VIETNAM ITINERARY 5 DAYS IN THE NORTH

Welcome to Vietnam!

After arriving at Noi Bai Airport, you will be picked up and transferred to the hotel in the city center. Hotel check-in is available from 2 pm. The rest of the day is free for relaxing or discovering the city.

In the afternoon, you visit the Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays, the alternative on this day is the History Museum). The museum offers a wide range of informative and well-documented displays of the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam. The outdoor display is an impressive collection of traditional houses of various minorities from the north to the central Highlands.

We will drive back to the Old Quarter for a 1.5-hour walking tour, specially designed for a deeper insight into Hanoian daily life. You will also visit the Ngoc Son temple which sits on a green islet in the middle of Hoan Kiem Lake, connected to the lakeside by a graceful scarlet bridge named The Huc (meaning the early sunlight welcoming place).

Overnight at a hotel in Hanoi

After breakfast, depart for Mai Chau via the winding and steep passes at Thung Khe, Thung Nhuoi. The landscape slowly changes from the hustle and bustle of the capital, becoming more and more rural, countryside as far as the eye can see, green expanses of rice paddies, all around hills and houses built of bamboo canes and dirt roads. Arrive and check in at your hotel. Pass through the villages of Mai Hich, Lac, Pom Coong, Na Tang, on a bicycle or walking tour. The route passes pristine landscapes of rice paddies and the extraordinary surrounding mountains, and you will meet local inhabitants with the opportunity to visit their homes. Our guide explains the local cultural identity, the unique characteristics of the life of the Thai, Dao or H’Mong ethnic group.

Dinner at the hotel, enjoy a popular music show in the evening. Wine tasting made from fermented rice with typical straws (the ‘Can’).

Overnight at a hotel or a homestay in Mai Chau.

In the morning, we will drive to Pu Luong. The road leading to Pu Luong Nature Reserve takes you to breathtaking mountain passes and offers fascinating bird’s- eye views of the whole valley. We will reach Pu Luong right in time for a delicious lunch. You will have free time to rest after the long drive or you can choose to explore the beautiful retreat, with its captivating views and tranquil setting. In the afternoon, we will transfer 12km from the Retreat to the starting place of our walking journey. After crossing the suspension bridge over the Cham River, we will follow the stream and walk across rice fields, from village to village hunting beautiful water wheels. You can approach the wheels to investigate how water is conducted from the river to handmade bamboo aqueducts by simple devices of all sizes. On arriving in Chieng Lau village, we will take a rest and enjoy the peaceful streamside scenery. We will then walk to the main road and take the car back to your hotel.

Overnight in a hotel or a homestay in Pu Luong

In the morning, we will drive 140km to Tam Coc also known as “Dry Halong Bay”. We will have the chance to pass by some of the most picturesque scenery in Vietnam. You will visit two ancient temples dedicated to Dinh Tien Hoang – the founder of the Dinh Dynasty (968-980) and Le Dai Hanh – the founder of Early Le Dynasty (980 – 1009).

In the afternoon, you will board a rowing boat for a peaceful navigation along Ngo Dong River and Tam Coc meaning “three caves”. During the boat trip, you will cruise among limestone mountains reflected in the emerald water, between rice fields and through three beautiful limestone caves beautifully decorated with stalactites and stalagmites of all sizes and shapes. We will spend the rest of the day riding a bicycle and getting lost on winding roads passing lotus ponds, temples, and cottages. We will visit Bich Dong pagoda, which hides among the trees on a lush hillside.

Overnight at a hotel in Ninh Binh.

At 8.30 AM, we will pick you up at your hotel and transfer to Mua caves and learn about their interesting history, told by our guide. After conquering the 500 stone steps, you will reach the top of the mountain, from where you can enjoy a stunning panoramic view of the Tam Coc landscape and the wonderful Ngo Dong River. Afterwards, you will transfer back to Hanoi or directly to Noi Bai airport for flight to your country.