Itinerary:

Departing Hanoi we have a two-hour drive through the picturesque countryside and back roads to the village of Duc. Stop en route for some refreshments before boarding our boats for a 1.5 hour ride along the scenic Yen River. After this we walk to the Thien Tru Pagoda (Heavens Kitchen) and the Perfume Cave and Pagoda – one hour walking in total. On our return, we visit Giai Oan and Tuyet Son Pagodas (optional). After lunch (optional) the boat will take us back to our car for the drive back to Hanoi. End trip.

                          

The Temple of Litterature

The Vietnamese nation was born among the lagoons and marshes of the Red River Delta around 4000 years ago and for most of its independent existence has been ruled from Hanoi, Vietnam’s small, elegant capital lying in the heart of the northern delta. Given the political and historical importance of Hanoi and its burgeoning population of three million, it’s still a surprisingly low-key city, with the character of a provincial town – though with a dramatic rise in motorbike ownership, increased traffic and Western-style retail outlets, it’s catching up fast with the brash, young Ho Chi Minh City.For the time being, however, it remains relatively laid-back. It still retains buildings from the eleventh-century court of its founding father King Ly Thai To, most notably the Temple of Literature, and some of the streets in the Old Quarter still trade in the same speciality goods they dealt in 500 years ago.