Impressive Destinations in Northern Vietnam Tour / 8 days

Day 1: Welcome to Ha Noi – Vietnam’s Capital

You will be greeted at the Noi Bai International Airport and transferred to downtown. Check into hotel. Today, you will land in Ha Noi, the centre of Vietnam’s polity and culture. Free to have dinner by your own. Then you can walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, night market and The 36 Old Streets as well as free to discover Ha Noi’s beauties at night. Overnight in hotel.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, Hotel

Day 2: Ha Noi city tour – night train to Lao Cai - Sa Pa (B L)

Am:  Have breakfast at hotel. Today you will spend your time to visit Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum – the leader of Vietnam Nation. This is the complex of Ba Dinh Square, the Mausoleum where puts the memorial and body of this Vietnamese Leader, the place where he worked as a president, the museum and the stilt house with garden, fish pond and many memorable things of this great President. Then visit the Temple of Literature – the first university of Vietnam to get more knowledge of Northern Vietnam cultures as well as the thick history of our country. Have lunch at restaurant.

Pm: This afternoon you go on exploring this old capital city with the charms and elegances including the Ethnology Museum where presents the culture and life of 54 ethnics of Vietnam Nation. Visiting this Museum, you can understand the colorful customs of Vietnam country and people. Then go on visiting one millennium years’ old temple Quan Thanh or Tran Quoc  Pagoda, two of the oldest Vietnamese constructions with the stunning scenery and architecture harmony with nature.  The last of this day you will enjoy water puppet show – a special art of Viet Nam. Then check in hotel nearby train station for relax and shower.  You are free to have dinner in the old ancient streets to enjoy special foods made by Ha Noi people. At 7.30 p.m our guide will pick you up at your hotel and transfer you to Ha Noi train station for getting night train to Lao Cai. Overnight on train - AC soft sleeper.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, Entrance fees, Breakfast, Lunch, Water puppet show, Hotel for shower, Train ticket & Mineral water

Note: Our guide will show you the hotel near train station before you get on train so that you will walk to there after you are back from SA Pa.

Day 3: Arrive Lao Cai - Sa Pa – Trek to Ta Phin village & homestay ~ 14 kms (B L D)

Am: The train arrives Lao Cai Train Station at 5:30 a.m. Then the driver and guide take you to Sa Pa town via the clouds. On arrival Sa Pa town you will stop at hotel for a morning shower and have breakfast. Sapa, a highland town around with the covering clouds like a picture make you to have an interesting feeling when you step your foot to get it wonderfully by your eyes. We will then take a car from Sa Pa to our trekking base where we start our trek up and down hills through excellent panoramas of the larger valley, terraced rice fields, bamboo ranges and many minority villages .We take a small local path leading into the bottom of the valley where some stalls are available that serve tea and fruits. Lunch break before we keep hitting the road to Ta Phin village.

Remark: Normally, we often trek 3 hours to Ta Phin Village. If you have good health and want to get more exploration, 4 hours or 5 hours trekking is the best choice.

Pm: Arrive Ta Phin village, our Dao host family will welcome you to their traditional home where we will share in an ethnic style dinner and stay the night. Overnight in homestay.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, Entrance fees, Homestay, Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Hotel for shower& Mineral water

Day 4: Ta Phin - Back to Sa Pa. Trek to Cat Cat village ~ 8 kms (B)

Am: In the morning, you will see and hear the sounds of morning village life. You can join your host family in some of their activities like feeding the animals, cleaning the houses, gardening or preparing breakfast. After breakfast, we could take a short morning wander around the village or resulting in more time spent with the host family. Back Sapa town by car and visit Sa Pa Morning Market to get more knowledge of culture values, customs , daily activities of people in highland area. Check in your hotel. Free to have your own lunch.

Pm: In the afternoon, you will walk to the trail through bamboo forest to visit Cat Cat village with beautiful landscapes and more experiences of tribe people here with black H’mong people family and discover their real life. At Cat Cat village you can also have traditional music show of minority people for more understanding of their cultures. Back Sa Pa town by car. Free to have your own dinner and visit Sa Pa night-market to see the specific activity feature of this highland. Overnight in hotel.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, Entrance fees, Breakfast, Hotel & Mineral water

Day 5: Sa Pa – Sunday market – Lao Cai – Night train back Ha Noi (B L)

Am: After your breakfast at your hotel, you will travel to Bac Ha which is 100 kms Northeast of Sa Pa. The ride is relatively flat from Lao Cai to Bao Nhai where you will be taken through rural area. Bac Ha is the largest market in the area, situated inside the small town of Bac Ha. On every Sunday mornings, it is literally a riot of color as many different ethnic groups such as Flower Hmong, Phu La, Black Dao, Tay, Nung minorities, etc who gather to buy and sell useful goods for daily life and handicraft products. After spending the whole morning exploring the market, you will have your lunch in a restaurant.

Pm:  This afternoon you will enjoy a walking tour to surrounding villages of H’mong and Tay minorities (Ban Pho village) for more discoveries of ethnic people here and their cultures as well. The life on mountainous area will give you more experiences of the living way on highland area in the Northern Viet nam. Then we drive downhill to start a short walk to Trung Do Village, which is home to the Tay minority where you will enjoy a magical water buffalo cart ride while traveling through amazing countryside inhabited by the happy and hospitable Tay minority people. We will then travel by boat through amazing countryside to Bao Nhai Village. Then our driver transfer you back Lao Cai train station for getting night – train return Ha Noi city. Check in hotel for shower. Free to have your own dinner. Get on train A/C soft sleeper – Cabin of 4 beds -. Spending night on train. You will arrival Ha Noi ~ 5.00 am next morning.

Inclusion: Transport, English guide, Boat, Buffalo cart, Entrance fees, Breakfast, Lunch, Train ticket, Hotel for shower & Mineral water.

Day 6: Ha Noi – Visit Ha Long Bay (B L D)

Am: You arrive in Ha Noi Station ~ 4.30 am. You walk to hotel near train station which our guide showed you on the day you leave Ha Noi to Sapa for early check in. Have a shower and breakfast at hotel. At 7.45 - 8.15 am our driver and guide pick up at hotel and transfer you to Ha Long City. After 3.5 hours driving and viewing simple, countryside, rice paddy life, we arrive at the port. At 12.00, the junk crews welcome guests on board at Hon Gai Wharf. Check- in, enjoy welcome drink & cruise briefing.

Pm: Have lunch with fresh local seafood while cruising to Bai Tu Long bay via Indochina film studio, Teapot islet, Blockhouse islet, Goat Head islet. Stop for swimming, visit mysterious Thien Canh cave. Relax at a wild beach, swim and kayak to explore the bay. Back to junk to enjoy relaxing or the sunset. Dinner and overnight on board nearby Vong Vieng village or Trinh Nu cave.

Inclusion: Hotel for shower, Shuttle bus, English guide, Entrance fees, Admission fee, Permission, Cruise, Accommodation (Deluxe cabin), Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Kayak, & Mineral water.

Day 7: Explore the tranquil scenery in Bai Tu Long - back Hanoi - night train to Sapa (B L)

Am: Early morning, this is a chance for you to enjoy the sunrise and the quite breath-taking beauty of Bay’s landscape. Have light breakfast and morning-coffee then, you will start discovering Ba Cua beach where the guests enjoy swimming, sunbathing or relaxing. Back to junk about 10:00 a.m and have an Ala Carte for lunch, arrange luggage and check out cabin while cruising back.

Pm: The bus driver transfers you back Ha Noi. You arrive at hotel in Ha Noi about 4 p.m. Check in hotel. At night, you are free to discover Ha Noi’s beauties and activities of local people. Overnight in hotel.

Inclusion: Shuttle bus, Cruise, English guide, Entrance fees, Breakfast, Lunch, Hotel & Mineral water.

Day 8: Free time &  Departure (B)

Am: Have breakfast at hotel. Let check note everything for the departure flight. If you have more free time you can walk around to enjoy more of Ha Noi city in Hoan Kiem district to shopping in Dong Xuan Market, streets, shops…Then the driver drops you off the Noi Bai international airport for your flight home or next destination. Goodbye and see you again!

Inclusion: Transport, Breakfast