Full Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi Half day City tour
Begin the first day of the trip with a tour of Hanoi. Depart from the hotel at 08.30 am for a visit to Vietnam’s first university - Temple of Literature. Founded in 1076, Quoc Tu Giam was established within a temple to educate Vietnam's royalty, mandarins and members of the elite.
Continue with a visit to One Pillar Pagoda, one of Vietnam’s most iconic temples. Nearby is the mausoleum of the historic father figure of modern Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, and his modest house on stilts. (Sites are viewed from outside; closed Mon and Fri and from Jun-Aug)
Wrap up the morning with a visit to the picturesque West Lake and its sixth century Tran Quoc Buddhist Pagoda. Tran Quoc Pagoda is regarded as the most ancient pagoda in Hanoi with its history line of more than 1,500 years.
Have lunch at a restaurant. Free time at leisure for the rest of the day.
Day 2: Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Hoa Lu & Tam Coc
In the morning, our driver and tour guide pick you up at your hotel then depart for Ninh Binh.
Arrive in Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, visit two temples of King Dinh Bo Linh and King Le Hoan.
Then our driver will transfer you from Hoa Lu to Tam Coc to have lunch in a local restaurant in Tam Coc and enjoy famous specialties of Ancient Capital area.
In the afternoon, Take 5 minutes to walk to the wharf and start the 2 hours boat trip to visit 3 caves: Hang Ca (First Cave), Hang Hai (Second Cave) and Hang Ba (Third Cave). Each cave owns a unique scenery which will dazzle you as you get in.
Afterward, cycle for an hour to Bich Dong Pagoda and see beautiful scenic pagodas, lush paddy fields, mountains, river, and caves. Then our driver will take you back to Hanoi. When arriving in Hanoi, you will be dropped off at your hotel. The rest of the day is at leisure
Day 3: Hanoi – Mai Chau
In the morning, pick up at your hotel and head to Mai Chau by car with a short break along the way.
Midday, arrive in Mai Chau, enjoy welcome drink. Then enjoy the traditional lunch in the village (vegetarian available).
In the afternoon, bicycle ride with your tour guide, see farmers working in fields, locals weaving scarves and visit surrounding peaceful villages. Then you will have free time for bicycling, walking, shopping.
Late afternoon, return to the accommodation.
Overnight in the communal stilt house or Valley View Bungalow.
Day 4: Mai Chau – Hanoi – Lao Cai
After breakfast, go with the local tour guide to visit more remote rural villages Na Meo and Na Mo villages to understand more about their culture and customs. Midday, back to the homestay for lunch and check-out. Free time for shopping and relaxing.
15.00 – 15.30 pm: Say goodbye to the family to get on the bus to drive back to Hanoi (3.5 ~ 4 hours drive). Arrive in Hanoi, drop you off at your hotel.
Free time till picked up at the hotel for transferring to train station for night train to Lao Cai.
Meet at your hotel in Hanoi at around 20.00 pm and transfer to Hanoi train station. The overnight train to Lao Cai in shared sleeping compartments (sharing with other passengers in 2 lower & 2 upper berths per compartment). The train departs at approximately 21.15 pm.
Day 5: Lao Cai – Sapa – Y Linh Ho – Lao Chai – Ta Van
Arrive in Lao Cai Train Station at around 05.00 am. Then take a one-hour bus ride up the hill to the beautiful town of Sapa. The ride gives you a glimpse of the stunning vistas and impressive rice terraces that make Sapa famous with travelers. Early check-in is possible when you arrive if the room available (with surcharge).
9.30 am: Meet up your local guide and start trekking. The first part is on the road but we soon turn to the right and walk on a small path down the valley to Y Linh Ho village settled down by the Muong Hoa River and from here to the Black H’mong village of Lao Chai. Black H’mong is one of the biggest minority groups in the Sapa area.
They have their own language and wear traditional indigo blue clothing. The H’ mong peoples have just recently changed their living way from sifting style into the sedentary one. So there are still a lot of traces of the past time can be seen: rudimentary houses, stone wall around homes…
After this, you continue to Ta Van village (1.200 m) to visit Zay people. Zay is a fairly small minority group of about 38.000 people who live mainly in the mountains in Northwest Vietnam.
After visiting Ta Van village the car will return you to Sapa. Free at leisure for the rest of the day. Overnight at Sapa Hotel.
Day 6: Cat Cat – Sin Chai – Sapa – Hanoi
In the morning, have breakfast at the hotel and then check out.
Take a walk down to the South-West of Sapa (around 3 km) to visit Cat Cat Village of the Black H’ mong, one of the more well-known ethnic village of Sapa. Relax at the foot of the stunning waterfall and the vestige of a hydroelectric power station that was constructed by the French during the colonial time in Vietnam.
Enjoy picnic lunch by the side of the river, and then continue trekking to 3 km to Sin Chai Village, located at the foot of Fansipan Mountain -“ The Roof of Indochina”, where you enjoy a stunning landscape of the mountain.
Then come back to the main road to be transferred to Sapa town on a jeep for 3 km.
15.00 - 15.30 pm: Driver will pick you up & transfer 5 hours to Hanoi.
Day 7: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Overnight on cruise
Halong Bay is listed by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage and voted as a Wonder of Nature by the New 7 Wonders Foundation. You will have a night stay in this world-famous bay.
After breakfast in Hanoi, depart the capital for the 3hr 30 minutes drive to Halong Bay. Arrive in Halong City’s jetty (around noon) and proceed with check-in formalities. After a welcome onboard, lunch will be served while cruising towards the bay. In the afternoon, enjoy some sightseeing, onboard activities (depending on each boat’s itinerary) or just spend some time relaxing on the vessel. Towards the end of the day, the boat sets anchor for the night among the karst formations.
Dinner is served on board.
Day 8: Halong Bay – Hanoi
Wake up the next morning at sunrise, you are invited to practice Tai Chi on the sun deck. Enjoy the feel of the early morning salt water scent and bask in the early sun rising from behind the mountains. Continue sightseeing in the wonderful bay, enjoy brunch on board while cruising back to the mainland.
Arriving at the harbor, you will be picked up for transferring back to Hanoi. Drop off at your hotel in Hanoi.
Inclusion
– English speaking guide
– Private Car Services
– Entrance fees for Vietnam attractions, as per itinerary
– Meals as indicated in the program
Exclusion
– Travel Insurance
– Tips, laundry, and gratuities
– Meals not marked on the itinerary
– Water during meals