Hanoi: Day trip to Nam Dinh, Xuan Thuy National Park
After breakfast, we’ll drive 3 hours to Xuan Thuy National Park in Nam Dinh Province, 150 km south-west of Hanoi in the coastal zone of the Red River Delta. On the way, stop to visit the Ancient Co Le Pagoda dating back to the 10th century. This is one of the biggest and nicest pagodas in North Vietnam. Besides its special architecture, Co Le pagoda has the largest bell in Vietnam.
Continue on to Xuan Thuy National Park, formally known as a Nature Reserve of the area and later became Vietnam’s first Ramsar site, for the conservation of wetlands. Xuan Thuy National Park is located in the Giao Thuy district forming part of the UNESCO Red River Biosphere Reserve. It is a rich, bio-diverse, coastal wetland that houses about 220 species of birds, 110 aquatic plants and 500 other aquatic organisms. Many highly valuable types of seafood such as shellfish, shrimps, fish, crabs, and oysters are also found in this area. It is also a critically important staging area for migratory birds visiting and passing through Vietnam from northeast Asia and Siberia to Australia.
Around mid-day, you will arrive at the Xuan Giao Commune near the National Park. Here you will embark on a boat trip to discover the wetland. After a one-hour boat trip through the National Park, we’ll arrive at a Clam Hut where we will be served a delicious seafood lunch. Rest and relax in the Hut for a while before transferring back to the mainland.
After a short rest, you will commence a leisure sightseeing tour around the Giao Xuan Commune and through the villages.
Walk along country lanes at a peaceful pace viewing local life and pause to see farmers toiling in their rice fields using centuries of farming practices. Stop at the local fish sauce and rice wine workshops. Your guide will tell you about the traditional methods of making this delicious sauce and rice wine. You will also visit the ancient houses, Catholic churches, and the Agriculture Museum. If time permits you will visit the salt fields to watch the locals making salt, here you can try to become a salt-farmer!
Finish the tour and wind your way for three hours back to Hanoi.
