ENCHANTING VIETNAM (8 days)
DALAT| BUON ME THUOT | KON TUM| HOI AN |HUE
Introduction To know Vietnam is more than just to familiarize yourself with the emerging metropolises and stunning coastline favored by the tourist industry; it is to immerse yourself in the heady atmosphere of the mist-enshrouded highlands and deep inner countryside rarely seen by the outside world. Central Vietnam possesses a hidden charm that will captivate newcomers to this heartland, unveiling itself slowly as they journey from colonial hill country through the dense coffee-growing regions and mountain plateaus, descending through the heritage sanctuary of Hoi An and out into the old imperial capital of Hue.
Summary
C
entral Vietnam possesses a hidden charm that will captivate newcomers to this heartland. Setting out from the giddy cultural maelstrom of Ho Chi Minh City, you are headed for Dalat, Vietnam’s slice of Europe in the mountains. Spend the evening wandering by Ho Xuan Huong Lake and browsing the old markets selling strawberries, artichokes and orchids. We travel deeper into the highlands to Buon Me Thuot, surrounded by an ocean of coffee plantations. Sample local delicacies at lunch before seeing the Dray Sap and Dray Nur waterfalls. The following day, you’ll see some of the most dramatic landscapes in Vietnam at Kon Tum, home to many minority tribes. Visit one of the world’s largest coffee exporters, Trung Nguyen, known for rich, flavorsome roasts that reflect the full character of Vietnamese coffee. Explore central Kon Tum before heading out to the hill tribe villages nearby. Down near the coast is Hoi An, a former trading port where you’ll see the country through a more authentic lens. Transcend the tourism and experience the soul of Hoi An via its signature cuisine—you’ll be buying fresh ingredients direct from quality street vendors and preparing them in a hands-on cooking class. In the afternoon, head for the hidden lanes and alleyways where shophouse
storefronts, markets and homesteads recall the glories of the past—you’ll see the Trade Ceramic Museum, Phung Hung Ancient House and Quan Thang House. We leave Hoi An for the ancient Vietnamese imperial capital of Hue, passing Marble Mountain with its Buddhist temples and pagodas. Settle in and visit the Purple Forbidden City, once the seat of Vietnamese imperial power. Then take a relaxed cyclo tour through the old city area of Dai Noi out to Tinh Tam Lake blanketed in lotus flowers, perhaps stopping by a streetside café in the university zone. The next morning, visit the Celestial Lady Pagoda that has stood over the Perfume River for more than 400 years before a brunch spent uncovering Hue’s specialty dishes at a local restaurant. In the afternoon see Bao La Village and the precious Thanh Toan ancient covered bridge as well as the many important old religious structures in PhuocTich. Finally, visit the local hot springs or wild beaches before catching your onward flight.
Itinerary Overview
Day 1: Dalat
Day 5: Hoi An
Day 2: Dalat – Buon Me Thuot
Day 6: Hue
Headed for Dalat from Ho Chi Minh city,, settling into luxury hotel built out of restored French villas. Wander by Ho Xuan Huong Lake and browse the old markets. Travel to the coffee capital of Buon Me Thuot. Sample local delicacies at lunch and visit the Dray Sap and Dray Nur waterfalls.
Day 3: Kon Tum
Stop by the Trung Nguyen Coffee Village to view the scenic highlands while enjoying a traditional coffee. Explore Kon Tum and visit hill tribe villages nearby.
Day 4: Hoi An
Arrive in the historic riverside town of Hoi An. Enjoy your afternoon and evening at leisure at your luxury resort.
Uncover local delicacies and enjoy a cooking class at a local restaurant. Explore lanes and alleyways, the Trade Ceramic Museum, Phung Hung Ancient House, and Quan Thang house. Transfer to the ancient Hue via the Marble Mountain area. Visit the Purple Forbidden City and cyclo tour through the old city area of Dai Noi out to Tinh Tam Lake.
Day 7: Hue
Morning visit to Celestial Lady Pagoda before local brunch. Visit Bao La bamboo weaving village, Thanh Toan ancient covered bridge, and old religious structures at PhuocTich.
Day 8: Hue
Morning at a local hot spring or nearby wild beaches before private transfer to Phu Bai International Airport for your onward flight.
Mandarin oriental DALAT
Dakruco Hotel Buon Me Thuot
Indochine Hotel KOMTUM
The Nam Hai HOI AN
La Residence Resort & Spa HUE
Itinerary In Details Day 1: Dalat
Setting out from the giddy cultural maelstrom of Ho Chi Minh City, you will pass quickly into a different cultural realm far removed from the haven of commerce and glass towers receding behind you. You are headed for Dalat, Vietnam’s slice of Europe in the mountains, a tiny city of villas and pine trees held aloft in the cool highland air. After settling into your luxury hotel built out of restored French villas, you will set out to explore this beautiful city on foot. Spend the evening wandering along the edges of the beautiful Ho Xuan Huong Lake and browsing the old markets selling strawberries,
artichokes and orchids. Accommodation in Ana Mandara Dalat
Day 2: Dalat – Buon Me Thuot
We travel deeper into the highlands on our scenic morning transfer through winding mountain roads to Vietnam’s coffee capital, the sleepy provincial hub known as Buon Me Thuot. Surrounded by an ocean of coffee plantations, the city is the largest populated area in central Vietnam—but with its broad flat terrain and open skies, it feels at a great distance from the rush of the modern world. After sampling the local delicacies at lunch, we move on to the Krong Ana River to marvel at the graceful might of the Dray Sap and Dray Nur waterfalls. The view of the falls is even more spectacular after an easy trek along the riverside to gain the best scenic vantage. We return to the city center for a light dinner and rest for the quiet evening ahead. Accommodation in Dakruco Hotel
Day 3: Kon Tum
We head now into some of the most dramatic landscapes in Vietnam at Kon Tum, home to multiple minority tribes and some of the country’s best coffee plantations, which you will visit today. Famous in Vietnam and one of the world’s largest coffee exporters, Trung Nguyen is best-known for rich, flavorsome roasts that reflect the full character of Vietnamese coffee varieties. You will stop at Trung Nguyen Coffee Village to take in the astonishing scenery of the highlands while enjoying your own blend in traditional style. In central Kon Tum, you will explore the township and head out to visit the hill tribe villages nearby, where the contented smile on the faces of the locals is one of the most humbling experiences of your journey. Accommodation in Indochine Hotel
Day 4: Hoi An
After an awe-inspiring morning watching the glow of morning swell brightly over the densely-forested mountains, prepare for your descent towards the coast, coming to rest at a riverside town suspended in a former era—Hoi An. This was a trading port in former times; one of the greatest among the seafaring nations of the 17th century. The old covered bridge installed by the Japanese remains the city’s most iconic attraction. From your private hotel transfer, you’ll sense an arrival at a location where you’ll see the country through a more authentic lens. Enjoy your afternoon and evening at leisure at your almost celestially luxurious resort. Accommodation in The Nam Hai
Day 5: Hoi An
Transcend the tourism and experience the soul of Hoi An from the vantage of its signature cuisine. This unique perspective of the city is uncovered through the sampling of 36 local delica-
cies—you’ll be buying them direct from quality street vendors at the local wet market, enveloped in the fragrance of fresh herbs— that encompass the whole spectrum of flavors and textures. These dishes are only found here—including some memorable seafood offerings—so catch them while you can. You’ll be guided through the stalls and delivered to a comfortable restaurant where your hands-on cooking class will occur. In the afternoon, you’ll be heading for the hidden lanes and alleyways where unique shophouse storefronts, historic markets and homesteads recall the glories of the past. During your walking tour, you’ll stop by the Trade Ceramic Museum and Phung Hung Ancient House, a masterpiece of fusion architecture that has stood here for over a century. Quan Thang house nearby is two hundred years older still, also replete with Sino-Japanese flourishes. Accommodation in The Nam Hai
Day 6: Hue
Say farewell to Hoi An as you depart in your private transfer heading for the ancient Vietnamese imperial capital of Hue. You’ll pass the Marble Mountain area along the way, a cluster of limestone peaks that form a picturesque sanctuary of Buddhist temples and pagodas. After settling in to your new luxury residence, you’ll be visiting one of the country’s most important architectural heritage sites—the Purple Forbidden City, styled after the imperial palace in Beijing, which was once the seat of Vietnamese imperial power. This is a maze of cultural treasures and grand historic halls, the former home of the Nguyen lords embellished with royal flourishes and elegant pagodas. The citadel is far from its pristine state, however, having been significantly damaged during the war era. Following on from the citadel visit, take a relaxed cyclo tour through the old city area of Dai Noi out to Tinh Tam Lake, the favorite
resting places of the emperors themselves. You too will enjoy the tranquil scene of the lake blanketed in lotus flowers, perhaps from the table of a streetside café in the university zone. Accommodation in La Residence Resort & Spa
Day 7: Hue
Hue has a certain mood about it common to ancient seats of empire, and you’ll sense some of that past glory at the Celestial Lady Pagoda that has stood over the Perfume River for more than 400 years. It was erected to fulfill a prophecy made by a mysterious feminine being who, according to local legend, materialized there in gorgeous robes of blue and red to foretell of a leader who would both construct it and then bring wealth to the people of the land. You’ll visit the pagoda before a brunch spent uncovering Hue’s
specialty dishes at a local restaurant. This will renew your energies for the trip out to Bao La Village, a town that has been engaged in weaving bamboo products for 500 years, where you’ll see the precious Thanh Toan ancient covered bridge and the morning markets nearby. Beyond Bao La is the equally historical town of PhuocTich, home to many important old religious structures built by the various Vietnamese ethnicities. Your afternoon will represent your last evening in Hue, once again spent at leisure and in the private pursuit of local delicacies. Accommodation in La Residence Resort & Spa
Day 8: Hue
Take some time to relax and reflect on what you’ve seen during your last hours in Vietnam, spending them at a local hot spring or on the wild beaches nearby depending on your preference. The morning will pass all-too quickly; soon you will be taking your private transfer to Phu Bai International Airport where you will catch your onward flight. Vietnam will always be awaiting your return.
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