Good choice for an authentic experience of mountain landscapes and minority cultures. Also visit the wonderful World Heritage site - Halong Bay. This unique itinerary offers you great chance to get in touch with the true values and culture in the destinations you visit.
Upon your arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you’ll be greeted by our guide and driver at the pickup lobby. You’ll then enjoy a 45-minute drive to the heart of Hanoi, passing over the Red River, where you can catch a glimpse of the city’s unique architecture and its famously bustling traffic. Once you arrive in the Old Quarter, the driver will drop you off at your hotel.
Notes: Hotel check-in time is at 2:00 PM. Early check-in is subject to hotel availability and may incur an additional fee.
Continue the day with a walking tour. Start with a small pagoda named Ba Da quietly located in a small alley - only few steps from the Hanoi Great Cathedral, built by French colonialism since the 19th century. Your tour guide also takes you to typical streets of Hanoi such as Lan Ong Street selling traditional medicine, Lo Ren Street where metal items are produced ... Stop to visit the Dong Xuan central market - the largest in Hanoi. Continue walking to the famous area for night activities and street food - Ta Hien street, where you can see the vibrant streets with a lot of the amazing local foods and drinks. Trying to taste some for an unforgettable experience.
End at your hotel.
9:00 AM: Get Pick up by tour guide to the Temple of Literature which was built under the Ly dynasty in 11th century for worshipping Confucius and teaching Royal children. Enjoy a walk in the garden to the city’s symbol Khue Van Cac. You will then visit the World Heritage "stone steles” which shows the name of outstanding students. Continue to explore the Quoc Tu Giam which is considered as the first national university of Vietnam.
Next stop at the Ethnology Museum (closed every Monday) which offers a deep insight into Vietnamese culture through traditional costumes, tools, musical instruments and traditional houses of many ethnic groups. To fully explore this interesting museum, it takes you around two hours.
In the afternoon you visit the French Quarter – it is a “little Paris” in Hanoi with tree-lined boulevards, government head offices and a big square. Visit (outside) Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum before having a leisurely walk in the botanical gardens to visit the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts where he used to live and work. Towards the unique One – pillar pagoda which is one of the city’s symbols. It takes us from 1 to 2 hours to explore this complex, depending on the number of traveler.
Come back to city center and have a rest before enjoying the water puppet shows that is the unique performances, first appeared in the 11th century. In these shows, the daily life, culture and belief of Vietnamese people are described by puppets on water. The show usually integrates a traditional music performance as well.
8:00 AM: Tour guide and driver will escort you on journey to the Ba Be national park via Thai Nguyen. Drive through countryside with rural villages, stop as your command to have nice pictures. On the way, make a visit to Tay community, interact with villagers to lean about their culture.
Continue to Ba Be, where you will be surprised by the magnificent nature where the mountains gently meet the valleys of rice terraces. Stop to film or take photos whenever possible. Upon arrival in Ba Be, check in at your accommodation at Pac Ngoi Village and go cycling through several villages of Tayethnic groups, continue along the river and part of national park to Hua Ma Cave (5km from the village). This is an attractive place with amazing formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Go back to the village in late afternoon.
In the morning, take a walk from the village to the pier to enjoy a boat trip on the lake (It is possible to swim in the lake). Stop to discover the Fairy Pond in the middle of the primitive forest. After the lake, move to Nang river. Walk along the river bank and be immersed in the beauty of wild and reach Dau Dangwaterfall.
Keep continue our boat trip in the opposite direction along the Nang River to Puong Cave home to thousands of bats inside the cave. The boat will go through the cave toward to Buoc Lom pier. Meet our driver for a transfer to Hanoi.
Arrive in Hanoi in the late afternoon. Check in at your hotel and enjoy some free time after the mountain getaway.
8:00 – 8:30 AM: Our driver will pick you up from your hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter or our Shuttle Bus stop (if you have booked the transfer with us - an additional fee applies). We'll then embark on a scenic drive to Halong City. The transfer takes approximately 2.5 to 3 hours, with an optional restroom stop along the way.
11:45: Arrive at Sunworld International Harbor, Bai Chay Ward, Ha Long City.
12:15: Transfer to the Garden Bay Cruise boat by tender (5-10 minutes).
12:30: Enjoy a welcome drink, followed by a safety briefing, and then check into your cabin.
13:00: Cruise through Bai Tu Long Bay while enjoying a set-menu lunch.
15:30: Kayak to explore the lagoons, swim, or relax on the beach at Cap La.
17:30: Relax and enjoy the sunset party during Happy Hour (from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM), while the boat cruises to the Cong Dong - Cong Do area, where it will anchor for the night.
19:00: Savor a BBQ dinner (on the sundeck if weather permits, otherwise in the restaurant).
21:00: Free time for evening activities, such as board games, squid fishing, playing guitar, watching movies, or karaoke (upon request). You can also visit our luxury sky bar (drinks are chargeable) and choose from a wide variety of wines, cocktails, brandy, and juices.
06:30: Start your day with a peaceful Tai Chi session on the deck.
07:00: Enjoy a light breakfast while the boat cruises toward the Vung Vieng area (approx. 45 minutes).
07:45: Explore Vung Vieng Fishing Village by bamboo boat, and experience the daily life of the local fishing community.
09:00: Return to the main boat for some relaxation and packing.
09:30: Check out of your cabin and unwind on the sundeck.
10:30: Savor your last view of Halong Bay over lunch as the boat heads back to shore.
11:30: Disembark and relax at the café lounge.
Our driver will greet you at the Cruise Waiting Lounge and transfer you to Hanoi (additional fees applied). The journey takes approximately 2.5-3 hours, with a restroom stop available along the way (optional). You will be dropped off at your hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter or at our Shuttle Bus stop.
Our driver will pick you up from the lobby of your hotel in Hanoi's Old Quarter and take you to Noi Bai Airport. The drive takes approximately 45 minutes, whether you're heading to the international or domestic terminal, depending on your needs.
Notes: Hotel check out is before 12:00 PM. Late check-out is subject to hotel availability and may incur an additional fee. For international flights, it's recommended to arrive at the airport 3 hours before departure, and for domestic flights, 2 hours before.