Day 1
Arrive Da Nang | Drive to Hue | Thien Mu Pagoda | Evening on the Perfume River
Arrive at Da Nang International Airport and drive two hours north to Hue, the former imperial capital of Vietnam. Afternoon at the Thien Mu Pagoda, a seven-storey tower on the banks of the Perfume River that is the symbol of the city and one of the most beautiful pagodas in Vietnam. Evening walk along the Perfume River embankment and dinner at a local restaurant serving bun bo Hue, the spicy beef noodle soup that originated in this city and is quite different from Hanoi pho. Overnight Hue.
💡 Tip: Bun bo Hue is the noodle dish that Hue is most proud of and it is excellent everywhere in the city. Order it for breakfast at a street-side pho stall for the most authentic experience.
Day 2
Hue Imperial Citadel | Royal Tombs | Tu Duc and Minh Mang | Royal Cuisine Dinner
Full day in Hue. Morning at the Imperial Citadel, the massive moated fortress complex modelled on the Forbidden City in Beijing, with the Ngo Mon Gate, the Thai Hoa Palace throne room, and the remains of the inner Forbidden Purple City. Afternoon at the royal tombs south of the city. Tu Duc's tomb is a peaceful garden complex of lakes and pavilions where the emperor wrote poetry. Minh Mang's tomb is a grand formal landscape of axes, gates, and ascending terraces. Evening at a restaurant serving Hue royal cuisine, the most refined and ceremonial cooking tradition in Vietnam. Overnight Hue.
💡 Tip: Hue royal cuisine was developed to serve the Nguyen emperors and features dishes presented in elaborate imperial arrangements. Try a royal banquet dinner at Y Thao Garden or Tinh Gia Vien for the full experience.
Day 3
Hai Van Pass Drive | Lang Co Beach | Marble Mountains | Da Nang
Scenic drive south over the Hai Van Pass, the Cloud Pass, at 500 metres where mountains meet the sea with extraordinary views on both sides on clear days. Stop at Lang Co, a beautiful crescent beach between a lagoon and the South China Sea, for a swim and fresh seafood lunch. Continue to Da Nang and the Marble Mountains, five limestone and marble hills with cave pagodas, ancient shrines, and summit viewpoints over Da Nang's long sandy coastline. Overnight Da Nang.
💡 Tip: The Hai Van Pass road is one of the most beautiful drives in Vietnam. The train route through the mountain tunnel misses this entirely. Hire a driver or rent a motorbike for the pass if conditions allow.
Day 4
Da Nang | Dragon Bridge | Son Tra Peninsula | Ferry to Hoi An
Morning walk across the Dragon Bridge, Da Nang's spectacular steel dragon structure that breathes fire on weekend evenings. Drive up to the Son Tra Peninsula, a forested headland behind Da Nang with a large population of red-shanked douc langurs, the most vividly coloured primates in Asia, at the summit pagoda. Afternoon drive or ferry south to Hoi An. Evening first walk through the Ancient Town and the famous Japanese Covered Bridge lit with silk lanterns. Overnight Hoi An.
💡 Tip: Son Tra Peninsula is one of the best accessible places in Vietnam to see wild douc langurs. Go early in the morning for the best light and when the monkeys are most active around the Linh Ung Pagoda.
Day 5
Hoi An Ancient Town | Chinese Assembly Halls | Tailors | Lantern Boat Evening
Full day in Hoi An. Morning walking tour of the Ancient Town with its 17th-century merchant houses, Chinese Assembly Halls, and the iconic Japanese Covered Bridge with its interior shrine. Visit Tan Ky Ancient House, inhabited by the same family for seven generations, with extraordinary carpentry and a flood mark wall recording the annual monsoon levels. Afternoon at a tailor for a fitting. Evening lantern boat ride on the Thu Bon River as the ancient town glows with hundreds of coloured silk lanterns reflected in the water. Overnight Hoi An.
💡 Tip: Hoi An tailors can make suits, dresses, and shoes in 24 to 48 hours. Bring clear photographs of what you want, ask to see fabric samples, and request a fitting before paying. Quality varies enormously between shops.
Day 6
Hoi An Cooking Class | Tra Que Herb Village | An Bang Beach
Morning cooking class starting with a bicycle ride to Tra Que Herb Village, an island of organic herb gardens in a river bend, where you harvest the ingredients for the class before learning to make white rose dumplings, cao lau noodles, and fresh spring rolls with local farmers and chefs. Afternoon at An Bang Beach, five kilometres north of Hoi An, a beautiful stretch of South China Sea shore with excellent seafood shacks and far fewer visitors than My Khe. Overnight Hoi An.
💡 Tip: Cao lau is the signature dish of Hoi An and cannot be authentically made anywhere else because it uses water from a specific ancient Cham well in the town. Eat it here while you can.
Day 7
My Son Cham Sanctuary | Jungle Temple Ruins | Da Nang Airport Departure
Early morning drive to My Son Sanctuary, a cluster of ancient Hindu Cham towers in a jungle valley that was the main religious centre of the Cham kingdom for ten centuries. A UNESCO World Heritage Site and Vietnam's answer to Angkor, the brick towers are most atmospheric at 7 AM in the morning mist before tour groups arrive. Drive back to Da Nang Airport for your departure. End of tour.
💡 Tip: My Son is most beautiful and peaceful in the very early morning. The 7 AM entry time gives you at least 90 minutes before the first coach tours arrive and the atmosphere changes completely.
