October 12, 2015

Urban Adventures: Village Discovery by Bike

Written By Admin

Highlights:

• Feel the Red River breeze on an 100-year old bridge
• Drop in to a local artist estate to admire some Vietnamese fine arts
• Explore the densely cultivated land of an islet with banana, bean, and corn farms
• Visit a pottery making village and see how ceramics are made
• Take in a magnificent sunset at West Lake.

Full itinerary:

Leave the busy streets of Hanoi via a scenic road winding through the city’s Old Quarter, through the urban outskirts, and into the countryside. We’ll pass Hanoi’s oldest bridge – The Long Bien  – which was built by the famous Eiffel Construction company in 1902.

Experience the beauty of Vietnam’s countryside as you cycle through back roads and along the banks of the Red River on our Hanoi village tour.  See local villagers at work as your guide points out traditional rural activities and sights.  We’ll  stop by a famous local artist’s house to study some popular trends of Vietnamese contemporary fine arts, including installation, body, and performance art. You will have chance to view them all here at his 2000 square meter estate.

We’ll continue our bike tour by cycling through the tranquil banana and vegetable farming area of Red River Island. There will be lots of opportunities to stop and take photos of the beautiful surroundings and the locals working on their farms.

We then head off to the pottery village of Quang Ba where ceramics are stacked waiting to be taken into Hanoi by bicycle.  This route takes us past the Red River’s floating houses and fields of colorful flowers.  Depending on the season, you may get to see locals picking the flowers to be taken to market.

We continue cycling along the river to the famous West Lake for a cupof coffee or green tea while enjoying the magnificent sunset. Back on our bikes, we’ll return to the meeting point in Hanoi where your guide will be able to assist you in getting a taxi to your hotel.

Schedule details:

• Duration: 3.5 – 4 hours
• Pickup location: 23 Nguyen Khac Nhu, Ba Dinh Dist, Hanoi
• Pickup Time: 2.00 PM