At the center of Southeast Asia’s greatest concentration of UNESCO World Heritage sites, La Residence Hotel & Spa is rolling out a package that provides access to five sites and experiences over the course of a five-night stay.
The Wonders of Vietnam package shepherds travelers into stupendous grottos of the world’s largest cave system, into the pavilions and palaces of East Asia’s most charming imperial city, among ancient temples of the vanished Cham Kingdom, up and down the streets of an ossified 16th-century seaport and into the theater for a performance of Vietnamese culture’s most exquisite music.
“It’s the most intensive experience of Vietnam that any traveler could have inside a single week,” said Phan Trong Minh, general manager of La Residence. “Hanoi and Saigon are fine destinations, but these sites are the Vietnam that every traveler dreams of.”
Valid for bookings through December 20, 2015, the neatly priced $2,500 experience includes five night’s accommodation, a 90-minute spa treatment at the hotel’s award-winning spa, an imperial dinner, and the tours. The UNESCO sites and experiences include:
*A day long journey to and into Phong Nha-Ke Bang National Park. In 2009, explorers discovered Son Doong Cave, the largest cave inside the national park. The Wonders visit takes in Phong Nha Cave, which was the largest cave in Vietnam until the discovery of Son Doong.
*A half-day tour of two temple complexes at the heart of the Hue Monuments. The extensive 19th-century funereal cities of Emperors Minh Mang and Tu Duc merge landscape and architecture in a setting reminiscent of an East Asian ink painting.
*A half-day visit to Hoi An Ancient Town, a remarkably well-preserved 16th Century seaport. As evocative as a ghost town, and as addictive as a humming night market, Hoi An is the most compelling pedestrian experience in Vietnam.
*A half-day visit to Vietnam’s answer to Angkor, My Son Sanctuary. A cluster of ancient temples built between the 4th and 13th centuries, these temples have come down into the modern age in various states of ruin and repair. The valley setting is one of Vietnam’s most picturesque.
*A performance of Court Music at the Royal Theater inside Hue’s Imperial City.
The Wonders of Vietnam package also includes a visit to the city’s famed Dong Ba marketplace and a boat ride on the Perfume River. Earlier this year, the hotel blazed a food trail through Hue and introduced a Hue Food Trail package.
La Residence Hotel & Spa , resa@la-residence-hue.com; www.la-residence-hue.com