Best of Northern Vietnam – Best saving – 6 days

DAY 1: HANOI CITY TOUR (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 Temper 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)

17.30: Back to your hotel. It’s your free time now to have dinner and a short while to explore the streets of Hanoi.

Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 2: HANOI – MAI CHAU (B,L,D)

Mai Chau is a mountainous area of outstanding natural beauty, inhabited by a Thai and H’mong ethnic minority groups. This trip offers an easy trekking combined with homestay in villages of Thai , where you have experienced with the local lifestyle of these minority people.

08.00: Pick up from your hotel and head west towards Hoa Binh to have refreshment.
10h00: Leave Hoa Binh for Mai Chau Valley, about 2hrs away, stop for snapping pictures.
12.00: Arrive in Mai Chau and have lunch in a family house in the local village.
14.00: Bicycle around the surrounding villages of White Thai Ethnic people. Learn more about their lives and cultures as your guide can help answer any questions.
18.00: Dinner with the family, get a closer look into their real life. Drink “ruou can” (traditional alcohol) with your new family.

Sleep in the village, in the stilt house, the most interesting part of the trip. Stilt houses are unique to Mai Chau and you cannot find this experience in other tour. You can sleep in the large communal room.

DAY 3: MAI CHAU – HANOI (B, L)

The early morning is the most peaceful time to walk around the villages. Feeling the fresh air and seeing women prepare foods on the wooden fire while the sun is rising over the beautiful mountains which you can not feel in the crowed cities.

7.30: Breakfast in the village then walk to Mai Chau market. After that, you will climb to
10.00 Step Cave which is breathtaking and is the view of the area from the entrance of the cave.
12.00: Have lunch in the village before getting on the bus back to Hanoi.
17.00: Back to Hanoi.

Stay overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 4: HANOI – HOA LU – TAM COC – NINH BINH (B,L)

08.00 AM Our guide pick you up at your hotel and depart to Hoa Lu – Tam Coc. On the way to Hoa Lu, you have good chances to see and enjoy the fresh air of the countryside of Viet nam along the road.
10.30 AM Arrive in Ninh Binh province and then the guide takes you to visit Hoa Lu, the Ancient Royal capital of Viet Nam.
11.30 AM Continue to reach Tam Coc by bicycle. On the way, tour guide will show you the daily life of the local people and the beautiful sights there.
12.10 PM Have lunch in luxurious restaurant in Tam Coc

01.00 PM After lunch, take small boats to visit Tam Coc, which is literally known “three Caves”. First Caveis the longest one that is considered a real rainbow in the water in the morning time stretching on both sides of the Ngo Dong River. The quiet movements of the oars create a sort of musical rhythm inside the cave. As the boat leave the cave, you can see what seems to be an old man with a white beard fishing, fairy flying in the clouds, peasants collecting fuel and a group of white goats grazing on the hills. After that, the guide takes you to the Second Cave and the Third Cave.

05.00 PM Back to Hanoi
07.00 PM Arrive in Hanoi.

Overnight at hotel in Hanoi.

DAY 5: HANOI – HALONG BAY ( B,L,D)

07.45 – 08.15 Pick up service at your hotel and depart for Ha Long city
11.45 – 12.00 At Halong city, You will board your Luxury Imperial Cruise, check into your cabin and enjoy first class lunch while you are cruising through thousand amazing islands and islet passing by Stone Dog Islet, Floating fishing Village, Incense Burner Islet, Fighting Cocks Islet…
14.45 Visit Surprising Cave ( the most beautiful one in Halong Bay)
15.45 – 18.15 Enjoy an hour or more kayaking through slide rock cliffs before swimming (weather permitted).
18.30 Board back the Cruise, take shower and relax on upper deck bar.
19.00 Enjoy a specially prepared dinner in a romantic atmosphere.
20.00 Evening activities – enjoy movie night, board games, and squid fishing or relax at leisure.

Overnight on boat.

DAY 6: HALONG BAY – HANOI (B,L,D)

07:45 Breakfast, tea and coffee will be served
08:30 Start cruising to visit Van Gia floating village and passing by Halong Pearl Farm.
09:30 Keep cruising to visit Halong bay. Enjoy the cooking course after you pack your things and leave the cabin. Sail back Halong pier
12:00 Have a lunch and take a bus back to Hanoi.
16.30 Arrive in Hanoi.

END OF THE TOUR.