Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
Landing at Hanoi International Airport, you'll head straight to your hotel in the city center and get settled in. Later this evening, a walking street food tour takes you through the bustling night markets where you'll try authentic Vietnamese dishes like pho, bun cha, banh cuon, and the unique egg coffee that locals love. Your guide walks you back to the hotel afterward so you can rest.
Included Activities
- Airport pick-up and drop-off at hotel
- Hanoi Walking Street Food Tour (Pho, Bun Cha, Banh Cuon, Egg Coffee, Desserts)
- Free Hidden Train Street Visit (for early bird bookings before December 15, 2023)
- Day 2
Hanoi
You'll start with breakfast at the hotel, then spend the full day seeing Hanoi's important sites. The morning includes Ho Chi Minh Complex, One Pillar Pagoda, and a lacquer paintings workshop. Depending on the day's schedule, you'll either visit Bat Trang pottery village or the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. Lunch features eight different Vietnamese dishes before the afternoon takes you to Temple of Literature, Tran Quoc Pagoda, and Ngoc Son Temple by Hoan Kiem Lake.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel), Lunch (Vietnamese lunch with 8 delicious dishes at local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Ho Chi Minh Complex visit with embalmed body viewing and Ho Chi Minh gardens
- One Pillar Pagoda visit
- Lacquer Paintings workshop visit
- Bat Trang ceramics and pottery village (Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays) OR Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays)
- Temple of Literature visit
- Tran Quoc Pagoda visit
- Ngoc Son Temple visit at Hoan Kiem Lake
Landmarks/POIs Ho Chi Minh Complex One Pillar Pagoda Bat Trang ceramics and pottery village Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Temple of Literature Tran Quoc Pagoda Ngoc Son Temple - Day 3
Hanoi to Halong Bay
You're leaving Hanoi early morning and heading to Tuan Chau Harbor to board a 3-star cruise headed for Halong Bay. After checking into your air-conditioned cabin and having lunch on board, the afternoon brings a visit to Sung Sot Cave and then Titop Island where you can swim or climb to the scenic viewpoint. Back on the cruise, you'll join a sunset party and a cooking class where you'll make fresh noodle rolls, then have dinner with views of the bay.
- Meals
- Lunch (Special Vietnamese traditional lunch while cruising in Halong Bay), Dinner (Dinner overlooking sea view in Halong Bay at night)
Included Activities
- Shuttle bus transfer from Hanoi to Halong Bay
- Welcome drinks and cruise orientation
- Sung Sot Cave (Surprising Cave) visit
- Titop Island visit with viewpoint and swimming beach
- Sunset party and cooking class (fresh noodle roll preparation)
- Kayaking or bamboo boat exploration
- Evening entertainment (squid fishing, karaoke, puzzle games)
Landmarks/POIs Sung Sot Cave Titop Island - Day 4
Halong Bay to Hanoi
The morning starts early watching the sunrise from the sundeck with tea and coffee, followed by breakfast. You'll visit a pearl farm to see how Halong's famous pearls are made, then go kayaking to explore the quiet waters. After checking out, the cruise heads back to harbor and you catch a shuttle bus to Hanoi (stopping briefly in Hai Duong). Arriving mid-afternoon, you'll rest at a small hotel before heading to the bus station for the overnight bus to Sapa.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast on boat with morning tea or coffee), Lunch (Lunch while cruising back to Tuan Chau Harbour)
Included Activities
- Sunrise viewing on sundeck
- Pearl farm visit and educational tour
- Kayaking or bamboo boat exploration of Halong Bay
- Cruise return to Tuan Chau Harbour
- Shuttle bus transfer back to Hanoi
- Hotel use for shower and rest before night bus
Landmarks/POIs Tuan Chau Harbor - Day 5
Sapa
Arriving in Lao Cai at 5:30 AM, you travel uphill to Sapa over about an hour. After breakfast and a couple hours to rest, a 5km mountain trek begins to Y Linh Ho village where the Black Hmong tribe lives. You'll visit local houses to learn about their way of life and handicrafts, then trek down to Muong Hoa River for a quick rest or swim. From there, climbing to Lao Chai village brings a picnic lunch. The afternoon continues to Tavan village to meet the Day and Red Dzao tribes before dinner and your first night at a local homestay.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel), Lunch (Picnic lunch at Lao Chai village), Dinner (Dinner at local homestay)
Included Activities
- Van transfer from Lao Cai to Sapa
- Mountain trek to Y Linh Ho Black Hmong village
- Native house visits and cultural discovery
- Handicraft observation (hemp, indigo working)
- Muong Hoa River rest and swimming
- Trek to Lao Chai village
- Visit to Day and Red Dzao tribes in Tavan village
Landmarks/POIs Y Linh Ho village Muong Hoa River Lao Chai village Tavan village - Day 6
Sapa
Breakfast comes at the homestay before an 8km trek to Giang Ta Chai, a Red Dzao village. The path has uphill and downhill sections through bamboo forest, passes a waterfall and rattan bridge where you can swim, and includes a picnic lunch. After lunch, you hike about 2km uphill to Hau Thao village before returning to Sapa by car. You'll have free time to walk around Sapa town and check out the local market, then dinner precedes your transfer to catch the night bus back to Hanoi.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at homestay), Lunch (Picnic lunch during trek at river rest point)
Included Activities
- Trek to Giang Ta Chai Red Dzao village (approximately 8km)
- Bamboo forest trekking
- Waterfall and rattan bridge exploration
- Swimming at river
- Trek to Hau Thao village (approximately 2km)
- Sapa town and market exploration (free time)
- Transfer to bus station
Landmarks/POIs Giang Ta Chai Red Dzao village Hau Thao village Sapa Market - Day 7
Hanoi
The bus pulls into Hanoi at 4:00 AM and you rest at the station. From there, free time lets you do a bit more exploring around the city before saying goodbye to your guide and driver as you head to your departure.
