7-Day Northern Vietnam Tour: Hanoi - Halong Bay - Sapa Trekking

The car/van will pick you up from Noi Bai airport (in Hanoi) and will take you in the heart of the city. Arrive at the hotel after a 40-minute drive, check in and have a free day to walk around Old Quarter, night market in Hanoi down town. Overnight in Hanoi hotel located in the old quarter.

8:00: After breakfast, you check out and leave your baggage at the hotel. We pick you up from your hotel, start the tour by visiting the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which includes Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum – the final resting place of the beloved national hero, Uncle Ho and his stilt house where he lived off and on from 1958 to 1969. In addition, you will enjoy the architectural and historical aspects of Uncle Ho’s final resting palace. The One Pillar Pagoda, which is lying to one side of the mausoleum, built by King Ly Thai To in 1049. This structure has become an important symbol for the people in Hanoi. Then, you’ll have the chance to discover the Tran Quoc Pagoda on the shore of West Lake. From there, you can make a visit to the first University of Vietnam- The Temple of literature which is dedicated to Confucius. 12.30: We will enjoy lunch at a restaurant in the Old Quarter with local Vietnamese traditional Cuisines. 13:30: You’ll go over Hoan Kiem Lake which is known as the heart and soul of Hanoi. Finally, you’ll stop in at the Museum of Ethnology, located on west part of the city center. This museum offers informative and well-documented displays on the country’s 54 ethnic groups, which includes elaborate and colorful hill-tribe costumes, weaving designs, musical instruments, fishing implements, work tools, and other functional objects. The display continues on to the garden outside with fascinating examples of minority housing from the king’s to the ones of the ethnic groups in Central Highlands. 15:30: Finish an unforgettable day of sightseeing in Hanoi. Add some options: 15:30- 16:15: Enjoy a Water Puppet Show or go sightseeing by Electric Car or Cyclo around Old Quarter in Ha noi 17:00: End of city tour. The bus takes you back to the hotel and you have free time for dinner. Until 21:00 pm: Our guide will pick up you at your hotel for boarding the train to travel Lao Cai.

Morning: We will arrive at Lao Cai Train station in the early morning. Your tour guide will pick you up and take for an hour drive to Sapa. The luggage is left in your hotel. Then, you have a good time to enjoy breakfast and take a shower. After breakfast at local restaurant, start trekking to Cat Cat Village, a 45-minute walk from Sapa and the village of Black H’Mong hill tribe. The village is on the slope of the hill and is easy to walk. Rice and corn are grown here. Visiting Cat Cat village, you will have the chance to visit a big waterfall on the stream and the old Hydro Electric Power Station built by the French people. That is the image of young women sitting by looms with colorful pieces of brocade decorated with designs of flowers and birds. When these pieces of brocade are finished, they are dyed and embroidered with beautiful designs. A noteworthy is that H’Mong women use indigo plants and leaves to dye these brocade fabrics. And then they roll around and smooth out section of wood covered with wax on fabrics to polish them, making their colors durable. Lunch at a local restaurant. Afternoon: Free time at leisure to relax. Evening: you are free to explore the charm of Sapa by night: enjoy roasted corn, baked eggs beside charcoal fire or go shopping. On Saturday night, we highly recommend a stop at the Love Market which is one of unique cultures of ethnic minorities HMong, Dzao in Lao Cai in particular and North West of Vietnam in general. Dinner at a local restaurant and overnight at hotel in Sapa.

After breakfast, start trekking from Sapa toward Muong Hoa valley where we can admire magnificent landscapes. Trek through Y Linh Ho village with Black H’mong tribe and keep trekking through lush rice terraces towards Lao Chai village to experience Black H’mong people’s daily life and their traditional culture. Y Linh Ho village is a small commune composed by a dozen of small hamlets scattering on the very tough mountain terrain with high and steep mountains. There are a hundred inhabitants from the Black H’mong only living in this commune. They built their rudimentary houses on their farmland and mainly cultivate corn and dry rice on the steep hillsides. The only way to get to the commune is on foot from the main road. This village is home to the Black H’Mong people who wear very dark clothing in black and navy dyed with indigo (often seen on the hands of older H’Mong women). Then, arrive at Lao Chai and Ta Van villages. Have lunch with the locals in one of the local houses. Lao Chai & Ta Van Villages, which is about 8 km from Sapa town, where black H’mong and Giay people are living, is also the beginning of the valley which is called Muong Hoa. From a high point of the main road, there is a great view of the whole village which is wide open to offer marvelous panoramic views, backed by high mountains and facing the river. Here, you will enjoy the fresh air, see terrace fields, stream, and discover and visit some Black H’mong families. You will have a welcome feeling at any house of the hospitable people there. You can interact and learn about their culture and customs. The bus will pick you up from Ta Van village to Sapa Town and transfer to Lao Cai Railway Station. Dinner at the local restaurant near by the Railway Station and overnight on the train back to Hanoi.

Arrive at Hanoi in the early morning at 05:00 am. The Vietnam Adventure Tours staff will pick you up and escort you back to our hotel. Early check in to take a rest and have a breakfast. 7.45 – 08.20 approx – Our guide will meet you at your hotel. Shuttle bus or private car pick up. – Enjoy the peaceful scenery as we travel through the countryside, farmlands and Red River delta. – You will have a chance to take photos. Comfort break. The time from Hanoi to Halong bay is approximately 3 ½ hours. 12 – 12.30 noon approx – Arrive at Tuan Chau Marina. Welcome aboard the cruise. Meet the captain, crew and join us for a welcome cocktail as we tell you about life onboard. – Check into your cabin. Time to refresh and unwind – Set sail as lunch is prepared by our chef. – Join us for a relaxing lunch in the restaurant or at the outdoor dining area. Enjoy the stunning views of the Bay and its dramatic limestone islands as we sail through the calm waters. Afternoon – While we make our way to the amazing Van Gia fishing village, relax on the sundeck and watch the world go by or take an afternoon nap in your cabin. Middle afternoon arrive at Van Gia floating fishing village. – Drop anchor. – Our guide will give you some information and interesting facts about this fascinating village and its local community. – Disembark and you can choose which options when you visit the village by Kayak or local bamboo boat to visit the village. They will be your guides through their fishing village where you can meet the locals and see first-hand what life is like living on the water. We are proud of our working partnership and support of this community. – Our cruise will take you to the Soi Sim natural beach for swimming and snorkeling. You can enjoy interesting games such as football and basketball. On the way, you will enjoy the sunset party with fruits and wine as our complimentary. – Back onboard the cruise, we head towards the sleeping area. Early evening – Take an opportunity to refresh and then join friends for a pre-dinner drink in the bar. – Dinner is served in the restaurant or outdoor dining area if the weather is permitted, which is a gastronomic delight. After dinner, unwind in the bar where there is a selection of books, magazines and board games or watch a movie on our plasma TV. Join some of our team to go cuttle fishing at night. Accommodation and overnight on boat

(Tai Chi – Breakfast – Surprising Cave – Cooking Demonstration – Lunch – Your hotel and Farewell) 06:30 am – For the early risers, join us for a Tai Chi session on the sun deck. Tai chi helps focus the mind and condition the body and there is no better environment to practice this than amongst the limestone peaks and islands. – Breakfast, coffee, tea are served. After breakfast, we sail through the waters and pass by a number of caves and we drop anchor at Surprising (Sung Sot) Cave. – Disembark and visit Surprise Cave located on Bo Hon Island. It is one of the widest grottoes in Ha Long Bay with thousands of stalactites and stalagmites 09:30 am We board the cruise again. Take time to refresh and relax before checking out. Bags can be left in the luggage store. You will join with our short class of cooking demonstration and learn how to make spring rolls before early lunch is served. 12 noon Return to the shore and disembark from the cruise as our crew say farewell. Transfer to minibus or private car and return to Hanoi. Arrive back at your hotel at approximately 16:30/17:00. Overnight in HaNoi

Free time in Ha Noi old quarter before we transfer you to the airport for flight. The tour ends!