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 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. The Old Town is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and offers our visitors outstanding sightseeing opportunities.
Hoi An is some 40km from Tien Sa port and Da Nang is on the port’s doorstep! This is one of Xuan Tu’s most popular Private Shore Excursions, is a full 8 hours long and includes a snapshot of modern Vietnam as we journey through the vibrant city of Da Nang on way to our morning’s destination – we shall return to Da Nang later, but your guide will already be pointing out places of interest.
We contacted XuanTu and she was very helpful setting up our tour of Danang and Hoi An for the one day we had there on our Azamara Journey cruise. The price of a private tour for the two of us was about the same as what we would have paid with the cruise line but you are not having to be in a large bus in a group of 40 people
– client TripAdvisor review
We start your Hoi An & Da Nang excursion by greeting you shipside at Tien Sa port, and in our modern air conditioned vehicle with professional driver we make our way to Hoi An. Here we enter the Old Town to embark on our walking tour. We visit much of this historic place including Quan Cong & Phuc Kien temples, old houses with a mix of Vietnamese, Chinese, Hindu, Japanese & Portuguese influences such as Tan Ky where seven generations of the same family have lived and Phung Hung house of 1780. We will not forget our Japanese Bridge built in 1719.
Hoi An is a shoppers paradise and not all are its famous tailor and shoe shops! Look out for Hoi An’s famous lanterns which adorn its streets and buildings, they are a good souvenir of your visit here from lantern shops. The Central Market is a perfect choice to see local food – during the day you will be offered 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 25 minute coast road drive back to Da Nang. Da Nang is my ‘hometown’ and with my team really love sharing it with our visitors. Today you 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. It was originally called Cua Han during early Dai Viet times, and Tourane during French colonial rule.
Our first stop is ‘Marble Mountains’. A stunning cluster of five limestone & marble hills this is a well known pilgrimage site with peaks, caves, tunnels & temples reached by a short elevator ride. Visiting anywhere in and around Da Nang it is difficult not to see remnants or 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 and My Khe beach, voted as one of the ‘top-10’ world beaches by Forbes Magazine. We shall see central 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 the city’s famous Dragon Bridge.
One of Da Nang’s 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 you will certainly meet groups of rural Vietnamese visiting the pagoda, and can marvel with them at the gigantic 67m tall ‘Lady Buddha’ statue as she gazes out over the East Sea and Cham Islands in the distance.
We have now come full circle and are just 15 minutes from Tien Sa, so we must say goodbye as we return you safely to port in plenty of time for your ship’s departure after a memorable day.
My ‘Hoi An & Da Nang Private Shore Excursion’ fee includes;
‘Meet & Greet’ at Tien Spa port
a full 8 hour private guided tour in English
all entry fees
cold, bottled mineral water
moist towellettes
use of a modern air condition vehicle with professional driver
My fee excludes;
any meals & drinks taken during the tour (bottled water is free of charge).
