Charming Vietnam Luxury

Explore the diversified architecture of Hanoi and its famous 36 streets of the Old Quarter by a combined tour that includes walking and taking a ride in a three-wheeled cyclo. After walking around Hoan Kiem Lake – a symbol of Hanoi -- enjoy a massage at a local spa. Meals on your own. Overnight at the hotel.
 
The purpose of today’s walking tour is to discover Hanoi’s architecture, which reflects the atmosphere and soul of Hanoi. The rich diversity reaches from Vietnamese, Chinese and French colonial to Communist architecture. You will find Hanoi a real luxury architectural treasure as you  explore a traditional tube house. And you will see how attractive a small pagoda in the center of Hanoi can be. This combined trip of walking and cyclo riding makes it even more vivid: You’ll be an actor, not just a spectator.
 

In the morning you will visit the Temple of Literature, the first university in Vietnam, followed by a metting with Mr. Huu Ngoc -- a great historian who will explain the cultural identity of Vietnam and answer all your questions. Afterwards you’ll visit the Ethnology Museum (closed Mondays), an interesting museum where you can discover the diversity of ethnic groups in Vietnam. In the afternoon, visit Bo De Pagoda, located 2 km from the center of Hanoi by the other side of the Red River. Built in the 15th century and renovated in 1964, the pagoda has been an orphanage for 20 years. You will meet a top monk who will explain the main concepts of Mahayana Buddhism, and also will share his compassion for orphans and abandoned children. Head back to town by the end of the afternoon. In the evening you will enjoy a traditional water puppet show.

Today will start earlier than other mornings as we are going to practice Tai Chi on the lakeside or in the park. Tai Chi is a charming traditional martial art which is more like a dance than martial arts. The instructor will teach you some warm-ups and then basic movements. He will finish with a solo demonstration or a demonstration with some of his pupils. Then we will go for a traditional Vietnamese breakfast – Pho. This is an excellent noodle soup prepared by a small, specialized restaurants in the street. Around 9 a.m., we will take the new road to Ha Long Bay and arrive at noon. We’ll board a beautiful wooden junk for a 24-hour cruise on Ha Long Bay with an excellent menu of fresh seafood. Overnight onboard among imposing rocks and the gentle murmurs of the sea.

After breakfast onboard, we’ll keep cruising and continue to enjoy the gorgeous limestone towers of the bay and back to the pier around 11:15 a.m. We’ll head back to Hanoi, passing a vast expanse of rice fields of the Red River Delta. You will see scenes of farmers working in the fields, children going to school, and even little pigs being brought into town on motobikes. Stop in route to visit a pottery village, where diverse items in ceramics are made almost entirely by hand, using an archaic sort of kiln. Transfer directly to the Hanoi airport for your flight to Hue.

In the morning, visit the Imperial Citadel. Then you will be taken to a typical garden house to discover the culinary art of Hue. Accompanied by a chef and his assistants, you’ll be invited to make some traditional dishes. They willl also teach you some basic decoration principles.  After your two-hour class, you will taste what you have created and also sample additional dishes prepared by the chef. The afternoon is devoted to visiting Tu Duc Mausoleum, one of the most beautiful tombs of Hue and a model of Vietnamese traditional art. This is an opportunity to learn about the history of Nguyen Dynasty and the French colonial invasion. Continue your visit at Tu Hieu Pagoda, which is located in a vast and quiet pine forest near the Tu Duc Mausoleum. You’ll see that monastic life is still growing and playing an important role in Buddhist society in Hue. Arrive back to town during late afternoon. Dinner on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

In the morning, take a xe om -- “bike hug” -- to tour Hue’s lovely and charming countryside. You will have plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful country roads, which curve around large rice fields, dwellings and little country paths. Finally, you will come to a unique, Japanese-style tiled bridge similar to the one you will see in Hoi An. Departure for Hoi An via the scenic Hai Van Pass to view one of the most beautiful panoramas in Vietnam as you look out over the central coastline. You will also stop at the quiet, white sandy beach of Lang Co. Continue to Da Nang to visit Cham Museum, which contains the latest sculptures collection of the Cham civilization, a once powerful kingdom occupying the centre of Vietnam. Arrive in Hoi An late in the afternoon.

Take a stroll to visit Hoi An town, recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site because of its unusually well-preserved ancient streets and homes. Set out to explore the quaint cobblestone streets of the town with more than 2-century-old Chinese houses. Sites include the Japanese Bridge, the Chinese Temple, and Phung Hung Chinese-style trading house. Then you have some free time when you can visit the bustling, corloful local market, and have a look for souvenirs and handicrafts.

In the morning, transfer to the pier of Victoria Hoi An Resort for a boat trip to Cua Dai (approximately 30 minutes). Upon arrival, you can join the daily activities of the local fishermen. Afterward, take the coracle – a round basket boat -- for a tour to the mangrove forest of coconut trees. Disembark  around 10 a.m. for a bike ride to visit the village of vegetables, Tra Que, about a 20-minute cycle. Tra Que village has been known for its special aromatic herbs, mint and basil; though the leaves of those plants are smaller than usual, they have a very particular aroma. Working with local people, you will learn how to plant and water vegetables. Then learn to cook some local specialities, for example Tam Huu, composed of shrimp, pork and aromatic herbs, and then enjoy what you have cooked. Return to Hoi An in the middle of the afternoon. The rest of the day is free in the old streets of Hoi An for shopping or a last visit to the town.

Depart Hoi An to the airport in Da Nang for your flight to Saigon. Saigon is Vietnam’s biggest city with 7 millions inhabitants and 2.5 million motobikes. As soon as you get out of the airport, you will be struck by the bursting energy of youth and the flow of motobikes ready to start at each traffic light. Your visit of the city will start with the ethnic Chinese quarter of Cho Lon with the Binh Tay market and Thien Hau Temple, an example of the spiritual life of Chinese communities in Vietnam. In the afternoon, visit the War Remnants Museum to feel how the demarcation line between life and death, love and hatred, war and peace was indeed so thin. At Kim Lien Pagoda, you will meet a Buddhist nun who is a talented calligrapher and who understands how to use an artist's brush to express inner beauty and harmony. She will guide you in writing your own calligraphy. A nice piece of calligraphy will be presented to you as a souvenir.

Today, we will start our exploration of the Mekong Delta. Board the beautiful Bassac at Cai Be, about a three hour drive from Saigon. You'll stay with a luxurious welcome drink, and be introduced to the ship and crew. Depart toward Cho Lanh on the Tien Giang River. Lunch in route. Rest on the deck, or enjoy the open bar. Branch into Cho Lach canal for 30 minutes through the traffic of sand and rice barges and see charming fruit-drying facilities and wooden ship building yards. Visit a village on the banks of river Mang Thit on your cruise and get an opportunity to appreciate the way of life and hospitality of the local inhabitants. Visit the orchard or rice fields nearby as your travel along the Mekong. Once back on board, enjoy a refreshing drink and rest on the deck enjoying the sunset and open bar. It will not be long before you totally succumb to the magic of this place. The crew will serve dinner while the Bassac cruise boat is cruising along Mang Thit River. The Bassac sets anchor just downstream from the little Tra On floating market for the night.

In the morning, let yourself be overwhelmed by the magic of the mekong delta, from which the first light of dawn, will astonish you with its atmosphere and unique colors. This is exactly what travelers come to see and discover in the delta: true life, true mangroves and true people living in this charming area on the Mekong. Farmers and fishermen live a traditional, simple life, yet seem to be utterly content. Breakfast is available while the ship is cruising to the Tra On floating market. Continue toward Can Tho and the Cai Rang floating market and arrive in Cai Rang market that you will  recognize by the sight of wooden boats with samples of fruits and vegetables hung on high poles attached to their roofs, check out and transfer onto a local boat to visit the biggest floating market of the delta. There is a huge variety of products sold at the market, from well-known fruits like mangos and bananas, to exotic ones like mangosteens, star apples, the sweetened longans and the very odorous durians. Don’t forget to taste some delicious freshly cut pineaple and just try to resist the inviting soup vendors smiling behind their big, steaming pots. People,  dogs, cats, chickens and everyone around seem to be totally at ease with their own roles on the boats along the mekong delta. Leave the market and continue by boat to visit the nearby arroyos and gardens before returning to the Ninh Kieu pier. Then, transfer to Saigon, where you arrive late in the afternoon.