being heavily bombed during the Vietnam War, some sectors are incredibly well-preserved, and others have been carefully restored. 

After visiting the Imperial Citadel, you can choose between two royal tombs to visit: 

(1) The Tu Duc Royal Tomb, the most impressive of all the royal mausoleums built by Emperor Tu Duc between 1864 and 1867. While the complex does include a tomb, together with pavilions and temples, no one knows exactly where Tu Duc was buried. All 200 servants who buried the king were beheaded to keep his final resting place a secret from grave robbers. 

or

(2) The Khai Dinh Royal Tomb, whose architecture showcases elements of Eastern art and Western design, is considered the most elegant tomb. It is smaller compared to many other tombs, however, it is more flamboyant, with the largest dragons in the country forming the side walls leading up to the tomb. Notice the tomb’s blackened concrete exterior and colorful mosaic interior in the spacious main building decorated with murals of the Four Seasons, Eight Precious Objects, and Eight Fairies. After exploring the tombs, you will be transferred back to your hotel to have some rest.

Meet at your hotel. Begin cycling to Hoi An pier and embark on the ferry crossing the Thu Bon river to Kim Bong village. On the boat, you will immerse yourselves into the comfortable fresh air and enjoy the idyllic landscapes on both sides of the river.

This village has long been known for its wood carving. At first, the artisans inherited the techniques from the northern Vietnamese. Later, from business exchange, they could successfully adopt the know-how of Chinese and Japanese sculptures and cultivate their own style. Bike around the village to understand their daily life and visit a carpenter’s workshop to admire their talent. It is possible to buy some wood products as souvenirs.

Continue cycling on the trails through rice paddies, bamboo bridges along the river to Tra Nhieu village. Immerse into the countryside in the center of Vietnam.  A countryside landscape of palm and rice fields, buffaloes and farmers in the fields will surround you along the way.

From Tra Nhieu, set off on a boat trip on the Thu Bon River to Cam Thanh village. Along the way the landscapes of fishing farms and water palmtrees will accompany you. Arrive in Cam Thanh and embark a small round bamboo sampan basket boat. Enjoy crab catching in the water palm trees 

Lunch is in a local restaurant 

Return to hotel in the afternoon

Today is yours to enjoy Hoi An however you like. Enjoy a leisurely walk or rent a bicycle for a ride along the quiet streets (motorized vehicles are banned in the city). Later, perhaps get measured for a custom-made outfit (Hoi An is famous for its expert tailors), or head to one of the city’s nearby white-sand beaches. For dinner, try local dishes such as com hen (sauteed clams), nem lui (ground pork), and cao lau (pork and greens).

Embark on our special tour for Saigon lovers! Start off your journey on the back of a bike driven by a professional guide through the heart of the city and enjoy changes of Saigon life from quiet to busy vibes. Put yourself in a different perspective from those on other touristic routes! Local experience guaranteed!

At 08:30 AM, our guide pick up you at hotel. We will do a quick instruction on how to drive safely and what you need to do in the back of our scooters. And hang on tight, let’s the journey begin!

You will pass through one of the typical streets of the city with constructions dating back to the 1960’s. Along the street are many Vietnamese guitar makers’ stores. Some of them are really of high qualities. There are also many interesting eateries. Mass residential apartment buildings are on the back street. Walking around here gives you an idea about how lively Saigon is. Street Photography is highly recommended. The walk starts from Nguyen Thien Thuat street and ends at Ban Co market. You are invited to try Vietnamese beautiful “chè”

Keep on to District 10 and 5 to stroll through more typical residential apartment buildings. Again, you will witness Saigon unique lifestyles on the streets with shops, street food stands and rickshaws passing by. Walk along Hai Thuong Lang Ong & Trieu Quang Phuc streets – the traditional medicine streets in China Town. This is an area concentrated with traditional clinics and medicine herb stores. Walking along the streets, you can smell the herbs and watch the shop owners do their business. Visit Thien Hau Temple.

It’s time for us to have lunch together. We will take you to have some Saigon delicacy such as Com tam (broken rice) or Bun Bo (Beef noodle soup)

01:30 PM, we will drive you back to your hotel. Tour ends and see you next trip !

Upon arrival, you will be greeted by a representative who will lead you to the lodge along a countryside path. After a short walk, you will be offered a welcome drink and proceed to check in at the lodge’s restaurant, where lunch will be served.

After resting for a while, you will have the opportunity to choose bicycles for a cycling tour on village paths that will take you to Mr. Cong’s home. Here you will witness the process of making pop rice and the blend of traditional and modern agricultural methods that sustain the local village. Mr. Cong will even teach you the secret of making ‘rice pop’, a unique and nutritious foodstuff that can be given as a gift to locals or children in school. Your guide will explain how the animals are raised and show you how they collect ‘biogas’ to make free and sustainable cooking food.

Continue cycling on quiet village roads, you will pass by a duck farm (if possible), green rice paddies, sedge fields, and small villages. Along the way, you will visit one of the dragon or orange fruit plantations and taste the fruit directly from the garden. You will have plenty of opportunities to capture picturesque Asian sunset scenes before returning to the lodge on your bicycles.

After refreshing yourself with a shower, you will walk to the home of a neighbor who fought during the Vietnam War. Here, you will listen to his story and experience ‘poon’ lights and traditional music. At the end of the show, you will walk back holding traditional torches made of dried coconut leaves.

In the evening, you will have a traditional cooking class where you will learn to make Vietnamese pancakes. This will be a great learning experience that will allow you to take a bit of Vietnam home with you. Dinner will be served at the lodge’s restaurant.

Breakfast, loaded boats are already heading to local squatting market and transporting goods such as coconuts from one factory to the other, crossing local ferry to visit beautiful Cao Dai temple. We also had a chance to see these factories. Situated alongside the river, these are small coconut-processing operations. Once the coconut has been shelled, the coconut fibers are removed from the husk to make rope, which in turn is used to weave rugs. You can watch the whole manufacturing process in a short period of time. Most of the work is done by hand at a professional way. The buyers are mostly foreign companies.        

Back to the Lodge, if time permitted, take some activities as to harvest some water coconut leaves and weave them up by you. These leaves are a key building material in the Mekong Delta as they are used to build the walls and roof of the houses. The local people will show you not only how they use these leaves but also how to make the ‘poon’ sticks that illuminated in the previous night. 

Check out and walk to home of Mr. Cong where you watch how he makes pop rice. He will reveal the secret of making ‘rice pop’. This unique and nutritious foodstuff will become a gift for locals or friends and family .

Your driver will pick you up and transfer back to Ho Chi Minh.

Settle in and then discover Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s largest metropolis. You could trawl for treasures at Ben Thanh Market, a popular spot for street food and shopping, or check out one of the many spas for a foot massage. Visit the haunting War Remnants Museum to learn about the country’s turbulent war history. When you’re ready for a break, sit down with a beer at Bitexco Tower for views across the city.

After breakfast, spend a few hours soaking up the atmosphere in Ho Chi Minh City, perhaps shopping for souvenirs in the markets before your flight home. Safe travels!