Ba Na Hills, The Golden Bridge Private Tour
First established in 1919, Ba Na was built as a hill resort for the colonial French to escape the summer heat of Central Vietnam’s coast. From the original’s ruins, Ba Na was rebuilt into an eco resort and fantasy theme park starting 1998. It is still evolving today and for the second year running, Ba Na Hills has been awarded the title of ‘Vietnam’s Leading Resort’. Lush ‘Sun World Ba Na Hills‘ is located in the Trường Sơn mountain range 36km west of the city of Da Nang centre and 65km from Hoi An. It is 1487m above sea level and offers refreshingly cool weather and stunning views in good weather. This is your opportunity to escape Da Nang city or Hoi An town for an exciting day in Ba Na Hills with our Private Guide to ensure you maximise your time. We took a 9 hour trip to Ba Na Hills with Quan. He spoke great English, was knowledgeable about many topics, and was very professional. He patiently guided us through the entire park. The photo opportunities were spectacular – Client TripAdvisor Review To make the most of your special day we meet early at your hotel lobby (08.00 in Hoi An or 08.30 in Da Nang) for your Private Ba Na Hills Tour, driving straight to Suoi Mo cable car station in our modern air conditioned vehicle. You’ll experience the stunning 20 minute ride above spectacular jungle and waterfalls on one of the world’s longest cable car systems – travelling about 5.7km. Remember to bring comfortable walking shoes and maybe an extra layer of clothes, when 36C in Da Nang it can be 15C on the mountain! At the mountain top station you’ll discover a replica medieval French provincial town, a funicular railway to take you even higher and an exciting downhill alpine luge. There are gardens and lots to see, often singers & dancers perform. Mountain tracks lead to waterfalls and viewing points. Near the mountain top is Linh Ung Pagoda built 2004 with its giant 27m-high white seated Shakyakmuni Buddha statue – visible for miles around! There are so many facilities for children of all ages in Fantasy Park. As well as some 90 free games you can walk in Fairy Forest, discover Dinosaur Park, conquer the heights with a 29m Free-Fall tower along with modern 3D, 4D and 5D movie systems. From our experience, adults without children can spend a good half day exploring Ba Na Hill Resort with one of my teammates, while families are often happy to spend the whole day enjoying its many child-friendly attractions. And being a Private Tour we give you our undivided attention throughout your day so you see and experience all that the resort has to offer without wasting precious time. Of course, we ensure you are returned safely to your hotel in Da Nang or Hoi An at the end of your visit. What’s included: a half day (5 hours) or full day (8 hours) private guided tour in English moist towelettes use of our modern air conditioned vehicle & my professional driver cold, bottled mineral water What’s excluded: Ba Na Hills entry fees meals & drinks etc taken during the tour (bottled water is free of charge)
The Imperial City of Hue Full-Day Private Tour
The Imperial City of Hue, some 2½ hours from Da Nang is recognised as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO. Hue is a historic centre for food, religion, culture, royal palaces and tombs of Vietnamese kings. From 1802 to 1945 Hue was the national capital of Vietnam. This is one of my longer private day tours, a full 10+ hours starting from your hotel at 7.30am and driving over the stunning 21km Hai Van mountain pass – made famous by the BBC’s ‘Top Gear’ programme who described it as; ‘a deserted ribbon of perfection, one of the best coast roads in the world’. Driving to the top and weather permitting we see reminders of my country’s recent past, Red Beach 2 in the distance where in 1965 the US Marine Corps made its famous landing and at the summit a bullet scarred French Fort. We make frequent comfort stops to freshen-up. He told us with a lot of details the history of the region : Hai Van Pass, Khai Dinh Tomb, Ancient city of Hue and Heavenly Lady Pagoda, everything was understandable and expressed with a lot of passion! – Client TripAdvisor Review After taking in the beauty of Lang Co Bay we arriving in Hue, commencing our private city tour at the immense 19th century Citadel which surrounds the original Imperial City, the purple forbidden city, palaces and shrines. This really is the ‘must see’ location in Hue. More recently, in 1968 during the Tet Offensive, the ‘Siege of Hue’ resulted in enormous damage to both the city and Citadel – you will see rebuilding works to this day. With difficulty we must leave the Citadel and its intriguing history to our next visit, the very special Thien Mu (Fairy Lady) pagoda which overlooks the Perfume River on its northern bank – original construction of the pagoda started in 1601. Its Từ Nhân tower, constructed in 1844, is seven stories high (21m) and is the tallest religious building in Vietnam. Thien Mu is still a ‘working’ pagoda where Buddhist monks live, work & pray – yet many clients find the displayed Austin Westminster car, in which the idolised monk Thích Quảng Đức was driven on his final journey to Saigon in 1963, to be a most poignant reminder of a difficult period in Vietnam’s recent history. There are seven Imperial tombs to the Nguyen kings along the Perfumed River and surrounding countryside. In Vietnam’s last dynasty our kings ruled for 143 years until 1945. So we continue on our intriguing journey to visit the beautiful tomb of Emperor Tu Duc or the most majestic tomb of Khai Dinh. I feel these best reflect the dynasty’s difference in mindset, lifestyle & art. Returning to Hue city we visit Dong Ba market, an amazing place where you can observe the daily life of local people. And a perfect choice to see and try local foods! Finally, we must say goodbye to Hue, this most famous of historic S.E. Asian cities and return via the ‘quick’ route through the Hai Van tunnel, opened in 2005. On a good day this can save up to an hour on our outward journey over the pass! During your private Hue tour you will be offered a choice of beautiful Vietnamese food and drink at excellent local restaurants if required, and at the end of your memorable day you will be returned safely to your hotel What’s included: What’s excluded:
Da Nang Private Sightseeing Tour
Da Nang is my home town and I really love sharing it with my overseas friends. This tour is designed to immerse you in my country’s culture, history and beliefs, smell and taste of Central Vietnamese food – unique culinary traditions that stimulate all five senses at everyday prices for local people, and prepared with pride at market food stalls. A suggested itinerary begins with traditional drip coffee before driving beside My Khe beach, voted as one of the ‘top-10’ world beaches by Forbes magazine. We had a really good time on this tour with Duy! He was so considerate and really good with our young kids (a 5yr & a 16 month old) They miss him already. – Client TripAdvisor Review One of our most sacred places of worship is the 18th-century pagoda of Ling Ung on Son Tra peninsular where you will enjoy breathtaking views of Da Nang and its beaches. Along with visitors from many countries, you will certainly meet groups of rural Vietnamese visiting the pagoda and can marvel with them at the gigantic 67m tall ‘Lady Buddha’ statute as she gazes out over the East Sea and Cham Islands in the distance. Next, we drive on to ‘Marble Mountains’, a stunning cluster of 5 limestone and marble hills which is a well-known pilgrimage site with peaks, caves, tunnels and temples. 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 Corps landed at ‘Red Beach 2’ just north of Da Nang, and our International Airport was once the giant Da Nang US airbase, My Khe Beach was an area for R&R. Marble Mountains was not immune to the war’s effects, so remember to ask me about its use during the conflict. You have the opportunity to enjoy delicious central Vietnamese food at one of Da Nang’s many local eateries. Then, we visit Con Market – the largest wholesale and retail venue in central Vietnam. This place offers great insight into the daily life of ordinary Vietnamese. Feel free to shop here, I will be next to you if you need help – and at least try some more local specialities such as coconut candy or lotus and dried watermelon seeds. At some time during our day’s tour, we cross the 3 bridges of Da Nang: Han River Bridge, Tran Thi Ly Bridge and the famous Dragon Bridge which on weekend evenings provides an incredible performance of breathing fire & water on a Saturday or Sunday. And at the end of your memorable day, you will be returned safely to your hotel. What’s included: a full 8 hour private guided tour in English all entry fees & all food taken cold, bottled mineral water moist towelettes traditional drip coffee use of a modern air-conditioned vehicle & my professional driver What’s excluded: alcoholic drinks if taken
Private Hoi An Tours from Da Nang or Hoi An
Hoi An can absorb your day with ease, so my Private Hoi An tours are a full 10 hours long with two morning-options. With a 10.30 am ‘meet & greet’ at your Hoi An or Da Nang hotel and we make frequent comfort breaks to freshen-up. Our guide Lam was extremely knowledgeable, courteous and one of the best tour guides, I and Liz have encountered in our many travels. It was a private tour and we saw and did everything on our itinerary – Client TripAdvisor Review for Hoi An Tours 遊覽峴港及周邊時一定要來這家旅行社 在峴港發現這家小旅行社真是令人興奮！這家旅行社提供峴港、會安、順化及其他景點的旅行，確保您的旅程中有能力強、知識豐富、細心的導遊以及安全的司機相伴，同時還有空調狀況良好的車輛。我和丈夫花了一周的時間周遊各地，接觸了許多不同的地方文化和美食，給我們的越南之旅留下了許多回憶。軒圖旅行社的團隊成員都很年輕、充滿活力，他們和旅行社的目標都是為了給你提供難忘的假日回憶。強烈推薦這家旅行社，你不會失望的 – Client Trip Advisor Review for Hoi An Tours + Morning Option One crosses the Thu Bon River to Cam Kim island where you will experience the AUTHENTIC Viet Nam: visiting Kim Bong Carpentry Village, wooden boat builders, and local homes where families still make rice paper, noodles and woven mats by traditional methods – you WILL be invited to try your hand! In this part of our tour, you will be welcomed as friends by locals who speak no English or little and lead a lifestyle little changed over the years. + Morning Option Two we make the short journey to Cam Thanh Eco-Village where you experience a journey on the famous round-basket boats of Vietnam along the waterways of Coconut village (we provide safety vests for adults and children). We enjoy an incredible basket boat handling performance by the boatsmen, see and understand how the Vietnamese fisherman doing fishing. Saying goodbye to the ECO Village we make the short drive to our unique Tra Que Organic Herb & Vegetable village. In this village, farmers use neither manure nor chemical fertilizers but a kind of algae found only in a lagoon, therefore, the vegetables look green and beautiful nature in their fields as well as possess outstanding flavours and tastes. After that, we visit local farmers working on their smallholdings with a great photo opportunity of the ‘BMW of Vietnam‘ – our farmer’s water buffalo! We take lunch from a great value set menu at the vegetable village restaurant or in Hoi An on our return – your choice* Both tour options now return to Hoi An for our afternoon walking tour. We visit much of the Old Town, including Quan Cong & Phuc Kien temples, the house of Tan Ky where seven generations of the same family have lived, Duc An old house and not forgetting our famous Japanese Bridge built 1719 and a pretty Vietnamese tea room run by Mute and Deaf poeple. Hoi An is a shopping paradise including the town’s great tailor and shoe stores, we always help you negotiate the best deal! We end Hoi An tour with an evening stroll around the lantern area and night market – Hoi An’s lantern area is not to be missed. You enjoy evening dinner under the lanterns and kaleidoscope of lights before we return you safely to your hotel for 20.00, we give great restaurant recommendations! *There is a lovely Vietnamese baguette shop in Hoi An made famous by chef “Anthony Bourdain”. We recommend you check-out this place and try Vietnam’s favourite “Banh My”. What’s included a full 10 hour private guided tour in English a modern air-conditioned vehicle with driver all entry fees cold & sealed bottled water & moist towelettes in vehicle boat/ferry fares & bicycle hire donations to rural families visited What’s excluded meals & drinks etc taken during the tour (bottled water is free of charge)
50/50 Hoi An & Da Nang Private Tour
This is our very popular 50/50 2-centre private tour, encompassing the historic Old Town of Hoi An with the vibrant modern city of Da Nang. Hoi An and Da Nang can absorb your day with ease so my private tour is a full 10 hours long and includes the beauty of night time Hoi An. We start our tour by meeting at your hotel and a traditional Vietnamese coffee at our favourite coffee shop. Frequent comfort stops are made during the day to freshen-up if required. 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 Dai Viet times, and Tourane during French colonial rule. The tour gave us great insight on the local culture and didn’t feel like your typical tour at all. It was hilarious, informative, and so much fun – Client TripAdvisor Review We visit 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. There are 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. We shall see the ever growing number of beachside hotels and My Khe Beach, voted as one of the ‘top-10’ world beaches by Forbes Magazine. One of our most sacred places of worship is the 18th century pagoda of Ling Ung on Son Tra peninsular, Here you will enjoy breath taking views of Da Nang and its beaches, and along with visitors from many countries you will certainly meet groups of rural Vietnamese visiting the pagoda, and can marvel with them at the gigantic 67m tall ‘Lady Buddha’ statute as she gazes out over the East Sea and Cham Islands in the distance. Making our way to Hoi An we stop for lunch at our local Herb & Vegetable Village where you select local Hoianian delicacies from an excellent set menu. Hoi An is an expanding country town surrounded by paddy fields farmed mainly by women in ‘conical’ 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 right back in the 1st century. The Old Town is recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site and offers our visitors outstanding sightseeing opportunities. On arrival 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 tailors 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. A final ‘must see’ is Hoi An at night with its display of beautiful lights and lanterns, and we can finish our evening with a delicious and inexpensive sea food meal underneath the lanterns or an 8-course set menu on An-Bang beach overlooking the East sea – all for around $10 per person. And cocktails are plentiful and inexpensive in Hoi An too!! Of course we ensure a safe return to your hotel at day’s end, or will happily give great recommendations for the rest of your evening in town What’s included: a full 10 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 What’s excluded: any meals & drinks taken during the tour (bottled water is free of charge).