Itinerary
- Day 1
Hanoi
You'll get picked up from Noi Bai airport and driven about 40 minutes to your hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter. After you check in, the rest of the day is yours to wander around the Old Quarter streets and check out the night market downtown on your own.
- Start point
- Quận Hoàn Kiếm, Hanoi, Vietnam (Pick up from your hotel around Hanoi old quarter, 08:00 - 08:30)
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Optional Activities
- Walk around Old Quarter
- Visit night market in Hanoi downtown
- Day 2
Hanoi City Tour
Breakfast at the hotel kicks things off, then your guide takes you on a full Hanoi city tour. You'll see Tran Quoc Pagoda on Golden Fish Island, the Ho Chi Minh complex including his mausoleum and old residences, One Pillar Pagoda, the Vietnam Ethnology Museum (or Women Museum depending on what's open), Temple of Literature, and Hoa Lo Prison Museum. Lunch is included at a local restaurant. By evening you'll head out for an overnight train to Lao Cai.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel), Lunch (Vietnamese cuisine at local restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Sleeper Train
Included Activities
- Guided Hanoi city tour
- Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda
- Visit Ho Chi Minh complex including mausoleum and gardens
- Visit One Pillar Pagoda
- Visit Vietnam Ethnology Museum or Women Museum
- Visit Temple of Literature
- Visit Hoa Lo Prison Museum
Landmarks/POIs Tran Quoc Pagoda Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum One Pillar Pagoda Vietnam Ethnology Museum Women Museum Temple of Literature Hoa Lo Prison Museum 
- Day 3
Sapa
You arrive in Sapa early morning after your train journey. Grab breakfast and then head to Cat Cat village where the Black H'mong ethnic people live. From there you trek through the valley for about 2 hours over 2.5km to see a waterfall and an old French-built Hydraulic Power Station. After lunch at a local restaurant, you'll check into your hotel and have time to relax or walk around Sapa town. There's an optional cable car ride to Fansipan Peak if you're interested. Dinner and overnight stay in Sapa.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast upon arrival in Sapa), Lunch (Lunch at local restaurant), Dinner (Dinner and overnight at hotel in Sapa)
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Guided trek to Cat Cat village
- Visit Black H'mong ethnic village and daily life activities
- Trek to valley bottom and waterfall
- Visit French Hydraulic Power Station site
Optional Activities
- Cable car to Fansipan Peak
Landmarks/POIs Cat Cat Village Fansipan Peak - Day 4
Sapa
After breakfast you check out and start a full day hiking trek through Y Linh Ho and rice terraces along Muong Hoa Stream to the Black Hmong village of Lao Chai, with Hoang Lien Son Mountain views. Next you continue to Ta Van village where the Dzay ethnic people live, covering about 9km total over 3.5 hours. Lunch happens at a local restaurant, then you get a bus back to Sapa. You'll have free time before heading to Lao Cai station for an overnight train back to Hanoi.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel in Sapa), Lunch (Lunch at local restaurant)
- Accommodation
- Sleeper Train
Included Activities
- Guided hiking through Y Linh Ho
- Trek through rice terraces and along Muong Hoa Stream
- Visit Black Hmong village of Lao Chai
- Visit Ta Van village of Dzay ethnic people
Landmarks/POIs Lao Chai Village Ta Van Village Hoang Lien Son Mountain - Day 5
Halong Bay
You arrive in Hanoi early morning and transfer to your hotel for breakfast. Your guide picks you up at 8:30am for the 3.5 hour drive to Halong Bay (with a 20-minute break halfway). Once there you board a 3-star cruise and check into your air-conditioned cabin. Lunch comes while you're cruising and taking in the limestone formations. That afternoon you visit Sung Sot Cave and Titop Island where you can enjoy scenic views or swim on the beach. Back on the cruise you'll watch the sunset, take a cooking class (making fresh noodle rolls), have dinner overlooking the bay, and then enjoy squid fishing, karaoke, or relax on the sundeck before sleeping overnight on the cruise.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel in Hanoi), Lunch (Special lunch with Vietnamese traditional dishes while cruising in Halong Bay), Dinner (Dinner overlooking sea view in the bay)
- Accommodation
- Berth / Cabin
Included Activities
- Halong Bay cruise
- Visit Sung Sot Cave
- Visit Titop Island/Soi Sim Island viewpoint or swimming beach
- Sunset party on cruise
- Cooking class - fresh noodle roll making
- Optional squid fishing, karaoke, or sundeck relaxation
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay Sung Sot Cave Titop Island 
- Day 6
Halong Bay to Hanoi
Wake early to catch the sunrise from the sundeck with morning tea, coffee, and breakfast overlooking the bay. You'll visit a pearl farm to learn how they farm pearls in Halong Bay. After that you go kayaking to explore the bay on your own pace. Then you check out of your cabin and cruise back to Halong Harbor while having lunch. You say goodbye to the crew and board a bus back to Hanoi for the 3.5 hour drive (with a 15-minute break halfway). You'll arrive at your hotel around 3:30pm with free time for the rest of the afternoon. Dinner is on your own, and you'll stay overnight in Hanoi.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast with morning bay views), Lunch (Lunch while cruising back to Halong Harbor)
- Accommodation
- Hotel
Included Activities
- Sunrise viewing on sundeck
- Visit Halong Bay Pearl farm
- Kayaking in Halong Bay
- Return cruise to Halong Harbor
Landmarks/POIs Halong Bay Pearl Farm - Day 7
Departure
Have breakfast at your hotel and then you have free time until your airport transfer. Your guide will pick you up at the arranged time and take you to the airport. This wraps up your 7-day tour of Vietnam covering Hanoi, Halong Bay, and Sapa.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast at hotel)
