Ha Long Bay – Yen Tu: 1 Journey with 2 Heritages
Ha Long Bay, or Halong Bay, is a UNESCO World Heritage site and a popular travel destination in Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam. The name Ha Long means “descending dragon.” The bay is characterized by thousands of limestone karsts and islets of various shapes and sizes. Ha Long Bay is the center of a larger area that includes Bai Tu Long Bay to the northeast and Cat Ba Island to the southwest. These broader areas share similar geological, geographical, geomorphological, climatic, and cultural characteristics.
Mount Yen Tu is one of the highest peaks of the Dong Trieu Mountains in northeastern Vietnam, located in Uong Bi City, Quang Ninh Province. It is about 50 km from Ha Long City and 110 km from Hanoi.
Yen Tu Mountain is known as the seat of the Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen sect, associated with the prestige of King Tran Nhan Tong, the third king of the Tran dynasty. Becoming king of Dai Viet (the ancient name of Vietnam) at the age of 20, King Tran Nhan Tong led the army and people of Dai Viet to defeat the Mongol Yuan invaders twice, in 1285 and 1288. He played an important role in building the most glorious feudal dynasty of Vietnam. At the age of 35, King Tran Nhan Tong left the throne to Prince Tran Thuyen (King Tran Anh Tong) and lived his final years as a Buddhist monk. King Tran Nhan Tong became the first ancestor of Truc Lam Yen Tu Zen, the Zen sect that has had a great influence on the spiritual life of the Vietnamese for centuries. During his stay on Mount Yen Tu, he founded a vast system of temples and pagodas to lead a religious life.
Detailed Itinerary
Hanoi - Ha Long Bay - Yen Tu (-/L/-)
−Cruise
Guide
Overnight on board
Private car
07:00 – 10:00: Ha Noi – Ha Long
– The bus picks you up from hotels located in the Old Quarter, where the bus can reach. – Those staying in hotels that cannot be reached by the bus will be picked up at the Ha Noi Opera House, at 1 Trang Tien Street.
10:00 – 18:00: Arrival at Ha Long Bay – Day Cruise – La Casta Daily & Premier
– Upon arrival at Tuan Chau Port (Lot 17), you will check in and board the cruise to begin a journey to discover the World Heritage Site.
– Enjoy a welcome drink. The cruise departs from Tuan Chau Port for a joyful journey discovering the beauty of Ha Long Bay, a world heritage site. Along the way, you will have the chance to pass through the grandeur of the legendary bay with thousands of limestone islands such as: Dog Rock, Duck Rock and especially Thumb Rock, a beautiful limestone islet emerging from the sea water in the shape of a giant thumb. Mother Nature placed Thumb Rock here to send a message of goodness to all passengers sailing in the ancient bay.
– Buffet lunch with a wide variety of dishes, including seafood and traditional Vietnamese food.
– Stop at Bo Hon Island. Our tour guide will lead you to Sung Sot Cave, the largest and most beautiful in Halong Bay. After about 200 steps under the forest canopy, the entrance to the cave opens. A paradise opens before you. You can explore the cave in about 45 minutes before returning to the cruise (for other tourists who cannot walk much, it is possible to stay on the cruise, relaxing on the sundeck).
– Leaving Sung Sot Cave, the cruise heads towards Luon Cave. In this area, it is time to warm up with kayaking (about 30 minutes of kayaking).
– Stop at Titov Island. On this small island, you can climb halfway up the mountain to enjoy a panoramic view of Ha Long Bay. Looking from above gives a wonderful feeling and at the same time offers a spectacular view of every corner of the bay.
– After that, you will return to the cruise and be ready for our Sunset Party. Vietnamese tea, fresh fruit, and snacks will be served while you relax on the deck or in the whirlpool tub.
– On the way back, the cruise will pass by the Hoa Cuong area, one of the most beautiful places in the bay.
– Arrival at Tuan Chau Port at approximately 18:00.
Note: due to operational or sea weather conditions, itineraries and food may change without notice. Thank you for your kind understanding!
18:00 – 19:00: Tuan Chau Island – Mount Yen Tu Arrival – Legacy Yen Tu MGallery
– A private car picks you up from Tuan Chau Port (Lot 17) to Yen Tu Mountain, then check-in and dinner at the Tho Quang restaurant (at your own expense).
– On the misty ridges of Mount Yen Tu, a sacred site of Zen Buddhism, Legacy Yen Tu resembles an ancient palace, completed with stone corridors and handcrafted ceramic floors from northern villages. Upon entering, you will feel as though you have reached a new realm of calm.
– Each of the mountain-view rooms features local design elements that recall the Tran dynasty, including burnt orange jute and lotus flowers, which come to life in the form of copper knobs on every door, incense burners, stuffed rice sacks, and more. Guests will barely notice the absence of a television: a deliberate exemption to maintain a sense of tranquility while indulging in this mystical property.
– Whether you are here for trekking or seeking spiritual guidance, doing so in the midst of a natural forest and a serene landscape will surely lead you to inner peace.
20:00 – 21:00: Free traditional Vietnamese night mini-show in the Nuong Yen Tu Village Communal House
– Free buggy from Legacy Yen Tu MGallery to the Communal House in Nuong Yen Tu Village.
– Nuong Yen Tu Village is an element that carries many imprints of the Truc Lam Yen Tu Cultural Center. The village consists of 50 houses, a community center, a rural market of the Northern Delta, traditional handicraft shops… built with terracotta bricks, with yin and yang tile roofs and a system of ironwood doors… it looks like a very ancient tradition with the imprint of Vietnamese villages.
– The show offers guests various performances of the Dao ethnic minority culture (50%), Northern folklore (40%), and cultures of other peoples (10%).
Yen Tu - Hanoi (B/-/-)
−Bicycle
Guide
Private car
06:45 – 11:00: Morning Yoga – Free Time – Ha Noi City/Ha Noi Airport
– Enjoy morning yoga to recharge with pure energy in the green mountain of Yen Tu
– Have breakfast in the Tho Quang restaurant
– Go cycling to explore the complex
– Feed the fish in Ngoan Nguyet Lake
– Experience traditional Vietnamese herbal treatments at the Am Tue Tinh wellness center (at your own expense)
– Check-out and payment
– Departure for Ha Noi city or Ha Noi Airport/ Hai Phong Airport
*** END OF SERVICES ***
Price and Policy
SERVICES INCLUDED: Full-day cruise on La Casta Cruise:
- 7.5-hour trip with the La Casta daily cruise
- One-way bus from Ha Noi to Tuan Chau Island, Ha Long
- Private car for the journey from Tuan Chau Port, Ha Long to the Legacy Yen Tu MGallery, Yen Tu Mountain
- 01 Buffet lunch on board
- English/Italian-speaking tour guide
SERVICES EXCLUDED:
- Entry visa
- Other drinks, tobacco
- Tips and other expenses not mentioned in the inclusions
- All other services not mentioned in the program
Ha Long Bay – Yen Tu: 1 Journey with 2 Heritages
- 2 Days/ 1 night
- Hanoi -> Halong -> Yen Tu -> Hanoi/Haiphong Airport
- Hanoi
