VIETNAM QUEER 2024

Welcome to Vietnam! Upon arrival, you will be met by your guide for the transfer to the hotel. The rest of the day is free. We will hold a small welcome meeting to get to know each other and discuss the adventure.

After breakfast, we will spend a day touring the capital. We will visit Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum and his personal residence, the one-pillar pagoda and Tran Quoc pagoda. We will end the morning with a visit to the Museum of Ethnology, a museum that will demonstrate the characteristics of 54 of the ethnological groups in Vietnam or Hoa Lo Hilton, also known as Hanoi Hilton, a name that refers to American prisoners of war, according to their personal preference. In the afternoon, we will visit the Temple of Literature, the first university for the children of mandarins. We will follow this with a walking tour of the old town. We will visit a local home and take our time to talk with the hosts and learn about the history and life of their family. Continue to Ngoc Son Temple, near Hoan Kiem Lake. We will enjoy a rickshaw ride through the city and its hidden alleys, followed by a water puppet show.

After breakfast, we will travel to Hoa Lu (2 hours by car), the former royal capital of Vietnam. On the way, we will visit the temples dedicated to the kings of the Dinh and Le dynasties. We will continue our journey to Tam Coc and take a bike ride along scenic roads amidst beautiful rice paddy fields. In the afternoon, we will embark on a small sampan for a spectacular 2-hour trip through caves, waterways and beautiful rural scenery composed of limestone cliffs and rice paddies. We will stay in Ninh Binh. Note: Visits or activities may vary depending on the itinerary of each junk. The tour guide will be replaced by a local guide on board during the cruise.

After breakfast, we will depart for the impressive Halong Bay, located in the Gulf of Tonkin. We will arrive in Halong and board the junk. Lunch will be served while the cruise to the bay begins. In the afternoon, we will enjoy some sightseeing and activities or just spend some time relaxing on board (we will have the possibility to swim in the bay if the weather permits). Dinner will be served on board. We will be staying in Halong Bay.

We will have breakfast on board and enjoy the cool morning in the bay. The cruise will end around 11:00. We will disembark and have lunch on the way back. r We will arrive at Noi Bai airport in the afternoon and depart by flight to Hue. We will be met upon arrival at Hue airport and transferred to our hotel. We will be staying in Hue.

After breakfast, we will take a boat trip on the Huong River. We will continue our visit to Thien Mu Pagoda, which is located on the river bank and is an iconic seven-story pagoda considered the unofficial symbol of our city. In the afternoon, we will explore the Imperial Citadel, a complex that covers an area of 520 hectares and is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Despite having suffered intense bombing during the Vietnam War, there are some incredibly well-preserved intact sections and others that are being carefully restored. We will continue our visit to the Mausoleum of Emperor Tu Duc, built according to the mystical laws of geomancy. We will be staying in Hue.

After breakfast, we will depart by car to Danang via the spectacular Hai Van Pass. We will visit the Cham Museum, which is probably the best museum in the world focused on the ancient Champa kingdom. Continue to the charming ancient city of Hoi An, an exceptionally well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian port trading town during the 15th to 19th centuries. Many of the city’s buildings reflect historic architectural styles, and the entire city is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In the afternoon, we will enjoy a walk in the old town. We will visit the Phuc Kien Pagoda and the Japanese wooden bridge. We will end the day with a visit to a lantern workshop to learn how to make lanterns. We will be staying in Hoi An.

Breakfast in the hotel. The rest of the day is free at our leisure. We will be staying in Hoi An.

After breakfast, transfer to Danang airport for flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon). Upon arrival, we will go to our hotel and check in. We will enjoy a full day exploring the city. We will visit the former Presidential Palace (outside), or as it is known today, the Reunification Palace. We will then head to the historic heart of the city and visit the Notre Dame Cathedral (exterior visit only due to its renovation). The red bricks of the cathedral walls come from Paris, France. From there, we will take a short walk to the old Central Post Office. Afterwards, we will visit the best preserved buildings of the colonial era, the Opera House and the Hotel de Ville, which now houses the municipal authorities of Saigon. Continue to the Catinat building. Built in 1927 in art deco style, it has once again become a hub for fashion-conscious Saigonese and is home to numerous designer boutiques, galleries, restaurants and cafes. In the afternoon, we will visit the War Remnants Museum and discover different perspectives of the war. We will end the day with a visit to China Town, with its bustling Binh Tay market. Afterwards, we will transfer back to the hotel. We will stay in Ho Chi Minh City.

After breakfast at our hotel, we will depart Ho Chi Minh City for Ben Tre City. Upon arrival, we will start our boat cruise on the Ham Luong River and pass by Long Thành Island, where we will visit the coconut shell charcoal workshop. Then, we will continue our cruise to Mỏ Cày. We will make a stop to explore the area and visit the coconut processing workshop. We will take xe Lam (motor cart) and stop at a local workshop (where they make brums). Afterwards, we will ride the sampan and sail along the canal to the house of Sr. Ba Vạn, where we will enjoy a fruit tasting and take a short walk through the village before heading to the local house to enjoy a delicious lunch with local specialties. After lunch, we will take our time to walk around and explore more of the local life. Then, we will drive back to Ho Chi Minh City. We will be staying in Ho Chi Minh City.

Breakfast in the hotel. Free day.

We will have breakfast at the hotel and then transfer to Ho Chi Minh International Airport to take our international flight out of Vietnam.

Arrival at final destination