Best of Northern Vietnam

---

PLAN A

---

DAY 1

Hanoi – Arrival.

Arrival in Hanoi. We welcome you at the airport and transfer you to hotel. After check in the hotel, our guide takes you to visit some famous places in Hanoi. You will start the tour by visiting Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ho Chi Minh Museum. Enjoy the architectural and historical aspects of Uncle Ho’s final resting-palace. Just next door is Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts where he used to live in the past. Lying to one side of the Mausoleum is the One Pillar Pagoda, built by King Ly Thai To in 1049 the structure has become an important symbol for the people of Hanoi. Continue to visit the Temple of Literature (Quoc Tu Giam) – Vietnam’s first University constructed in 1070. Its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam’s past. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Proceed our visit at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology which focuses on the 54 officially recognised ethnic groups in Vietnam. This fabulous collection relating to Vietnam's ethnic minorities features well-presented tribal art, artefacts and everyday objects gathered from across the nation, and examples of traditional village houses. After that we will take you to Hoan Kiem Lake, see the peaceful water, and visit Ngoc Son Temple. Meaning 'Temple of the Jade Mountain', Hanoi's most visited temple sits on a small island in the northern part of Hoan Kiem Lake, connected to the lakeshore by an elegant scarlet bridge, constructed in classical Vietnamese style. Take an hour cyclo tour for sightseeing around the bustling old quarter to see the ordinary life in Hanoi. Read more about these attractions / Watch video At 18.00, Back to your hotel. It’s your free time now to have dinner and a short while to explore the streets of Hanoi on your own. Stay overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 2

Hanoi – Hoa Lu (B,L)

08.00 Our guide will pick you up at your hotel and leave for Hoa Lu - Tam Coc. On the way to Hoa Lu, you have a good chance of seeing and enjoying the fresh air of the Vietnam countryside along the way.

10.30 Arrival in the province of Ninh Binh and then the guide will take you to visit Hoa Lu, the ancient royal capital of Vietnam.

11.30 AM Continue to reach Tam Coc by bicycle. On the road, the guide will show you the daily life of the local people and the beauty of the area.

12.10 Lunch at a local restaurant in Tam Coc

13.00 After lunch, take small boats to visit Tam Coc, which is literally known as "three caves". The first Cave is the longest which is considered a true rainbow in the water during the morning time that extends on both sides of the Ngo Dong river. The silent movements of the oars create a sort of musical rhythm inside the cave. As the boat leaves the cave, you can see what appears to be an old man with a white beard, a fairy who flies through the clouds, peasants who collect fuel and a group of white goats that graze on the hills. After that, the guide takes you to the second cave and the third cave.

17.00 Return to Hanoi

19.00 Arrival in Hanoi

DAY 3

Hanoi – Mai Chau (B,L)

Mai Chau is a mountainous area of outstanding natural beauty, inhabited by a Thai and H’mong ethnic minority groups. This trip offers an easy trekking combined with homestay in villages of Thai , where you have experienced with the local lifestyle of these minority people. Watch Video of this tour.

Morning, at 08.00, pick up from your hotel and head west towards Hoa Binh to have refreshment. Leave Hoa Binh for Mai Chau Valley, about 2hrs away, stop for snapping pictures. Arrive in Mai Chau and have lunch in a family house in the local village around 12.00.

After lunch, riding bicycle around the surrounding villages of White Thai Ethnic people. Learn more about their lives and cultures as your guide can help answer any questions.

At 18.00, have dinner with the family, get a closer look into their real life. Drink “ruou can” (traditional alcohol) with your new family.

Sleep in the village, in a stilt house, the most interesting part of the trip. Stilt houses are unique to Mai Chau and you cannot find this experience in other tour.

OR staying overnight in a bungalow by your choice. (B,L,D)

DAY 4

Mai Chau – Hanoi (B,L)

The early morning is the most peaceful time to walk around the villages. Feeling the fresh air and seeing women prepare foods on the wooden fire while the sun is rising over the beautiful mountains which you can not feel in the crowed cities.

Breakfast in the village then walk to Mai Chau market. After breakfast, you will climb to 1000 Step Cave which is breathtaking and is the view of the area from the entrance of the cave. Have lunch in the village. The rest of time before getting back to Hanoi is your leisure. Going back to Hanoi at 17.00.

Arrival in Hanoi at 21.00.

Overnight in Hanoi. (B,L)

DAY 5

Hanoi – Halong Bay ( B,L,D)

Around 8.00am, Our guide Pick you up at your hotel and go to Halong bay on a shuttle bus. Take a rest at Humanity center and enjoy local specialties after 2h. Arrival in Halong at 11.45. The captain and crew welcome you aboard. Savor the delicious lunch as boat pass through thousands of Islands and Islets with different shapes. After the lunch, explore the biggest and the most amazing cave in Halong Bay - Surprise Cave. Then Kayaking for an hour around the fishing village and discover the life of community there. Then back to boat for Sunset Party, get to calm, clean water place for swimming. Enjoy delicious and romantic dinner with some barbecue courses. In the evening, free time for entertainment with the funny plays such as squid fishing, karaoke program, stars watching on sundeck… Spend romantic night aboard. Stay overnight on boat in Halong bay.

DAY 6

Halong Bay – Hanoi (B,L)

Early morning, start your new day on Halong bay with doing morning exercises,Taichi or hunting photos. Breakfast with coffee or tea. After breakfast, our bus takes you to Cai Beo harbor, get on “Day Boat”, back boat. Then visit Ba Hang Fishing Village by tender to experience the lifestyle of local people. Back to boat restaurant to join cooking class and enjoy lunch. 12.00, Disembar. go backward Hanoi and transfer straight to airport for your departure flight.

---

PLAN B

---

DAY 1: Hanoi – Arrival.

Arrival in Hanoi. We welcome you at the airport and transfer you to hotel. After check in the hotel, our guide takes you to visit some famous places in Hanoi. You will start the tour by visiting Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ho Chi Minh Museum. Enjoy the architectural and historical aspects of Uncle Ho’s final resting-palace. Just next door is Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts where he used to live in the past. Lying to one side of the Mausoleum is the One Pillar Pagoda, built by King Ly Thai To in 1049 the structure has become an important symbol for the people of Hanoi. Continue to visit the Temple of Literature (Quoc Tu Giam) – Vietnam’s first University constructed in 1070. Its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam’s past. Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant. Proceed our visit at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology which focuses on the 54 officially recognised ethnic groups in Vietnam. This fabulous collection relating to Vietnam's ethnic minorities features well-presented tribal art, artefacts and everyday objects gathered from across the nation, and examples of traditional village houses. After that we will take you to Hoan Kiem Lake, see the peaceful water, and visit Ngoc Son Temple. Meaning 'Temple of the Jade Mountain', Hanoi's most visited temple sits on a small island in the northern part of Hoan Kiem Lake, connected to the lakeshore by an elegant scarlet bridge, constructed in classical Vietnamese style. Take an hour cyclo tour for sightseeing around the bustling old quarter to see the ordinary life in Hanoi. Read more about these attractions / Watch video At 18.00, Back to your hotel. It’s your free time now to have dinner and a short while to explore the streets of Hanoi on your own. Stay overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 2: Hanoi – Hoa Lu (B,L)

08.00 Our guide will pick you up at your hotel and leave for Hoa Lu - Tam Coc. On the way to Hoa Lu, you have a good chance of seeing and enjoying the fresh air of the Vietnam countryside along the way.

10.30 Arrival in the province of Ninh Binh and then the guide will take you to visit Hoa Lu, the ancient royal capital of Vietnam.

11.30 AM Continue to reach Tam Coc by bicycle. On the road, the guide will show you the daily life of the local people and the beauty of the area.

12.10 Lunch at a local restaurant in Tam Coc

13.00 After lunch, take small boats to visit Tam Coc, which is literally known as "three caves". The first Cave is the longest which is considered a true rainbow in the water during the morning time that extends on both sides of the Ngo Dong river. The silent movements of the oars create a sort of musical rhythm inside the cave. As the boat leaves the cave, you can see what appears to be an old man with a white beard, a fairy who flies through the clouds, peasants who collect fuel and a group of white goats that graze on the hills. After that, the guide takes you to the second cave and the third cave.

17.00 Return to Hanoi

19.00 Arrival in Hanoi

DAY 3: Hanoi  – Sapa (B,L,D)

After breakfast at hotel, we pick you up at hotel and transfer to Sapa.

Arrival in Sapa, take a little time for refreshment. Then, we will set off to begin trekking and exploring the Muong Hoa valley.

A 12kms of trekking will see us visit Y Linh Ho and Lao Chai villages. Here we will have lunch with a local family or in a drinking shop by the river, we continue hiking to Ta Van village (here resides the Dzay people) where we settle for the night in a local village family home. This provides a great opportunity to share their customs and home life. Your tour guide and host family will set up a temporary cooking class so you can share a Vietnamese cooking experience!

We stay overnight in a local family. Here you have opportunity to experience their daily life, work and original custom.

Overnight homestay at a local house of Dzay family in village. (B,L,D)

Option 2: Go back to Sapa town. Overnight at hotel. (B,L)

DAY 4: Sapa – Hanoi (B,L)

After breakfast at house, we leave Ta van village, head off on an uphill trail, past fascinating terraced rice fields and small pockets of H'Mong housing before walking through a bamboo forest to a picturesque waterfall. Here, we rest briefly and admire the scenery, following this we continue walking for about half and hour to Giang Ta Chai village, home of the Red Zao people- this sits on top of a hill and overlooks the Muong Hoa River.

After spending time with the villagers and enjoying their genuine hospitality we will cross the river via a suspension bridge and head upwards again to visit a local handicraft centre where H'Mong and Zao women gather to share their crafts and skills and have a good chat!

A late lunch will be prepared for you near the craft centre and then it is time to relax and become acquainted with the local school children and their teachers. Later, we make our way back to Sapa town.

Option 2: (Hotel stay in previous night)

Visit Cat cat village and Sin Chai Village.

Breakfast at hotel. A walk down to the South-west of Sapa (around 4 km) to visit Cat Cat village of the Black H’mong. Relax at the food 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 next 6 km to Sin Chai, the village located at the foot of Fansipan Mountain, “the roof of Vietnam and Indochina”. From here you can enjoy huge stunning landscapes before climbing up on the way a jeep to go back to Sapa.

Return to Hanoi

Overnight in Hanoi. (B,L)

DAY 5: Hanoi – Halong Bay ( B,L,D)

Around 8.00am, Our guide Pick you up at your hotel and go to Halong bay on a shuttle bus. Take a rest at Humanity center and enjoy local specialties after 2h. Arrival in Halong at 11.45. The captain and crew welcome you aboard. Savor the delicious lunch as boat pass through thousands of Islands and Islets with different shapes. After the lunch, explore the biggest and the most amazing cave in Halong Bay - Surprise Cave. Then Kayaking for an hour around the fishing village and discover the life of community there. Then back to boat for Sunset Party, get to calm, clean water place for swimming. Enjoy delicious and romantic dinner with some barbecue courses. In the evening, free time for entertainment with the funny plays such as squid fishing, karaoke program, stars watching on sundeck… Spend romantic night aboard. Stay overnight on boat in Halong bay.

DAY 6: Halong Bay – Hanoi (B,L)

Early morning, start your new day on Halong bay with doing morning exercises,Taichi or hunting photos. Breakfast with coffee or tea. After breakfast, our bus takes you to Cai Beo harbor, get on “Day Boat”, back boat. Then visit Ba Hang Fishing Village by tender to experience the lifestyle of local people. Back to boat restaurant to join cooking class and enjoy lunch. 12.00, Disembar. go backward Hanoi and transfer straight to airport for your departure flight.