This is Xuan Tu’s very special 2-centre excursion, encompassing the historic Old Town of Hoi An with the vibrant city of Da Nang. Hoi An is along with a visit to Da Nang can absorb your day with ease. My Private Shore Excursion is a full 8 hours long and includes an initial snapshot of modern Vietnam as we pass through the vibrant city of Da Nang on our journey to Hoi An.
We start our excursion by greeting you shipside at Chan May port or Tien Sa port
Then we drive along the seafront of Da Nang Bay where we pause briefly to see fishermen’s wives selling their husband’s fresh catch – see if you can identify each fish on sale! We see coracle shaped boats still in use today. Frequent comfort stops are made during the day to freshen-up if required.
We had a wonderful time and would definitely recommend Xuan Tu’s tour company. It is very professional, organized, and staff are obviously concerned that each customer goes away happy. We did!
– Client TripAdvisor Review
Hoi An is an expanding country town surrounded by paddy fields farmed mainly by women in ‘coolie’ hats growing rice, verdant fields full of herbs and vegetables worked by water buffalo and a river where fishermen use methods unchanged through generations. It has beautiful beaches and an old port overlooking the East Sea. But the real attraction of Hoi An is it’s historic Old Town dating mainly from the 15th – 19th centuries, it possessed the largest harbour in S.E. Asia back in the 1st century. Hoi An Old Town is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and offers our visitors outstanding sightseeing opportunities.
Arriving in Hoi An we embark on our walking tour of this charming Old Town, including visits to temples, old houses with a mix of Vietnamese, Chinese, Hindu, Japanese & Portuguese influences, some dating back to 1780 and not forgetting the famous Japanese Bridge built in 1719. Hoi An is a shoppers paradise and not all are its well known tailor and shoe shops! Look out for Hoi An’s famous lanterns which adorn its streets and buildings, these are a good souvenir of your visit here. The Central Market is a perfect choice to see local food too – during the day you will be offered either a typical Vietnamese lunch at an excellent local restaurant or snacks along the way if required. This is something we will discuss on our way to Hoi An as we are conscious you will have dinner on-board when you sail!
Leaving Hoi An we make our short coast-road drive back to Da Nang. Da Nang is my ‘hometown’ and with my team I really love sharing it with our overseas friends. Today you will see a wealthy, modern and rapidly expanding city, comfortable with itself and where many Vietnamese aspire to live! But it has a long history too – with origins that date back to the ancient kingdom of Champa established in 192AD it was originally called Cua Han during early Dai Viet times, and Tourane during French colonial rule.
Our first stop in Da Nang is ancient ‘Marble Mountains’. A stunning cluster of 5 limestone & marble hills this is a well known pilgrimage site with peaks, caves, tunnels & temples reached by a short elevator ride. We should have time for a brief visit plus great photo opportunities at this outstanding location.
Visiting anywhere in and around Da Nang it is difficult not to see remnants of, or escape discussion of the effects of the Vietnam War – in 1965 the US Marine Corp landed at ‘Red Beach 2’ just north of Da Nang and our International Airport was once the giant US Da Nang airbase. My Khe Beach was an area for R&R. Marble Mountains was not immune to the war’s effects, so remember to ask your guide about its use during the conflict.
Moving into Da Nang city we pass the ever growing number of beachside hotels along My Khe Beach, voted as one of the ‘top-10’ world beaches by Forbes Magazine. We see Han market which at 28,000m2 plays an important part in the daily life of ordinary Vietnamese, and if time permits our driver will take us over Da Nang’s famous Dragon Bridge.
One of our most sacred places of worship is the 18th century pagoda of Ling Ung on Son Tra peninsular and this is our final destination, Here you will enjoy breathtaking views of Da Nang and its beaches, and along with groups of rural Vietnamese visiting the pagoda you can marvel at the gigantic 67m tall ‘Lady Buddha’ statue as she gazes out over the East Sea and Cham Islands in the distance.
We must eventually say goodbye to beautiful central Vietnam and at the end of your memorable day, return you safely to port in plenty of time for your ship’s departure.
