Vietnam 2010

Vietnam 2010

Henning has planned and the tour guides to Vietnam, 6 september - 30 september 2010 and uses contacts from previous visit to Vietnam. Participants are Annelise, Mona, Niels, Poul Erik, Folmer, Anne Lise and Hennning.

Homepage viettour.dk

VKTOUR in Vietnam with Nguyen Khoa

Facts about Vietnam

Tact and tone in Vietnam

Catch the dragon with the mouse and get facts about Vietnam

Vietnam news

Photo of ethnic minorities

Facts about 54 ethnic minorities

Vietnam maps

Danish Vietnamese society

Vietnam Tour - 6th September - 30 September - 2010
6 / 9: Departure - We travel with Thai Airways from Copenhagen at. 14:35 to Ho Chi Minh City "Saigon" from Bangkok. Arrival at Bangkok. approx. 06:00 the next morning. Further from Bangkok pm. approx. 08:30 and arrival in Saigon around. pm. 11:00.

7 / 9: Saigon - Airport pick up and accommodation in our hotel Tan Son Nhat. We make an excursion to the Old Presidential Palace (now Independence Museum). I park in front of the museum we see the tanker, which ran through the wicket gate on 30 / 4 1975 and marked the end of "American War". There is a supermarket 200 mtr. from the hotel if you want to buy something for train ride tomorrow. But be careful when you cross the road - it is best to go a bit towards the road and always select what you want. We go out to eat at. 19:30 at a local Vietnamese restaurant.

8 / 9: Saigon - Breakfast at. 06:00 and we drive from the hotel at. 06:45. Before departure, all the suitcases into the room Hennings, who used to afslutningsbad before we drive from the hotel at. 22:00 to reach the train to Da Nang pm. 23:00. But before then, we have a long day ahead of us - first stop Cu Chi tunnels (about 250 km long tunnels). They built those tunnels under the French men's 100-year occupation, but they were vastly expanded under the American war from 1955 - 1975. Kl. 10:15, we continue to Tay Ninh - here lies the main center of the Cao Dai religious movement, which is a religion composed of Budhisme, Hinduism and Christianity. We must be there at last. 12:00 because at this point begins the great arrived. We can take pictures from a balcony at 1st sal. We eat lunch in Tay Ninh and then back to Saigon. After returning relax at the hotel and prepare for the train ride to Da Nang. We eat dinner at. 20:00 before we drive to the train. We are in Da Nang the next day between the hours. 13:00 and 14:00.

9 / 9: Hoi An - We picked up by the Hai Yen Hotel in Hoi An. Phuch and Thuy are at the station to pick us up (one car for us and one for luggage). We drive to Marble Mountain, which we visit briefly. It becomes a little hard trip up the mountain. Pagoda on the mountain was built by Emperor Minh Mang. We look after his mausoleum in Hue on 16 / 9 After the trip on the mountain we drive to our hotel in Hoi An.

10 / 9: Da Nang / Hoi An - After breakfast we drive from the hotel at. 08:15 and visit a school disability ( "Village of Hope") in Da Nang. There are 4 Dane children at the school, ie. children sponsored by the Danes. It has 2 deaf children Chau at 16 years and Phuch, and two who are not deaf - Yhao 9 years and Fu 9 years. Henning sponsors Chau and has done so for 10 years, therefore we take chaussee mother to Da Nang. We start at the teachers' room, where we are told about the school and answered questions. We visit the dormitories to see how the children live. Kl. 11:00 we are invited to eat with the children. We drive back to Hoi An at. 12:30 and visiting a clothing store and a silver shop. A little trip to the beach can also be time for that. Dinner in town at. 20:00.

11 / 9: Hoi An - Bicycling. We start from the hotel at. 9.00 and bicycles down to the port increases with bikes on board one of the boats. A voyage around. 15 minutes up the river and we disembark on the opposite side by a boatyard, sees a træskæreri. Next stop a brick, then a small restaurant where we can get something to drink. We cycle around the small islands. It can be difficult to navigate, so we have a local guide with. It is a thrill ride here will almost never tourists. We cycle for approx. 3 hours, after which we go back to Hoi An and is back around. pm. 13:00. Now we have lunch. The afternoon is free. Banquet Dinner at the hotel. 20:00.

12 / 9: Hoi An - This day shall we island tour to Champ Island, located 10 km offshore. We picked the hotel in a car and flying at. 09.00. First stop is the port on Champ Island and we go a little tour of the city. There are almost no tourists. On board the boat again we sail to a Robinson Krusoe beach with bananas and coconuts. There is a bathroom and a toilet. You can dress on the swimsuits at the beach. There is also room for snorkeling. We eat lunch on the beach, which is included in the ticket (20 U.S. $). We sail from the island at. 15:00 and again at home. 16.00. Dinner in town.

13 / 9: Hoi An - A half-day bike ride around the area around Hoi An. Then lunch. Afternoon free to explore the city. There are opportunities to experience the historic town of Hoi An, who was a wealthy port city at 16-18. century. As a result of visits by a significant number of foreign merchants, the city is characterized by a unique architectural style with both Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese influence. You can visit the Phuc Kien hall, the Japanese Covered Bridge, the old merchant's house, Tan Ky house and a workshop for traditional crafts in the old town. Dinner in town.

14 / 9: Hoi An - This day is public holiday. There are many shopping opportunities, for example. clothes and silver. Remember to pick up clothes and silver before we take on! Dinner in town.

15 / 9: Hue - We drive to Hue pm. 07:30 and arrives at. 11:00. We will be accommodated at the hotel Hoa Hung. Ordered bicycles. Kl. 12:30 bicycles from the hotel with our first stop at The Deaf Restaurant, recommended by Lonely Planet. Then we drive into the Citadel, where the old royal palace is located. Here we go round and see what has been rebuilt. We cycle back to the hotel. Kl. 19:30 we're going to eat at an interesting restaurant.

16 / 9: Hue - We eat breakfast at. 06:00. Ordered bicycles and boats. There are 1700 mtr. the moorings and we have bicycles at. 07:00 to the boat. The bikes take on board the boat. We also eat lunch on the boat (3 U.S. $). We sail on Odor agree River and the first stop is Thien Mu Pagoda, which is a very exciting and very beautiful pagoda and a peaceful place. It was from a monk in his car in 1963, drove to Saigon, drove up in front of Presidential Palace, went out at the site, poured gasoline over himself and lit fire to herself. The picture went around the world. This action turned the war for Americans, because they had public opinion against both the U.S. and in Europe. At that time there were around. 750,000 Allied soldiers in Vietnam. We proceed to the Minh Mang Mausolæet - a very beautiful mausoleum in a nice park. Back to the boat and across the river to Kai Dinh Mausolæet. Now the bikes because there are approx. 3 km to mausolæet. It is a completely different mausoleum - a large stone colossus and a lot of stairs, but very pretty at the top with large mosaics. There is a good view from the top. We cycle back to the boat. There are now 2 possibilities: we can either ride home (approx. 10 km) or take the boat home. The flying home to have bicycles on board the boat (but coming around. 45 minutes later the home). We provide 3 U.S. $ for a nice lunch on the boat. On the boat can also buy silk - one of the good shopping places. Buy a little edible to train and remember plastic mug - we must be to Hanoi by train at. 16:00. We have rented bicycle taxi the 1750 meters to the station.

17 / 9: Hanoi - Arrival in Hanoi early morning (between kl. 05:00 and 06:00). We take a taxi to our hotel Camilia 4, 44 Hang Gaiy where we eat breakfast. It is not certain that we can get rooms at the earliest. We make a small hike in the vicinity of the hotel, we walk around the Hoan Kiem Lake, the most central point in Hanoi. On the way we order cycles for at. approx. pm. 09:00, we must test our abilities on the bike in Hanoi. Beware - and learn the Vietnamese bike style! It will be an exciting trip, until we have become accustomed to traffic and learned the technique. It will look bad, but it comes to understanding the way the Vietnamese do it. Forget all Danish rules and use the Vietnamese! Rules: When you pass other bikes or motorcycles, show what you want, select what you are doing and not undo! Are you left in an intersection, then drive on the wrong side, so there are as few passengers as possible! After cycling we get the nerves in place at Hoan Kiem Lake. And so were the rooms would be clear. We unpack and eat lunch at the Little Hanoi. Rest of day free. Dinner is at. 20:00 in the city.

18 / 9: Hanoi - The day we train to Sa Pa, but the train only at night, so we have a full day in Hanoi. We bicycles from the hotel at. 07:30 and the first visit Ho Chi Minh Mausolæet (remember long pants) and then his house. By the end of the park lies the Etbenede Pagode Chua Mot Cat, then a short visit in Ho Chi Minh Museum. We cycle as the old university also called the Literature Museum. We eat lunch close. We cycle back to the hotel and will be out of the rooms by midnight. 12:00. We pack for a 4-day trip, for we are only back in Hanoi Wednesday morning (22 / 9). Then suitcases into the trunk space for luggage and Sa Pa are packed in hand luggage. Now the afternoon free for us to be in the water theater. After dinner theater in Hanoi and taxi to the station. The train runs at. 20:00.

19 / 9: Sa Pa - We are in Lao Cai at. approx. 06:00 and the train no longer running. Taxi 38 km up the hill to the mountain town of Sa Pa in 1700 mtr.'s Height, so up here, the temperature may be different than in Hanoi. We are now on the border with China and will be accommodated at Hotel Lotus overlooking the valley. Sa Pa is an exciting city and we'll stay here for 3 days (2 nights). After we eat breakfast accommodation. Kl. 09:00 we drive on motorcycles 14 km to a Red Dzau village. When we arrive, there are many familiar faces, and on our way around the village follows many red Dzauer with. Everyone wants to sell, but wait until we have completed our trip. When we reach the end of the village and saw one of the homes we need across the rice paddies. Here it is important to get a Red Dzau to keep you in his hand as we go on the groynes, and it may be nice to have a supportive hand. It helps you to not have money, but you can buy at the red Dzau. We take a drink and say goodbye to Darvin Village and a nice ethnic people living as they did 1000 years ago - just added mobile phone and TV. We drive back to Sa Pa and eat lunch with Luyen and her daughter-Phung Dung. They've made a nice lunch with us for U.S. $ 3 + drinks. Afternoon free so you can enjoy life in Sa Pa - a peaceful place. Dinner in town.

20 / 9: Sa Pa - Now wait a little tougher trekking trip down the mountain. We start at. 09:00 and get sandwiches from the hotel. It will be a fantastic trip down through many villages. When we have gone 2 km, we come to a place where we can buy sticks to support us by. You will also follow many local black Hmunger with. At one point we come to a place where we can eat our lunch and buy drinks. We continue and sees many ethnic villages both Jaffa, Seiol and black Hmung, but they are similar. When we reach the last suspension bridge, expecting a motorcycle on us, and we pay £ 30 for driving the 20 km back to Sa Pa. Dinner in town.

21 / 9: Sa Pa - On the evening train back to Hanoi, but first we will visit black Hmung villages. The area is called Cat Cat. We walk through the market and continue down a poorly paved road. After 2 km we left and takes a lot of stairs to visit a couple of black Hmung home. Black Hmungerne also live as 1000 years ago, except that many have a TV. Since it is mountainous area, one can also only cultivate the soil as 1000 years ago. When we come to a waterfall, we have reached the bottom of the mountain, then we go right, go up some stairs and through the next suspension bridge, we motorcycles (20 U.S.) back to the market. Then there is time to walk around until we have late lunch / early dinner. Khao tell when we need we need a taxi to Lao Cai to reach a train back to Hanoi.

22 / 9: Hanoi - Breakfast at the hotel in Hanoi and bike ride to a big market before we get the rooms by noon. Then lunch and afternoon free. Dinner in town

23 / 9: Ban Lac - Breakfast early at the hotel in Hanoi, because we must run from the hotel at. 07:00 and 145 km to Mai Chau where we will visit a silk factory. We see the whole production from the larval silk to the finished product. We can taste silkworms schnapps, buying goods or silk the meter. We are now running over Hoa Binh, where we have Vietnam's largest power plant, which once provided all of northern Vietnam with the flow. Now they build 2 new power plants is even greater. But we only pause here on the way back and run in place further to the left against the Son La and come to Mai Chau valley and the village Ban Lac, where we say hello to Hoa and Thu, who is white crowns. White Thai people immigrated 300 years ago to settle in this valley. Almost everyone can speak and write both Thai and Vietnamese, many also English. When we arrive we will be accommodated at 1st floor and eat lunch at Hoa and her husband, they make some of the best food in the village. So we go on a little bike ride - we rent bikes in the village. After dinner we can stroll into the village before we take a beer or coffee on the 1st floor terrace.

24 / 9: Ban Lac - We cycle from village pm. 08:00. We visit a school situated approx. 10 km from Ban Lac. It will be a hard journey with many increases, we must withdraw. It is so easy on the trip home, we must remember to brake, so the move is not too violent. It is now more than 10 years ago, Henning visited the school lately. Kl. 12:30 lunch in Ban Lac and pm. 15:00 we take on another bike ride - an incredibly beautiful ride, but perhaps a little difficult for some places we must bear cycles. We are back from the trip, so we can eat at. 19:30 and be ready to see the village dance old dances for us. We are also allowed to try. It takes place in Hoas Fri sister, she is a very skilled weaver, as the Vietnamese government uses when displaying ethnic art abroad. Coffee e.l. at 1st floor terrace.

25 / 9: Hanoi - We returned to Hanoi, saying goodbye to Hoa and Thu and running at. 07:30. First stop on the trip home will be listed in the Hoa Binh power plant. Then it goes to Hanoi, where we are promoting at lunchtime. Afternoon free. Dinner in town.

26 / 9: Hanoi - We take a bike ride to the Ethnic Museum, where we see an exhibition on the 54 ethnic groups living in Vietnam. It is an outdoor museum with a large indoor section. Lunch near our hotel. Afternoon free. Dinner in town.

27 / 9: Cat Ba - We drive from the hotel at. 07:00 for we need to sail on Halong Bay. On the way we visit but only one center with many disabled people - especially the hearing impaired who are affected by their parents of the U.S. orange poison. It was here Oanh worked before Henning had sent her to school. She had until then never been taught because of her disability. We've probably already met on the tour this happy and positive girl. When we reach Ha Long, we change to a boat that sails us to Cat Ba. We eat lunch on board and visit a beautiful stalactite cave "Grotte". Khao tells of the cave. In Cat Ba is accommodated and we have time for a rest. Cat Ba is located in the Tonkin Gulf, which is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Kl. 20:00 we sail out to a restaurant on the water where we get fish and shellfish.

28 / 9: Cat Ba - We make a trekking trip around. 3 hours. Kl. 08:00 we drive by car the first 20 miles, so we get into the mountains. We are not stronger, than that all is with. Mid-term, we have to stay at a beekeeper, where we can buy beer and water. Kl. approx. 12:00 we land in a bay where a small boat flying us out to a bigger boat. On the boat, lunch, as we have booked in advance (U.S. $ 3 + drinks). Then sail to a beach on an island where the living apes - the only place in Ha Long Bay. When we do not want to swim more we sail back to Cat Ba. We eat in town.

29 / 9: Hanoi - We must get up early and back to Hanoi. We sail from Cat Ba pm. 07:30 to Halong Bay and run against Sao Do, the way we visit a pottery factory where you can buy cheap things in ceramics. In the Sao Do we welcome Hang and Oanhs families. Forward to Hanoi and Camilia 4th Here, we pack for the return journey, there is a possibility of changing room and bath at the hotel. Kl. 17:00, depart from the hotel. Departing at. 20:30 with arrival at Bangkok. approx. 22:30

30 / 9: Departure - After midnight (at approx. 01:00) we fly to Copenhagen with the arrival at. approx. 07:30