Animals Asia Bear Sanctuary Visit

Today you will arrive into Hanoi, where you will be met by your guide and drive and transferred to your hotel in the city centre – the iconic Sofitel Legend Metropole Hotel. Located in the renowned French Quarter of the city, the hotel exudes the charm and character of its surroundings, with a rich history dating back over 120 years. The remainder of your day is at leisure.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Morning is free at your leisure. Perhaps take an early morning walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, the Lake of the Restored Sword, a popular morning site for tai chi and other traditional exercises. Or wander up to the Old Quarter for an initial taste of its hustle and wonderful street scenes.
 
At midday your guide will pick you up at the hotel and transfer you to Koto Restaurant for lunch. KOTO stands for Know One, Teach One – the essential idea of KOTO’s Vietnamese-Australian founder, Jimmy Pham. Jimmy founded his unique hospitality training centre back in 1999, giving at-risk and disadvantaged youth the opportunity to break the poverty cycle by forging a better future for themselves, their families and their communities.  Over 1200 graduates have now passed through KOTO, including sous and executive chefs, hotel and resort general managers, business founders and owners, and many more. All are contributing to their families and society, and many have been the first graduates in their families.  After a delicious KOTO lunch, transfer back to your hotel. 
 
At 6pm, around sunset, meet your guide and head out for a Hanoi street food walking tour through the Old Quarter. Not only does this adventure offer the opportunity to try some of Hanoi’s most famous culinary treats, it ventures into fascinating and lively parts of the Old Quarter which are difficult to locate without local guidance. Whether you try the array of delicacies on hand, or simply enjoy the tour for its fantastic street scenes and local characters, this is an unforgettable insight into historic Hanoi’s traditions.
 
Along with a passionate food guide, walk through the Old Quarter’s small lanes, winding backstreets, and hidden alleys where a multitude of vendors set up their stalls and stools along the roadside. Enjoy the sights and sounds of the city at night. Then pull up a stool at one of Hanoi’s best pho shops. Slurp up a bowl of the steaming noodle soup while the guide explains the secrets behind this national dish.
 
Having tantalized the taste buds, continue on the food trail to sample other local favourites. Try banh cuon, steamed rice paper stuffed with pork and mushrooms, and nem chua ran, fried spring rolls, and many other dishes. Then sit down for a dinner of barbeque, dining on perfectly grilled meats and vegetables at a popular local shop.
 
Wrap up the evening with a beer at a bia hoi¸ small shops selling draft beer. Sip a cold beer while watching the vibrant night time street scenes. Afterwards, you will be returned to your hotel for a good night’s sleep.
 
Overnight in Hanoi.
 

In the morning your guide will pick you up at the hotel and transfer you to Animals Asia’s Tam Dao bear sanctuary.
 
Spread over an area of 11 hectares, the sanctuary has almost 30,000 square metres of semi-natural outdoor enclosure space designed to stimulate the bears’ natural behaviours. 
 
You will start with visit the bear dens, gaining insights into the process of how cubs, the majority rescued from poachers, are integrated over time into the adult dens. The majority of adult bears arrive with medical issues related to the bile farms, your time at the hospital will show the wide range of expertise and equipment needed to allow the beers to recover and lead healthy lives. Before lunch, you’ll be assisting the Nutrition Team to make the enrichment tools for the afternoon bear exercise. A delicious local lunch is provided at the sanctuary. After lunch, you will be responsible for distributing the toys around the enclosure, prior to the bears being let in, when you will be able to observe their behaviour from outside. 
 
In the afternoon, after a rewarding and moving day, your driver and guide will return you to your hotel.
 
Overnight in Hanoi.

The day is free until your guide will pick you up at the hotel and transfer you to airport for your flight for your onward travel arrangements.