Port
Halong Bay, Vietnam
Activity Level
Moderate Activity
Excursion Type
All
Wheelchair Accessible
No
Starting At (prices in USD)
$100
Minimum Age
Information Not Currently Available
Duration
Approximately 5 hours
Meals Included
Meals included
Board a motorcoach for an approximately 1½-hour drive to the Giac Tam Buddhist Zen Monastery.
Along the way, enjoy the views of the scenic countryside of Ha Long, passing villages surrounded by bamboo fences and limestone walls. Learn of the history of Vietnamese’s Buddhist Zen, set up by the Tran Kings who destroy the Kublaikhan troop in the 13th century. The monastery was the first Buddhist Zen Monastery in the north. It is situated on the site of the Cai Bau Pagoda, on the banks of Bai Tu Long Bay. Visit the monastery and listen to the Zen lesson given by one of the monks as he demonstrates the proper techniques for Zen meditation.
Leaving the monastery, walk into the village made up of small roads, houses and temples. At a local home, chat with the resident farmer, interact with the children and learn of their lives and ways of worship, while you sip a cup of tea. Visit the farmers’ gardens, full of fruit trees from the north of Vietnam. Then, re-board the coach for the hour-long return to the pier.
Please note: Depending on the season, the trees will or will not have fruits or flowers. In the event that monks are not available to give the Zen lesson, the guide will step in.