Da Nang

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Day 1 : Danang - My Son

Excursion to My Son - Journey south west of Danang to one of the most stunning sights in the Hoi An area, and Vietnam's most important Cham site.

MY SON : considered to be Champa's counterpart to the grand cities of South East Asia's other Indian-influenced civilisations: Angkor, Bagan etc. The monuments are set in a verdant valley surrounded by hills and overlooked by massive Cat's Tooth Mountain.

TRA KIEU : formerly known as Simhapura, it was the first capital city of Champa, serving in that capacity from the 4th through to the 8th century. A large number of artefacts, including some of the finest carvings in the Cham Museum in Danang, were found here. Overnight in Danang.

Day 2 : Danang - Hoi An (Breakfast included)
Excursion to Hoi An - Hoi An is a picturesque riverside town south of Danang. Known as Faifo to early western traders, it was one of South East Asia's major international ports during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. It is good to see all the sites in Hoi An by walking around and/or by cyclo.

QUAN CONG TEMPLE : founded in 1653, this Chinese temple is dedicated to Quan Cong, whose partially gilt statue is in the central altar at the back of the sanctuary. Stone plaques on the walls list contributors to the contruction and repair of the temple.

PHUOC KIEN PAGODA : Chinese pagoda built around 1690 and then restored and enlarged in 1900. It is typical of the Chinese 'clans' that were established in the Hoi An area. The temple is dedicated to Thien Hau Thanh Mau (Goddess of the Sea and Protector of Sailors and Fishermen).

JAPANESE COVERED BRIDGE : the first bridge on this site was constructed in 1593. It was built by the Japanese community of Hoi An to link them with the Chinese quarters across the stream. The bridge was provided with a roof so it could be used as a shelter from rain and sun.

DIEP DONG NGUYEN HOUSE : built for a Chinese merchant, an ancestor of the present inhabitants, in the late 19th century. The front room on the ground floor was once a dispensary for Thuoc Bac (Chinese medicine).

TRAN FAMILY CHAPEL : this house for worshipping ancestors was built about 200 years ago with donations from the family members. The Tran family traces its origins to China and moved to Vietnam around 1700. The architecture of the building reflects the influence of Chinese and Japanese styles.

SA HUYNH MUSEUM : located near the Japanese covered Bridge, it contains exhibitions from the earliest period of Hoi An's history.

TRADING CERAMICS MUSEUM : museum offering a display of old Hoi An ceramics.

QUAN THANG HOUSE : one of the oldest and nicest houses in Hoi An. There are some especially fine carvings on the wooden walls of the rooms around the courtyard.

PHUNG HUNG HOUSE : one family has been living here for already 8 generations. The house is a combination of Vietnamese, Japanese and Chinese style.

QUANG DONG PAGODA : this pagoda was open to all Chinese traders or seamen and is dedicated to Thien Hau - it's a small chinese style temple with a lintel gate, a rockery courtyard and lucky animals depicted in statuary.

CHUA CHUC THANH PAGODA : founded in 1454 by Minh Hai, a Buddhist monk from China, is the oldest pagoda in Hoi An. Among the antique ritual objects still in use are several bells, a stone gong two centuries old and a carp-shaped wooden gong said to be even older.
Overnight in Danang

Day 3 : Hoi An -Hue
By vehicle from Danang to Hue - Journey north along Highway 1 over the Hai Van Pass, Langco beach.

HAI VAN PASS : the pass crosses over a spur of the Truong Son Mountain Range that juts into the South China Sea. It is an incredible mountainous stretch of highway with spectacular views.

Explore parts of the city by cyclo Overnight in Hue

Day 4 : Hue (Breakfast included)
Sightseeing Tien Mu Pagoda and Tomb of Emperor Minh Mang with boat trip - THIEN MU PAGODA: just outside of Hue, on the bank of the Perfume River, was a hotbed of anti-government protest during the early 1960s. Behind the main sanctuary of the pagoda is the Austin motorcar which transported the monk Thich Quang Duc to the site of his 1963 self-immolations.

TOMB OF EMPEROR MINH MANG : complex built in 1840 by King Minh Mang and its known for its magnificent architecture, military statuaries and elaborate decorations. It is perhaps the most beautiful of Hue's pagodas and tombs.
Sightseeing Tombs of the Emperors Tu Duc and Khai Dinh - TU DUC TOMB: Emperor Tu Duc, who ruled Hue more than 100 years ago, built his tomb when he was still alive and used it for meditation, reading and theater performances. There are pavillions in a tranquil setting of forested hills and lakes. The tomb was contructed between 1864 and 1867. Tu Duc, who was the longest reigning Emperor, lived a luxurious life.

KHAI DINH : this was the last monument of the Nguyen dynasty and was constructed between 1920 and 1931. It sits magnificently on the slopes of Chau E Mountain in Chau Chau Village. It has a long staircase flanked by dragons. There are ceiling murals and ceramic frescoes.
Overnight in Hue

Day 5 : Hue (Breakfast included)
Sightseeing old Imperial City - IMPERIAL CITY : this is in the Citadel and was built in the early 19th century and modeled after the Forbidden City in Peking. There are numerous palaces and temples within these walls, as well as towers, a library and a museum.

NGO MON GATE : this is the principal entrance to the Imperial Enclosure and faces the Flag Tower. The central passageway with its yellow doors was reserved for use by the emperor, as was the bridge across the lotus pond.

THAI HOA PALACE : built in 1803 and moved to its present site in 1833, Thai Hoa Palace is a spacious hall with an ornate roof of huge timbers supported by 80 carved and lacquered columns.

HALLS OF THE MANDARINS : these buildings, in which the mandarins prepared for court ceremonies, held in Can Chanh Reception Hall, were restored in 1977.

NINE DYNASTIC URNS : these were cast in 1835-36. Traditional ornamentation was then chiselled into the sides of the urns, each dedicated to a different Nguyen sovereign.

FORBIDDEN PURPLE CITY : this was reserved for the personal use of the emperor. The only servants allowed into the compound were eunuchs, who would pose no threat to the royal concubines. **today site in ruins** 
Visit the Dong Ba Market - DONG BA MARKET : local market near the Imperial City

Visit Imperial Tomb of Emperor Thieu Tri - THIEU TRI: some say the tomb was contructed in 1848 and other sources say it was contructed between 1864 and 1867. Thieu Tri ruled Vietnam from 1841 to 1847. It is the only emperor's tomb not to be surrounded by a wall.

Visit Iimperial Tomb of Emperor Gia Long - GIA LONG : Emperor Gia Long founded the Nguyen Dynasty in 1802 and ruled until 1819. He ordered the contruction of his tomb in 1814. According to the royal annals, the emperor himself chose the site after scouting the area on elephant-back. Overnight in Hue

Day 6 : Hue - Departure (Breakfast included)
By vehicle from Hue to Danang - Journey south along Highway 1 past the Hai Van Pass, and Lang Co.

HAI VAN PASS : the pass crosses over a spur of the Truong Son Mountain Range that juts into the South China Sea. It is an incredible mountainous stretch of highway with spectacular views.

LANG CO : has a pretty, island-like stretch of palm-shaded sand with a crystal-clear lagoon on one side and many km of beachfront facing the South China Sea.

Source: asiapacifictravel.vn