Vietnam Zen & Spa
Hanoi – Ha Long Bay - Hue – Danang
12 Days / 11 Nights
12 Days / 11 Nights
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Vietnam is a country constantly on the move, but you can enjoy the calmer side of life with Vietnam Zen and Spa. This trip will take you through many of Vietnam´s premiere tourist destinations but will focus on refreshing the body, mind and soul. Explore the various forms of Vietnamese Buddhism, savor the taste of the traditional vegetarian cuisine, and relax with traditional massage, Yoga and Tai Chi.
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Day 1: Hanoi - Arrival (D)
Upon arrival at Noi Bai international airport in Hanoi, you are welcomed by our guide and transferred to your hotel in the city centre. Check in to your hotel and refresh after a long-haul flight.
In the evening, enjoy a welcome vegetarian dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi’s insight city tour (B/L)
The predominant form of Buddhism in Vietnam is a combination of Pure Land and Zen. Zen practice, with its emphasis on meditation, is mostly pursued by monks and nuns, while Pure Land philosophy and practice is preferred by the lay-people. Another reason why local people keep practicing is the increasingly fast lives that people lead, meditation providing an effective relief from stress while bringing peace to the soul.
For early risers: Practice Meditation at Voi Phuc temple, instructed by a Vietnamese Meditation master. After the class, stroll downtown and join with locals who gather for Tai Chi every morning around Hoan Kiem or West Lake. It is a magnificent city sight to witness and an even more magical experience to participate in this graceful practice. Back to your hotel for breakfast or try our one of our typical breakfasts at a street-stall.
After breakfast, stroll down to a fresh, and often wet, market where a huge variety of fresh products are bought and sold every day- a fundamental part of Vietnamese culture. Next, we visit the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology which successfully presents the recognition of Vietnam as a multi-ethnic country and promotes socio-cultural diversity. Continue to the Temple of Literature back to the center. It was constructed in 1070 under Ly Thanh Tong’s dynasty, first to honor Confucius and now to celebrate the doctorates and high ranking scholars of Vietnam. Lunch at KOTO restaurant (refers to Know One Teach One) to support street and disadvantaged youth in Vietnam.
In the afternoon, indulge yourself with a 90-minutes traditional massage and herbal bath at Zen Spa which is housed in a French villa overlooking Westlake. The remainder of the day at your leisure! We don’t suggest you to come back to your hotel, but just walk a few steps to the Old Quarter. Join with the locals in eventful atmosphere, sit on plastic stools and drink “Bia Hoi” – local draft beer with snacks or try a coffee (be careful! Vietnam coffee is very strong!). The Old Quarter opens and keeps its busy pace through midnight. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 3: Hanoi – Ha Long Bay by car (B/L/D)
Spending a night aboard a junk is the ideal way to see Ha Long Bay, a World Natural Wonder and UNESCO site. From the comfort of a luxury traditional wooden junk, the mystical scenery of Ha Long Bay, with thousands of limestone islands jutting out from the emerald waters and colorful floating villages, can be truly enjoyed.
Take a 3.5 hour drive to Ha Long Bay, a World Wonder of nature. You will go through the provinces of Bac Ninh and Hai Duong before reaching Quang Ninh Province where Ha Long Bay is located.
Welcome aboard and sail through Ha Long Bay. A delectable lunch is served shortly after boarding. First visit will be a cave or beach. The voyage continues with the arrival at a fishing village. The village is explored via a pleasant boat ride. Cooking class is arranged in the late afternoon on sundeck or in the restaurant while admiring the romantic sunset. Overnight on boat.
Day 4: Ha Long Bay – Lan Ha bay (B/L/D)
After breakfast, you will leave the big boat and transfer to a day boat for further cruising to Lan Ha Bay, a more secluded area dotted with untouched beaches and small islets. Join the kayaking excursion to more hidden caves and surrounding waters. Fresh and healthy lunch will be served on boat and afternoon is for more paddling, swimming or just lazily sunbathing on sundeck. Back to your overnight boat before sunset for dinner and warm, fancy accommodation. Overnight on boat.
Day 5: Ha Long Bay – Hanoi – Hue by flight (Brunch)
For early risers, complimentary tea, coffee and pastries are served in the restaurant followed by - if you so desire – a Tai Chi Class on the sun deck.
Then it is time for an early morning swim - in the Bay. By tender boat we bring the guests to a natural white sandy stretch of a beach. Sporty ones can also climb up to a hill top to have a last view from above over Ha Long Bay before we return to the boat and cruise slowly back to Ha Long City. Breakfast is served before we arrive at the shore at around 11:00am. The crew will bid you farewell and you disembark in Tuan Chau New Marina.
You will meet our driver again for a transfer back to Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi for a flight to Hue.
Located on the bank of Song Huong - Perfume River, Hue, the capital of Thua Thien Hue province in Central Vietnam, is 700 km south of Hanoi, 1100km north of Ho Chi Minh City, and only a few miles from the sea. Until 1945 Hue was the national capital, the political, cultural and religious center of Vietnam under the control of Nguyen Dynasty. Most well-known for its historic values, Hue has been recognized as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Greeted by our guide at the airport, you are escorted to Hue in 30 minutes drive and check-in to Pilgrimage – a garden-house resort located in the quiet countryside setting surrounding by lush tranquil gardens. The resort embodies the subtle connection of traditional stylish and modern art concept. Overnight in Hue.
Day 6: Cooking class and city tour Hue (B/L/D)
After breakfast, you’ll be escorted by your guide to Tha Om garden house. A replica of a 19th century Hue residence, the house which is situated in a charming garden and contains a variety of trees, plants and a lotus pond offers an opportunity to relax and enjoy traditional Vietnamese hospitality. It’s a complex of adjoining rooms including bedrooms, living quarters and a room dedicated to ancestral worship. You’ll join a cooking class of Hue’s royal cuisines with the owner who is a talented cook. Lunch is served with the dishes you’ve cooked yourself.
In the afternoon, a cultural tour includes a boat trip along the peaceful Perfume river, visit Minh Mang mausoleum and Tu Hieu pagoda. Watch or join in with the monks chanting if you visit on Thursday (10:00AM – 4PM). If time permits, visit Imperial Citadel including the Flag Tower, Ngo Mon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace, Forbidden Purple City (Tu Cam Thanh). Enjoy a vegetarian meal at Thien Tam, a typical garden house in the city. Overnight in Hue.
Day 7: Hue – Danang by car (B)
After breakfast, it’s leisure time until the 3-hour journey to Da Nang city through the breathtaking Hai Van pass and Lang Co beach. Stop to visit Bach Ma Zen monastery. Constructed in 2006, Truc Lam Bach Ma zen monastery is in the center of the Truoi river with its head standing against the mountain. From a distance, it looks like a secluded island. This place is an ideal destination for people to relieve all their tiredness and worries. Seek out a monk, many of whom are multilingual, for an added personal touch to the visit.
Upon arrival in Da Nang, check in and sundown at Fusion Maia Resort, a spa and beach resort with the concept of healthy living and indulging luxuries. The resort offers daily complementary spa treatment, yoga, tai chi, meditation and breakfast can be served anytime, anywhere. Each villa is set up for high privacy with rammed-earth wall surrounding a villa and an outdoor courtyard with private pool. Total space is 96m2. Overnight in Danang.
Day 8 to day 11: Danang – Free (B)
Free days at leisure at your spa resort, enjoy daily spa journey or peace your mind with more meditation!
If you want to know more about Danang and what it can offer, we would suggest you to take a half day walking tour of Hoi An Ancient town or a half day to My Son Sanctuary. Or just wander the streets of the town. If you want to learn how to cook some local dish that you can treat your family and friends when you come back, you can join in a cooking class. Cooking class in Hoi An comes along with a market visit, a boat trip, or a bicycle ride to Hoi An’s countryside before a hand-on cooking lesson. If you love wildlife, we can arrange for you a half day escorted by our professional wildlife guide to Son Tra Peninsula to watch Red-Shanked douc langurs – the most colorful primates in the world and are endangered.
Day 12: Danang – Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City – Departure (B)
Be free at Fusion Maia Resort until being transferred to the airport for a flight back to Hanoi or onward to Ho Chi Minh City in a good time to connect to your departure flight.
:>> Our prices include:
> Breakfast and accommodation sharing a twin or double room
> Travel in an appropriate private air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced safe driver
> The services of an experienced English-speaking guide throughout the tour (please note: guides will be on hand from pick-up until guests’ return to their hotel or reaching their destination)
> Domestic flights Hanoi – Danang – Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City, including airport taxes (Vietnam Airlines, economic class)
> Where necessary, entry fees and permission to enter border areas for all visits mentioned in the program
> Lunches and dinners (as specified in the itinerary) in the best local restaurants, or picnics where no suitable restaurant is available
> A 90-minutes traditional massage and herbal bath at Zen Spa in Hanoi
> Private meditation class in Hanoi
> Private cooking class at Tha Om Garden House in Hue
> VAT and other taxes
:>> Our prices do not include:
> International flight tickets and airport tax
> Vietnamese Visa handling and stamp fee
> Dinners, except as specified above
> Drinks, gratuities and personal expenses
> Camera fees (if any)
> Insurance
Upon arrival at Noi Bai international airport in Hanoi, you are welcomed by our guide and transferred to your hotel in the city centre. Check in to your hotel and refresh after a long-haul flight.
In the evening, enjoy a welcome vegetarian dinner at a local restaurant. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi’s insight city tour (B/L)
The predominant form of Buddhism in Vietnam is a combination of Pure Land and Zen. Zen practice, with its emphasis on meditation, is mostly pursued by monks and nuns, while Pure Land philosophy and practice is preferred by the lay-people. Another reason why local people keep practicing is the increasingly fast lives that people lead, meditation providing an effective relief from stress while bringing peace to the soul.
For early risers: Practice Meditation at Voi Phuc temple, instructed by a Vietnamese Meditation master. After the class, stroll downtown and join with locals who gather for Tai Chi every morning around Hoan Kiem or West Lake. It is a magnificent city sight to witness and an even more magical experience to participate in this graceful practice. Back to your hotel for breakfast or try our one of our typical breakfasts at a street-stall.
After breakfast, stroll down to a fresh, and often wet, market where a huge variety of fresh products are bought and sold every day- a fundamental part of Vietnamese culture. Next, we visit the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology which successfully presents the recognition of Vietnam as a multi-ethnic country and promotes socio-cultural diversity. Continue to the Temple of Literature back to the center. It was constructed in 1070 under Ly Thanh Tong’s dynasty, first to honor Confucius and now to celebrate the doctorates and high ranking scholars of Vietnam. Lunch at KOTO restaurant (refers to Know One Teach One) to support street and disadvantaged youth in Vietnam.
In the afternoon, indulge yourself with a 90-minutes traditional massage and herbal bath at Zen Spa which is housed in a French villa overlooking Westlake. The remainder of the day at your leisure! We don’t suggest you to come back to your hotel, but just walk a few steps to the Old Quarter. Join with the locals in eventful atmosphere, sit on plastic stools and drink “Bia Hoi” – local draft beer with snacks or try a coffee (be careful! Vietnam coffee is very strong!). The Old Quarter opens and keeps its busy pace through midnight. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 3: Hanoi – Ha Long Bay by car (B/L/D)
Spending a night aboard a junk is the ideal way to see Ha Long Bay, a World Natural Wonder and UNESCO site. From the comfort of a luxury traditional wooden junk, the mystical scenery of Ha Long Bay, with thousands of limestone islands jutting out from the emerald waters and colorful floating villages, can be truly enjoyed.
Take a 3.5 hour drive to Ha Long Bay, a World Wonder of nature. You will go through the provinces of Bac Ninh and Hai Duong before reaching Quang Ninh Province where Ha Long Bay is located.
Welcome aboard and sail through Ha Long Bay. A delectable lunch is served shortly after boarding. First visit will be a cave or beach. The voyage continues with the arrival at a fishing village. The village is explored via a pleasant boat ride. Cooking class is arranged in the late afternoon on sundeck or in the restaurant while admiring the romantic sunset. Overnight on boat.
Day 4: Ha Long Bay – Lan Ha bay (B/L/D)
After breakfast, you will leave the big boat and transfer to a day boat for further cruising to Lan Ha Bay, a more secluded area dotted with untouched beaches and small islets. Join the kayaking excursion to more hidden caves and surrounding waters. Fresh and healthy lunch will be served on boat and afternoon is for more paddling, swimming or just lazily sunbathing on sundeck. Back to your overnight boat before sunset for dinner and warm, fancy accommodation. Overnight on boat.
Day 5: Ha Long Bay – Hanoi – Hue by flight (Brunch)
For early risers, complimentary tea, coffee and pastries are served in the restaurant followed by - if you so desire – a Tai Chi Class on the sun deck.
Then it is time for an early morning swim - in the Bay. By tender boat we bring the guests to a natural white sandy stretch of a beach. Sporty ones can also climb up to a hill top to have a last view from above over Ha Long Bay before we return to the boat and cruise slowly back to Ha Long City. Breakfast is served before we arrive at the shore at around 11:00am. The crew will bid you farewell and you disembark in Tuan Chau New Marina.
You will meet our driver again for a transfer back to Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi for a flight to Hue.
Located on the bank of Song Huong - Perfume River, Hue, the capital of Thua Thien Hue province in Central Vietnam, is 700 km south of Hanoi, 1100km north of Ho Chi Minh City, and only a few miles from the sea. Until 1945 Hue was the national capital, the political, cultural and religious center of Vietnam under the control of Nguyen Dynasty. Most well-known for its historic values, Hue has been recognized as one of the World Heritage Sites by UNESCO.
Greeted by our guide at the airport, you are escorted to Hue in 30 minutes drive and check-in to Pilgrimage – a garden-house resort located in the quiet countryside setting surrounding by lush tranquil gardens. The resort embodies the subtle connection of traditional stylish and modern art concept. Overnight in Hue.
Day 6: Cooking class and city tour Hue (B/L/D)
After breakfast, you’ll be escorted by your guide to Tha Om garden house. A replica of a 19th century Hue residence, the house which is situated in a charming garden and contains a variety of trees, plants and a lotus pond offers an opportunity to relax and enjoy traditional Vietnamese hospitality. It’s a complex of adjoining rooms including bedrooms, living quarters and a room dedicated to ancestral worship. You’ll join a cooking class of Hue’s royal cuisines with the owner who is a talented cook. Lunch is served with the dishes you’ve cooked yourself.
In the afternoon, a cultural tour includes a boat trip along the peaceful Perfume river, visit Minh Mang mausoleum and Tu Hieu pagoda. Watch or join in with the monks chanting if you visit on Thursday (10:00AM – 4PM). If time permits, visit Imperial Citadel including the Flag Tower, Ngo Mon Gate, Nine Dynastic Urns, Nine Holy Cannons, Thai Hoa Palace, Forbidden Purple City (Tu Cam Thanh). Enjoy a vegetarian meal at Thien Tam, a typical garden house in the city. Overnight in Hue.
Day 7: Hue – Danang by car (B)
After breakfast, it’s leisure time until the 3-hour journey to Da Nang city through the breathtaking Hai Van pass and Lang Co beach. Stop to visit Bach Ma Zen monastery. Constructed in 2006, Truc Lam Bach Ma zen monastery is in the center of the Truoi river with its head standing against the mountain. From a distance, it looks like a secluded island. This place is an ideal destination for people to relieve all their tiredness and worries. Seek out a monk, many of whom are multilingual, for an added personal touch to the visit.
Upon arrival in Da Nang, check in and sundown at Fusion Maia Resort, a spa and beach resort with the concept of healthy living and indulging luxuries. The resort offers daily complementary spa treatment, yoga, tai chi, meditation and breakfast can be served anytime, anywhere. Each villa is set up for high privacy with rammed-earth wall surrounding a villa and an outdoor courtyard with private pool. Total space is 96m2. Overnight in Danang.
Day 8 to day 11: Danang – Free (B)
Free days at leisure at your spa resort, enjoy daily spa journey or peace your mind with more meditation!
If you want to know more about Danang and what it can offer, we would suggest you to take a half day walking tour of Hoi An Ancient town or a half day to My Son Sanctuary. Or just wander the streets of the town. If you want to learn how to cook some local dish that you can treat your family and friends when you come back, you can join in a cooking class. Cooking class in Hoi An comes along with a market visit, a boat trip, or a bicycle ride to Hoi An’s countryside before a hand-on cooking lesson. If you love wildlife, we can arrange for you a half day escorted by our professional wildlife guide to Son Tra Peninsula to watch Red-Shanked douc langurs – the most colorful primates in the world and are endangered.
Day 12: Danang – Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City – Departure (B)
Be free at Fusion Maia Resort until being transferred to the airport for a flight back to Hanoi or onward to Ho Chi Minh City in a good time to connect to your departure flight.
:>> Our prices include:
> Breakfast and accommodation sharing a twin or double room
> Travel in an appropriate private air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced safe driver
> The services of an experienced English-speaking guide throughout the tour (please note: guides will be on hand from pick-up until guests’ return to their hotel or reaching their destination)
> Domestic flights Hanoi – Danang – Hanoi/Ho Chi Minh City, including airport taxes (Vietnam Airlines, economic class)
> Where necessary, entry fees and permission to enter border areas for all visits mentioned in the program
> Lunches and dinners (as specified in the itinerary) in the best local restaurants, or picnics where no suitable restaurant is available
> A 90-minutes traditional massage and herbal bath at Zen Spa in Hanoi
> Private meditation class in Hanoi
> Private cooking class at Tha Om Garden House in Hue
> VAT and other taxes
:>> Our prices do not include:
> International flight tickets and airport tax
> Vietnamese Visa handling and stamp fee
> Dinners, except as specified above
> Drinks, gratuities and personal expenses
> Camera fees (if any)
> Insurance
