Touring Vietnam
From
this year I am now offering to lead cultural-historical tours of Vietnam, from
north to south. The journey begins in
the north, the cradle of Vietnamese culture and identity, with visits to sites
important in Vietnam’s history and cultural development, emphasizing what is
uniquely indigenous. This part of the
tour will include the Old Quarter and historical monuments in Hanoi, temples
and craft villages across the Red River, a traditional Vietnamese village and a
citadel west of Hanoi, a visit to the ancient capital of Hoa Lư and an overnight excursion to Hạ
Long Bay, a World Heritage Site for its breathtaking scenery and the site of
many famous naval battles in Vietnamese history.
From here we proceed to Central
Vietnam to follow the historic migration of the Vietnamese people. Here we will visit Huế to see the relics of
the last native dynasty, Hội An, a World Heritage Site and an important port
until the late 18th century, Mỹ Sơn, also a World Heritage Site, and
other vestiges of ancient Chăm civilization in Bình Định, Nha Trang and Phan
Rang. Various Chăm states used to rule
over Central Vietnam from Quảng Bình to Bình Thuận and in this part of the tour
you will learn how and why Vietnamese first migrated here, what adaptations
they had to make, the history and legacy of the Chăm and what influence they
had on the Vietnamese. You will also
learn about how Vietnam became divided from the early 17th century,
what caused its civil war and how it was ultimately resolved at the beginning
of the 19th century.
The last part of our tour takes us
to the Mekong Delta. Until the late 17th
century this part of the country was largely swamp and forest, sparsely
populated, mainly inhabited by Khmer, concentrated at the mouth of the Mekong
and further west near the modern border with Cambodia. On this part of the tour we will see Saigon
and learn of its history by visits to its oldest temples, the Chinese quarter
and the History Museum. We will then
make excursions to Sọc Trăng and Trà Vinh, home to the most ancient Khmer
communities and learn about their history by visits to famous temples, museums
and contemporary villages. Our last stop
will be Vĩnh Long, where we will take a boat ride through the rural canals of
the province and learn how the Vietnamese transformed the Mekong Delta into the
agricultural wonder it is today. 
My tour differs from the ordinary
programs, even when it covers many of the same attractions, by its in-depth
explanations of what the visitor sees and its significance. The itinerary basically follows the history I’ve
written up in my newest book, to be published later this year, Delta to Delta: The Vietnamese Move South. This work narrates the story of how Vietnam, divided
into three separate parts in the 15th century, became one by the end
of the 18th century. I don’t
ignore developments outside this time frame, but by concentrating on this
period you will understand the nature and character of Vietnam, one of the
fastest growing and most interesting countries in Southeast Asia. It will be the equivalent of a university
course on Vietnam‘s history and culture and an unforgettable adventure.
I have arranged with a respected
Hanoi tour company the accommodations, transport, meals, etc for the logistics
of the tour. The schedule is full, but
not physically demanding. The hotels are
all comfortable, three-star or better, in convenient locations at each
stop. For more information on the tour
and its destinations, see http://deltatoursvietnam.com
From 2018, in collaboration with my Chinese partner Sun Fei, I have put together five routes through Yunnan province, with the same provisions as in my tours in Vietnam. One proceeds gradually from Kunming to Xishuangbanna. A second starts also in Kunming and goes south to Honghe Prefecture. The third covers Xishuangbanna and the Wa Hills A fourth begins in Weishan and continues through Dali Prefecture to Tengchong The fifth begins in Liiang and goes north through Shangrila to Deqing and down the Lancangjiang to Weixi and Liming. For details on the itineraries, click on the Yunnan tab on the website link above.
From 2018, in collaboration with my Chinese partner Sun Fei, I have put together five routes through Yunnan province, with the same provisions as in my tours in Vietnam. One proceeds gradually from Kunming to Xishuangbanna. A second starts also in Kunming and goes south to Honghe Prefecture. The third covers Xishuangbanna and the Wa Hills A fourth begins in Weishan and continues through Dali Prefecture to Tengchong The fifth begins in Liiang and goes north through Shangrila to Deqing and down the Lancangjiang to Weixi and Liming. For details on the itineraries, click on the Yunnan tab on the website link above.
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ReplyDeleteInteresting way to do tourism in Vietnam, I would like some recommendations of places little known by tourists but that are attractive. I plan to go on a tourist trip to this country for 7 days and I am collecting information from different sources (as is: https://viajareavietnam.com/), in order to explore Vietnam to the fullest.
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