Highlight of the trip: Hanoi Sapa Halong Bay tour offers the 3 best attractions in the North Vietnam, in a short time span. Starting out in the capital city, you will visit many wonderful sites. Visit Sapa and trek along the spectacular landscapes & colorful hill tribe people. Cruise the spectacular Halong Bay on a romantic old style Vietnamese Junk boat.
ITINERARY
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival (D).
Welcome to Hanoi – the capital city of Vietnam: Upon arrival, clear immigration and customs. Proceed into the arrival area. Your guide who will be holding a sign with your name or Viet Travel Citizen will meet you outside the baggage claim of Noi Bai Airport and take you to your hotel in the city center. In the afternoon, enjoy a short walking, visit some Hanoi’s main attractions: the Opera House, Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple. In the evening, savor a welcome dinner of authentic Vietnamese food at one of Hanoi’s finest restaurants. Overnight in Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi City Tour – Night train to Laocai (B).
Today you have a full day to explore Vietnam’s charming capital. With its wide tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and ancient oriental pagodas; Hanoi is an eclectic mix that offers something for everyone. Your city tour will take you to Hanoi’s most visited sites including the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum; the Presidential Palace; one pillar pagoda; Temple of Literature; the Quan Thanh Temple, the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda & West Lake; and one of the city’s museums (a choice between the History Museum and the Ethnology Museum). In the evening enjoy a traditional Water Puppet show – a unique Vietnamese Art form hailing from Southeast Asia’s wet-rice culture – before heading to the train station to catch your night train to Laocai. Overnight on train (in a shared 4 soft berths cabin with A/C).
Day 3: Laocai – Sapa (B).
The train arrives at the Laocai railways station in the early morning. Your guide and driver will meet you there and take you on the 40km drive to Sapa – Northwest Vietnam’s premier travel destination. Enjoy breakfast at the hotel then catch a few hours of rest before beginning your adventure in this beautiful mountain landscape and home to many minority hill tribe peoples. In the late morning, your guide will take you on a two hour trek through the terraced rice fields to visit the villages Cat Cat and Sin Chai, where you will learn about local traditions and daily life. Rest of the day, you are free at leisure or explore the town on your own. Overnight in Hotel in Sapa.
Day 4: Sapa – Visit hill tribe villages -Hanoi (B,L).
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel, before setting out on a full day’s trek to explore Sapa’s cultural diversity and haunting natural beauty. Take a guided hike through yawning valleys decorated with terraced rice fields and pass through remote hill tribe villages. You have three trekking options to choose from: Soft trek (~ 3 km), medium trek (~ 6km) and long trek (~ 12km). Trekking is an excellent way to explore the daily life and familiarize yourself with the cultures of the H’mong, Dzao and Dzay people who populate the region. Have lunch at a hill tribe village then drive back to Laocai to catch your return night train to Hanoi. Overnight on train (in a shared 4 soft berths cabin with A/C).
Day 5: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Overnight on cruise (B,L,D).
Arrive in Hanoi in the early morning. Your guide and driver will meet you at the railways station and take you to a local restaurant for breakfast, before setting out on a 3 to 4 hour drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Halong Bay. Spend 24 hours on a traditional Junk Cruise in the amazing bay: a natural wonderland composed of jutting limestone islands and sparkling turquoise waters. Arrive at the dock around noon and board your junk. Savor a gourmet lunch of fresh seafood onboard as we sail out into the mystical bay. In the afternoon, cruise around some of Halong’s many islands, including 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). Pass the night on your junk, lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of calm waters. Overnight on boat.
Day 6: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Departure (Brunch).
Awake early and participate in Tai Chi on the top deck 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 we navigate back to Halong City. Have brunch on board the boat before returning to Halong pier. Your driver will meet you at the dock and take you to Noi Bai Airport of Hanoi to catch your departure flight home.
Tour includes:
– accommodation
– meals as mentioned in itinerary (B: breakfast, L: lunch, D: dinner)
– transportation by private car with a/c
– English speaking guide
– Return train tickets Hanoi – Laocai (in a shared 4 berths cabin)
– Entrance fee, boat trips & excursions
Tour excludes:
– Travel insurance
– Vietnam visa
– Gratuities for tour guide and drivers
– Beverages & other personal expenses
