DAY 1: DANANG AIRPORT – HUE CITY
Your private guide will meet you outside of the arrival hall at Da Nang International Airport.
Flight:TBA (your own arrangement)
Following National Highway 1 north to Hue City is around 2 to 3 hours drive. Depending on the time of day (and time available) we will either take the scenic drive over the Hai Van Mountain Pass or if arrival is late in the day, we’ll drive the direct route via the Hai Van Tunnel.
On the way, stop at a local restaurant in Lang Co to enjoy seafood for lunch.
Then continue our journey to Hue city, check in hotel and relax.
Accommodation: Hue Hotel
DAY 2: OUR LADY OF LAVANG – HUE ANCIENT CAPITAL
In the morning, about 8am, we will we will forward to Our Lady of La Vang – A major pilgrimage center for Catholics in Vietnam. La Vang is located in the Dinh Cat Parish of Quang Tri Province, 6 km from Quang Tri Town and 58 km from Hue Ancient Capital.
Visit around Lavang and spend time for praying before back to Hue for lunch (Optional: Have lunch at Sister House in Lavang).
In the afternoon, we will visit the Forbidden City of Hue Ancient Capital.
The poetic and beautiful Hue of Vietnam was chosen to be the capital of the Southern Kingdom under the Nguyen Lords’ Dynasty and officially became the nation’s capital under the Tay Son Dynasty, King Quang Trung. The Citadel Palace complex is located on the North bank of Huong River (PerfumeRiver), inside Hue city. At the time, the Purple Forbidden City had many buildings and hundreds of rooms. It suffered from termite and cyclone damage but was still very impressive.
Bac to hotel for relax and free at your leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hue Hotel
DAY 3: HUE CITY WITH CHURCHES
After breakfast, about 8am we will departure to visit Thien An Monastery, which is located in Thuy Bang, Huong Thuy, Thua Thien Hue, in a romantic, airy space in the middle of the forest of pine.
After many years of establishment, with the type of design of a convent church, Thien An Monastery still retains its intimacy, harmonizes with nature and is beautiful between the forest. We will have a great time there.
We will visit around and spend time at the souvenir shop here for your interests.
After that we depart to visit Tu Duc’s Tomb which is considered as one of the most beautiful works of royal architecture of the Nguyen dynasty. This tomb, constructed between 1864 and 1867, is the most popular and impressive of the royal mausoleums. Emperor Tu Duc designed it himself to use before and after his death. Tu Duc’s tomb is 5km south of Hue on Van Nien Hill in Duong Xuan Thuong village.
About 11h30 – 12h00, we will have lunch at a local restaurant.
After lunch, we will visit Phu Cam Cathedral which is the Cathedral of the Archdiocese of Hue and is one of the largest, most famous, and oldest churches in Hue. Also, this is also the place where locates the altar of the religious martyr Tong Viet Buong.
After visit Phu Cam Cathedral, we will take time to enjoy coffee at a local coffee next to the Cathedral. You’ll be welcomed into a nice and cozy atmosphere, frequented mainly by locals.
Conclude this day, we will visit Dong Ba Market is the oldest of its kind in Hue, with hundreds of stalls selling household items, handicrafts, clothing and fresh produce at affordable prices. The Market spans almost 16,000 square metres, with several sections dedicated to fruits, seafood, clothing, meat, and handicrafts.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hue Hotel
DAY 4: HUE CITY TO HOI AN TOWN
After breakfast, at about 8am, we will check out hotel and depart to the South for Bana Hills and Danang Cathedral.
Coffee stop at Lap An Lagoon for a coffee and take a break.
Then we head to the Bana Hills. This hill resort, inherited from the French, has refreshingly cool weather and gorgeous countryside views. Until WWII, the French were carried up the last 20km of rough mountain road by sedan chair, but now a 5.7 km (the world’s longest) cable car system has opened up access. The ride involves a rise of almost 1400m, a truly spectacular trip over dense jungle and waterfalls.
Walk the Golden Bridge… This amazing construction has attracted visitors worldwide, eager to see a novel piece of architecture famed for its unusual design.
After visiting, we will have lunch at a restaurant on Bana Hill. Then we’ll remain flexible as to the walks and sites visited.
After that we will down to Danang for visiting Danang Cathedral. The Cathedral of Rooster is the Cathedral of Danang Diocese in Central Vietnam designed with Gothic styles in the French colonial period. The imposing, candy-pink cathedral is known locally by the slightly less imposing name “Rooster” (Con Ga) Church. The name comes from the rooster that sits atop the impressive steeple.
Then continue to Hoi An for check in hotel and relax.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hoi An Hotel
DAY 5: OUR LADY OF TRA KIEU – HOI AN ANCIENT TOWN
In the morning, about 8am, we will depart to visit Our Lady of Tra Kieu, which is the holy mountain church where pilgrimages gather to pray and memorize the glory and the victory that Our Lady who gave to the faithful when they were in the war of self-defense against the Can Vuong Movement in 1885.
Then back to Hoi An for lunch at a local restaurant.
After lunch, we will take time to visit around Hoi An Ancient Town, located on the banks of the poetic Thu Bon River, Hoi An ancient town is an Eastern oriental classic captivation. Today, this UNESCO World Heritage-listed ancient town is home to well-preserved buildings, pedestrianized streets, a quaint riverside, and unique cuisines. You will visit the Japanese Bridge, the Assembly Hall of Chinese, an old merchant’s house – Tan Ky beautiful town of all lanterns by night.
The remainder of the day will be free at your leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hoi An Hotel
DAY 6: HOI AN/DANANG AIRPORT – HANOI AIRPORT – NINH BINH PROVINCE
After breakfast at hotel, we will leave hotel about 8.30 am for transferring to the airport for your flight to Hanoi.
Arrive Danang Airport at about 9.30 am, take the domestic flight to Hanoi.
Scheduled domestic flight from Da Nang (DAD to Hanoi Noi Bai Airport (HAN) takes approximately 90 minutes.
Estimated flight: VN 166 DAD HAN 11.30 1300 (Air tickets will be arranged by Vietnam Catholic Tours)
After arriving Hanoi (Noi Bai Airport), we will have lunch at a restaurant in or nearby the airport.
Then we’ll drive south from the capital for a couple of hours to Ninh Binh Province. The contrast to Hanoi is remarkable.
Arrive at Ninh Binh in the late afternoon, check in hotel and relax.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Ninh Binh Hotel
DAY 7: PHAT DIEM CATHEDRAL – TRANG AN COMPLEX
In the morning, at about 8am, we will depart to visit Phat Diem Catheral.
Arriving Phat Diem at about 9.30am, take a visiting around this famous cathedral.
This unique-styled structure was built between 1875 and 1899 with four roofs and six sets of iron wooden pillars and consists of a network of ponds, lakes, churches, and artificial caves. On both sides of the church are four smaller churches of different styles. In the area, the rice paddies are peppered with stone churches.
After lunch at Phat Diem (served by Sisters), we will leave Phat Diem and depart to visit Trang An Landscape Complex.
Situated near the southern margin of the Red River Delta, the Trang An Landscape Complex is a spectacular landscape of limestone karst peaks permeated with valleys, many of them partly submerged and surrounded by steep, almost vertical cliffs. Exploration of caves at different altitudes has revealed archaeological traces of human activity over a continuous period of more than 30,000 years.
Back to hotel and free at your leisure.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Ninh Binh Hotel
DAY 8: SO KIEN BASILICA – HANOI CAPITAL
In the morning, at about 8am, we will depart to Hanoi for visiting So Kien Basilica.
The Basilica is honored to be the cradle of two martyrs, Priest Truong Van Thi and the catechist Peter Truong Van Duong) and a place to store many holy relics.
After that we will take time to visit around and have lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, we will back to Hanoi and visit The Temple of Literature which was first constructed in 1070 and is dedicated to Confucius, sages and scholars. Also here is The Imperial Academy – constructed in 1076, which was the first national university of Vietnam, it has preserved its ancient architectural style of many dynasties.
Spending time to visit The Vietnam Museum of Ethnology which is a highlight museum in Hanoi, focuses on the 54 officially recognised ethnic groups in Vietnam. It is located on a 43,799-square-metre property in the Cầu Giấy District, about 8 km from the city center.
Check in Hanoi hotel and relax.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hanoi Hotel
DAY 9: HANOI CAPITAL CITY
After breakfast, we will depart to visit Cathedral of Hanoi, which is the cathedral of the archdiocese of Hanoi, where the archbishop’s seat is. This is also an ancient church in this city, often taking place the religious activities of the parishioners of the archdiocese of Hanoi.
After that we will visit The Mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh complex (Outside) which is located in the center of Ba Dinh Square, which is the place where Ho read the Declaration of Independence on September 2, 1945, establishing the Democratic Republic of Vietnam. Then we will have lunch at a local restaurant.
After lunch, we will visit Cua Bac Church, which is a Roman Catholic church in Hanoi, Vietnam. Originally named church of Our Lady of the Martyrs, the church was built in 1932 by the French administration of Indochina as a part of Hanoi’s urban plan supervised by Ernest Hébrard.
Conclude this day, we will take time to visit Hoan Kiem Lake. The lake is considered the center of Hanoi, not only physically but also symbolically. Peaceful and quiet, the lake surrounds Ngoc Son Temple, a pagoda sitting in the centre on a small island.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Hanoi Hotel
DAY 10: HANOI – DEPARTURE
At a time to suit you, your guide will accompany you to Hanoi Noi Bai Airport (HAN) for your outbound flight.
Flight:TBA (your own arrangement)
End of your Vietnam Pilgrimage Tour.
Meals: Breakfast
Accommodation: N/A
End of services!
Traveling with us in the meaning of “CONNECT and SHARE”, you will see how life becomes special to catholic communities and it is a great chance to understand more about Vietnamese culture and catholic stories through the real local catholics.
Ho Thi Suong Lan
0161000885230
Vietcombank – Hue
Viet Orchid Travel Co., Ltd.
16 Doan Huu Trung, Phuoc Vinh Ward, Hue City,
Thua Thien Hue Province, Vietnam.
(+84) 914 544 660 – 234 3623 896
Fax: 0234 3935 621
