Northern off the Beaten Track

Today you will fly to Hanoi. On arrival, your private guide will welcome you at the arrival hall and transfer you to your hotel with a private car and driver. Your guide will help you with luggage and hotel check-in and ensure your arrival is worry-free.

UME Travel's Welcome Kits:

We provide a local SIM card with unlimited 5G internet and complimentary international calling credit for a worry-free stay in Vietnam.

Today you'll jump into Hanoi's sights and sounds on a tour that covers all the essentials. You'll visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which includes the Mausoleum, Ho Chi Minh's former stilt-house residence, The Hoa Lo Prison, The One Pillar Pagoda and The Temple of Literature, which, dating back to 1070, is Vietnam’s oldest university.

After lunch, you will explore the enthralling Museum of Ethnology, which contains an extensive display of life-size structures dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minorities. Next, enjoy an hour-long cyclo ride winding through the narrow, chaotic streets of the Old Quarter - a must for any visitor to Hanoi! The day finishes with a traditional performance of the famous Vietnamese Water Puppets Show.

Your guide will then escort you to the Hanoi Train Station for your overnight train to Lao Cai, and he will assist you with your luggage (no guide is proved on the train).

Arrive in Lao Cai this early morning. Your guide will meet you and take you to have breakfast. Then drive to Cao Son commune, through the Muong Khuong district. Along the way, you will pass terraced rice paddies, pine plantations and the tea farms. Visit busy Cao Son Market, where Red Dao, Tay, Black H'Mong and other ethnic people gather from the surrounding area to sell their handicrafts and silverware and to buy provisions. Later, have a short walk to Flower Hmong Village before have lunch. Drive along the Chay River through the panoramic views of mountains, valleys and villages. On the way, you will enjoy a few photo stops of enjoy the spectacular scenery before arriving at Coc Ly Bridge. Then you will board a local boat and cruise along the river to Trung Do village before continuing onto Sapa.   

After breakfast, take a morning walking tour (about 8km and 3 hours trekking) of Sapa for a visit to the busy market where Red Dao, Black & Flower H'Mong, Tay and other ethnic minority people converge from the surrounding countryside to sell their silverware and handicrafts, and to buy provisions. Afterwards, we will do one of the most beautiful Sapa Tours with the drive to visit Lao Chai and Ta Van Village of the Black H'mong and the Day people where you can enjoy fresh air, amazing scenery of the imposing mountain range, trek down world's most beautiful terraced rice fields, visit some local family on the way and learn unique culture and life of these ethnic groups. Back to Sapa by private car, free at leisure for the rest of the day.

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).

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 for you and drive you to Hanoi airport for your onward flight (arrive at the airport at around 1:30 pm) to Hue. On arrival, your private guide will welcome you at the arrival hall and transfer you to your hotel with a private car and driver. Your guide will help you with luggage and hotel check-in and ensure your arrival is worry-free.

Today, tour the Minh Mang Tomb renowned for its architecture and sublime forest setting. Admire the Vietnam’s tallest and iconic seven-storey Thien Mu Pagoda by a royal dragon boat cruise on the Perfume River. After that, take a walk on the cobbled paths in the Imperial Citadel, and discover some former glory of the country’s royalty in the Forbidden Purple City. Finally, stroll in the Dong Ba Market to get a taste of the local civil life.

Today your journey begins with a scenic drive to Hoi An (about 3 hrs), during which you can have a full view of the coast and Da Nang when driving on the top of Hai Van Pass. And you can also have a leisure walk on the soft white sand at Da Nang’s Non Nuoc Beach, appreciate great sculptures in Cham Museum and climb the beautiful Marble Mountains. You can explore the town on your own or just relax after reaching Hoi An in the afternoon.

Your local guide will meet you at your hotel and you’ll take a cyclo ride to the center of Hoi An to visit the colorful market. At the market, you’ll have the opportunity to interact with local sellers and learn about the fresh ingredients you'll be using during your cooking lesson later in the day. This is a great chance to take some photos as well, so be sure to have your camera ready!

After visiting the market, you’ll take a ride to Tra Que vegetable village. You'll enjoy a welcome drink and then walk through the vegetable gardens where local farmers work in their fields following the methods that have been in use for hundreds of years.

Next, you'll be having a cooking lesson with a chef to learn the traditional ways of preparing and cooking Vietnamese food. After the lesson, you’ll have a chance to enjoy what you’ve cooked!

After the tour finishes, you'll bid farewell to your host family before riding back to Hoi An and your hotel.

Day at leisure. Relax at your hotel, or explore the surrounding area.

You will take a private transfer to Da Nang for your flight to Ho Chi Minh City. Upon arrival, our guide will meet you and escort you to your hotel. The rest of the day is on your own to relax.

This morning set out for the incredible underground Cu Chi Tunnels and then drive back to Ho Chi Minh City to visit the War Remnants Museum and Reunification Palace (the former Presidential Palace), the Notre Dame Cathedral, Old Saigon Post Office and Dong Khoi Street (formerly Rue Catinat) absolutely nice choices for a free stroll.

In the early morning, you will head out of the bustling city to Mekong Delta Area. Cruising on the Mekong river for sightseeing: islands of Dragon, Unicorn, Turtle, Phoenix. 

Land on Unicorn island, take a walk on the village road, visit an orchard of tropical fruits. Visit a bee-farm, enjoy honey-tea and visit a typical house in Mekong Delta. Visit coconut candy workshop, taste fresh candies. Enjoy tropical fruits at local farm, listen to Southern traditional music. 

Next to land on Dragon island, transfer by cyclo or motorbike to local home. Have a homemade lunch and enjoy cooking time with some dishes such as “Banh Xeo” (Vietnamese crepe); Spring Rolls.... with the owners. After lunch, return to boat station. Transfer back to Saigon. End of tour at your hotel.

Your guide will escort you to airport for your onward flight.