5 Days Imperial Tour: Da Nang-Hoi An-Hue

Welcome to Danang. We will meet at the Danang airport and then your tour will start with a visit to the Cham Museum, the biggest collection in the world when it comes to Champa artwork and sculptures. Built in 1915, the collection covers a wide array of items dated from the 7th to the 15th centuries. After your visit, depart Danang for a scenic drive to Hoi An with lunch en route.

Overnight in Hoi An.

This morning we will visit the My Son Sanctuary, a center for spirituality and worshipping when the Chams ruled this area. Explore the impressive remains of these elaborate tower-temples. In the afternoon, wander around the Hoi An town, one of the best places to discover genuine Vietnamese architecture. Stroll through the narrow cobblestone streets of the Old Quarter and see the ancient homes and merchant houses still filled with local vendors. Have a look at the Japanese covered bridge and visit a lantern workshop.

Overnight in Hoi An.

This morning is at leisure to relax and explore the town on your own. We suggest you take a cyclo ride to the riverfront area and enjoy a cup of the famous Vietnamese coffee. This afternoon, drive north to Hue through the dramatic Hai Van Pass. This is the highest pass in the country and is the dividing line between the climate zones of north and south Vietnam. We will take some stop to admire the spectacular views, as well as visit a fishing village near Lang Co Beach. Arrive in Hue in the late afternoon.

Overnight in Hue.

We will start the day boating down the Perfume River, heading to the Dinh Market where they make paper mache, and then visit the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda (Heavenly Lady Pagoda). This elegant seven-tiered octagonal tower is one of the oldest pagodas in the country. Built in 1601, it is Hue’s most widely recognizable monument and one of the prettiest religious buildings in the country. After the cruise, we will visit a local home to enjoy a lunch featuring local dishes with the family. Next, it will be the time to explore some small country villages where they produce the trademark Vietnamese coco hats and incense. Pass by the “Phuong Duc” where people produce bronze products. Even though not as active as the past, the place is still a wonderful sample of traditional Hue handicraft villages. Late in the afternoon, we will visit the Tomb of Tu Duc. The longest reigning Vietnamese emperor, the king Tu Duc designed and built this elegant tomb to use it as a retreat for meditation, reading and theater performances. It is one the most beautiful works of the Nguyen Dynasty Royal architecture, and lies on a boundless pine forest with mounts and lakes. Back in Hue we will visit the Imperial Citadel, a vast 400-hectare complex built in 1800’s that was modeled after the Forbidden City in Beijing, with a 9.6 km wall and a surrounding moat. Though it was almost completely destroyed through war, today you can still see the monuments of the 19th century Nguyen Dynasty to life. View the Flag Tower and the imposing Ngo Mon Gate, one of the ten entrances to the complex. In the spacious courtyard area, you will find the Dien Tho Palace (the Palace of the Supreme Harmony) and Thai Hoa Palace (throne hall) where the Emperor would meet foreign rulers and other high-ranking dignitaries. Explore the heart of the Imperial City, known as ‘Tu Cam Thanh’ (Forbidden Purple City). Only members of the royal family, the Emperor’s concubines, and trusted senior mandarins were allowed to pass in these palaces and the Emperor’s private chambers. This sightseeing finishes this afternoon with a visit to the large and popular Dong Ba market, where we will be able to buy local food dishes, as well as the symbolic Vietnamese bamboo Phu Cam conic hats, called Non.

Overnight in Hue.

Enjoy free time in Hue before you are transferred to the Hue airport for your departing flight.