Conky Tonkin' with The Pfeifers: We Visit the Tu Duc Tomb, Travel to Da Nang and "China Beach," and See Historic Hoi An

2/26-2/27/2024

Da Nang Jane!

We were able to sleep in a little later this morning, an all-too-rare event on a Tauck tour! After breakfast with David and Linda, we were driven to the tomb and grounds of former Emperor Tu Duc Nguyen, the fourth king of Vietnam. Ruling from 1848–1883, Tu Duc enjoyed the longest reign of any monarch of the Nguyen dynasty.

Entrance to Tu Duc tomb complex

A busy fella, Tu Duc had 104 wives and concubines but was unable to father a son (he possibly became sterile after contracting smallpox). Without an heir, it was Tu Duc’s responsibility to build his final resting place. Constructed with the labor of 50,000 soldiers over a six-year period, this huge, sprawling, architecturally unique complex includes nearly 50 large and small buildings scattered in clusters on the land. We walked the grounds and viewed the splendor of the many shrines, palaces, and pavilions.

Tu Duc's throne

When we finally arrived at Tu Duc’s tomb, our guide told us that despite the grandness of the site and the amount of time Tu Duc spent here, the emperor was actually buried in a secret location somewhere in Hue.

Tu Duc's supposed tomb

To keep the secret safe, the 200 laborers who buried the king were all beheaded after they returned, and the real tomb of Tu Duc remains hidden.

We left the tomb complex and departed Hue, enjoying the Vietnamese countryside as we rode along the Rang Cua Range and the East Sea Coastline. We traveled through beautiful scenery along the 13-mile-long Hai Van Pass (“winds and clouds”), the country’s highest mountain pass.

Hai Van Pass

At the pass’s summit, we stopped at the “Coffee Shop in the Clouds” for a short break. Descending the summit, we rode along the East Sea Coastline on our way to Da Nang. We were delighted to find that our hotel, Furama Resort Da Nang, resided on the famous “China Beach.” Dinner with David and Linda brought an end to another busy day.

Furama Resort lounge

After breakfast with David and Linda, we start our day with a bus ride to the village of Phong Nam, where we will get a glimpse of the traditional, everyday Vietnamese lifestyle. Throughout its history, Vietnam’s economy has been based largely on agriculture, primarily rice cultivation. As we stand in a recently planted rice field, our local guide tells us that 63% of the population are farmers. Vietnam is the world’s second-largest rice exporter and is a major producer of cashew nuts, black pepper, and coffee.

Phong Nam rice field

The country has also seen strong growth in fishery production from its aquaculture sector. Phong Nam is a rice farming village where the average farmer can produce around 1.5 tons per acre. At around $600/ton and with three plantings per year, the average farmer makes around $3000-$3500 a year. Our guide noted that many farmers supplement this income with livestock production.

Got meat?

As we walked through the village, we saw several shops displaying their merchandise for sale. At the private home of a local resident, we were given a house tour and provided with information about daily village life. While the house would not be considered sumptuous by most standards, it did have most of the modern amenities that make living easier.

Our guide showing us the kitchen

We suspected that this home had more amenities than most, since its owner was a village official and a former Vietcong Army soldier.

We left Phong Nam and headed for a kindergarten in the city of Hoi An. Tauck tour directors always like to spread a little goodwill in the communities they tour, and this kindergarten is currently the pet project when visiting Hoi An.

Jane and her Vietcong buddy!

Tod had treats for the children, and our group had decided that we would engage the young ones by singing the children’s ditty “Head, Shoulders, Knees, and Toes” in English.

Hoi An kindergarten children

As we approached the school, the children were brought out, and it was obvious that they were really energized. We performed our song, and the children enthusiastically responded by mimicking our actions. They were given their treats as they mingled among us, constantly touching and groping us in their excitement.

Linda and a rambunctious one!

We left the school and rode to Old Town Hoi An, the city’s historic district. With a population of approximately 120,000, Hoi An is a longtime trading port, and its Old Town is recognized as a well-preserved example of a Southeast Asian trading port dating from the 15^th to the 19^th centuries.

Hoi An restaurant

It is registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Leaving our bus, we were met by another fleet of cyclos for a cyclo ride through the Old Town. After our ride, we had a short walking tour to view some sites along the waterfront and then were free to do lunch. Along with David and Linda, we chose a restaurant named Cargo, which advertised more western fare, and the pizza was pretty good.

We were bussed back to our hotel to experience another rarity—most of an afternoon with no planned activities. Jane, Linda, and David took a walk on “China Beach” while Capt. Larry took a nap.