8:00am, pick up at your hotel to travel 50 km northwest of Hanoi to visit Duong Lam Ancient Village, one of the oldest villages in Vietnam, in Son Tay District. The area is actually a collection of hamlets on the Northern Red River Delta where moss-covered homes from the 17^th and 18^th centuries are made of traditional local materials such as beehive stone, bamboo, clay, and straw. Duong Lam consists of communal halls and pagodas, original fishbone brick roads, centuries-old banyan trees, and ponds. Take a stroll around this living village, including a stop at two ancient houses, 200 and 400 years old, respectively. Duong Lam was given a UNESCO merit award in 2014 for its conservation of five of its homes.

Enjoy a unique experience as you meander among tiny ancient alleys, village gates, and high walls where families have lived for generations. Visit Mong Phu Temple in the hamlet of the same name – the only hamlet whose original village entrance gate remains intact, dedicated to national heroes. Chat with the locals in their ancient houses and have lunch in one of them. After lunch, we continue to explore Mia Pagoda, built in the 15th century during the Tran Dynasty, and admire 287 statues of all sizes, including famous sculptures such as a statue of Buddha in the Himalayas, as well as the Eight Vajra Deities. Then see Phung Hung (761-802) Temple and Ngo Quyen (896-944) Temple, dedicated to two national heroes who repelled invaders in the 8^th and 10^th centuries.

Later, return to Hanoi with a stop at Van Phuc Silk Village, situated on the bank of Nhue River. Van Phuc Silk Village is renowned for its traditional weaving and premium quality silk products. At over 1,200 years old, Van Phuc is proud to be Vietnam’s most ancient silk village, providing the best silk in the country. Visitors to Van Phuc Village will be impressed by the typical manner of this charming village with its ancient banyan trees, well, communal house, and the sound of power-looms everywhere. Walking on the main road in Van Phuc, visitors are amazed at the world of various silk products, such as shirts, dresses, ties, and crafts made of silk available in the village. Then continue back to Hanoi and arrive around 17:00 – 17:30.