9 DAYS 8 NIGHTS NORTH VIETNAM

Day 1   HANOI Arrival

Meet upon arrival at Hanoi airport; welcome by your guide and transfer you to your selected hotel.The rest of the day is at your leisure.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2   HANOI 

After breakfast, spend a day touring the capital, including a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed on Mondays and Fridays), his personal residence, the One Pillar Pagoda and the Tran Quoc Pagoda. Then, depart to the Museum of Ethnology (closed on Monday) and its striking exhibition about the Vietnamese ethnic plurality.

In the afternoon, visit the Temple of Literature. Then start a one-hour rickshaw tour of the capital and spend some time wandering in the old quarter and its antique shops before visiting Ngoc Son Temple located on the   Hoan Kiem Lake. Enjoy the water puppet show early in the evening. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 3   HANOI / HALONG

After breakfast, transfer to Halong Bay. Arrive around 12h00 and board the junk for a memorable cruise to discover one of the natural marvels of Vietnam. Lunch is served on board.

During the navigation, the boat passes by numerous islets and stops at a natural cave. Finally enjoy a swim in the jade waters of the Gulf of Tonkin (if the weather permits).

Dinner and overnight on the junk.

Note: the private guide is not authorized to accompany passengers on board the junk. For the duration of the cruise he will be replaced by a local guide.

Day 4   HALONG / HANOI / LAO CAI

After breakfast, discover some of the most famous islands of the bay as well as a natural cave. The cruise ends at around 11am.

Then, drive back to Hanoi. On the way, stop to visit Phu Lang ceramic village in Bac Ninh where you can enjoy a walk down the road and visit varieties of ceramic workshops. In the evening, transfer to the railway station to catch the night train to Lao Cai (Departure: 21h15 on the local train).

Overnight on board

Day 5    LAO CAI / SAPA

Arrive at Lao Cai station in the early morning and drive through winding road to Sapa (1 hour). Sapa is home to numerous colorful hill tribes (Black Hmong, Flower Hmong, Red Dao) and to Vietnam’s highest peak Mount Fansipan.

In the afternoon, visit the Thac Tien Waterfalls (1.3km to reach the waterfall). Return to Sapa town to visit its local market.

Overnight in Sapa.

Day 6    SAPA

Breakfast at the hotel and early departure for a full day discovering the minority villages located in the Sapa Valley. Drive to Lao Chai and then walk 2 km through rice fields, passing by traditional Black Hmong houses before continuing to Ta Van Village (2 more km) to visit a Giay minority village.

In the afternoon, the hike then reaches the bamboo forest of Giang Ta Chai. This part of the trip is fascinating because of its beautiful sceneries and colorful ethnic minorities such as the Red Dao.

In the afternoon, visit of Rong mountain and Cat Cat Village.

Overnight in Sapa.

 Day 7   SAPA / LAO CAI

After breakfast, depart to one of the several minority markets in the region. Depending on the day, markets can be held in different villages. Here you will meet various ethnic minorities who come to exchange not only the goods but also the gossips from their own community. Return to Lao Cai for the overnight train back to Hanoi (departure at 20h15). Overnight on the train.

 Day 8    LAO CAI / HANOI

Arrive in Hanoi at around 4h30 (local train) or 5h30 (Victoria train) and transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is at your leisure. (Option: possibility to early check-in).

Overnight in Hanoi.

 Day 9    HANOI

             *    After breakfast, the rest of the day is at your leisure.

         *   (Only accommodation with breakfast provided)