North of Vietnam

Welcome to Vietnam! On arrival at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi, our tour guide greets you at the airport and transfer to hotel in the center of Hanoi. Hotel checks in upon arrival, the rest of the day is yours to relax, or head out into the city for a little adventure on your own.

In the morning, visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh House on Stilts, One Pillar Pagoda, Hoa Lo prison and Temple of Literature (the first university in Hanoi). After lunch, you will visit Museum of Ethnology and take a rickshaw ride through the Old Quarter about 1 hr. Then pay a visit to Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple. The tour comes to an end by enjoying a Water Puppet Show to learn more about Vietnamese traditional culture. 

In the morning, your driver will drive you to Sapa (about 5 hours), on the way you can stop for some rest or taking pictures. Upon arrival, you will go to the hotel for check-in and have some rest. Visit the splendid Silver Waterfall before stopping at the “Heaven Gate” of Sapa that sits on the top point of Hoang Lien Son Mountain range, where you can capture the view of the marvelous Lai Chau Valley and Fanxipan Mountain.

After breakfast, soak up the rural cultural atmosphere at a vibrant local market. After that, start a soft trekking tour (about 3 hours) to Lao Chai and Ta Van Village, which is home to the Black H’mong and the Day people, where you can take in some fresh air and immerse yourself in the beauty of the marvelous mountains, terraces, as well as the friendly atmosphere of the locals and their special ethnic culture. After that, drive back to Sapa and take a good rest.

Today, your trek starts with the Ma Tra Village, and then you will walk through the breathtaking view of the rice terraces and reach the Ta Phin Village (approx. 3 hours),  where the Red Dao minority lives. Enjoy a lunch in the village that full of local flavor, and then head back to Hanoi by road (about 5 hours).

Morning drive from Hanoi to Ninh Binh.You will visit Hoa Lu, which was the capital city of Vietnam under the Dinh Dynasty between 968 and 980 AD and ancient sanctuaries and tombs can still be seen today. Apart from the historical importance, the area is naturally beautiful, referred to many as the “Dry Halong Bay,” with limestone peaks and fertile green valleys. After Hoa Lu, take the amazing boat trip to visit Trang An grottoes which is a gathering of 31 valleys, 50 cross-water caves, and home to 600 kinds of flora and over 200 kinds of fauna, many of them in the Red Book of Vietnam. While rowing through Trang An grotto in the quiet, fresh air of the highlands, with only the sound of birds and the oars stirring the clear water and surrounded by magnificent forested mountains upon which graze white goats, visitors enjoy a heaven on earth. The end of the day, drive back to Hanoi. Drop off at your hotel. 

After breakfast, you will take a private transfer for about 3 hrs to Halong City, where you will begin your one and a half days' Halong Bay cruise. You will board the tradtional Vietnamese junk in the afternoon and cruise around the Halong Bay's limestone islets and caves doted the sea and see the sun set over the clam waters at the deck. Enjoy a wonderful dinner at evening. All meals are included during your stay on board. There are also a variety of optional activities waiting for you. Such as swimming, kayaking, diving...etc.  

Wake up early this morning to catch the sunrise over the bay with a Tai Chi lesson on the sundeck. Continue cruising and you can choose either kayak or traditional rowing boat to around discovering local life on the waters. Disembark at Tuan Chau International Passenger Port at around 11:00, where your guide and driver will wait you and drive you back to Hanoi (about 4hrs). On arrival, Your guide will take you to hotel and check in.

You will have free time till our guide meets you and escorts you to airport for your flight to next destination.