Central Vietnam Overture 8 Days
This eight-day tour of Vietnam’s central coastal area includes two World Heritage areas (three, if you take the My Son option), a national park and the DMZ (the De-Militarized Zone – the epicentre of the American war), the earlier and more noble era of the Nguyen Emperors of imperial Hue, the multicultural late-medieval trading culture of Hoi An and the ancient remains of the once mighty Cham civilisation. You can book the programme as it is, ask us to expand or shorten it, or make as many changes as you wish.
Day 1: Arrival at Hue (D, GP)
Arriving at Phu Bai airport in Hue, you’ll be met and driven to your hotel. You’ll have time to relax after your journey before a ‘Welcome’ dinner at a local restaurant. You’ll spend the night in Hue.
Day 2: Hue (B, L, G)
After breakfast, you’ll be met by our guide and board a river boat to cruise upstream to Thien Mu – a tranquil pagoda on the banks of the Perfume River. From there, a vehicle will be waiting to take you to Emperor Minh Mang’s mausoleum.
In the afternoon, your guide will arrive to take you on a tour of Hue’s ancient citadel, once the seat of the Emperors of the powerful Nguyen Dynasty that ruled Vietnam from approximately 1800 to 1945. You’ll begin with a stroll around the area between the Citadel’s massive walls and the defensive moat, now filled with lotus flowers. You’ll then enter via the Noon Gate to wander around the Thai Hoa Palace, the Pavilion housing the Nine Urns of the Nguyen rulers, and the remains of the Royal Palaces. You’ll then visit the Museum of Antiquities, and back across the river to modern Hue and the bustling Dong Ba market. You’ll spend the night in Hue.
Each Royal mausoleum reflects the personality of the Emperor it commemorates. The most majestic is that of Emperor Minh Mang, a staunch follower of Confucianism with many wives, concubines and a small army of children. Planned by the Emperor and built shortly after his death, the tomb is opulent and exotic in formal Chinese style – a good example of classic Sino-Vietnamese architecture.
Day 3: Cycling to get closer to Hue’s life (B, L, D, G)
In the morning, your bicycles will be at your hotel ready for you to ride through Hue’s rural villages towards the Thanh Toan Bridge (roofed in Chinese style). Nearby, a local market will provide you with views of daily life and local products. You’ll then return to Hue’s city centre with en-route visit the Ngoc Son Princess ‘garden house’. It has an attractive family altar and the owner is an expert on Hue’s culture and history – he will be pleased to explain the geomantic principles underpinning the building and garden’s construction.
After lunch, you’ll be free to explore the city on your own until your guide meets you at your hotel in the early evening to take you to dinner in another of the garden houses for dinner in the pleasant surroundings and a comfortable atmosphere. You’ll spend the night in Hue.
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.
Day 4: Hue/DMZ/Hue (B, L, G)
As this excursion covers a large area of the wartime ‘De-militarised Zone’, better known as the DMZ, our guide and driver will meet you at your hotel at seven o’clock to drive north to Quang Tri province. Your visit will include the battle sites of Khe Sanh Base, Hien Luong Bridge and Ben Hai River, as well as the Old Citadel of Quang Tri and the Vinh Moc Tunnels (these are more authentic and easier to enter than those in Cu Chi. They have been preserved more or less in their original form). You’ll also visit Van Kieu, an ethnic minority village. In the late afternoon, you’ll return to Hue.
Day 5: Hue/Hoi An (B, L, G)
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.
Hoi An town is a UNESCO World Heritage area. An ancient trading port, once the largest in Indochina, Hoi An was a meeting point for many cultures that left their mark in the different architectural features of its wooden buildings. The original traditional street pattern still exists, as does the quay that once welcomed ships from all over East Asia and beyond. Many remained there for months at a time, waiting for favourable trade winds to carry them home.
There are plenty of good restaurants offering a variety of cuisines and price levels. The town is also a good place for shopping for silk. You can have your clothes tailor-made within a day or two at reasonable cost.
Day 6: Hoi An/My Son/Hoi An (B, GP)
After breakfast, your guide will meet you at your hotel to take you to the World Heritage My Son Sanctuary, show you the remains of the remarkable brick towers, and explain their origins and purpose. When you return, the rest of the day will be free. You’ll spend the night in Hoi An.
Once, the My Son Sanctuary was the spiritual capital of the Cham Kingdom that dominated SE Asia for nearly a thousand years. Although My Son’s remarkable brick towers were badly bombed during the American war, they are still impressive, as is its remote valley setting in a quiet, richly forested area bisected by a clear stream. However, tree cover is not complete and the valley acts as a sun trap, so good sun protection is important.
Day 7: Hoi An (B)
The day will be free for strolling in the town, lazing on the beach, or whatever takes your fancy. You’ll spend the night in Hoi An.
Alternative 1 for Day 7: Hoi An – From Farmer to Fisherman Tour ½ day (B, L, G)
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.
Thung Chai Basket boats, similar in style to coracles in use throughout the ancient world, are widely used throughout Central Vietnam, and are highly suited to the local terrain and lifestyles of local fishermen due to their relative light weight and portability, often doubling as a carrier for various handy items. Circular and constructed of bamboo and tarred for waterproofing, these small boats can typically carry up to five people, and represent a fun-filled opportunity to touch the authentic rural soul of Vietnam. As a precaution, life jackets are provided for your safety during this excursion. You’ll join other travellers on this day trip.
Alterantive 2 for Day 7: Hoi An – Cooking class (B, L)
In the morning, you’ll join a cooking class at the Red Bridge Restaurant. After visiting a market to purchase ingredients, a boat will take you along Hoi An River to the restaurant where you can investigate its herb and vegetable garden before learning how to cook traditional Vietnamese dishes. After lunch at the restaurant, your time will be free. You’ll spend the night in Hoi An.
Recipes:
+Fresh Rice Paper Shrimp Rolls – including making rice paper.
+ Warm Squid Salad served in half a pineapple
+ Grilled Eggplant stuffed with market vegetables
+ Hoi An Pancakes (Banh Xeo)
+ Food Decoration – pineapple boat, three coloured flowers and Vietnamese hand fan
Day 8: Hoi An/Hanoi (or Ho Chi Minh City) Departure (B, DP)
After breakfast, your time is your own until your car arrives to take you to Danang airport for the afternoon flight to Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City for your departure flight.
