Vietnam 2011

enning Vietnam 2011

Vietnam 2012

Henning has planned and the tour guides to Vietnam, 3 september - 27 september 2012 and uses contacts from previous visit to Vietnam. Participants are Knud Erik, Tommy, Ruth and Henning.

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VKTOUR in Vietnam with Nguyen Khoa

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Photo of ethnic minorities

Facts about 54 ethnic minorities

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Danish Vietnamese society

Vietnam Tour - 3 September - 27 September - 2012
3 / 9: Departure - We travel with Thai Airways from Copenhagen at. 14:35 to Ho Chi Minh City "Saigon" via Bangkok. Arrival at Bangkok. about. 06:00 the next morning. Forward from Bangkok pm. about. 08:30 and arriving in Saigon around. at. 11:00.
4 / 9: Saigon - Airport pickup and accommodation at our hotel Tan Son Nhat. We make an excursion to the Old Presidential Palace (now the Independence Museum). In the park outside the museum, we see the truck that drove through the gate of the 30 quarters in 1975 and meant the end of the "American War". There is a supermarket 200 meters. from the hotel if you want to buy something for the train tomorrow. But be careful when you cross the road - the best is to go a little towards the road and always check what you want. We go out to eat at. 19:30 at a local Vietnamese restaurant.
5 / 9: Saigon - Breakfast at. 06:00 and we drive from the hotel at. 06:45. Before departure, all the suitcases into the room Hennings, who used to shower before we drive from the hotel at. 22:00 to reach the train to Da Nang pm. 23:00. But before then we have a long day ahead of us - first stop Cu Chi tunnels (about 250 km long tunnel). Were built these tunnels beneath the French 100-year occupation, but they were vastly expanded during American War from 1955 to 1975. Kl. 10:15 we continue to Tay Ninh - here lies the main center of the religious movement Cao Dai, which is a religion composed of Budhism, Hinduism and Christianity. We must be there at last. 12:00 because at this point starts the big parade. We can take pictures from a balcony at first floor. We eat lunch in Tay Ninh and then back to Saigon. After returning home relaxing in the hotel and prepare for the train to Da Nang. We eat dinner at. 20:00 before we head towards the train. We are in Da Nang the next day between the hours. 13:00 and 14:00.
6 / 9: Hoi An - We picked the hotel Hai Yen in Hoi An. Phuch and Thuy is the station to pick us up (a car for us and one for luggage). We drive to the Marble Mountain, which we visit short. It becomes a little rough trip up the mountain. Pagodas on the mountain was built by Emperor Minh Mang. We look after his Mausoleum in Hue on 16 / 9 After the trip to the mountain we drive to our hotel in Hoi An.
7 / 9: Danang / Hoi An - After breakfast we drive from the hotel at. 08:15 and visit a disability school ("Village of Hope") in Da Nang. There are 4 Dane children at the school, ie. children sponsored by the Danes. The 2 deaf children Chau, aged 18 and Phuch, and two who are not deaf - Yhao of 9 years and Fu 9 years. Henning sponsors Chau and have done so for 10 years, therefore we Chausse mother to Da Nang. We start in the staff room where we are told about the school and answered questions. We visit the dormitories to see how the children live. Kl. 11:00 we are invited to eat with the children. We drive back to Hoi An at. 12:30 and visit a clothing store and a silver shop. A little trip to the beach can also be time for that. Dinner in town at. 20:00.
8 / 9: Hoi An - Biking. We start from the hotel at. 9.00 and bikes down to the harbor, rises with bikes on board one of the boats. A voyage of approx. 15 minutes up the river and we get off on the opposite side at a boatyard, sees a træskæreri. Next stop a brickyard, so a small restaurant where we can get something to drink. We cycle around the small islands. It can be difficult to navigate, so we must have a local guide. It's an exciting trip, here comes almost never tourists. We cycle for approx. 3 hours, after which we head back to Hoi An and are back around. at. 13:00. Now we have lunch. The afternoon is free. Dinner at the hotel at. 20:00.
9 / 9: Hoi An - This day we island tour to Champ Island, which lies 10 km offshore. We will be picked up at the hotel by car and sailing pm. 09.00. First stop is the port on Champ Island and we go a little tour of the city. There are almost no tourists. On board the boat again, we sail to a Robinson Krusoe beach with bananas and coconuts. There is a bathroom and a toilet. You can dress on to swimsuits on the beach. There is also an opportunity for snorkeling. We eat lunch on the beach, which is included in the ticket (20 USD). We sail from the island at. 15:00 and arrives back at. 16.00. Dinner in town.
10 / 9: Hoi An - A half-day bike ride around the area around Hoi An. Then lunch. Afternoon free to explore the city. There are opportunities to experience the historic city of Hoi An, which was a prosperous port town at 16-18. century. As a result of visits by a considerable number of foreign merchants, the city is characterized by a unique architectural style with both Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese influence. You can visit the Phuc Kien hall, the Japanese Covered Bridge, the old merchant's house, Tan Ky house and a shop for traditional crafts in the old town. Dinner in town.
11 / 9: Hoi An - This day is a day off. There are many shopping opportunities, for example. clothes and silver. Remember to pick up clothes and silver before we go on! Dinner in town.
12 / 9: Hue - We drive to Hue pm. 07:30 and arrive at. 11:00. We are staying at the hotel Hoa Hung. There has ordered bicycles. Kl. 12:30 we will ride away with the first stop at The Deaf Restaurant, recommended by Lonely Planet. Then we drive into the citadel, where the old royal palace lies. Here we go round and see what has been rebuilt. We cycle back to the hotel. Kl. 19:30 we're going to eat at an interesting restaurant.
13 / 9: Hue - We eat breakfast at. 06:00. There has ordered bicycles and boat. There is 1700 mtr. for moorings and we bike at. 07:00 to the boat. The bikes out on the boat. We also eat lunch on the boat (3 U.S. $). We cruise on the Perfume River and the first stop is Thien Mu Pagoda, which is a very exciting and very beautiful pagoda and a peaceful place. It was from a monk in his car in 1963, drove to Saigon, drove up in front of Presidential Palace, walked out into the square, poured gasoline over himself and lit fire to himself. The picture went around the world. This action turned the war for Americans, because they had public opinion against him both in the U.S. and Europe. At that time there were approx. 750,000 Allied soldiers in Vietnam. We sail on to Minh Mang Mausoleum - a very beautiful mausoleum in a nice park. Back to the boat and across the river to Kai Dinh Mausoleum. Now the bikes because there are approx. 3 km to the mausoleum. It's a completely different mausoleum - a large stone colossus and a lot of stairs, but very pretty at the top with large mosaics. There is a good view from the top. We cycle back to the boat. There are now 2 options: we can either ride home (approx. 10 km) or take the boat home. The flying home to have bikes on the boat (but comes around. 45 minutes later the home). We provide U.S. $ 3 for a nice lunch on the boat. On the boat can also buy silk - one of the good shopping places. Buy something to eat to train and remember plastic mug - we must namely to Hanoi by train at. 16:00. We have rented bicycle taxi the 1750 meters to the railway station.
14 / 9: Hanoi - Arrival in Hanoi early morning (between the hours. 05:00 and 06:00). We take a taxi to our hotel Camilia 4, 44 Hang Gaiy where we eat breakfast. It is not certain that we can get rooms so early. We make a small hike in the surroundings of the hotel, we walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, the most central point in Hanoi. On the way we order cycles, for at. about. at. 09:00, we test our skills on a bicycle in Hanoi. Watch out - and learn the Vietnamese bike style! It will be an exciting ride until we get accustomed to traffic and learned the technique. It will look bad, but it is important to understand the way the Vietnamese do it. Forget all Danish rules and use the Vietnamese! Rules: Once you pass other bikes or motorcycles, so show what you want, highlight what you are doing and not undo! Are you going to the left at an intersection, then drive on the wrong side, leaving as few passages as possible! After the ride we get nerves in place at Hoan Kiem Lake. And so were the rooms would be clear. We unpack and eat lunch at Little Hanoi. Rest of day free. Dinner at. 20:00 in the city.
15 / 9: Hanoi - This day we went to Sa Pa, but the train only at night, so we have a full day in Hanoi. We cycle from the hotel at. 07:30 and the first visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (remember long pants) and then his home. At the end of the park lies the One-legged Pagoda Chua Mot Cat, then a short visit to Ho Chi Minh Museum. We cycle as the old university also called Literature Museum. We eat lunch close. We cycle back to the hotel and will be out of the rooms before noon. 12:00. We pack a 4-day trip, for we are only back in Hanoi on Wednesday morning (22 / 9). Then the suitcases into the trunk compartment and luggage to Sa Pa packed in hand luggage. Now the afternoon free, we must water the theater. After dinner theater in Hanoi and taxi to the train station. The train runs at. 20:00.
16 / 9: Sa Pa - We are in Lao Cai at. about. 06:00 and the train does not run anymore. Taxi 38 km up the hill to the mountain town of Sa Pa in 1700 mtr.'s Height, so up here, the temperature may be different than in Hanoi. We are now on the border with China and will be accommodated at Hotel Lotus overlooking the valley. Sa Pa is an exciting city and we are here for 3 days (2 nights). After we eat breakfast accommodation. Kl. 09:00 we ride on motorcycles 14 km to a Red Dzau village. When we arrive, there are many familiar faces, and on our way around the village follows numerous red Dzauer with. Everyone wants to sell, but wait until we have completed our trip. When we reach the end of the village and have seen one of the homes we need across the rice fields. Here it is important to get a Red Dzau to keep you in his hand as we walk on the breakwaters, and it might be nice to have a supportive hand. Whoever helps you will not have money for it, but you can buy at the red Dzau. We take a drink and say goodbye to Darvin Village and a nice ethnic people living as they did 1000 years ago - just added mobile and TV. We drive back to Sa Pa and eat lunch with Luyen and her daughter-Dung Phung. They've made a nice lunch for us for U.S. $ 3 + drinks. Afternoon free to enjoy life in Sa Pa - a peaceful place. Dinner in town.
17 / 9: Sa Pa - Now wait a little harder trekking down the mountain. We start at. 09:00 and gets packed lunches from the hotel. It will be a fantastic journey through many villages. When we have walked 2 km, we come to a place where we can buy canes to support us by. Here you will also follow many local black Hmung with. At some point we come to a place where we can eat our sandwiches and buy drinks. We continue and sees many ethnic villages both Jaffa, Seiol and black Hmung, but they are similar. When we reach the last bridge, waiting for a motorcycle upon us, and we pay £ 30 for driving the 20 km back to Sa Pa. Dinner in town.
18 / 9: Sa Pa - In the evening train back to Hanoi, but first we visit black Hmung villages. The area is called Cat Cat. We walk through the market and continue on a poorly paved road. After 2 km, we left and takes a lot of stairs to visit a couple of black Hmung home. Black Hmung also live as 1000 years ago, except that many have TV. Since it is mountainous area, you can also cultivate only as 1000 years ago. When we come to a waterfall, we have reached the bottom of the mountain, then we continue on the right, go up some stairs and through the next bridge we take motorbikes (20 kr) back to the market. Then there is time to walk around a bit until we have late lunch / early dinner. Khao tell when we need a taxi to Lao Cai to catch a train back to Hanoi.
19 / 9: Hanoi - Breakfast at hotel in Hanoi and ride to a big market before we get rooms by noon. Then lunch and free afternoon. Dinner in town
20 / 9: Ban Lac - Breakfast early at the hotel in Hanoi, for we must ride from the hotel at. 7:00 and 145 km to Mai Chau, where we will visit a silk factory. We see the entire production from silk worm to the finished product. We can taste silkworms snaps, buying goods or silk by the meter. We now runs past the Hoa Binh, where we have Vietnam's largest power plant, which once supplied the whole of northern Vietnam with power. Now they build 2 new power plants that are even larger. But we will first pause here on the way back and running in place on the left to Son La and come to Mai Chau valley and the village of Ban Lac where we say hello to Hoa and Thu, who is white Thais. White Thai people immigrated 300 years ago to settle in this valley. Almost everyone can speak and write both Thai and Vietnamese, many also English. When we arrive we will be accommodated on first floor and eat lunch at Hoa and her husband, they make some of the best food in the village. So we go on a little bike ride - bikes we rent in the village. After dinner we can stroll through the village before we take a beer or coffee on the first floor terrace.
21 / 9: Ban Lac - We cycle from village pm. 08:00. We will visit a school that is located approx. 10 km from Ban Lac. It will be a tough ride with many elevations, where we must draw. It is so easy on the way home, we must remember to slow down, so the move does not become too violent. It is now more than 10 years ago, Henning visited the school the first time. Kl. 12:30 lunch in Ban Lac and pm. 15:00 we go on another bike ride - an incredibly beautiful ride, but perhaps a little difficult for some places, we must carry the bikes. We are back from the trip, so we can eat at. 19:30 and be ready to see the village dance old dances for us. We also get to try. It happens at Hoas sister Sun, she is a skilled weaver, as the Vietnamese government uses, when displaying ethnic art abroad. Coffee e.l. at first floor terrace.
22 / 9: Hanoi - We're back to Hanoi, says goodbye to Hoa and Thu and running at. 07:30. First stop on the trip home will be as mentioned power plant in Hoa Binh. Then it goes to Hanoi where we are promoting at lunchtime. The afternoon free. Dinner in town.
23 / 9: Hanoi - Take a ride to the Ethnic Museum, where we see an exhibition on the 54 ethnic groups living in Vietnam. It is an outdoor museum with a large indoor section. Lunch near our hotel. The afternoon free. Dinner in town.
24 / 9: Cat Ba - We leave the hotel at. 07:00 because we need to sail on Halong Bay. On our way we visit, however, only a center of many disabled people - especially hearing impaired, who suffer through their parents of the U.S. orange poison. It was here Oanh worked before Henning had sent her to school. She had until then never been taught because of her disability. We've probably already on the trip met this happy and positive girl. When we reach Ha Long, we change to a boat that sails us to Cat Ba. We eat lunch on board and visit a beautiful stalactite cave "Grotte". Khao tells of cave. In Cat Ba is accommodated and we have time for a rest. Cat Ba is located in the Tonkin Gulf, which is one of the most beautiful places in the world. Kl. 20:00 we sail out to a restaurant on the water where we get fish and shellfish.
25 / 9: Cat Ba - We make a trekking trip of approx. 3 hours. Kl. 08:00 we drive by car the first 20 km, so we come out into the mountains. We are not stronger, than that all is. Mid-term, we stop at a beekeeper, where we can buy beer and water. Kl. about. 12:00 we landed at a cove where a small boat sailing us out to a bigger boat. On the boat for lunch, which we have ordered in advance (3 U.S. $ + drinks). Then sail to a beach on an island, inhabited by monkeys - the only place in Ha Long Bay. When we do not want to swim more we sail back to Cat Ba. We eat in town.
26 / 9: Hanoi - We must get up early and back to Hanoi. We sail from Cat Ba pm. 07:30 to Halong Bay and run against the Sao Do, the way we visit a pottery factory, where you can buy cheap stuff in ceramics. In Sao Do we welcome Hang and Oanh families. Skip to Hanoi and Camilia fourth Here we pack for the return journey, there is a possibility of changing rooms and showers at the hotel. Kl. 17:00, depart from the hotel. Flight at. 20:30 with arrival at Bangkok. about. 22:30
27 / 9: Departure - After midnight (at approx. 01:00) we fly to Copenhagen with arrival at. about. 07:30