Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
You'll arrive in Hanoi and get settled at your hotel in the Old Quarter. After checking in, your guide meets you for a 3-hour walking food tour where you'll taste banh cuon, pho, crab rolls, banh my, and the local specialty Vietnamese egg coffee. Later, take a cyclo ride through the busy streets, then head to the Water Puppet show, a traditional 11th-century art form performed over water with wooden puppets telling folk stories.
Included Activities
- 3-hour guided walking tour through Hanoi Old Quarter with local guide
- Banh cuon (filled rice noodles) tasting with chef demonstration
- Pho tasting (beef and chicken versions)
- Crab rolls, pillow cakes, fried rice balls, and fresh rolls sampling
- Banh my (Vietnamese sandwich) tasting at hidden street food restaurant
- Vietnamese egg coffee tasting
- Cyclo ride through Old Quarter
- Water Puppet show
Landmarks/POIs Hanoi Old Quarter - Day 2
Hanoi
This day focuses on Hanoi's cultural sites with your guide. You'll visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex including the mausoleum, stilt house, Presidential Palace, and One Pillar Pagoda. From there, see the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university from the 10th century. Stop by Hoan Kiem Lake for photos, then take a 30-minute cyclo or car tour around the Old Quarter. In the afternoon, join an egg coffee class learning to make Hanoi-style, Saigon-style, and famous egg coffee, then try what you've made.
- Meals
- Breakfast
Included Activities
- Visit Ho Chi Minh Complex including mausoleum, stilt house, Presidential Palace, and One Pillar Pagoda
- Temple of Literature visit
- 30-minute cyclo or car tour around Old Quarter
- Egg Coffee class with instruction in making Hanoi-style espresso-strength milk coffee, Saigon-style milk coffee, and internationally famous egg coffee
Landmarks/POIs Ho Chi Minh Complex Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum One Pillar Pagoda Temple of Literature Hoan Kiem Lake - Day 3
Hanoi to Halong Bay
Head out early from Hanoi toward Halong Bay via expressway, about 2.5 hours of travel. Board a premium day-sleeper cruise and spend 6 hours navigating through limestone islets with local names. You'll have buffet lunch on board, explore Surprising Cave with its stalactites and stalagmites, climb Titop Peak for views across the bay, then kayak or take a bamboo boat through Luon Cave's lagoon. End the day watching the sunset from the upper deck with wine, tea, and cakes before heading back to Hanoi.
- Meals
- Lunch (Buffet lunch on boat)
Included Activities
- 2-day sleeper boat cruise through Halong Bay
- Visit Surprising Cave
- Titop Island visit with Titop Peak climb
- Kayaking or bamboo boat in Luon Cave
- Sunset party with wine, tea, and cakes
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay Surprising Cave Titop Island Luon Cave - Day 4
Hanoi to Ninh Binh
Travel to Ninh Binh province to explore ancient Vietnamese history. Visit Hoa Lu, the former feudal capital from 968-1010, learning about the Dinh, Le, and Ly dynasties. After buffet lunch featuring local goat meat, fish, and chicken (vegetarian options available), you'll spend 1.5 hours bamboo boating through Tam Coc's landscape of paddy fields, water, and caves called 'Ha Long Bay on land.' Then cycle 45 minutes around the village to see local life, climb nearly 500 steps to Mua Cave's summit for panoramic views, then drive back to Hanoi.
- Meals
- Breakfast, Lunch (Buffet lunch with local foods including goat meat, fish, chicken, and fried rice; vegetarian options available)
Included Activities
- Visit Hoa Lu, ancient capital of Vietnam
- 1.5-hour bamboo boat trip through Tam Coc
- 45-minute cycling tour around village
- Mua Cave (Dancing Cave) visit with climb up Lying Dragon Mountain (approximately 500 steps)
Landmarks/POIs Hoa Lu Tam Coc Mua Cave - Day 5
Hanoi to Airport
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel and have free time before departure. Your transfer to the airport gets arranged, and you'll head out for your flight home.
- Meals
- Breakfast
