Central Vietnam Stopover, 4 days

On arrival at  Hue Airport  or Hue Train Station , you are met by our guide and transferred to your hotel. The riverside town of Hue was flourished from 1802 to 1945 when it was the national capital under the Nguyen Dynasty. This ancient capital represents the outstanding demonstration of the vanished Vietnamese feudal empire, including royal citadel, monuments, pagodas, and mausoleums littered in surrounding hills. We start our tour of Hue with  the massive Hue Citadel, which contains the Imperial City and the Purple Forbidden City. This royal residence was all but partly destroyed during the 1968 Tet Offensive; however, it is still fascinating to walk around and see many pavilions, bridges, libraries, and great halls. They have been restored to explain the legends of the Nguyen Dynasty emperors, who have built the fortress and lived within its moated walls for nearly 150 years. Upon leaving this site, we take a short drive to the vibrant Dong Ba Market and enjoy a walk around this flagship shopping destination in Hue. There are a wide variety of local goods and handicrafts, and also many fantastic eating spots, making an ideal place for visitors to try their  hand at bargaining and sample some local delicacies rarely found in different locations of Vietnam.

Today, we enjoy a boat trip along the Perfume River, catching a taste of the tranquil countryside and an interesting visit to the Thien Mu Pagoda. This iconic religious structure has a nice legend and a prominent architecture stretching from the river banks in seven successive tiers to monastic buildings and octagonal tower, regarded as a symbol of Hue. Upon leaving this riverside landmark, we continue our cruise towards the mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang. This majestic complex of courtyards, pavilions, and temples, was built in a tranquil setting of gardens and lakes. The river scenery will be left behind as we travel by road through  rolling hills to the Khai Dinh Mausoleum, a synthesis of Vietnamese and European elements. We walk across the mandarin courtyard where are standing various statues of mandarins, horses, and soldiers. They make for a real scene of the ancient royal court. The most notable place is Thien Dinh Palace housing the bronze statues and the King steles. We keep going to the open-air Arena, which was once a  place for sacrificial ceremonies and entertainment events. This circular arena has been abandoned; however, the gruesome battles between elephants and tigers in bygone times are still narrated by local villagers. The history exploration is not only activity in Hue. We visit a kite making village this afternoon and meet up a kite maker, whose family has been practicing this skill for generations. The bamboo framework soon becomes a beautiful kite after your gluing and shaping under his guidance.

The ancient capital city will be left behind as we travel to Hoi An this  morning and drive through Lang Co beach resort to the challenging Hai Van Pass. The panoramic view from this pass top is nothing short of spectacular, with a mixture of zigzag roads, turquoise sea, winding rail way behind the verdant forest and the waterfront. We arrive in Hoi An Town by late morning and check in our hotel. This delightful town was originally a Cham seaport but has been influenced down the centuries by a myriad of traders from various cultures between the fifteenth and nineteenth centuries. We enjoy an afternoon  walking tour to explore this town  where Japanese legacy,  Vietnamese tube houses, ornate temples and Chinese shop houses are still standing to present the unique traditional townscape .  We follow  the narrow walking streets dotted with many shop houses to the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge . This structure  was first constructed in 1590s by the Japanese traders  to link them with the Chinese quarters. The ornamentation has remained relatively faithful to the original Japanese design over centuries. We continue onto the Museum of Trade Ceramics, a beautifully restored timber house where displays many relics of the bygone civilization and the origins of this port town. Upon leaving this museum, we head towards the  typical Phung Hung House, a gem with a mixture of Japanese and Chinese architectural elements. This ancient house was built by a Vietnamese family two centuries ago and has been lovingly preserved through seven generations. We follow it with the Chua Ong Pagoda and the  Phuc Kien Assembly Hall. This colorful building is  one of the five well-known halls in Hoi An and dedicated to Thien Hau, the goddess of sea who protects sailors from the danger.

Upon leaving Hoi An, we make our way along the beautiful coastline  to Da  Nang City, a major trading hub in central Vietnam. Along the way, we make stop at the sensational Marble Mountain topped with five rocky outcrops that  are said to represent the five natural elements of the universe; fire, water, earth, wood and metal.  This mountain has a rich history as it was used by the Cham ethnic minorities for their religious purposes but lately became a heaven for the Vietnamese fighters. The long steep staircase may involve some hardship to conquer this mountain top. However, you can take an optional cable car ride with small  extra fees. We follow the coastline to Da Nang City and visit the  famous Cham Museum that was formerly the Ecole Francaise d’Extreme Orient. This beautiful mansion contains many exquisite limestone carvings from the vanquished Kingdom of Champa that has been in central coastal littoral prior to the march of the Vietnamese. The holiday comes to an end with a transfer to Da Nang Airport for  your departure.