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Code: |
VN28 |
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Routes: |
Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Thanh
Hoa - Vinh - Dong Hoi - Hue |
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Duration: |
04 Days |
Itinerary in brief
HANOI
TO HUE: WHAT TO SEE
The provinces south of Hanoi are not very well
known to westerners, who generally fly or take
the overnight train to Hue. Many tourists take
the one-day excursion to the ancient capital of
Hoa Lu (90 km from Hanoi), but go no further.
It takes three days to make the trip from Hanoi
to Hue by car, with beautiful scenery and
surprising discoveries at every turn. South of
Hoa Lu, you'll find the village where Ho Chi
Minh was born, the Phong Nha Caves (a World
Heritage Site), and the mighty stone walls of
the western capital (Tay Do) built at the end of
the 14th Century.
Day 1 : HA NOI – HOA LU - THANH HOA
Drive to Ninh Binh, and follow the winding road
through the spectacular karst formations that
protected the first royal city of Vietnam
(968-1009 AD). Visit the temples to the emperors
of the Dinh and Early Le Dynasties, who united
the country after it gained independence.
If time permits, take a boat excursion to visit
the amazing Tam Coc caves. Continue your journey
south to reach Thanh Hoa city by nightfall.
Day 2 : THANH HOA - VINH
Visit the Thanh Hoa provincial museum, which has
an outstanding collection of Dong Son drums,
world-renowned relics of the important Bronze
Age culture of North Vietnam.
A short drive from downtown Thanh Hoa brings you
to the great citadel for the "Western Capital,"
built by Ho Quy Ly in 1399 (see top of this page
for a picture of one of the massive stone gates
of the citadel). After sightseeing, drive south
to the modern city of Vinh--before the sun sets,
be sure to catch the view from the small cafe at
the top of Quyet Mountain, which overlooks the
city. Overnight in Vinh.
Day 3 : VINH - DONG HOI
After breakfast, visit one of the temples around
the city of Vinh, and then drive 15 km to the
west to visit the village where Ho Chi Minh was
born. His mother's house and the house built for
his father have been restored, and show us the
simple life of the scholar-farmer at the end of
the 19th Century. Continue the drive south
through famous mountain ranges, passing the Deo
Pass, which was once the southern boundary of
the ancient empire. Stop for the night at the
city of Dong Hoi.
Day 4 : DONG HOI - HUE
In the morning, drive to the Phong Nha Caves, a
World Heritage site to the northwest of Dong
Hoi. After taking a boat ride to visit the two
caves, continue the drive south with optional
stops at the Vinh Moc Tunnels or other wartime
sites near the former Demilitarized Zone (DMZ).
Check into your hotel at Hue, and make plans to
see the sights described in our
Hue
tour.
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