Itinerary
- Day 1
Arrival in Hanoi
Your driver meets you at the airport and takes you to your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter. Once you check in, you have the rest of the day to walk around and get familiar with the neighborhood at your own pace.
- Start point
- Hanoi, Vietnam (The bus will pick-up all travelers around Hanoi Old Quarter, 06:00 - 06:20)
Optional Activities
- Explore Hanoi Old Quarter surroundings
- Day 2
Hanoi to Ta Van Village
The bus picks you up at 6:00 AM from Hanoi Old Quarter heading toward Sapa. You'll stop in Lao Chai for lunch, then head on to Ta Van where a local Hmong and Giay family will welcome you. After dropping your things at the homestay, you explore the village to learn about the local culture, then cook and eat dinner together with your host family.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch break in Lao Chai), Dinner (Cooking and having dinner with local family)
Included Activities
- Walk around Ta Van village and discover Dzay people culture
- Cooking and dinner with local family
Landmarks/POIs Ta Van Village Lao Chai 
- Day 3
Ta Van to Hanoi
You're up early for breakfast with pancakes and hot tea while looking out at the rice terraces. From there it's a trek through bamboo forest and past a silk waterfall on the way to Giang Ta Chai. A picnic lunch gives you time to take in the scenery before heading back to Sapa town for a shower. Later you catch a shuttle to the bus office for the ride back to Hanoi with sandwiches provided. You'll pull up to your hotel around 10:00 PM.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Breakfast with pancakes, hot tea or hot coffee outdoors with views across rice terraces), Lunch (Picnic lunch with scenic views), Snack (Sandwiches to take away)
Included Activities
- Trek through bamboo forest and visit silk waterfall to Giang Ta Chai
- Picnic lunch with scenic views
Landmarks/POIs Giang Ta Chai Sapa Town 
- Day 4
Hanoi City Tour
Hotel pickup happens at 8:00 AM for a guided tour of Hanoi's cultural sites. You'll see the Ho Chi Minh Complex with the Mausoleum and stilt house, then the Ho Chi Minh Museum. Next comes Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake before lunch at a local restaurant. Afterward you visit the Temple of Literature, walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, and check out Ngoc Son Temple. Back at the hotel by 4:30 PM, and in the afternoon you can choose between Bat Trang Ceramics Village (weekdays) or the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (Tuesday-Thursday and weekends).
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch at a local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Ho Chi Minh Complex including Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum
- Visit President Ho Chi Minh's stilt house
- Visit Ho Chi Minh Museum
- Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda
- Visit Temple of Literature - first university in Vietnam
- Visit Ngoc Son Temple at Hoan Kiem Lake
Optional Activities
- Visit Bat Trang Ceramics & Pottery Village (available Mondays-Fridays)
- Visit Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (available Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays, Sundays)
Landmarks/POIs Ho Chi Minh Complex Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum President Ho Chi Minh's stilt house Ho Chi Minh Museum Tran Quoc Pagoda Bat Trang Ceramics & Pottery Village Vietnam Museum of Ethnology Temple of Literature Hoan Kiem Lake Ngoc Son Temple - Day 5
Ninh Binh Day Trip
You're picked up from your Hanoi hotel for a day trip to Ninh Binh province. Start at Bai Dinh, which is Vietnam's largest Buddhist temple complex with impressive statues and bells to see. Lunch happens at a local restaurant before you head to Trang An Landscape Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. There you'll take a wooden boat through quiet rivers and mysterious caves surrounded by limestone karsts. The final stop is climbing 500 steps to Mua Caves for panoramic views of Tam Coc before driving back to Hanoi.
- Meals
- Lunch (Vietnamese buffet with goat meat, fish, chicken, fried rice, and vegetarian food options at local restaurant)
Included Activities
- Visit Bai Dinh Temple Complex - largest Buddhist temple complex in Vietnam
- View 500 Arhat Statues and 36-ton bronze bell at Bai Dinh
- Wooden boat ride through Trang An Landscape Complex rivers and caves
- Climb to Mua Caves viewpoint for panoramic views
Landmarks/POIs Bai Dinh Temple Complex Trang An Landscape Complex Mua Caves Tam Coc - Day 6
Halong Bay Cruise
You get picked up from your Hanoi hotel and head to Tuan Chau Marina to board the cruise. After a welcome drink and meeting the captain and crew, there's a safety briefing. Lunch is in the luxury dining room with indoor and outdoor seating. The cruise takes you through scenic areas like Con Vit Islet, Thumb Islet, Gia Luan Harbor, and Lan Ha Bay. You'll stop for kayaking or swimming at Ba Trai Dao Beach or explore Dark Cave and Bright Cave depending on weather. Watch the sunset from the sundeck with tea and coffee, then learn to make spring rolls. Dinner follows, and you can relax at the panoramic bar, play games, watch movies, or try squid fishing.
- Meals
- Lunch (Lunch in luxury dining room with indoor and outdoor dining areas), Dinner (Dinner after cooking demonstration)
Included Activities
- Cruise through Con Vit Islet, Thumb Islet, Gia Luan Harbor, and Lan Ha Bay
- Kayaking or swimming at Ba Trai Dao Beach
- Visit Dark Cave and Bright Cave
- Sunset viewing from sundeck
- Cooking demonstration - traditional Vietnamese spring rolls
- Squid fishing
Optional Activities
- Massage service (not included in price)
Landmarks/POIs Con Vit Islet Thumb Islet Gia Luan Harbor Lan Ha Bay Ba Trai Dao Beach Dark Cave Bright Cave 
- Day 7
Halong Bay to Hanoi
Your day starts with a 6:30 AM Tai Chi session on the sundeck for focus and conditioning. A light breakfast comes with views of Halong Bay's limestone islets. The cruise heads through calm emerald waters to Ao Ech for kayaking through caves. After that, you have Vietnamese lunch. Then it's time to disembark and take a speedboat back to Tuan Chau Marina before driving back to your Hanoi hotel.
- Meals
- Breakfast (Light breakfast with views of Halong Bay and limestone islets), Lunch (Vietnamese cuisine lunch)
Included Activities
- Tai Chi session on sundeck
- Kayaking trip through caves at Ao Ech
- Explore caves by kayak
Landmarks/POIs Ao Ech Halong Bay
