The activities in this package satisfies your passion for travel and desire for an authentic local experience. Venture to central Vietnam exploring from Phong Nha to Hue and ending in Hoi An. Hike through mysterious caves in Phong Nha, take a bicycle and Vespa tour in Hue. You are guaranteed unforgettable memories!
Welcome by tour guide and driver at DONG HOI airport - Early morning flight (Otherwise, pick up at the railway station) to Quang Binh province, the narrowest part of Vietnam and famous for the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park which is listed on the World Heritage in 2003. Covering 85,754 ha of outstanding geological and ecological value, the site will let you immerse into sumptuous landscape of karst plateaus and rainforests by surveying its spectacular underground caves and rivers and discovering its abundance of endemic species.
Enjoy 1 hour drive up hill, passing rural countryside and enter national park to explore Phong Nha Cave. Discovered in 1994, this famous cave is well-known for its underground river and its system of fantastic stalactites and stalagmites. From the pier, you take the boat following the Son River to the gigantic gate of the grotto. Enjoy a leisure walk to admire the natural masterpieces by crossing some secret corners: Bi Ki Cave, Celestial Palace.
In the afternoon, spend 2-hour hiking on well-marked trail lead through the botanic forest and one of the highlights is modestly sized but picture-perfect Thac Gio Waterfall. The tropical forest is beautiful, and different species of plants are marked with signs. Keep your eye out for orchids and birds. The hike is especially refreshing during the cold months of December to February.
Transfer back to your accommodation, enjoy your stay in the town.
Have breakfast at hotel then travel to the Paradise cave (Thien Duong cave). New surprises are waiting for you. Discovered in 2005, with 31.4 km long, 60 m high and 30 to 100 m wide, it is considered as the longest in Asia. After a short walk in the forest, you begin the discovery of this terrestrial paradise through the different rooms that amaze you with the grandiose stalactites and stalagmites both mystical and extraordinary.
Enjoy lunch at local restaurant then have a short transfer to discover the cave of Dark Cave (Hang Toi) with the series of sports activities. You will make the zip-line to enter the cave that unveils so many fossil prints. Finally, its bath of thermal mud available will help you to revitalize prodigiously.
Return to your accommodation in late afternoon.
After breakfast at the hotel, travel to Hue the ancient capital of Vietnam. On the way make a visit to the famous Vinh Moc Tunnel. Local people dug in 2 years (1965 - 1967) to create the system of 1.7 km long and 10 to 23 m deep tunnel which was used as bomb shelter during the Vietnam War. The site is evidence for the heroism of the Vietnamese people.
Continue your journey to Hue stop for an excursion to the well-known 17th Parallel. According to the agreement of Geneva, this historical site was the border of the Communist in the North and the Non Communist in the South of Vietnam. Visit the museum, flag tower, the Ben Hai River and the Hien Luong Bridge to learn more about the special history of this land.
Keep your way to Hue in the late afternoon. On arrival, check in hotel. Free to leisurely stroll to visit the former ancient capital at night.
8:00 AM: Transfer from hotel to visit the Emperor Minh Mang's tomb, an architectural masterpiece that harmoniously highlights the nature and imperial religious works. The tomb was planned during Minh Mang’s reign (1820–40) but built by his successor, Thieu Tri with the effort of ten thousand workers and artisans.
Continue, take a boat along Huong River (or Perfume River) to Thuy Bieu Village, admire the picturesque landscapes on both sides. After 1 hour, we arrive to Thuy Bieu, well-known for its divine grapefruit trees where you can take a bike around the village under the shade of the grapefruit trees and enjoy their pleasant perfume aroma and the harvested straw. The peaceful atmosphere is in every corner of the village. Then, visit a temple dedicated to the village protector, a traditional garden house built several centuries ago. This is a wonderful opportunity to stop for great photos and interact with the villagers working in the gardens and vegetable fields which should not be missed.
Lunch is served in the village. In the afternoon, drive to visit Thien Mu Pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in Hue, dating back to 1601. This is the spiritual highlight of the city and well known for its majestic octagon tower and beautiful view of the Perfume River.
After visit, travel back to your hotel. Free to waking in city center
Pick up at your hotel then travel to La Chu Village, which is 9km to the north of Hue city and well known for its vegetable and aromatic herbs such as onions, chives, coriander and basin.
Arrive at the gate of the village, and then take a bike ride. First stop to visit a family making votive papers which are offered for our traditional worship. Continue to a small local dailymarket to visit the meat, spices and fresh vegetable stalls, accompanied by the genuine smiles of women who rarely see foreign tourists. After that, visit the vegetable fields where you can meet and talk with the villagers who are always happy to take a picture with you. You will totally immerse yourselves into the typical landscape of the Hue countryside between vegetable fields, rice fields, banana trees, rivers and lotus ponds. Visit a family who specialize in making Banh Bot Loc, a kind of cake made from rice powder mixed with shrimps. Make conversation with the host and try to make some local specialties. It will truly be a memorable day.
At noon, enjoy a lunch in a family restaurant in the middle of rice field. Then, macerate your feet in warm waterwith traditional medicinal herbs while soaking up the picturesque rice field landscape.
Travel back to city center to Visit the most important sites in city - Hue Citadel, the only vestige symbol for what was once the imperial city of Vietnam. It is inspired by the fortification of Vauban. The city is composed of three parts: Kinh Thanh (the Capital city), Hoang Thanh (the Imperial city) and Cam Thanh (the Forbidden City). The most beautiful sites in Hue are concentrated in this area including the flag tower, the South gate, the palace of supreme Harmony, the Dynasty temple area and the settlement area.
Finally, come back to your hotel
7:30 AM: Pick up from your hotel, driver to Hoi An via Mandarin Road and Sea Cloud pass (Hai Van Pass). Stop on top of the pass to enjoy the breathtaking view of the ocean and Da Nang city. Once you arrive in Da Nang, stop to visit the Cham Museum which preserves the most important Cham culture collections in the world. Then, walk on My Khe beach where you can enjoy the view of giant Goodness of Mercy statues in the Linh Ung Pagoda. Take photos of fishermen by the beach then continue driving along the coastline to Hoi An ancient town.
In the afternoon, explore the town. Hoi An used to be one of the most typical South-East Asian trading ports dating from the 15th to the 19th century and the Old Town is still well-preserved. The exchanged cultures is displayed on many historic buildings, religion, daily business and enriched by the authentic lifestyle of local inhabitants.
First stop is Cam Pho - one of the oldest communal houses in Hoi An. It was built in the shape of Chinese character means the country for worshipping and trading business and cultural exchange between locality and Chinese, Japanese traders.
Continue leisurely walking to the Hoi An city’s symbol - the Chua Cau or the Japanese Covered Bridge, built in the 17th century to allow the Japanese quarter to be accessible from the Chinese neighborhoods. The bridge’s original style has been carefully preserved for the last 400 years.
After that, we go to Quan Thang ancient house - one of the most authentic old houses in Hoi An with the lively and fine architecture and sculptures were made by craftsmen of famous Kim Bong carpentry village in the oriental style. The house offers a good look of Hoi An family's daily life.
Our last stop today is Phuc Kien or Fujian Assembly Hall, built since 17th century, is the gathering place for residents, traders and visitors from a specific area in China called Fujian. It is also a religious site to honor the deity Thien Hau. Spend a visit, you will admire the colorful fountains in the courtyard, the ornate gates surrounding the property and the beautiful carved dragons in the main room.
Transfer back to hotel or free explore city.
Free in the morning for just relax on the beach or walking in city. At 1:30 PM Setting off your hotel in Hoi An, we head out west along the banks of the Thu Bon River, first stopping at a bustling local fish market before heading into the rice paddy rich countryside and local villages, stopping to meet a local family producing local rice crackers.
Crossing a bridge over the Thu Bon River and passing through more quiet villages and then into beautiful farmlands, where we take a break for a local specialties while surrounded by seasonal vegetables in the picturesque fields of corn, eggplants, sweet potatoes, cucumbers, and herbs (location is seasonal).
As the sun starts to go down, we set off through the rice paddies, passing duck farms, visit a local mat weaving family and then ride along by the prawn farms and over the river to visit a charming family home where they produce the local & potent favorite brew – rice wine. It’s then a short ride over the Cam Kim Bridge into Hoi An as the sun begins to set on this beautiful heritage town.
End of day at your hotel.
Our driver will pick you up from the lobby of your hotel in Da Nang City and take you to Da Nang Airport. The drive takes approximately 45 minutes, whether you're heading to the international or domestic terminal, depending on your needs.