Thanh Da Island

Today’s tour will begin at 08:00. After breakfast, escape from the busy city centre by car to where the bikes are waiting. Reach charming Thanh Da Island and hop on the bikes on Binh Quoi Street, stopping in to visit a small Cao Dai temple. Learn about this unusual Vietnamese-based religion, hearing how it blends elements of major faiths from around the world into a unique set of beliefs.

Pedal on a countryside path, passing small neighborhoods of low-level houses and lush gardens Pass by communal house, the place to worship the tutelary and hold the village’s events. Get to show the respect of Vietnamese people to the national heroes, who protects the peace for the country. This belief becomes the faith, the hope for local people. Visit a local family to know their daily life and hear about this untouched island from old man who has been living here more than five generations. Continue along the labyrinths of laneways and arriving at a popular fishing spot, joining the locals to try and catch a fresh treat.

The morning continues with leisurely riding along quiet lanes. Stop often for photos with rural life backgrounds. Around midday stop at a riverside restaurant for swimming and lunch. Then leaving the tranquility of Thanh Da Island and returning to the bustling streets of Ho Chi Minh City. (L)