A group of 4,500 guests from Indian billionaire Dilip Shanghvi’s company, Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, recently visited Vietnam, exploring Hanoi’s cultural landmarks and the scenic Trang An area in Ninh Binh.
A group of 4,500 guests from Indian billionaire Dilip Shanghvi’s tour enjoyed a series of fascinating experiences while visiting Hanoi and Trang An (Ninh Binh). These guests were part of a delegation from Sun Pharmaceutical Industries Limited, a leading pharmaceutical company in India, who toured Hanoi over the past few days. On the afternoon of August 28, shortly after arriving in Vietnam, the first destinations for the tourists were the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam and the Hoa Lo Prison historical site.
Most of the tourists in this group were male, and as it was their first time in Vietnam, they were deeply interested in the country’s history, paying close attention as the tour guide introduced each site.
At the entrance of the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam, the Indian guests were delighted to see Vietnamese women dressed in traditional Ao Dai. Annotam, one of the tourists, remarked: “I find their traditional attire very gentle and feminine. The whole group was curious, so the guide made a special stop to introduce us to this attire.”
After the tour guide explained the significance of the artifacts in the Temple of Literature, one of the tourists touched the crane statue, hoping to bring himself good luck.
The group also took the opportunity to capture beautiful moments while visiting Hanoi. Many members mentioned that they planned to explore more of Hanoi’s entertainment spots during the evening to make the most of their time in the city.
One female tourist enjoyed a leisurely stroll around the Temple of Literature. She mentioned that it was her first visit to Vietnam and found everyone to be friendly and cheerful. “I really like the atmosphere here,” she said.
The Hoa Lo Prison historical site was also part of the tour itinerary that afternoon. The guests listened attentively to the explanations about the various artifacts displayed there.
The tourists were particularly curious about the artifacts and took several photos to remember their visit.
During these days, the management board of the Hoa Lo Prison historical site arranged guides at various viewing points and provided signage in three languages: Vietnamese, English, and Hindi. Additionally, they organized Hindi-speaking guides to welcome the group.
Earlier, on August 27, over 800 guests from this group arrived in Hanoi and then visited the Trang An scenic area in Ninh Binh.
Photos by Tran Ba Nghi
The group was divided into smaller groups of 45 to 50 people. According to the itinerary, the tourists traveled from the boat station through Lam Cave, Cao Son Temple, Vang Cave, Thuy Dinh, Thanh Truot Cave, Dia Linh Mountain, Suoi Tien Temple, and then returned to the boat station.
Afterward, the guests moved to a restaurant in Ninh Binh city for a meal. The tour organizing company brought chefs, grilling equipment, and other catering items to the restaurant to prepare meals for the group. The group enjoyed a vegetarian buffet, with 90% of the ingredients brought from India.
Pham Duy Phong, Deputy Director of the Ninh Binh Tourism Department, expressed his delight in welcoming the Indian tour group to Trang An. He wished them a joyful and successful journey as they had hoped.
After being received by the Tourism Department and the Trang An Ecological Tourist Site with flowers and souvenirs, the group moved to the boat station to explore route number 2, discovering four caves and three spiritual sites.
Due to the large number of guests, the Ninh Binh Tourism Department arranged a separate path to the boat station to avoid congestion, ensuring a seamless experience for the tourists.
At the beginning of August, the Indian billionaire announced his plans to bring 4,500 employees to Vietnam for tourism. The group was divided into six smaller groups, each planning to travel for 4-5 days, visiting Hanoi, Ha Long (Quang Ninh Province), and the Trang An scenic area in Ninh Binh.
The 5-day, 4-night tour did not include overnight stays in Ninh Binh and Ha Long, although these locations were on the itinerary. Instead, the group spent all four nights in Hanoi, organizing activities such as conferences, seminars, and a gala dinner. In Hanoi, they visited key attractions including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam, and Hoa Lo Prison.
Prior to the visit, the Hanoi Tourism Department had instructed tourist spots and hotels welcoming the group to enhance service quality and ensure food safety.