Central Vietnam Cultural Explorer

Xin Chao and welcome to Central Vietnam! Upon arrival to Da Nang’s International Airport, a Topas representative will welcome you before heading south to your charming accommodation for the next few days in Hoi An.

Enjoy the day at leisure until a welcome dinner at The Field, a bamboo-house turned contemporary Vietnamese restaurant. Soak up the atmosphere while dining amongst candlelight and the rice paddies alongside the Coco River.

Included meals: Dinner

Distance and Activities: 30’ drive – 2h dinner experience

Explore the UNESCO World Heritage streets of Hoi An this morning with a short walking tour through some of the city’s most historical architecture, including the Chinese Assembly and Japanese covered bridge. Then, take some time to admire French photographer Rehanh’s exquisite regionally-divided exhibits in the Precious Heritage Art Gallery Museum, a culmination of seven years of his hard work in Vietnam documenting the 54 ethnic groups of the country.

Pause for lunch at Orivy, a gorgeous family-run restaurant with a large garden, serving up traditional Hoi An cuisine. After lunch, join a tea-meditation workshop at Reaching Out Teahouse and learn how to use your 5-senses to experience tea in a whole new way.

The afternoon is at leisure for you to discover Hoi An on your own. Poke your head into a tailor shop to create a brand-new outfit or shop ‘till you drop in many of the adorable shops lining the streets.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Distance and Activities: 3h sightseeing tour – 1h tea workshop

Another exciting day in Hoi An awaits. Start your day with a food tour through the markets and streets of Hoi An, tasting more than 40 different types of foods and drinks while learning about main ingredients used in Vietnamese cuisine as well as how and when to eat them.

Then, join an art workshop at Timing Masks, learning about the history of traditional Vietnamese theatre and its symbolic Tuồng masks. Choose from building the mask from scratch or just painting it before enjoying the rest of the day free at leisure.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Distance and Activities: 4h food tour – 2h art workshop

Leave Hoi An behind this morning and make your way through the mountains and tea plantations of Central Vietnam, stopping at an ethnic Co Tu minority village to learn about traditional woodcarving and architecture. Take some time to peruse the local museum before continuing your journey deep into the mountains to Bho Hoong Village, another traditional Co Tu minority village barely touched by modern times.

Spend the afternoon learning about the Co Tu culture with a gentle hike, cooking demonstrations, and traditional dance performances over a large communal dinner. Fall asleep in your quiet stilt-house bungalow with nothing but the sounds of the jungle to lull you to sleep

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Distance and Activities: 2h drive – 2h hike – full-day cultural sightseeing

Wake up to the sounds of the village coming to life and enjoy a hot cup of Vietnamese coffee with your breakfast as you watch the locals head out to the fields for another day’s work and prepare their daily meals.  Afterwards, try your hand at brocade weaving, a textile craft that the Co Tu are famous for before departing the village and heading back towards the coast.

Take in the gorgeous views of the Hai Van Pass, stopping at Lang Co Beach for a late lunch. Then, continue on north to the ancient imperial city of Hue, arriving in the late afternoon to your accommodation. The evening is free at leisure to rest and relax.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Distance and Activities: 1h brocade workshop – 3h sightseeing drive  

Lace up your sneakers and get up close and personal with Hue this morning during a cycling tour down gentle hills and along sweeping rivers to crumbling tombs and regal temples. First stop is Tu Duc Tomb, a spacious countryside expanse filled with lotus ponds and ancient shrines. Then, continue on to the elaborate mausoleum of Emperor Minh Mang, known as the Nguyen Dynasty’s staunchest Confucian. Stroll through the immaculate gardens before continuing to Kim Long, Hue’s garden neighborhood, for lunch.

Make your way back to the city in the early afternoon, stopping at the ancient Citadel, a palace constructed by the great kings of old, showcasing a proud flag tower, ornate gates, the forbidden purple city, and various royal chambers. Return to your hotel afterwards with the rest of the day free at leisure.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Distance and Activities: 25km cycling – 4h sightseeing tour

Board a colorful dragon boat this morning and sail down the iconic Perfume River to Thien Mu Pagoda, one of Vietnam’s most impressive Buddhist sites. Absorb the atmosphere of this important religious complex and continue upstream to Thuy Bieu, an old traditional village surrounded by the Perfume River on 3 sides and known for its fragrant grapefruit orchards and ancient houses.

Sip some tea with a local family and learn about cultural practices carried down from generations, such as watercolor painting, incense-making, and pomelo jam canning.

After enjoying a lunch prepared by the villagers, head towards the ocean and Tam Giang Lagoon, one of the largest lagoons in Southeast Asia. Take in the deep purple sunset from your boat and then head back to Hue.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Distance and Activities: 1h river cruise – 3h sightseeing tour – 2h transfer – 1h sunset cruise

The day is at leisure until your transfer to Phu Bai Airport for onward booked travel.