VIETNAM NORTHERN ITINERARY 7 DAYS

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 by yourself. Overnight at a hotel in Hanoi.

After a delicious breakfast, we will start the day with a trip to the Tran Quoc Pagoda. You will then visit the Temple of Literature, constructed in 1070 to worship Confucius, which was also used as the first Royal National University of Vietnam. There are 82 stone steles, carried by tortoises, engraved with names, birthdates, and birthplaces of honored doctorates from 1442 to 1779.

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).

You will be transferred to Train station for the night train to Sapa.
Overnight in a comfortable cabin.

The train arrives in Lao Cai early at 6.00 am. We will have breakfast in a local restaurant before heading to Sapa. We will have a beautiful hike through the amazing scenery of Sa Pa valley. On the way up, we have a panorama view on rice terraces hidden behind morning fog. Following a small track and crossing the Muong Hoa River to Lao Chai Village of Black Hmong people, we will pass by well-tended paddy fields. We continue walking through the beautiful terraces to reach Ta Van Giay village. We will have lunch with a family in the village. In the afternoon, we will continue hiking through a bamboo forest to Giang Ta Chai – the village of Red Dao ethnic. After taking a rest next to a waterfall, we will start climbing uphill to the main road where the car is waiting to take us back to Sapa.
Overnight at a hotel in Sapa.

After having a tasty breakfast, you will be transferred to Fansipan mountain. You will travel on a soil road with wildflowers on the two sides. The water starts from the peak of Fansipan Mountain and rushes noisily into the Golden Stream, which runs along with green grass plots and bamboo clusters. We will return to Tram Ton Pass and then continue to drive uphill to the Heavens Gates situated between Lai Chau and Lao Cai province. From the highest stretch of road in Vietnam, you can have a fantastic panoramic view over the valley. Afterwards, we will go to the cable car station where you will make a trip amidst the clouds to reach Fansipan Mountain. Reaching an altitude of 2800 meters, you will have time to admire grandiose mountains, the splendid view of the thick forest and breathe cool fresh air. Trek up to approx. 600 steps and you will reach the summit of Fansipan – the Roof of Indochina. After that, return to Sapa for lunch at your own charge and come back to Hanoi in limousine car.
Overnight at a hotel in Hanoi

At 8.30 AM, we will pick you up at your hotel and depart for Ninh Binh province. On arrival, we will take a boat trip to discover the Trang An grottoes, where you will find forested limestone mounts contrasted against emerald water, caves, lowland and rivers. We will visit the 7-caves-chain with beautiful stalactites of all shapes and colours. In the afternoon, you will 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. For the rest of the day, we will ride bicycles along winding roads, passing through quintessential Vietnamese countryside; lotus ponds, temples, and cottages, on our way to visit the hillside pagoda of Bich Dong.
Overnight at a hotel in Ninh Binh.

After breakfast at the hotel, transfer to the harbour of Ha Long Bay, whose name means ‘where the dragon descends into the sea’, already recognized by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Accommodation in the furnished cabin with a splendid view of the bay, welcome drink and an information briefing about your stay on board. An exquisite lunch is served with fresh seafood. Free time to relax before the afternoon’s interesting activities.

Start with an exploration of Luon Cave which is considered as one of the most ideal places in Halong for kayaking or rowing boat. After that, you can visit Titov Island, where you can go swimming or hiking to the top for another stunning, panoramic view of the Bay. Enjoy your special dinner in restaurants with the best view of Halong bay.

Free time to challenge yourself in the night squid fishing or enjoy the tranquility of the night on your cruise.

Wake up early to witness an enchanting sunrise. For those interested, a short Tai Chi lesson on the terrace will refresh your mind and body. In the morning, you can also enjoy a cup of tea or coffee while admiring the extraordinary landscape.

Your next excursion is a visit to the magnificent Sung Sot Cave, where you can take in the panoramic views across Halong Bay. You can also participate in a cooking class. The chef will show you the tricks of cooking our country’s typical dishes and then enjoy them with brunch.

Disembark from the cruise around noon and transfer to Noi Bai airport. Flight back to your country.

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