Description

8-Day Northern Vietnam Highlights

Overview:

Discover Northern Vietnam highlights where ancient history and stunning landscapes collide. Travel from the modern capital to the first capital city, Hoa Lu and admire ancient relics. Meet the Hmong people and other minority villagers on a hilltribe excursion in Sapa. Explore the limestone karsts and rice paddies of ‘Halong on Land’ before boarding a boat to cruise the real Halong Bay. This trip offers great value as it introduces the region’s main sights, providing plenty of flexibility so you can experience an adventure you’ll never forget.

Highlights:

• Trek through the rolling rice terraces, waterfalls, mountains and lush green hills of Sapa and get in touch with people from ethnic minority groups
• Cast away on a traditional junk boat and set sail through hundreds of limestone karsts that rise dramatically from the emerald waters of Halong Bay
• Get a glimpse of countryside in Vietnam, enjoy the peace with endless rice paddy fields and fresh air

8-Day Northern Vietnam Highlights

Day 1: Hanoi arrival

Our driver will pick up you from Hanoi airport then take you to hotel.

Check in hotel and free time to relax, explore Hanoi old quarter.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel in Hanoi

Day 2: Full day Hanoi city Tour

This full day tour takes you around Hanoi’s most interesting sights. Firstly, you will visit Tran Quoc Pagoda – the oldest pagoda in Hanoi. After that we explore the Ho Chi Minh Complex including Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, House-on-Stilts, the Presidential Palace, One Pillar Pagoda. Then visit Vietnam Ethnology Museum to learn about the culture of 54 ethnic groups living in the whole country of Vietnam.

Have lunch at a local Restaurant with traditional Vietnam cuisines.

After lunch time, visit the Temple of Literature – the first university in Vietnam.

Keep going to visit Hoa Lo Prison, the prison was built by the French, from 1886 to 1901, when Vietnam was still a part of French Indochina.

Ending trip with a Warter Puppet show (excluded). Go back to hotel. Free time for dinner and overnight at hotel.

Note:

• Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed on Monday and Friday. But still can take picture of the Mausoleum and visit around that area.
• We will visit Vietnamese Women’s Museum instead of Vietnam Ethnology Museum closed on Mondays.
• Should dress modestly by covering from shoulders to knees in the public places like temples, pagodas, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, etc

Accommodation: 3-star hotel

Day 3: Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Hanoi – Night train to Lao Cai

07h00 – 8h00: Get picked up by our friendly guide then depart for Ninh Binh province.

09h15: Have a short break for 15 – 20 minutes to relax.

10h30: Visit Hoa Lư ancient capital of Vietnam between 968 and 1010. You have a chance to learn about Vietnamese history in the feudal system under Dinh, Le, and Ly Dynasty.

11h45: Have buffet lunch in the restaurant with many local foods such as goat meat, fish, chicken, and fried rice…Vegetarian foods are always available in the buffet lunch.

13h00: Visit Tam Coc by 1.5-hourbamboo boat.  You will be surprised by the charming beauty here with paddy fields, river, water, cloud, sky, and a stunning cave system during the boat trip. All make a masterpiece that the Vietnamese people called “Ha Long Bay on land”.

14h30: Continue the tour for 45 mins – cycling around the village to discover the life of the local people.

15h30: Get back to Limousine Bus then leave for Mua Cave (Dancing Cave). Walk up almost 500 steps, you can reach the top of Lying Dragon Mountain & have an amazing panoramic view of Tam Coc from here.

16h30: Get on the bus to return to Hanoi.

18h30: Get dropped off at Hotel in Hanoi.

Dinner on your own then meet at your hotel at around 20:40 hrs and transfer to Hanoi train station. Overnight train trip to Lao Cai in shared sleeping compartments (sharing with other passengers in 2 lower & 2 upper berths per compartment). Train departs at approximately 21:30 hrs.

Notes:

– Train schedule is subject to change.

– Private compartments on request at surcharge.

– Train journeys are part of a great local experience. Cabins are shared with other local passengers (unless private cabin is requested and all berths paid for – with supplement). Restrooms at either end of the carriages complete the local experience.

Accommodation: Overnight train to Lao Cai

Day 4: Lao Cai – Sapa – Y Linh Ho – Lao Chai – Ta Van – Sapa

05:30 ~ 06:00: Arrive at Lao Cai Train Station. Pick up at the train station and transfer to Sapa for breakfast. Relax for a while to get ready for our full day tour.

9.00am: Meet up your local guide and start trekking. The first part is on the road but we soon turn to the right and walk on a small path down the valley to Y Linh Ho village settled down by the Muong Hoa River and from here to the Black H’mong village of Lao Chai. Black H’mong is one of the biggest minority groups in the Sapa area. They have their own language and wear traditional indigo blue clothing. The H’mong peoples have just recently changed their living way from sifting style into the sedentary one. So there are still a lot traces of the past time can be seen: rudimentary houses, stone wall around homes… After this you continue to Ta Van village (1.200 m) to visit Zay people. Zay is a fairly small minority group of about 38.000 people who live mainly in the mountains in Northwest Vietnam.

After visiting Ta Van village the car will return you to Sapa. Free at leisure the rest of the day. Overnight at Sapa Hotel.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel in Sapa

Day 5: Sapa – Cat Cat – Sin Chai – Sapa – Lao Cai – Night train to Hanoi

In the morning, have breakfast at the hotel and then check out.

Take a walk down to the South-west of Sapa (around 3 km) to visit Cat Cat Village of the Black H’mong, one of the more well-known ethnic village of Sapa. Relax at the foot of the stunning waterfall and the vestige of a hydroelectric power station that was constructed by the French during the colonial time in Vietnam.

Enjoy picnic lunch by the side of the river, and then continue trekking to 3 km to Sin Chai Village, located at the foot of Fansipan Mountain – “the Roof of Indochina”, where you enjoy a stunning landscapes of the mountain.

Then come back to Sapa town for free time.

17:00: Transfer to Lao Cai station for night train to Hanoi.

Dinner on your own and take overnight train to Hanoi.

Accommodation: Overnight train to Hanoi

Day 6: Hanoi – Halong Bay

05:30 – 06:00: Our driver pick up you from Hanoi train station and take you to hotel for breakfast and relax. 

After breakfast, depart the capital for the drive to Halong Bay. Arrive to Halong City’s jetty (around noon) and proceed with check-in formalities. After a welcome onboard, lunch will be served while cruising towards the bay. In the afternoon, enjoy some sightseeing, on-board activities (depending on each boat’s itinerary) or just spend some time relaxing on the vessel. Towards the end of the day the boat sets anchor for the night among the karst formations. Dinner is served on board.

Accommodation: 3-star cruise in Halong Bay

Day 7: Halong Bay – Hanoi

Early risers can enjoy a memorable sunrise over the karst formations of Halong Bay. Breakfast will be served shortly thereafter.

Enjoy breakfast (brunch on some boats) while the vessels cruises slowly through the magnificent rock formations back towards port. Arriving at the harbor, you will be picked up for transferring back to Hanoi.

Drop off at your hotel. Dinner on your own and overnight at hotel.

Accommodation: 3-star hotel in Hanoi

Day 8: Hanoi departure

Our driver take you to Hanoi airport – Say goodbye to 8-Day Northern Vietnam Highlights Tour.

Accommodation: N/A

Important Notes:

• PROGRAMS & SCHEDULES SUBJECT TO CHANGE WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE
• In case of unpredictable bad conditions of weather in Halong Bay, please kindly understand that the cancellation will be made ONLY by the Management Board of Halong Bay and normally the announcement will be informed in short notice.
• If you have any specific food requirement (vegetarian, vegan, food allergies, etc.) please inform us in advance, we will provide notices to our restaurants, tour guides and partners so they would be able to serve you the best.
• 8-Day Northern Vietnam Highlights Tour is a customized tour so you con let us know what you want more/less.

8-Day Northern Vietnam Highlights

Price is based on per adult, in Double/Twin sharing, for group of 2 people

Please contact us for more information

Included:

• Accommodation in TWN/ DBL sharing accommodation at hotel and Halong cruise, except overnight on train
• All transport and transfer as per itinerary
• All in-tour stationed local English speaking guide.
• Return overnight train ticket Hanoi – Lao Cai – Hanoi (4 soft berth sharing cabin with air condition)
• Transfer from and to airport
• Entrance fees as per itinerary
• Meals as indicated in the program

Excluded:

• Hotel EARLY check in and LATE check out
• Peak season surcharge & compulsory dinner at the hotel (if any)
• Flights to or from Hanoi with taxes
• Visa or Passport Fees
• Travel Insurance
• Tips, laundry and gratuities
• Meals not marked on itinerary, and water during meals

Children Policy: