Journey to Tranquility in Ha Nam

This two-day retreat offers a peaceful escape from Hanoi to a countryside Buddhist monastery. Activities include meditation, Dharma lectures, vegetarian meals, monastery service, and traditional tea-making. Guided by monks, participants gain spiritual insight, inner calm, and a deeper understanding of Buddhist philosophy before returning to the city.

Itinerary

Day 1 | Hanoi – Buddhist Retreat (L, D)

Swap the frenetic activity of the Vietnamese capital for the serenity of a countryside Buddhist retreat. We depart Hanoi in the morning and are welcomed at the monastery by the head monk. After tea, we gain an overview of the spiritual journey ahead. After settling into our gender-specific rooms and changing into pagoda attire, we participate in an incense offering ceremony in the main hall. Lunch is a healthy serving of vegetarian food, followed by a Dharma lecture, covering Lord Buddha’s teachings, cosmic law and the path to enlightenment. The afternoon involves giving back to the monastery by assisting the monks in gardening and cleaning duties, ahead of a serving of tea at sunset. The day concludes with dinner and an enlightening conversation with the head monk.

Day 2 | Buddhist Retreat – Hanoi (B, L)

Embrace the stillness of the early morning with a sunrise meditation, followed by a meditative walk along mountain paths to a sacred site. A nourishing breakfast prepares us for another Dharma lecture, deepening our understanding of Lord Buddha’s teachings. The late morning offers an engaging lesson in the art of traditional tea making, where we learn the philosophy behind this venerable practice. After a nutritious and healthy vegetarian lunch, we undergo another session of deep relaxation meditation. This enables us to absorb the tranquillity of the setting and achieve a sense of inner peace. After bidding farewell to the monks, we embark on the journey back to Hanoi in the afternoon, with a renewed feeling of peace and calm.

Good to know

This is a mindfulness-focused experience with a simple, peaceful setting; there is no air-conditioning or entertainment at the monastery;
Gender-separated shared sleeping quarters with basic amenities; bedding provided;
Guests are asked to dress modestly and respectfully; pagoda robes will be provided during the stay;
Please speak softly and refrain from using mobile phones during activities unless permitted;
This experience is best suited for adults seeking spiritual reflection and calm (not recommended for children);
Activities are conducted in Vietnamese with English interpretation provided during key sessions;
Participation in monastery routines is voluntary but encouraged to fully embrace the retreat spirit;
Please inform us of any dietary restrictions in advance (meals are strictly vegetarian);
The schedule may be adjusted slightly depending on the monastery’s daily rhythm or special religious events.

What's included

Round-trip transfer by private car from central Hanoi;
One-night stay in monastery accommodation (gender-separated, basic shared rooms);
Pagoda attire for retreat activities;
All vegetarian meals and tea sessions at the monastery (Day 1: lunch, dinner; Day 2: breakfast, lunch);
All scheduled meditation sessions, Dharma lectures, and mindfulness activities;
English-speaking guide or interpreter (where necessary during key sessions);
Participation in monastery activities (gardening, cleaning, tea-making).

What's not included

Personal expenses;
Travel insurance;
Tips for driver and guide.

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INCLUSIONS

A full day tour with a professional English-speaking guide. Other languages are on request and may be subject to supplementary charges
Transportation by car / mini-van with professional driver.
All entrance and donation fees for visits as mentioned in the description.
All applicable taxes and service charges
Lunch at a local restaurant is included (food only)

EXCLUSIONS

Tours, inclusions of any kind and other services that are not outlined in the tour description
Personal expenses such as meals, drinks, tips and gratuities, shopping, portage fees and optional tours, unless otherwise stated
Hotel accommodation in the destination of commencement.
Compulsory Christmas, country-specific festival and/or New Year dinner at included hotels
Single supplement charges for single travelers, where applicable
Any airline tickets, visa fees, additional transportation cost from and to the general meeting point
Supplements for transfers for customers arriving or departing from any airport or resorts located outside the general pick-up and drop-off locations
Hotel expenses of a personal nature, should an overnight be included: this includes mini-bar consumption, laundry, room service, any telephone or other communication cost not mentioned in the program
Travel insurance coverage for customers (highly recommendable)

GOOD TO KNOW

This tour is operated on full private basis with English-speaking guide. Other languages are on request / subject to availability and supplementary charges may apply.
Transfers are only operated within the downtown Chiang Mai areas and restricted to main hotels only.
Regions outside the central business district such as Mae Rim, Hang Dong, Doi Saket, Mae Taeng and Chiang Mai International Airport are excluded and supplementary charges apply.
We regret that are unable to provide pick-up and drop-off transfer services from and to apartment complexes, local guest houses or private apartments. We advise you kindly to head on your own arrangement to the nearest hotel inside the downtown Chiang Mai area.
We will do all possible to comply with any dietary requirements during this excursion; it may not always be possible to confirm your wishes in advance based on the choice of local restaurant.
Due to the nature of this tour, we regret to inform you that this excursion is not suitable for wheelchair users.
Guests are advised that some walking is required during this excursion; we always ensure that we take the most comfortable ways from the entrance of the sight to the sight itself.
The road up and down Doi Angkhang is not suitable for large coaches; for group travel, note that the group needs to be split up into mini-vans. We always will make efforts to confirm the exact pick-up time upon reservation.
For any operational issues in which are not able to confirm the exact pick-up time in advance, we reserve the right to inform you the day before the departure of the tour.
Due to the absence of ATM machines and credit cards payment portals, we highly recommend to bring sufficient cash with you. Please ensure that you bring sunglasses, a hat /cap and sunblock with a high SPF factor when traveling with us on this tour – even when it is cloudy, the sunrays still have an immense power.
We reserve the right to make necessary changes to the excursion in case of unfavourable weather conditions or situations where we are forced to make alterations to guarantee the safety of our guests.
It is recommendable to bring a jacket / sweater with you as temperatures on Doi Angkhang are often much cooler than around Chiang Mai.
It is the responsibility of the customer to provide us with the correct hotel information, should pick-up and drop-off services be included in the package.
Any changes in accommodation outside 48 hours will be handled accordingly: changes within 48 hours may be on request.