Vietnam Ancient Capitals Tour
Vietnam Ancient Capitals Tour
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.
More Information:
Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/
