The First Day: Hanoi Arrival – Hanoi Sightseeing – Foodie Tour.

Welcome to Hanoi the capital city of Vietnam. Upon arrival at Hanoi airport, your local guide and driver will pick you up at the airport lobby and transfer to Hanoi center for a full day to explore Vietnam’s charming capital. With its wide tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and ancient oriental pagodas, Hanoi is an eclectic mix that offers something for everyone. Your city tour will take you to Hanoi’s key sites: the Ho Chi Minh Complex (Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and stilt house), the nearby One Pillar Pagoda; the Presidential Palace; the Temple of Literature; the Quan Thanh Temple, the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda & West Lake.

After lunch in a finest restaurant, you will visit one of the city’s museums (a choice between the History Museum and the Ethnology Museum). Later in the afternoon enjoy a traditional Water Puppet Performance – a unique Vietnamese Art form hailing from Southeast Asia’s wet-rice culture.

Later tonight we have Hanoi street foodie tour by walking along the narrow lane and alleys of Hanoi and taste typical traditional food of Hanoi.

Meals: Dinner

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

The Second Day: Hanoi – Drive Sapa – walking to Cat Cat village

Your private tour guide and car will pick you up at your hotel in Hanoi then start 5 hour drive to Sapa on a new express way. You will enjoy a scenic countryside drive along the red river and delta, through villages, rice fields, hilly areas; stop on the way for break and taking photos. Upon arrival in Sapa, have your lunch at a local restaurant and take some rest before we do a short walk to visit Cat Cat village of Black Hmong tribe and Cat Cat waterfall. The village located just 2 km from Sapa city center. After the walk, our driver picks you up and drives to hotel check in. In the evening enjoy night market with some traditional music performance by the Hmong people (night market falls on the weekend.

Meals: Breakfast & Lunch

Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa

Day 3: Sapa – Lao Chai – Ta Van villages

After breakfast, take a morning walking tour of Sapa for a visit to the busy market where Red Dao, Blac H’Mong, Tay and other ethnic minority people converge from the surrounding countryside to sell their silverware and handicrafts, and to buy provisions. Afterwards, we will do one of the most beautiful Sapa Tours with the drive to visit Lao Chai and Ta Van Village of the Black H’mong and the Day people where you can enjoy fresh air, amazing scenery of the imposing mountain range, trek down world’s most beautiful terraced rice fields, visit some local families of Hmong on the way and learn unique culture and life of these ethnic groups. Back to Sapa by private car, free at leisure for the rest of the day.
–Ta Van Village: It is lying peacefully in the valley of Muong Hoa, inhabited by Giay, Hmong and Red Dao minority with approximately 1000 people.

— The trek along Muong Hoa valley is the most beautiful one in Sapa. This is the best place for photography opportunities and meeting local minority people.

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa.

Day 4: Sapa – Ma Tra –Ta Phin –Hanoi

Having breakfast and check out hotel then drive downhill to the village of Suoi Ho, home to the Hmong minority people. From here you can enjoy stunning views of rice terraces, and you will have the opportunity to see some of the animals used by the locals to work on fields. Continuing on to Matra village you will come across the impressive ruins of a nunnery (or convent), often misconceived to be a monastery, dating back to the French occupation in the early 1900s. The next stop is the village of Ta Phin where you will be able to meet both Hmong and Red Dao minorities. The Red Dao is known for their expertise in herbal medicine as well as usage of plants from the land to treat many illnesses. Your guide will introduce you to some Red Dao women who can tell you more about their many remedies. You will be welcomed into the home of the Red Dao family, where a herbal bath will be arranged if you ask for (pay extra for this). You can soak your body in a herbal bath and take a nap soundly enjoying the serenity of sleeping out in the mountains. After the visit to this stunning Red Dao village, we will drive back to Hanoi on the same way and will have lunch (on your own) on the way back to the city.  Upon arrival in Hanoi, check in hotel and relax. Enjoy Hanoi by night

Meals: Breakfast.

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Note: If this day falls on the Sunday, we will do Bac Ha Sunday market tour before driving back Hanoi. Bac Ha Sunday Market tour will apply separate cost on the top of total tour cost. Our travel consultant will remind you at the time of booking your trip.

Day 5: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Overnight on cruise.
After breakfast, set out on a 3 to 4 hour drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Halong Bay. Spend 24 hours on a traditional Junk Cruise in the amazing bay: a natural wonderland composed of jutting limestone islands and sparkling turquoise waters. Arrive at the dock around noon and board your junk. Savor a gourmet lunch of fresh seafood onboard as we sail out into the mystical bay. In the afternoon, cruise around some of Halong’s many islands, including Dinh Huong and Ga Choi. Along the way visit one of the bay’s 3 largest caves (Thien Cung, Dau Go or Sung Sot). Stop at an island cove with a sheltered white-sand beach and take a dip in the warm waters of the Tonkin Gulf (weather permitting). Pass the night on your junk, lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of calm waters.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.

Accommodation: on cruise.

Day 6: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Departure.

Awake early and participate in Tai Chi on the top deck or simply relax and enjoy the sunrise over the bay’s towering islands. Enjoy a morning cup of coffee or tea, before setting out to explore nearby islands by rowboat. Return to the junk for breakfast then take advantage of the sundeck and admire the amazing rock formations of Bai Tu Long Bay as you navigate back to Halong City. Have brunch on board the boat before returning to Halong pier. Your driver will meet you at the dock and take you to Noi Bai Airport of Hanoi to catch your departure flight home.

Meals: Brunch.

Accommodation: N/A.

Even it ends the trip here but you have endless options to extend your vacation to other cities in Central and South Vietnam. Please contact us at bookingvietnam365@gmail.com for more information.