Three-day itinerary to explore Nghe An on the occasion of VnExpress Marathon Grand Tour
Runners can spend three days returning to Lang Sen, enjoying specialties of Vinh city and resting in Cua Lo, extending the VnExpress Marathon Grand Tour experience off the track.
VnExpress Marathon Grand Tour Nghe An 2026 takes place on September 27 with 4 distances of 5km, 10km, 21km and 42km, expected to gather about 7,000 athletes. Unlike a trip that only revolves around racing, runners can spend three days combining running with Nghe An tourism, exploring history, culture, cuisine and local landscape.
This is also the spirit of the Grand Tour model first deployed by VnExpress Marathon, with Nghe An as the opening destination. According to track director Duong Hai Anh, each season is a race and an opportunity for athletes to experience the land, stories and unique cultural values.
Below is a suggested three-day Nghe An travel itinerary for runners to refer to.
Day 1: Return to Sen Village to eat Turmeric dish in the middle of Vinh citadel
Runners arriving in Nghe An from September 25 or the morning of September 26 can choose Vinh as their main accommodation location. After checking in, the first trip should be towards Nam Dan, visiting Kim Lien Relic Area - President Ho Chi Minh's hometown.
Lotus Village is suitable to start the trip because this is also the image throughout the first Grand Tour season. The village space with thatched roofs, areca rows, bamboo fences, and lotus ponds evokes the scenery of Uncle Ho's hometown and the characteristics of Nghe An countryside.
Runners can spend the morning or early afternoon walking gently around the relic, learning stories about President Ho Chi Minh's childhood and the family's living space. This schedule does not require much exercise, suitable for the day before the race when athletes need to limit walking for too long and save energy for the race.
The trip also helps runners better understand the details that appear on the tournament items. The VnExpress Marathon Grand Tour Nghe An 2026 medal recreates the thatched roof of Lang Sen with the village green color, placed in a frame inspired by Vinh Citadel. The jersey also uses the image of bamboo - a familiar symbol of North Central villages.
Returning to Vinh in the late afternoon, runners can receive race kits according to the schedule announced by the organizers, check bibs and prepare costumes for the next morning. The rest of the day should be spent resting instead of trying to see more places.
Dinner before the race is also the time to start getting acquainted with Nghe An cuisine. However, athletes should choose familiar, easy-to-digest foods and prioritize carbohydrates. Foods that are spicy or experienced for the first time can be saved for after the race.
If you arrive a day earlier, you can spend a private time exploring Vinh's cuisine. Eel soup, eel porridge, banh muot, and porridge soup are typical dishes often recommended by locals. Nghe An eel is often prepared with turmeric, shallots and spices, served with bread or banh mat.
Day two: Run through Vinh and then find Lam River
The morning of September 27 is the most important part of the trip. The Grand Tour route is expected to start and finish at Ho Chi Minh Square, taking runners to explore the entire Vinh city and suburban areas.
At long distances, Lenin Avenue and Vinh - Cua Lo Avenue are the highlights. Vinh - Cua Lo Avenue is about 32 m wide, the road surface is relatively flat, two sides open to rice fields and mountains. Instead of just running between urban blocks, athletes can feel the landscape transition from the city center to the periphery.
This is also the time when the Grand Tour spirit is most clearly shown. Images of runners encountered on the journey have previously appeared on jerseys, medals and finisher shirts. The track is therefore not separate from the destination but becomes part of the story of the hosting land.
After reaching the finish line, long-distance runners should prioritize eating snacks, replenishing water and electrolytes, and spending a few hours resting. In the afternoon, you can switch to a lighter schedule, explore the space around the city or find a viewpoint overlooking the Lam River.
The river associated with Nghe An is also the inspiration for the 42km finisher shirt. The shirt design uses the color turquoise, referring to the Lam River and the persistence of the water. This image is connected to the marathon challenge, where athletes need to maintain their strength through 42.195 km instead of just exploding in one moment.
Meanwhile, the 21km finisher shirt is red with a "fire" image, evoking the hot sun, Lao wind and the strong character of the Central region. The two opposing images of fire and water tell the same story about the endurance and character of Nghe An.
The evening after the race is the right time to fully enjoy local specialties. Pre-race dishes should be avoided because they are too spicy. This is also the time to chat with locals and feel the pace of life in Vinh city after completing your sports goals.
Day three: From the road to Cua Lo beach
After a day of competition, the last leg of the trip to Nghe An should be spent resting and swimming. From Vinh center, runners can travel about 20 km to Cua Lo, one of the most sought-after Nghe An tourist destinations.
If the body is still sore after the race, the athlete does not need to arrange too many activities. A light morning walk on the beach, sitting in a coffee shop, watching the ocean or enjoying a seafood lunch is enough to prolong the race-cation without putting extra pressure on the legs.
Those with more time can visit Lan Chau island at the end of Cua Lo beach. The destination has natural rocky beaches and views of the sea. Hon Ngu, located about 4 km from shore, is also an option to extend the trip if weather conditions and schedule are suitable.
Cua Lo cuisine creates a different slice compared to Vinh citadel. Crabs, shrimp, squid, shrimp, blood cockles, and mackerel are popular types of seafood. Among them, jumping squid is a dish that tourists often try when coming to this sea.
This arrangement helps the three-day itinerary have three different nuances. Sen Village brings runners back to history and village space; The running track connects them with the pace of life in Vinh and the landscape of Nghe An; Cua Lo is for rest, food and the sea after completing the race.
Nghe An tourism also extends to the west with Pu Mat National Park, Giang River and Khe Kem waterfall. Pu Mat National Park, Giang River, Khe Kem Waterfall and Thai community villages are suitable for those who want to explore nature more deeply. Pha Lai ecological area has boating and kayaking experiences on the Giang River; Local cuisine includes river fish, grilled chicken, bamboo tube rice, wild vegetables and bitter bamboo shoots. Due to the distance from Vinh, this group of destinations is suitable for longer schedules instead of squeezing into the weekend of competition.
VnExpress Marathon Grand Tour Nghe An is the first destination in the system's Grand Tour development direction. The model is inspired by the spirit of sporting journeys linked to the land, where landscape, culture and local life become part of the competition experience. The next seasons are expected to continue to new destinations with their own stories.
