Day 8. Hoi An
Overnight – Four Seasons Resort the Nam Hai
My Son Sanctuary Excursion OR Fisherman and Farmer for a Half Day. You have two options for the first part of this day, or you can choose to enjoy one of the world’s finest beach resorts and relax. This decision needs to be made soon after you reserve your tour.
Option 1: My Son Excursion. Join your Tour Director for an excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of My Son Sanctuary. These remarkable structures lie about an hour away from Hoi An, and the structures go back as far as the 4th Century. It is one of the most important examples of Hindu influence in Southeast Asia. Although largely in a state of ruin today, My Son is often compared with other historical temple complexes in Southeast Asia, such as Angkor Wat of Cambodia or Ayutthaya of Thailand. You’ll be given a brief introduction to Cham history and culture, and its Hindu influence, and then you will visit the remains of the carefully crafted red brick temples replete with beautiful monuments and epitaphs.
Return to the Nam Hai and you are at leisure for a couple of hours for lunch and relaxation at your resort, until your bamboo platform dining experience.
OR
Option 2: Rural Farming & Fishing Life Experience. Join your Tour Director for a drive into the rural region away from modern civilization, along the Thu Bon River and its gorgeous Nipa Mangroves, passing lush farms and jungles. Soon you will arrive at the home and workshop of a local bamboo craftsman. Bamboo is widely used for a myriad of purposes in central coastal Vietnam, and there are a few expert craftsmen who sculpt and create with this amazing natural resource – your host this morning is one of the very best of these craftsmen. You will be shown the steps of the creative process, and you are encouraged to make a souvenir for yourself.
You will now proceed to visit a local fisherman’s family. We recommend that you use bicycles for this part of the excursion, although your vehicle will be headed to the same destination. The approximately 5-mile ride is on flat country roads with no traffic, and the scenery is extremely charming. At the end of the ride you will meet the friendly family and learn about their simple lifestyles, followed by a lesson in Vietnamese net fishing!
A very short drive after this will end at an organic farm, where again you will learn from the farmers on how they cultivate their crops. Enjoy some of their herbal tea and snacks, and then, if you so desire, participate in their daily activities for a little while.
From here you are driven back to your gorgeous lodging and you are at leisure for a couple of hours for lunch and relaxation at your resort, until your bamboo platform dining experience.
Bamboo Platform Dining Experience: At 4:30 PM your Tour Director will escort you to the banks of the river. You will be assisted in boarding one of the Hoi An regions iconic basket boats for a short cruise. After a few minutes you will arrive at your destination – a large floating bamboo raft, situated on a beautiful secluded part of the river, surrounded by tropical nature. Butlers and other staff will feed you unique local cuisine and fresh vegetables. At the end of the evening, at about 8 PM, you will be driven back to your resort.
My Son Sanctuary Excursion OR Fisherman and Farmer for a Half Day. You have two options for the first part of this day, or you can choose to enjoy one of the world’s finest beach resorts and relax. This decision needs to be made soon after you reserve your tour.
Option 1: My Son Excursion. Join your Tour Director for an excursion to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of My Son Sanctuary. These remarkable structures lie about an hour away from Hoi An, and the structures go back as far as the 4th Century. It is one of the most important examples of Hindu influence in Southeast Asia. Although largely in a state of ruin today, My Son is often compared with other historical temple complexes in Southeast Asia, such as Angkor Wat of Cambodia or Ayutthaya of Thailand. You’ll be given a brief introduction to Cham history and culture, and its Hindu influence, and then you will visit the remains of the carefully crafted red brick temples replete with beautiful monuments and epitaphs.
Return to the Nam Hai and you are at leisure for a couple of hours for lunch and relaxation at your resort, until your bamboo platform dining experience.
OR
Option 2: Rural Farming & Fishing Life Experience. Join your Tour Director for a drive into the rural region away from modern civilization, along the Thu Bon River and its gorgeous Nipa Mangroves, passing lush farms and jungles. Soon you will arrive at the home and workshop of a local bamboo craftsman. Bamboo is widely used for a myriad of purposes in central coastal Vietnam, and there are a few expert craftsmen who sculpt and create with this amazing natural resource – your host this morning is one of the very best of these craftsmen. You will be shown the steps of the creative process, and you are encouraged to make a souvenir for yourself.
You will now proceed to visit a local fisherman’s family. We recommend that you use bicycles for this part of the excursion, although your vehicle will be headed to the same destination. The approximately 5-mile ride is on flat country roads with no traffic, and the scenery is extremely charming. At the end of the ride you will meet the friendly family and learn about their simple lifestyles, followed by a lesson in Vietnamese net fishing!
A very short drive after this will end at an organic farm, where again you will learn from the farmers on how they cultivate their crops. Enjoy some of their herbal tea and snacks, and then, if you so desire, participate in their daily activities for a little while.
From here you are driven back to your gorgeous lodging and you are at leisure for a couple of hours for lunch and relaxation at your resort, until your bamboo platform dining experience.
Bamboo Platform Dining Experience: At 4:30 PM your Tour Director will escort you to the banks of the river. You will be assisted in boarding one of the Hoi An regions iconic basket boats for a short cruise. After a few minutes you will arrive at your destination – a large floating bamboo raft, situated on a beautiful secluded part of the river, surrounded by tropical nature. Butlers and other staff will feed you unique local cuisine and fresh vegetables. At the end of the evening, at about 8 PM, you will be driven back to your resort.