- Home
- About
- Sydney visitors
- Art Tours
- A Weekend in Carcoar : Mar 2021
- Mudgee, Rylstone & Wollemi National Park : Apr 2021
- Kanazawa, Japan : TBA
- Tour Testimonials
- Past Tours
- Hill End Art Retreat : Nov 2020
- The Drawing Rooms of Berry : Oct 2020
- Arting About in Scotland : July 2019
- Norway – Majestic Art & Nature : July 2019
- Red Cow Farm, Southern Highlands : April 2019
- Sado Island Japan : September 2018
- Mudgee : April 2018
- A Weekend in Carcoar : March 2018
- Norfolk Island : January 2018
- The Mergui Archipelago Myanmar : January 2018
- A Walk through the Grampians : May 2017
- A Weekend in Carcoar : March 2017
- Norfolk Island : January 2017
- Kimberley & Purnululu July 2016
- Broken Hill & Beyond
- Flinders Ranges South Australia
- Corner Country NSW 2015
- Turkey & Greek Islands 2015
- The Magic of Turkey in June 2015
- France 2014
- North Vietnam & Laos 2014
- Broken Hill / Flinders Ranges / Mungo National Park
- Hobart 2013
- Andalucia, Spain 2013
- Morocco 2013
- Wanaka, New Zealand 2013
- Andalucia, Spain 2012
- Hill End Art Retreat , 2012
- Ross River, Australia 2012
- Courses
- Creative Wednesday Outdoors : 2021
- Creative Thursday Outdoors : 2021
- Pastel & Charcoal Workshop with Judy Drew : Feb 2021
- Portrait Masterclass with Noel Thurgate : March 2021
- Travel Diary Masterclass with Noel Thurgate March 2021
- Skies and Clouds Made Easy with Susie Murphie : March 2021
- Ephemeral Workshop with Shona Wilson : May 2021
- Paint White Things with Susie Murphie : May 2021
- Water, Rocks and Reflection with Susie Murphie : July 2021
- Life Drawing Workshop with Noel Thurgate : Sep 2021
- Drawing for a Painting with Susie Murphie : Sept 2021
- En Plein Air Masterclass with Noel Thurgate : Nov 2021
- Watercolour Bootcamp with Susie Murphie : Nov 2021
- WEA courses
- Past Courses
- Flowers and Watercolour Workshop with Susie Murphie : Nov 2020
- En Plein Air Masterclass with Noel Thurgate 2020
- Take a Breather on Clark Island : Sept 2020
- Cats, Dogs and Other Animals – Watercolour Painting with Susie Murphie : Aug 2020
- Paint a Portrait in Watercolour with Susie Murphie : June 2020
- Travel Sketching & Watercolour Workshop with Susie Murphie : March 2020
- Portrait Masterclass with Noel Thurgate : March 2020
- Watercolour Bootcamp with Susie Murphie 2020
- En Plein Air Masterclass with Noel Thurgate : Nov 2019
- Cats, Dogs & Other Animals – Watercolour Painting with Susie Murphie : Nov 2019
- Travel Sketching & Watercolour Workshop with Susie Murphie : February 2019
- Ephemeral Workshop with Shona Wilson : November 2018
- Life Drawing Workshop with Noel Thurgate : September 2018
- Indoor Ephemeral Workshop with Shona Wilson : July 2018
- Pastel and Charcoal Workshop with Judy Drew : September 2018
- En Plein Air Masterclass with Noel Thurgate 2018
- Shark Island & Taronga Zoo 2018
- Watercolour Masterclass with Alvaro Castagnet 2017
- Shona Wilson Ephemeral Workshop 2017
- Portrait Masterclass with Noel Thurgate 2018
- Life Drawing Workshop with Noel Thurgate 2017
- Pastel Masterclass with Judy Drew 2017
- En Plein Air Masterclass with Herman Pekel
- Creating with Nature in Nature with Shona Wilson 2016
- Pastel Masterclass with Judy Drew 2016
- Watercolour Workshop with Joseph Zbukvic
- Life Drawing : Flamenco
- Pastel Masterclass with Judy Drew
- Portfolio
- Exhibitions
- Contact
- Subscribe
OVERVIEW
Feel your senses come alive as we explore the beauty of northern Vietnam and Laos.
Mingle with gentle, welcoming locals when we visit villages and markets. Absorb colonial charm left by the French as well as UNESCO world heritage sights. Draw/paint your memories of people, villages and views as we move through these ancient countries.
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
- Visit bustling local markets of Dzao and H’mong people in the Sa Pa mountain district.
- Explore UNESCO sites and the tomb of King Ming Mang.
- Sail the Perfume River by royal dragon boat and tour the forbidden Purple City.
- Observe unique rituals of saffron clad monks in jungle covered hills.
- Travel in long tailed canoes amid local villages, green fields and limestone peaks.
- Visit mysterious Pak Ou caves and turquoise pools of the Khouangsi Waterfall.
- Traditional Saa paper making and silk hand weaving in Ban Xangkhong.
- Dinh and Le Kingsâ Temples; Bich Dong Cave.
TOUR LEADER
Cilla Campbell
I am a graduate of the National Art School and conduct courses at the WEA, Sydney in drawing and relief printmaking.
Throughout the year, I lead national and international art tours (check tour testimonials).
ITINERARY
Saturday 5th April / DAY 1 / Hanoi
Our private guide will transfer you from the airport to the Elegance Diamond Hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.
Saturday 5th April / DAY 1 / Hanoi
Our private guide will transfer you from the airport to the Elegance Diamond Hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.
Sunday 6th April / DAY 2 / Hanoi – Tam Coc – Dich Dong – Lao Cai
Depart 8:00am after breakfast for Ninh Binh Province (2 hours by car). Visit the former capital Hoa Lu for the Dinh and Le Kingsâ temple. Lunch in a local Tam Coc restaurant.
We’ll glide in small rowing boats along canals through local villages, green fields, limestone peaks and caves. Then a 2km ride to Bich Dong cave to climb the Truon Yen (Buddha’s palm) and marvel at surrounding mountains, rivers and pagodas. Return to Ha Noi and shower at the Silk Path Hotel.
Depart 9.15pm on Fanxipan sleeper train to Lao Cai (arrive 6.15am) – destination Sapa
Monday 7th April / DAY 3 / Lao Cai – Sapa
Arrive Lao Cai (6.15am) with private guide transfer to Sapa by road through terraced hillsides to Chau Long Hotel. After breakfast, a morning walking tour of Sapa to the local markets and rural life in Lao Chai – Ta Van Village. Free time till lunch. We’ll trek through hilltribe villages and return to our hotel before dark.
Tuesday 8th April / DAY 4 / Sapa – Lao Cai
Embrace dawn in this unforgettable setting and after breakfast drive to Silver Waterfall, Heaven Gate and Tafin; village of Dzao and H’mong people. We’ll picnic lunch en route. Depart Lao Cai 9.00pm by overnight sleeper train (arrive 5.05am Hanoi).
Wednesday 9th April / DAY 5 / Hanoi – Danang – Hoian
Arrive Hanoi (5.05am). Our guide will collect and transfer the group to the hotel for breakfast and shower. Then transfer by air from Hanoi to Danang with 30 min. drive to our overnight stay in Hoian. Day at leisure.
Accommodation: Ancient River House
Thursday 10th April / DAY 6 / Hoi An
Morning tour of Hoian including 400 yr. old Japanese Bridge; 300 yr old Chinese Temple and 200 yr. old Vietnamese former merchants’ house. Afternoon at leisure.
Accommodation: Ancient River House
Friday 11th April / DAY 7 / Hoi An – Hue via Danang
After breakfast we’ll see the coast and Danang from the top of Hai Van Pass as we drive to Hue. We’ll visit Marble Mountain with lunch en route.
Accommodation: Camellia Hue Hotel
Saturday 12th April / DAY 8 / Hue
Visit the majestic tomb of King Ming Mang; sail the Perfume River by royal dragon boat to Thien Mu Pagoda and walk on cobbled paths through the grounds of the Imperial Citadel to the Forbidden Purple City. Overnight in Hue.
Sunday 13th April / DAY 9 / Hue – Hanoi – Luang Prabang
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for flight to Hanoi and ongoing flight to Luang Prabang (Laos). (NB: we will fly Hanoi-Laos/return with Vietnam Airlines, NOT Laos Airlines.)
Transfer to our hotel on arrival with the rest of the day at leisure. Overnight in Luang Prabang.
Accommodation: My Dream
Monday 14th April / DAY 10 / Luang Prabang – Kuang Si Waterfall
(optional) 5.00am morning ritual of saffron clad monks collecting offerings of Alms. Return to hotel for breakfast. Depart 8.00am by boat to Pak Ou Caves and lunch at a local restaurant. Transfer by minivan to Khuang Xi Waterfall and local villages. Return to hotel approx 6.00pm.
Accommodation: My Dream
Tuesday 15th April / DAY 11 / Luang Prabang
After breakfast we’ll visit Wat Visoun, (a 16th century temple); Wat Aham, an early 19th century temple and Wat Xieng Thong. 328 steps lead to the summit of Phousi Hill with a panoramic view over the whole town. After lunch we’ll transfer to the airport for 5.00pm return flight to Hanoi.
Accommodation: Hanoi Elegance Hotel
Wednesday 16th April / DAY 12 / Hanoi
After breakfast our guide will transfer you to the airport in time for your departure flight. Hanoi is vibrant, full of interesting history and a wonderful place to shop. You may wish to explore by cyclops through old and new Hanoi. Bargaining is the way of life and you can buy almost anything, especially arts and crafts.