Includes internal flights, twin shared accommodation, English speaking guides, private cars, sightseeing and meals listed. Excludes visa and travel documents, travel insurance, international flights, local tipping, etc.
This itinerary is to give you a flavor of what is possible. We can tailor this trip to suit your specific needs and expectations. You may alter any aspect of the itinerary from excursions to accommodation.
Welcome to Vietnam! Upon arrival in Hanoi, our guide will greet you at the airport welcome area and transfer you to the hotel for check-in.
After check-in, enjoy a stroll on your own around Hoan Kiem Lake outside your hotel. Feel free to also pick up a souvenir at the night markets or at one of the many trinket shops in the alleys and small roads of this historic part of town.
Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Day 2: Hanoi | Impressions of Hanoi | Welcome Dinner
Meals:Breakfast, Dinner In the morning, you’ll be escorted to see the Tran Quoc Pagoda. This 1,400-year-old temple features ten tiers surrounded by gardens and which also hosts a bodhi tree grown from a cutting of the original Buddhist tree under which Buddha sat. Next, you’ll take a stroll around the Hoan Kiem Lake where you can see the Tortoise Tower sitting on the water. Then you’ll enjoy a half hour cyclo tour through the Old Quarter in Hanoi. The cyclo is a historic mode of transportation in the cities of Vietnam where a cyclist escorts you while you sit in a seat affixed to the front with a canopy over top.
Next, you’ll visit the One Pillar Pagoda – a pagoda situated on a pillar made of a single stone, in the middle of a lotus pond. This pagoda was built by a 9th-century emperor who saw it in a dream and regarded this as a divine inspiration to recreate the structure in the vision.
You’ll pass by the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum before visiting the highlight of this tour – The Temple of Literature. This ancient university was erected almost a millennium ago and has hosted many of the most prominent scholars through Vietnamese history. The site features many gardens, pools, buildings, and ancient trees where the best and brightest of Vietnam studied under the guidance of Confucius teachings.
Enjoy traditional Vietnamese cuisine at Home Restaurant – a historic French colonial residence restored in between the Old Quarter and the serene West Lake. Enjoy fine Vietnamese cuisine as you begin an enchanting journey through Vietnam. Once you finish your dinner, you’ll be escorted to your hotel.
Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Day 3: Hanoi – Halong Bay | Voyage to Emerald Halong Bay
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner In the morning, our guide and chauffeur will transfer you to Haiphong where you’ll enjoy some time at Orchid’s Private Lounge for refreshments until boarding. Then board Orchid Cruise.
Halong Bay Cruise
Receive a safety briefing and check in your cabins. The boat sets adrift for Da Chong islet, home to an old French lighthouse. Enjoy a sumptuous feast in the panoramic dining hall while en route to the isles of Con Vit and Gia Luan. The bay opens up to you with stunning green karsts towering above the water. This area receives very few cruise ships as it has just been newly opened up. Continue to Ba Trai Dao beach of Lan Ha Bay. A paradise with perfect beaches and natural beauty. Stop at one of the beaches for swimming or kayaking during the afternoon.
As dusk approaches, welcome the sunset with a local specialty – “Ba Kich”(a liquor made from Noni fruit). Back on board, you’ll join a cooking demonstration to learn a few Vietnamese culinary secrets. Enjoy your creation! Then time for supper in the dining hall. Delicious Vietnamese cuisine and seafood in a romantic setting. After dinner, you may enjoy watching the stars from the sundeck, watching a movie in the restaurant, or give night squid fishing a try with the staff(subject to seasonal availability).
Accommodation: Orchid Cruise
Day 4: Hanoi – Ninh Binh | Sunrise Halong | Bai Ding Temple Sunset
Meals: Breakfast Rise early for one of the top best sunrises in the world. Then head to the sundeck for an invigorating Tai Chi session amongst a picture-perfect backdrop of karsts, sea, and nature. Enjoy a breakfast in the dining hall before taking a journey to explore the area around Sang Tai sea cave via canoes.
Then disembark for a road transfer to Ninh Binh.
Check in at the Resort with stunning views all around.
Time to stretch your legs! Go with our guide to visit Bai Dinh Temple, the largest temple in Vietnam. This Buddhist temple was built into the mountain with 3 terraces and faces the river. Explore the many halls, rooms, carvings, and statues during the late afternoon. Our guide will then take you to the best place for watching the sunset over this untouched part of Vietnam. Shortly afterward, you’ll witness the 13-tier pagoda – Chau Bai Dinh – be lit up for the evening: a true spectacle to behold! Return to the resort for overnight and leisure.
Accommodation: Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh
Day 5: Hanoi | Wonders of Ninh Binh | Return to Hanoi
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch
After breakfast, enjoy some time at the resort to relax and take in the stunning views. Check out late morning and then you’ll go to visit Hoa Lu, the ancient capital. In 968, Dinh Bo Linh declared himself as the King. Since then Hoa Lu existed as the capital for only 41 years. In 1010, King Ly Thai To moved the capital from Hoa Lu to Thang Long – present-day Hanoi. Hoa Lu became the old citadel. In Hoa Lu there are now two temples dedicated to two Vietnamese kings, which have been built on the grounds of the old royal palace. The visit offers a chance to learn more about the feudal dynasties and historical periods in Vietnamese history.
Grottoes and Rice Paddies
Next, you’ll take an amazing boat trip through Trang An Grottoes. A gathering of 31 valleys and 50 cross-water caves are home to 600 kinds of flora and over 200 kinds of fauna many of which are listed in the Red Book of Vietnam. Rowing through the Trang An Grottoes is a peaceful trip of serenity. The highland air is a respite from modern living and the sounds are only that of birds and the oars stirring the clear water. Towering overhead is magnificent forested mountains upon which you might catch a glimpse of grazing white-bearded goats. Then return back to Hanoi for overnight.
Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Day 6: Hanoi – Sapa | Road Trip to Sapa | Leisure
Meals: Breakfast Today, you will travel around 4 hours on the newly built highway northward from Hanoi to Sapa through the lush countryside and beautiful mountainsides. Sapa is a lovely small town located near the top of the Annamite Range and surrounded by the ethnic hill tribes. Then you will check in your hotel and enjoy some leisure time.
Accommodation: Victoria Sapa
Day 7: Sapa | Meet Remote Hill Tribes (Lao Chai-Tava-Gian Tour)
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch
You’ll then leave your hotel to visit Lao Chai village while following the road down the mountain. Views of the Muong Hoa valley and magnificent surroundings of mountains and rice terrace fields can be seen from this road. Along the road, you may have a chance to see ethnic groups of H’mong, Giay, Red Dao and stalls serving tea, fruits, and sweets. Arrive at the Black H’mong village of Lao Chai, where you will experience the daily life of the villagers. After that, take a walk from Lao Chai to Ta Van village, where the Giay hill tribes live. Here you’ll take a rest and enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by the local guide in a local house.
After lunch, you’ll trek through the winding hills and venture through a bamboo forest to find a hidden waterfall. Here, you’ll stop to relax. Continue on foot to explore the Red Dao village of Giang Ta Chai where you will also have the chance to see their daily activities. In the afternoon, you’ll return back to Sapa.
Accommodation: Victoria Sapa
Day 8: Sapa | Authentic Weekly Bazaar of Flower H’mong Ethnic
Meals: Breakfast Each day of the week, various ethnic village tribes congregate together in remote sections of the mountains. They dress in their finest ethnic garments to represent their tribes as they come together to buy, sell and trade their produce and livestock with other villages. The hill tribe market is a unique opportunity to see the colorful ethnic apparel proudly on display. It is a time of social and community gathering. Finally, return to your hotel and relax.
Note: As different regions have different markets on certain days of the week, we will clarify in the itinerary which market you will visit based on your travel dates.
Sapa Hill Tribes and Bazaar
Accommodation: Victoria Sapa
Day 9: Sapa – Dien Bien | Mountain Road Trip to Dien Bien
Meals: Breakfast In the morning, you’ll travel by road with our guide and driver to Dien Bien. This scenic trip goes through the mountains and along the river. Feel free to ask your guide if you want some stops for a nice view.
Note: This road trip takes 9-10 hours long. If you prefer going by flight, we suggest you a route that takes you back to Hanoi and flight from Hanoi to Dien Bien.
Accommodation: Muong Thanh Holiday
Day 10: Dien Bien | City Highlights
Meals: Breakfast Proceed to Muong Thanh market for shopping and then continue to visit History Museum for listening Static warfare, visit A1 cemetery where to commemorate heroes sacrificed for the nation, stop over at A1 hill battlefield, visit Vietnamese biggest victory statue located on the D1 hill and visit underground commanding headquarter of Franch Commander DE’castries. Visit Muong Thanh History Bridge and Nam Non River and visit Monument to Franch war dead soldiers.
Accommodation: Muong Thanh Holiday
Day 11: Dien Bien | Muong Phang Tunnels and Villages
Meals: Breakfast Transfer to Muong Phang, enjoy a short trek through a dense forest (1km) to visit Headquarters of Vietnamese Military in Dien Bien Phu Campaign, General Giap’s legendary tunnels, leading Counsellor Hoang Van Thai’s and other military area used in the war.
Lunch local restaurant. Afternoon, continue to visit some Thai villages surrounded by paddy fields route. In the evening, take a short walk through Him Lam village and enjoy a folk show performed by Thai girls at a traditional house-on-stilts (optional not included in tour price).
Accommodation: Muong Thanh Holiday
Day 12: Dien Bien – Hanoi | Flight to Hanoi | Leisure
Internal Flight:Included Meals: Breakfast Board a morning flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, our guide will greet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel for check-in. Then you’re able to simply relax or have own exploration in the city.
Accommodation: Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Day 13: Hanoi | Farewell!
Meals: Breakfast Today our guide will transfer you to the airport before your onward flight and will bid you a fond farewell. Thank you for traveling with us!
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Licensed guides and drivers, thru-trip emergency phone with our contacts so you can reach us at the push of a button, vehicles with seatbelts and airbags... - your safety is important to us.
Experience Asia in Comfort
Travel at the pace you want with the comforts you expect. Air conditioned vehicles and rooms, hotels with WIFI, Western toilets and bathrooms.
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Customize your plans
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Booking your tour
Once the tour is planned how you like, simply send deposit to reserve the tour and lock in the hotels and rate. Tour Confirmation will be sent with 14 days of deposit. Remainder will be settled 60 days before traveling.
Begin your holiday
Feel free to contact our team for any questions before your big day arrives. We will also contact you during the trip to make sure everything is going smoothly.
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It's easier than ever to get going! Request a quote today!
One of our Travel Experts will reach out to you and assist you with an itinerary and quote. Also, feel free to leave your phone number and we will give you a quick call just to say hello and clarify any questions we have about your inquiry.
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