Central Vietnam 06 Days

Breakfast at hotel in Hanoi. Today we will have a wonderful day to discover ancient Capital Hue. We start the day by taking a traditional dragon boat trip on poetic Perfume River, stop visit Thien Mu (Celestial Lady) Pagoda . This iconic seven-storey pagoda is regarded as the unofficial symbol of the city,overlooking the River. You will also see the Austin car which took Monk Thich Quang Duc to Saigon where he famously set himself on fire in 1963 as a dramatic protest against the unfair treatment of Buddhists by the Diem regime. The photo of his self-immolation is one of the most well-known images of the war. We continue to visit the Royal Citadel where the Nguyen Dynasty ruled the country from 1802 till 1945. You will explore the ancient and atmospheric walled Citadel which contains the former Imperial Palace and the Forbidden Purple City. Especially you will have chance to visit H ue Royal Antiques Museum - A collection of ornaments from the Nguyen dynasty. We finish the morning tour by a stop at D ong Ba Market , the most famous market in Hue to discover daily life and get more experience about local people here. Lunch at a local restaurant. In the afternoon, embarking on an afternoon of exploring Hue’s famous royal tombs, illustrious examples of the Grand Dynasty’s past, and garden houses. We will visit Minh Mang’s tomb that is located in a tranquil setting of gardens and ponds. Next point is the Emperor Khai Dinh Mausoleum , considered one of the most beautiful and picturesque works of architecture of the Nguyen Dynasty. On the way back Hue downtown, we stop at Truc Chi Garden , a crafting bamboo paper art workshop created by young talented artists. You will have a chance to meet one of the students there and be treated to hands-on experience to learn how to use the etching technique with bamboo pulp to create artworks. Try creating your own Truc Chi drawing and take it home as a souvenir.. The tour finishes at around 17.00, you will be transferred back hotel. Rest of the day is on your own. Overnight in Hue.

After breakfast, we will drive south to Da Nang, one of the most scenic drives over Hai Van Pass, where you can stop to enjoy the spectacular of the coastline, Lang Co Beach and Da Nang city. Our destination today is Ba Na Hill in Danang. Enjoy the first leg Cable car, which achieves two Guinness World Records in 2009, longest non-stop cable car (5,042m) and highest non-stop cable car (1,292m). Sitting in the cabin, in mid-air, looking upon the endless tree line of the forests, bring you with spectacular views of the lush jungle and fairly waterfalls along the way. Experience pristine ecological systems of the Ba Na Mountains will leave you the sense of unforeseeable discovery. Visit the Le Jardin, old wineries, remains of French Villas and Ling Ung Pagoda with 27m high Buddha status. We then leave the Le Jardin for the second cable car station to visit the top of mountain and see the remains of old villas. Conquer the Peak of Chua Mountain at the height of 1,487m. View the whole Da Nang city under the cluster of white clouds. Leave Peak of Chua Mountain, visit the trail of Dreaming Stream, Rainbow Waterfall, Suspension Bridge, Golden Valley, and ruined Opera House. We return to Cable car station at foot of Ba Na Mountain and get on van to Hoi An. Check in hotel, rest of the day is on your own and overnight in Hoi An.

AM: Cooking class time: From 08.15am - 13.00pm We start the day (8.15am) with a welcome drink at Hai Café – meeting point (98 Nguyen Thai Hoc Street, Hoi An Ancient Town). Visit Hoi An colorful market, and experience the amazing sights, sounds and aromas of this busy market. We will have the opportunity to interact with the local sellers and learn about all the ingredients to be used in the cooking lesson later. We board the Red Bridge boat for a leisurely cruise (25 minutes) along the Hoi An River to the Red Bridge Cooking School. This is a chance to view local river life, so make sure your camera is handy. On arrival, we explore the cooking school's herb garden, before learning about some of Hoi An and Vietnam's well-known dishes. The cooking lesson runs for about 2 hours - the Red Bridge chefs first demonstrate each dish before we prepare the same dish ourselves. Included in the class is a brief introduction to Vietnamese food carving (plate decoration). Enjoy what we have cooked. Bring your swimsuit and after the cooking tour has finished relax and enjoy the free use of our 20 metre swimming pool - towels and showers provided. PM: Hoi An walking tour We return the town in the afternoon for a leisurely walking tour exploring this charming town. From the 16th to the 18th century, Hoi An was a thriving international commercial port. Today it is a quaint riverside town popular with tourists for its eclectic architecture, tailor shops, and cafes. We take a walking tour through the winding narrow streets of the Ancient Quarter, visits Chua Ong Pagoda, The Assembly Hall, The 200-year-old Tam Ky house, and The Japanese Covered Bridge. During the walk, you will also have a chance to attend a cultural show with traditional music and dance performances. Get back hotel, rest of the day is on your own for flexibility. Overnight in Hoi An.

Hoi An is perfect for you to spend a day wandering around, exploring things by yourself. You can visit the local tailor shops to have clothes made to measure within 24hrs at reasonable prices, enjoy a relaxing bike ride around local villages, or just relax at beach. Overnight in Hoi An. ***Optional tours in Hoi An to get more exciting experiences (highly recommended) Option 1: Hoi An Eco tour Fishing village & water ways ½ day. Option 2: Hoi An – Sunrise kayaking. Option 3: Hoi An – A day bike to farms Option 4: Hoi An countryside discovery on Vespa