Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival
Upon arrival, you will be met outside the baggage claim area by your guide who will escort you to a waiting vehicle for your transfer to downtown with a brief introduction en route.
Your guide will be holding a welcome signboard with your name. The rest of the day is at your leisure to explore the tree-lined boulevards, French Indochinese architecture and tranquil lakes of this unique city.
Day 2: Hanoi City tour (B, L)
After breakfast, the guide picks you up for visiting the capital of Vietnam, a city that celebrated 1.000 years in 2010 has countless fascinating cultural and historic sites and our days’ tour will visit the highlights.
See the grand and solemn mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh (viewed from outside; closed Mon and Fri and from Oct-Nov), the ‘icon of Hanoi’ – The One Pillar Pagoda, West Lake’s Tran Quoc temple and Quan Thanh pagoda as well as the fascinating Ethnology Museum.
Then you will take a cyclo for visiting the bustling Old Quarter and at the end of the day – a water puppet performance.
Day 3: Hanoi – Hoa Binh – Mai Hich (B, L, D)
08:00 am: The guide pick you up at your hotel and depart to Mai Hich, Mai Chau. Enjoy the ride through the paddy fields of the Old Doai village and street-side village markets. Take a stop at Thung Khe Pass to observe the landscape of the valleys and hills.
Arrive in Mai Hich and be greeted by the village hosts in traditional dresses with cold drinks. Have a home-cooked local lunch with forest specialties and fresh ingredients.
Afternoon: Cycle or walk around the villages to enjoy the beauty of the surrounding nature and rural activities in action, including houses-on-stilt, fish ponds, low terrace paddy fields, and so on. Take part in some of the daily farming routines of local farmers. Check out a traditional weaving cooperative and have a chance to buy some hand-made souvenirs for your loved ones.
Continue on to enjoy a rafting adventure along Xia River. Take a walk through the cornfields, paddy fields and enjoy the daily life of the local community. At the end of the day, check-in homestay (with privacy, coziness, and free wifi access)
Have dinner while enjoying the music and dances of Thai youth. Have a chance to learn and join the dances, and taste some local alcoholic specialty afterward.
Day 4: Mai Ha – Chau Vieng villages – Hanoi (B, L, D)
Waking up to the fresh and tranquil morning of the Northwest mountainous area! Have breakfast in the setting of local people. Then trek through the villages, bamboo forests, visit a local brick factory, visit Thai, Mai Ha, Chieng Chau villages on the way from Mai Hich to Lac Village. Have some souvenir shopping time at the center of Lac Village.
After lunch in Lac Village, have time for relaxing before transfer to Ninh Binh. Overnight in Ninh Binh.
Day 5: Trang An – Hoa Lu – Hanoi (B, L)
Breakfast at your hotel. The guide picks you up and visits Trang An tourist attraction, take a boat trip to visit cave complex: Sang Cave, Toi Cave, Ba Giot Cave, Nau Ruou in mystery and wildness, see the scenery of mountain and rivers. Trang An is considered as Halong on the land.
After lunch, transfer for visiting visit Hoa Lu – the Ancient Royal capital of Viet Nam. We will visit Dinh king temple and Le king temple. in the 10th century, finding out the heroic histories of these two Kings in Chinese Wars. Then transfer to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 6: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Lunch – Surprising Cave – Titop Island – Sunset party – Dinner – Onboard night activities
07.45 – 08.15 approx
- Our guide will meet you at your hotel.
- Enjoy the peaceful scenery as we travel through the countryside, farmlands and Red River Delta
- Get your camera ready to take photos. Comfort break. The time from Hanoi to Halong bay is approximately 3,5 hours.
12 – 12.30 approx
- Arriving Tuan Chau Marina. Welcome aboard the cruise. Refresh with our welcome drink. Meet the captain, crew in the cruise briefing.
- Check into your cabin. Time to refresh and unwind
- Set sail as lunch is served
- Join us for a typical local lunch in the dining room or in the outdoor dining area.
Afternoon
- Arrive at Surprising Cave, explore the cave and find out how the cave was named a Surprising.
- Heading to the Titop island area. Drop anchor in the calm water surrounded by beautiful islets. Visit Titop Island for swimming and snorkeling or do the short trek to the top of the island to have the overview of Halong bay from here
- Heading back toward the sleeping area
Early evening
- Summit on the sundeck watching the sunset, enjoy Sunset party. It’s an ideal time to make acquaintance with new friends, sharing your traveling experience or simply watching the sunset
- An authentic Vietnamese menu is served
- After dinner, reward yourself with a large selection of cocktails at our bar, or take for you one of our onboard activities: book reading, games, movies, and squid fishing…
Day 7: Tai Chi – Breakfast – Luon Cave – Cooking Demonstration – Lunch – Farewell at your hotel
06:30 am: For the early risers join us for a Tai Chi session on the sundeck. Tai chi helps focus the mind and condition the body, joining the Tai Chi session to full charge your energy for the day.
07:00 – 08:00 am: Local breakfast is served
08:00 am
- Mingling yourself in the stunning views of the bay and it’s dramatic limestone islets as we sail through the calm emerald waters heading to Luon Cave (Hang Luồn)
- Take your bamboo boat rowed by the locals to visit how beautiful of the cave
09:00 am: Check out the cabins, at your leisure while our cruise taking you to pass by other beautiful highlights in the bay.
10:00 am: You will join our short class of Cooking demonstration, how to make spring rolls before an early lunch is served.
12:00 pm: Return to the shore and disembark from the cruise as our crew says farewell. Transfer to minibus or private and return to Hanoi. Arrival back at your hotel at approximately 16:30 pm.
Day 8: Hanoi Departure
Your time will be your own until your private car and driver arrives to take you to the airport for your flight to next destination. End of the tour.
What's Included
– Hotel accommodation
– Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
– Tours and transfers by private air-conditioned vehicles
– English speaking local guide
– All entrance fees as indicated in the itinerary
– Boat trips as mentioned in the itinerary
– Cruise in Halong Bay
– Coldwater and towel during tours
What's Not Included
– Visa stamp fee
– International air ticket
– Other meal, drink
– Tip to guide and driver, personal expenses