Explore the North and the South – 8 days

Day 1: Hanoi – city tour – Sapa (L)

After having breakfast the tour guide and shuttle bus will arrive to pick up you to join Hanoi city tour at 8.30am. You will start the tour by visiting Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ho Chi Minh Museum. Enjoy the architectural and historical aspects of Uncle Ho’s final resting-palace. Just next door is Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts where he used to live in the past. Lying to one side of the Mausoleum is the One Pillar Pagoda, built by King Ly Thai To in 1049 the structure has become an important symbol for the people of Hanoi.

Continue to visit the Temple of Literature (Quoc Tu Giam) – Vietnam’s first University constructed in 1070. Its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam’s past. Have lunch at local restaurants. Proceed to visit the Ethnology Museum. After that we will take you to Hoan Kiem Lake, see the peaceful water, and visit Ngoc Son Temple.

(Read more about these attractions)

An hours cyclo tour around the bustling old quarter to experience ordinary life in Hanoi.

18.00: Back to your hotel. It’s your free time now to have dinner and a short while to explore the streets of Hanoi.
In the evening, around 20.00,  Our tour assistant pick up from your hotel to go to Tran Quy Cap train station. He will lead you to your cabin on the train. The train departs and sleep the night on train. Travel time approx 9 hrs.

Day 2: Sapa – Y Linh Ho – Lao Chai – Ta Van (B,L,D)

Early morning at 5.00, We will pick you up at Lao Cai railway station by a van, to take you up to the township of Sapa which takes approx one hour.

After breakfast and morning shower, we will walk from Sapa towards Muong Hoa valley where we can admire magnificient landscape. Here you will discover the wonderful scenery of Hoang Lien moutain ranges amd meet Black H’mong tribes. Trek through terraced rice paddies and minority villages along the Muong Hoa River, where we can here a nice swim. We then cross the suspension bridge towards the Zay village, arriving at Ta Van village. Enjoy the great landscape surrounding the village.

Stay overnight:

• Option 1 (recommend): Enjoying the company and hospitality of our Zay family and homestay overnight.
• Option 2: Back to Sapa town. Staying overnight at hotel.

Day 3: Sapa (B,L,D)

Option 1: Ta Van – Giang Ta Chai – Su Pan – Sa pa 

Enjoy mountainous landscape with your sunrise coffee, then enjoy a delicious breakfast ready to trek through bamboo forests towards Giang Ta Chai waterfall, cross over a rattan suspension bridge and enter into Giang Ta Chai village which is inhabited by the Red Zao minorities.

Here we will experience their daily life then cross over the Muong Hoa River up the mountain to visit Supan village of the H’mong people.

Option 2: Visit Cat Cat village and Sin Chai village

After breakfast at hotel, a walk down to the South-west of Sapa (around 4 km) to visit Cat Cat village of the Black H’mong. Relax at the food of the stunning waterfall and the vestige of a hydroelectric power station that was constructed by the French during the colonial time in Vietnam. Enjoy picnic lunch by the side of the river, and then next 6 km to Sin Chai, the village located at the foot of Fansipan Mountain, “the roof of Vietnam and Indochina”. From here you can enjoy huge stunning landscapes before climbing up on the way a jeep to return to Sapa.

Back to Sapa. Take a fresh shower in the hotel before heading to Lao Cai train station for the night train back to Hanoi.

Day 4: Halong bay (B,L,D)

At 05.00am, arrive at Tran Quy Cap station (Hanoi). Our tour assistant welcomes you back, accompany you to hotel for a morning shower and breakfast.

Around 8.00am, our guide Pick you up at your hotel and go to Halong bay on a shuttle bus. Take a rest at Humanity center and enjoy local specialties after 2h. Arrival in Halong at 11.45am. The captain and crew welcome you aboard. Savor the delicious lunch as boat pass through thousands of Islands and Islets with different shapes.

After the lunch, explore the biggest and the most amazing cave in Halong Bay –Surprise Cave. Then Kayaking for an hour around the fishing village and discover the life of community there. Then back to boat for Sunset Party, get to calm, clean water place for swimming. Enjoy delicious and romantic dinner with some barbecue courses.

In the evening, free time for entertainment with the funny plays such as squid fishing, karaoke program, stars watching on sundeck… Spend romantic night on board and overnight on board.

Day 5: Halong bay – Ho Chi Minh (B,L)

Early morning, start your new day on Halong bay with doing morning exercises,Taichi or hunting photos. Breakfast with coffee or tea. After breakfast, our bus takes you to Cai Beo harbor, get on “Day Boat”, back boat. Then visit Ba Hang Fishing Village by tender to experience the lifestyle of local people. Back to boat restaurant to join cooking class and enjoy lunch.

At 11.45, Disembark and transfer straight to Noi Bai airport in Hanoi for flight to Ho Chi Minh city. Overnight in Ho Chi Minh.

Day 6: Ho Chi Minh – city tour (B,L)

Morning, around 8.00 AM, our guide picks you up at hotel. Visit to the Re-Unification Palace, the former palace of President Thieu and his predecessors. Today this building is a museum and venue for Government official receptions. Inside you can visit the President’s room. Nearby is the Central Post Office and the Notre Dame Cathedral, built between 1877- 1883 and is one of the city’s major landmarks. Neo-Romanesque in form, the Cathedral is the major seat of the Catholic religion in modern Vietnam. Continue to visit the War Remains Museum, where you can learn a lot about the Vietnam War.

After lunch in local restaurant, you will visit to Jade Emperor Temple, one of the oldest Chinese temples in Ho Chi Minh city. Continue to Binh Tay market in China Town and the last sight we will visit today is Ben Thanh market, where all kind of local goods are offered.

Stay overnight at hotel in Ho Chi Minh city.

Day 7: Ho Chi Minh – My Tho – Ben Tre – Can Tho (B,L)

Leave Ho Chi Minh city, enjoy the scenic journey along the National Highway bordered by green rice fields. On arrived at My Tho, visit Vinh Trang pagoda, take a leisurely boat ride along the river, view stilt houses, fruit plantations and fishing villages along the river bank. Proceed to Tortoise islet, have lunch in the orchard garden.

After lunch, take a boat trip to An Khanh – a less touristy attraction in Ben Tre, enjoy cruising on a hand-rowed sampan under the shade of the water coconut trees along natural canals. Have a short cycling tour (applied for private tour/if time permitted) then enjoy seasonal fruit & honey tea to the sound of “Southern Vietnamese folk music”, performed by the locals. Visit a family business which epitomizes the idyllic rural lifestyle, taste delicious coconut candy & observe the pastoral life as you roam through fruit plantations and villages.

Back to Ho Chi Minh city and stay overnight in Ho Chi Minh city.

Day 8: Ho Chi Minh city – Cu Chi tunnel – Departure (B,L)

Breakfast at hotel. Around 08.00, our guide comes to your hotel to pick you up for visiting Cu Chi Tunnel – The tunnel network of Cu Chi became legendary during the 1960s for its role in facilitating VC control of a large rural area only 30km to 40km from HCMC.

After lunch, we transfer you to airport for your departure flight.

End of the trip!