A Week of Adventures in Northern Vietnam – 7 Days

General Information

Tour Route: Hanoi – Lao Cai – Sapa – Halong Bay – Ninh Binh – Hanoi
Duration: 7 Days/ 6 Nights
Date: No fixed dates
Start/End: Hanoi/ Hanoi
Active Level: Classic & Easy
Tour Type: Explore and Experience
Tour Categories: Vietnam Classic Tours
Tour Customizable: Definitely! (Tell us what you wish to do in the inquiry form)

Brief Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival – Water Puppets Show & Old Quarter Foodie Trail – Overnight train to Lao Cai (D)
Day 2: Lao Cai Station – Transfer to Sapa – Picturesque Trekking Trails (B, L, D)
Day 3: Half-day Tour to Taphin Village – Overnight in SaPa (B, L)
Day 4: Free Morning in SaPa – Transfer to Hanoi by Car (B)
Day 5: Halong Bay Wonders with La Casta Day Cruise (B, L)
Day 6: Ninh Binh Discovery to Hoa Lu, Trang An & Mua Cave (B, L)
Day 7: Hanoi Departure (B)

Full Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival – Water Puppets Show & Old Quarter Foodie Trail – Overnight train to Lao Cai (D)

Xin chào! Welcome to Hanoi, the Capital city of Vietnam!
On arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, we will be welcomed by our guide and transferred to the hotel for check-in and relaxation.
Check-in and have a short rest then later this afternoon, we will sit down to enjoy a performance of the city’s famous Water Puppets Show, a traditional art form of Vietnam with Hanoi heritage. After the show, our guide will take you out to visit all the culinary hotspots of Hanoi. Walking through the maze of bustling streets that make up Hanoi’s Old Quarter, we tempt our taste buds with one choice of main dish at a local eatery among below meals for dinner. Eat well and prepare for a night on the train.

• Fresh rice noodles with grilled pork and herbs (bun cha)
• Steamed Rice Rolls (banh cuon)
• Noodle soup dishes such as Chicken/Beef Pho (Pho)
• Noodle soup with shredded chicken, eggs, steam pork cake (bun thang)
• Crab paste Vermicelli Soup (bun rieu cua)

Then, walk along Hang Than Street where ceremonial cake stalls are displayed and many unique and colorful cakes are on sale. You will have a choice of Dessert: Flan cake, Coconut Jelly or Mixed fresh fruit served with crushed iced and condensed milk. Say goodbye to your guide and driver before returning to your hotel afterward to pick up your luggage and await your overnight train at approx. 10PM tonight. Be ready at the station by 9 PM. Overnight on the train – Dream Train Express’s private Cabin.

Day 2: Lao Cai Station – Transfer to SaPa – Picturesque Trekking Trails (B, L, D)

After the train arrives at 6 AM, our guide will pick you up at Lao Cai Station and we will transfer to SaPa (approx. 1-hour driving). When arrive in Sapa, we will enjoy a quick recharging breakfast with authentic local food before starting our mountainous exploration. After breakfast, we transfer to Cat Cat Village. When arrives, we will follow the steps going downhill to the village. You will stop by a waterfall and a hydroelectric station for a while before continuing the trek on a dirt trail through rice paddy terraces. During the trek, you will also get the chance to enjoy the spectacular scenery here while walking along a narrow river. You eventually arrive in Y Linh Ho Village of the Black Hmong minority, where you can take a rest while enjoying a picnic lunch nearby the river.

After lunchtime, we head toward Muong Hoa Valley, nestling in a range of magnificent mountains. It contains the communes of Lao Chai, Ta Van, Hau Thao, Su Pa, Ta Phin and Ban Ho. We will pass through the Lao Chai village of the Black Hmong minority and then the Ta Van village of the Giay minority by following a very popular trekking route. Find the “Flower Stream”, a 15-km long stream flowing in the middle of the valley and meandering along the mountain foot. Muong Hoa also has Vietnam’s largest terraced fields. As the rice ripens, the terraced fields serve up different shades of green and yellow. Patches of color side by side create amazing sensual patterns and a sublime and majestic landscape. With its unspoilt natural charm, Muong Hoa valley is truly a harmonic combination of culture, nature and peaceful, romantic scenery.
After the tour, we will be taken to a local house in the village of Giay minority for dinner and overnight accommodation.

Overnight in homestay.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Approx. 1-hour driving / 5 hours walking / 1-hour lunch.

Day 3: Half-day Tour to Ta Phin Village – Overnight in SaPa (B, L)

This morning, wake up early and recharge yourself with breakfast at the homestay. We will then leave for Giang Ta Chai Village of Red Dao minority. We will trek through the bamboo forest, which belongs to Hoang Lien National Park. En route, we will pass by a waterfall where you will have time to take a rest and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Later on, we will sit down for a picnic lunch or local lunch at a nice restaurant along the way.

After lunchtime, we proceed towards Su Pan, a small village located by the road. From here, we will be taken back to Sapa for a free afternoon in town. Check-in to your hotel stay and have a rest, enjoy the rest of the day free at your own leisure. In the afternoon and evening, go to the town square where there is the Sapa Stone Church. Walk around the misty town and try out some famous local specialties such as: sticky rice in bamboo tube (Cơm Lam), black chicken (Gà đen), seven-colored steamed sticky rice (Xôi bảy màu), and several more.

Overnight in Sapa.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Approx. 1-hour driving / 3 hours walking / 1-hour lunch.

Day 4: Free Morning in SaPa – Transfer to Hanoi by Car (B)

Today, time will be free for you to do as you wish before 2-2.30 PM when our driver arrives to take you on a long transfer back to Hanoi (approx. 6.5 hours driving). Transfer is with a D-car Limousine: maximum 9 passengers. We will arrive at approx. 8.30 PM. Upon arrival in Hanoi, check-in to your hotel stay and enjoy the rest of the day free at your own leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.
(Note: Hotel’s check-out is 12.00, late check-out has surcharge and is based on hotel’s vacancy)

Day 5: Halong Bay Wonders with La Casta Day Cruise (B, L)

Enjoy your breakfast at hotel then be picked up by the cruise’s representative. Our schedule for the day will go as follows:

Morning
10:00: Upon arrival at Tuan Chau harbour, you will check-in and get on board the cruise then starts a trip to discover the World Heritage.
10:30: Enjoy welcome drink. The cruise departs from Tuan Chau harbor for a joyful journey to discover the beauty of the world heritage Ha Long Bay. Along the way, you will have chance to pass through the grandeur of the legendary bay with thousands of limestone islands such as: Dog Rock, Duck Rock and especially Thumb Rock – a beautiful limestone islet rising from sea water in the shape of a giant thumb. Mother Nature has put Thumb Rock here to send a message of goodness to every passenger cruising in the ancient bay.

Afternoon
12:00: Have a huge buffet lunch with variety of dishes.
13:00: Stop at Bo Hon Island. Our tour guide will take you to Sung Sot Cave, the largest and the most beautiful cave in Halong Bay. After about 200 steps under forest canopy, the entrance of the cave shows up. A paradise appear in front of you. You will discover the cave in about 45 minutes before getting back to the cruise (For other tourists whom can’t walk much, you can stay on cruise, chilling out on the sundeck).
14:00: Say goodbye to Sung Sot Cave, cruise heads to Luon Cave. In this area, it’s time for you to heat up with kayaking (about 30 minutes kayaking)
15:00: Stop at Titov Island. On this small island, you can climb halfway up the mountain to enjoy a panoramic view of Ha Long Bay. Looking down from high above gives you a wonderful sensation; at the same time offers you a spectacular view of every corner of the bay.
16:00: After that, you will get back to cruise and ready for our Sunset Party. Vietnamese tea, coffee, fresh fruits and snacks will be served when you’re relaxing on the sundeck or in the Jacuzzi.
On the way back, cruise will pass by Hoa Cuong area, one of the most beautiful spots in the bay.
17:30-18:00: Arrive in Tuan Chau port and our shuttle bus services will take you back to your hotel stay in Old Quarter.
The rest of the day is free at your own leisure. If you like shopping, the Silk Street in the Old Quarter is a good place for art galleries, embroidery, lacquer ware, silver articles, and jewelry. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 6: Ninh Binh Discovery to Hoa Lu, Trang An & Mua Cave (B, L)

Enjoy your breakfast at hotel then our schedule for the day will go as follows:

Morning
07:00 – 07:30 – Our guide will meet you at your hotel/stay and start our 110km-journey through verdant landscape of country side. Short break en route.
10:30 – Visit Hoa Lu Ancient Citadel with Dinh King Temple and Le King Temples dating back to the 17th Century.

Afternoon
12:00 – Enjoy a delicious Buffet lunch with great local cuisines at Trang An Bungalow.
13:30 – Depart to visit Trang An Eco-Tourism complex, an out-standing natural beauty of majestic limestone massif at 20 square kilometer rise dramatically out from rice paddy fields. Deep into the linked chains of towering mountain are pristine places of mystical valleys, numerous fresh water ponds, and jungle.
We will then embark on a boat trip to visit the impressive cave complex consists of Sang Cave, Toi Cave, Ba Giot Cave, Nau Ruou in the mysterious wilderness, see the scenery of mountain and rivers of the “Halong Bay on land”. Our journey will pass by numerous impressive caves: Lam Cave, Vang Cave, Dai Cave, Thanh Truot Cave…and Cao Sơn Temple, Suoi Tien Temple, Vu Lam Temple…
15:30 – We arrive at Hang Mua – Dancing Cave, where you can get the impressive panoramic views of Tam Coc and Ninh Binh city, see the amazing scenery of rice fields and river canals when you reach the top point of Ngoa Long Mountain (about 500 stone steps).
17:15 – Return to our bus and then come back to Ha Noi Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 7: Hanoi Departure (B)

Time will be free for you to do as you wish before our driver (no guide) arrive at your hotel stay at 12.00 to escort you to the Airport (approx. 1.15 hours driving) in good time for your departure flight today.
Tạm biệt! Have a safe flight! Thanks for choosing our Vietnam tour from Go Vietnam Tours!

Inclusions & Exclusions

Inclusions

• 6-night accommodation with daily breakfast as per detailed itinerary
• All Transfers by private air-conditioned vehicle with experienced drivers
• Meals as specified in the itinerary with Vegan/Western/Indian food available on request. (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner)
• Local-stationed English-speaking tour guide
• Entrance fees & permits (if have)
• Cruise excursion and kayaking in Halong Bay
• Boat/sampan rides as per mentioned
• Bottles of drinking water

Exclusions

• Surcharge for early check-in or late check-out unless clearly stated
• International and domestic flights and airport taxes
• Vietnam Visa Arrangement (kindly advise us your nationality if you need assistance)
• Travel insurance
• Other meals which are not indicated above
• Surcharge and Compulsory dinners (if any)
• Beverages in the restaurants where meals are included
• Gratuities to guides and drivers
• Personal and other expenses such as porter, bar bills and laundry not stated in the itinerary