Geology, conservation and culture: Vietnam

17 August 2024 - 13 days - £3699. No single supplement.

Discover a different side of Vietnam in this wide-ranging tour that explores the country's geology, stunning landscapes, animal conservation and history. Experience tropical jungles, limestone caves, blissful villages and amazing feats of underground engineering. Immerse yourself in local culture and sample Vietnamese cuisine, ranging from street food to dining like royalty. 

Beginning in Hanoi, immerse yourself in the hustle and bustle of this vibrant city. Continue to Cuc Phuong National Park where you will visit the Save Vietnam Center to meet conservation staff and observe how they protect and feed pangolins, civets, otters and other wildlife species. This rescue centre is one part of the worldwide effort to save endangered primates from extinction through poaching and loss of habitat.

From here, board a sailboat and glide down the river through the Ninh Binh valley, with rice paddies and karst limestone mountains around you. Visit the Tam Coc grottoes, part of an exquisite cave system with ceilings just 2 metres high, eroded through the limestone hills.

Embark on a traditional Vietnamese junk boat, for your cruise through Ha Long Bay. Designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1994, the bay you see today has been in the making for 300 million years. Centuries of erosion from the rain and sea have shaped the karsts, valleys and caves that make this incredible landscape. Visit Thien Canh Son cave, strewn with stalactites and stalagmites located in ones of the bays. 

Continue to Hue, the ancient capital of Vietnam and a significant battlefield of the Vietnam war. Before heading south to Hôi An via the Lang Co lagoon, an idyllic panorama of water overlooked by the Annamite Cordillera mountains covered by jungle. You will have free time to enjoy this picturesque town, before returning to Hanoi.  

This tour is a perfect introduction to this vibrant country and is suited for those with an interest in geology, wildlife and culture. 

In partnership with Intrepid Travel

DAY 1: ARRIVE IN HANOI

Welcome to Vietnam! Check into La Siesta Premium Hang Be Hotel. Hanoi is famous for its beautiful lakes, shaded boulevards, verdant public parks and its thriving Old Quarter. The latter is a veritable architectural museum piece, with blocks of ochre buildings retaining the air of a 1930s provincial French town. In the evening, you will have a welcome dinner at the hotel with fellow guests where the tour leader will brief you on the tour ahead.

DAY 2: CUC PHUONG NATIONAL PARK

After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, you will head to Cuc Phuong National Park, about a 3-hour drive away. Here, you will visit the Endangered Primate Rescue Center, where they focus on the conservation of gibbons and langurs. You will have a chance to see how the staff feed them, study their behaviour and prepare them for full release into the wild.

After checking into the Cuc Phuong Resort, you will transfer by car to the Save Vietnam Center to meet conservation staff and observe how they protect and feed pangolins, civets and otters. This rescue centre is one part of the worldwide effort to save endangered primates from extinction through poaching and loss of habitat. The entry fee (included in the tour price) helps fund their work, which includes rehabilitation, reintroduction, research and conservation education. This is followed by a late dinner just inside the national park’s gates.

DAY 3: ENDANGERED PRIMATES AND STUNNING LANDSCAPE OF NINH BINH 

After waking to the sounds of the jungle you will take a short guided trek in the forest, then drive to the town of Ninh Binh. You will take lunch in a traditional Vietnamese restaurant, then transfer to Tam Coc pier where you will take a boat up the river. While gliding along the river among the rice paddies and karst limestone mountains, you will visit the Tam Coc grottoes, part of an exquisite cave system with ceilings just 2 metres high, eroded through the limestone hills.

In the late afternoon, when it is a little cooler, you will visit the misnamed Mua cave whose main attraction is two karst mountains with 500 steps each that afford amazing views of the Ninh Binh landscape of beautiful, forested limestone pillars, calm river, pristine rice fields and local villages.

Overnight you will stay at the luxurious Tam Coc La Montagne Resort & Spa.

DAY 4: CRUISING HA LONG BAY

In the morning you will transfer to Ha Long City wharf, where your cruise will begin at midday aboard the small but luxurious Athena Luxury Cruise ship. A delicious lunch will be served as you slowly cruise through Ha Long Bay, characterised by thousands of towering limestone islands rising dramatically out of the sea.

Around mid-afternoon, you will head to the Vung Vieng fishing village by local rowing boats or kayaks to explore the interesting daily lives of its inhabitants. In the evening, you will experience a Vietnamese cuisine cooking demonstration served in the main dining room. Evenings are beautiful on Ha Long Bay, and just because the sun goes down, it doesn’t mean the night is over. Relax on the top deck and take in the transformation of the bay.

DAY 5: CRUISE TO THEN EXPLORE THE OLD QUARTER OF HANOI

The best time to observe Ha Long Bay is in the early morning. A tai chi class will be conducted on the upper deck and is a terrific way to feel as one with the peaceful surroundings. After breakfast, enjoy visiting Thien Canh Son cave. Located in the quieter end of Bai Tu Long Bay, the cave is one of the most stunning of 59 in the bay, with its distinctive geomorphology strewn with stalactites and stalagmites.

After a delicious brunch and farewell from the crew, you will be transported back to Hanoi and check in again to the La Siesta Premium Hang Be Hotel. 

In the evening, you will take a guided walk through the Old Quarter and then stop at the local restaurant for bún chả’, Hanoi’s specialty dish of pork meatballs and noodles. Your last journey of the day will be along the Hanoi railway tracks, where houses are often located just meters away from the tracks yet still retain their beauty. After a long day, you will finish at the famous Bia Hoi Corner for a local freshly brewed beer.

DAY 6: HANOI TO DONG HOI

This morning, you will meet your guide around 7am and head towards Hoan Kiem Lake. It is common in Vietnam to wake up very early and start the morning with some exercise, and you will see several groups of people practicing tai chi and aerobics. Be part of Vietnam and join the locals in their morning routine! 

After visiting the Ngoc Son Temple, located in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake, you will try Vietnam’s traditional local coffee and street food. Later, you will get deep into Hanoi’s Old Quarter with a walking tour where you will be able to spot the French architecture of different Vietnamese buildings, including St Joseph's Cathedral and Hoa Lo Prison. To finish your morning, you will visit Huu Tiep Lake, better known as "B-52 lake", owing to the US B-52 bomber wreckage.

You will then take a short flight to Dong Hoi on the north coast, followed by a short drive to the Phong Nha Lake House Resort. The area is renowned for its enormous caves, karsts and jungle-clad mountains leading to an extraordinary ambiance.

DAY 7: TREK TO THE HANG TIEN CAVE

After a very early morning pick-up, you will head to Tan Hoa, located 70 kilometres away. The drive is beautiful, passing alongside jungle, fields and over the historic Da Deo Pass. You will have the choice of two enjoyable treks, depending on your level of ability.

The first option is to Hang Tien cave, which is actually two gigantic caves, one of which is over 3 kilometres long. Marvel at the unusual formations such as astonishing layers of rock and stalagmites that look like terraced rice fields, giving the caves an otherworldly feel.

Jungle trekking equipment will be supplied including jungle boots, water bottles, lights and helmets. You will then take a drive to the trailhead, where the trek begins with a hike through the forest. The last kilometer before the cave is very rocky, with many boulders, as if the cave terrain has spilled out onto the landscape in front of it. You will enjoy a barbecue feast, before entering the spectacular cave. 

On your way back, take a dip in the natural jungle swimming pool and have a coffee and a quick swim before making your return journey. Overall, there is 8 kilometres of trekking, 1.5 kilometres in the caves and 300 metres of elevation gain on steep rocky ascents. You will be assisted all the way by trek guides.

Should you want a less strenuous trek, the second option is to the Tu Lan cave system. The trek starts after the briefing with a flat path past peanut fields and grazing buffalo and cows. A river crossing leads to a 60-metre rocky uphill section. Here you will visit Little Rat Cave, where numerous unique challenges and opportunities to capture wonderful photos await. Pass through the cave exit and drop downhill into the Rat Waterfall, where you will have lunch, and there will be lots of time to swim in the wilderness.

After lunch, trek back along the river and pass over a short climb to explore Rat Cave. Then it is back over the buffalo fields to the office where a cold drink awaits.

After your chosen trek, take a quick shower in Tan Hoa, then it is back to Phong Nha for a well-earned rest after this amazing day.

DAY 8: KEY SITES OF THE VIETNAM WAR

The day starts with the Vinh Moc tunnel complex that sheltered 60 families from intensive bombing in the Vietnam war without any loss of life. Be guided through the tunnels and gain insight into this feat of engineering and human resilience.

Then it is onto the Hien Luong Bridge over the Ben Hai river in the middle of the DMZ (demilitarized zone). The river was the only true physical demarcation between North and South Vietnam during the Vietnam war.

After midday, you will visit the Quang Tri Citadel, a military bastion and an administrative head office of Nguyen Dynasty in Quang Tri province from 1809 to 1945. In 1972, the Citadel came under intense attack from American forces for 81 days but managed to remain in Vietnamese hands.

After lunch near the Citadel, you will transfer to Hue and check into the Pilgrimage Village Hotel for two nights.

DAY 9: DISCOVER HUE THE AUTHENTIC WAY

Hue is the ancient capital, a centre of arts and religion in Vietnam, plus a significant battlefield of the Vietnam war. You will get a taste of what life is like here today with local guides who grew up here. Hear stories of their childhood, their families and their experience of the war. If available, you will receive a blessing from the monks at Thien Mu Temple, travel along the calming Perfume river by boat, see and experience the famous bronze factories of Phuong Duc, have a local lunch by the walls of the citadel and learn about the Imperial City and its secrets before ending the tour with a visit to the home of descendants of the Royal Court. 

One of the city’s most famous culinary experiences is the Royal Dinner. You will have a unique experience where you will have a private audience with a descendant of the last royal family of Vietnam, in her own home. Spend time learning about her family’s past and taste the authentic dishes that were once served to royalty. A huge step away from the well-known street food culture of Vietnam, it will give you the chance to not only taste some special dishes but also have the perfect dinner host for the occasion. 

DAY 10: LANG CO LAGOON AND HOI AN

Today you will travel to Hoi An via Lang Co lagoon. Also known as Heaven’s Door, the mountains form an important tropical rainforest with rare species such as the Annamite rabbit, the antelope-like saola and the douc langur.

Upon arrival in Hoi An, you will check into the Anantara Hoi An Resort for two nights, then explore this World Heritage Site on a guided walking tour. Hoi An was a major international trading port during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. Today, parts of the beautifully preserved town retain the feel of centuries past.

DAY 11: A DAY AT LEISURE IN HOI AN

Today is a free day to relax in the lush gardens of the resort or explore historic Hoi An. The tour leader will have suggestions and will also be able to make arrangements for you. 

DAY 12: BACK TO HANOI

After breakfast, you will take a short flight back to Hanoi. Upon arrival, you will check back into La Siesta Premium Hotel and have the rest of the day free to hang round the Old Quarter and enjoy more local specialties. As always, the leader will be able to suggest things for you to do.

DAY 13: DEPART HANOI

After breakfast at the hotel, you will say goodbye to Hanoi and Vietnam. There will be a group transfer to the airport for your flight back home. Alternatively, there is the option to extend your time in Vietnam if you wish. Please speak to the Intrepid Travel team for suggestions.