Best of the North Vietnam

Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam’s bustling colonial capital. Upon arrival at Noi Bai Airport, the driver and guide meet the guests outside the airport and transfer them to a hotel in the city center.

In the afternoon, they begin with an orientation walk that includes some of the city’s highlights. The walk passes the elegant Hanoi Opera House, the lively Old Quarter with its narrow streets and small shops, and the peaceful Hoan Kiem Lake with the iconic Ngoc Son Temple. 

In the evening, savor a welcome dinner of authentic Vietnamese food at one of Hanoi’s finest restaurants.

Meals: Dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Today, guests have a full day to explore Vietnam’s charming capital. The city tour begins at the Ho Chi Minh Complex, including the Mausoleum and the traditional stilt house where the leader once lived. 

Nearby, they visit the Presidential Palace and the historic One Pillar Pagoda. The program continues at the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university, and two significant sites by West Lake: the tranquil Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple. 

Then visit one of the city’s museums, choosing between the History Museum and the Ethnology Museum, both of which offer valuable perspectives on Vietnam’s past and diverse cultures. Later in the afternoon, they watch a traditional Water Puppet Performance, a unique Vietnamese art form developed in the villages of the Red River Delta.

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

In the morning, the guide and driver meet guests at the lobby of the hotel, then leave Hanoi for Sapa on a 6-hour journey on Vietnam’s longest and modern highway.

On arrival, visit Lao Chai & Ta Van village with a short leisurely walk, an excellent way to explore the daily life and familiarize yourself with the cultures of the H’mong and Dzay people, two of the main ethnic groups in the region. The trek also offers impressive views of rice terraces that spread across the hillsides. 

In the evening, guests stay overnight in Sapa Town.

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa.

In the morning, drive to Tram Ton Pass, also called Heaven’s Gate, which is the highest mountain pass in Vietnam (more than 2,000 meters). From this viewpoint, they can admire a sweeping panorama of the surrounding mountains, including Fansipan, the highest peak in Indochina, when weather conditions are clear. 

Then they visit the nearby Silver Waterfall with the marvelous scenery of the surrounding nature. The route continues to O Quy Ho village, which is known for the different kinds of vegetables, flowers, fruit trees, and even medicinal plants grown here. Have lunch in Sapa, then farewell this beautiful mountain town to drive back to Hanoi.

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

After breakfast, guests take a three to four-hour drive to Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. At noon, they arrive at the pier and board a traditional junk cruise in the amazing bay: a natural wonderland composed of jutting limestone islands and sparkling turquoise waters 

A welcome drink is served, followed by a lunch of freshly prepared seafood when the boat sails into the bay. During the afternoon, cruise around some of Halong’s many islands, such as 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). 

As evening falls, dinner is served on board. The night is spent on the cruise, anchored in calm waters surrounded by the karst landscape.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Accommodation: on the cruise.

Awake early and participate in a Tai Chi session on the sundeck 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. A farewell brunch is served on board before the boat docks at Tuan Chau pier. The driver meets guests and transfers them to Noi Bai International Airport in Hanoi for their departure flight.

Optional (please contact our travel consultants for an arrangement in advance):
Austrian engineer Doppelmayr and Swiss engineer Garaventa have completed the world’s largest aerial tramway across Halong Bay. The 2,222m ropeway is suspended from two concrete towers, the larger of which is 188.88m high. Each of the double-decker cabins and six sets of doors is built to carry 230 passengers, making them the biggest ever built. The tramway will take visitors between a terminal in the Bai Chay District of Halong City up to the amusement park at the top of Ba Deo Hill (Hon Gai Ward, Halong City). The Nu Hoang Cable Car (meaning Queen in English) has been operating since 25 June 2016, and the round-trip entrance ticket is 15 USD/ person (excluding). 

If you are interested in taking this gondola lift, our driver can take you to the Nu Hoang Cable Car after the cruise, and you may spend a couple of hours there. Afterwards, you will be transferred directly to Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport for your departure flight.

Meals: Brunch.
Accommodation: N/A.