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 an 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.

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 after noon 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 centrer 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: Meet tour guide and driver at your hotel in Hanoi and transfer to Muong Lo via Thanh Son. Muong Lo is known as one of the four most important fertile valleys of the Northwest (Muong Thanh in Dien Bien Phu, Muong Tac in Phu Yen and Muong Than in Than Uyen) in which the Thai ethnic group predominates. The village consists of hundreds of houses on wooden stilts and Thai people cultivate the water rice. Drive to the national road number 32 along the black river (Da River) one of the most important rivers in the Northwest.

In Thanh Son, we will make a stop to visit the green tea plantation hill then walk through the stilt-house villages. It belongs to the Muong ethnic group, considered as Authentic Viet. The Muong ethnic group is one of few northern communities that is immune to Chinese influence.

Arrive in Nghia Lo, walk or bike around the Thai village to discover the beautiful rice field valleys and hamlets that still preserve the authentic houses on stilts and meet the friendly locals.

Enjoy breakfast then visit a local market in Nghia Lo then transfer to Mu Cang Chai via Tu Le. Mu Cang Chai is well known for its marvelous rice terrace widely considered as the most beautiful in the world. In 2007, Che Cu Nha, De Su Phinh and La Pan Tan were recognized as outdoor masterpieces on the list of national heritage.

At the exit of Nghia Lo, you will cross the hilly region populated by the Dao ethnic group on the hills. Stop for a chance to take photos and meet the local people on the way.

Arrive in Tu Le. It is possible to trek to the valley where Thai people live in houses on stilts and have some unusual encounters that allow you to immerse yourself into the authentic local life. In the afternoon, continue to Khau Pha pass which offers you a splendid panoramic view of the valley of rice terraces.

Then the car will take you to La Pan Tan which is a legendary route for photographers. You will admire the gorgeous rice terrace masterpieces created by the Hmong peasant artists from generation to generation. Enjoy the majestic landscape and follow the route from La Pan Tan to Mam Xoi. End of the day, check in your accommodation. 

Starting from Ban Thai, we’ll set out on foot, ascending to the hillside village of Hang Dang De, home to around 100 H’mong families. Perched amidst breathtaking terraced fields, this village offers a glimpse into the life of one of Vietnam’s largest ethnic groups. The H’mong people mainly inhabit mountain regions over 1,000 meters above sea level and tend to maintain their distinct cultural identity. We’ll pause here to visit a local family and experience their unique daily life and traditions.

Our journey continues upward to Kim Noi, where we’ll stop at the scenic Kim Noi viewpoint. From here, we’ll be rewarded with sweeping views of the rice terraces and lush valleys below. 

After a short break to take in the scenery, we’ll follow a narrow road leading us to Che Cu Nha, another H’mong village celebrated as one of the most picturesque landscapes in northern Vietnam. The terraced fields here are part of the Mu Cang Chai Terraced Fields National Heritage Site (designated in 2022). We’ll explore the village on foot before hopping in our car for a quick transfer back to our accommodation in Mu Cang Chai, wrapping up the journey by late afternoon.

After breakfast, transfer to Than Uyen, one of the Thai rice valleys. The splendid landscape of rice terraces in Mu Cang Chai will follow you along the way to Than Uyen. Before turning right to Sapa, we will make a stop to visit Na Tam Village where the Laotian and Lu people live. This is a beautiful, tranquil landscape. Traditionally, the local women are distinguished by black teeth and indigo colored clothing encrusted with silver pieces. Take a leisurely walk to explore the village and meet the locals.

Meet our driver for a transfer to Sapa, crossing Hoang Lien Son pass (O Quy Ho pass). This is the longest and highest pass in Vietnam, 54km in length and 2047m in height. Stop to relax at the top of the pass and soak up the grandiose landscape. This is also a great place for photos. Arrive in Sapa, a town discovered by the French in 1903, in the afternoon. With a temperate climate, Sapa became an attraction for holidaymakers because of its beautiful rice valley, splendid mountain range and the diversity of minority tribes such as Black Hmong, Red Dao and the Dzay ethnics.  

8:00 AM: Depart to Sau Chua hamlet to start off the beaten trek of 15km up-downhill that is your challenge but the reward is worth it. Towards a hill-tribe village of Sa Seng where you will be able to see the authentic lifestyle of the Black H’Mong people who originated from China since and have been in Vietnam from the 11th century.

Enjoy a picnic lunch or a meal at a local restaurant before trekking uphill along the side of mountain to get the most wonderful views of the Muong Hoa valley at the elevation of 1,800m. Descend into the valley on a trek to the Hau Thao village, consisting of only a few houses and church scattered on a rocky point. You will get the best scenery in the area with rice terraces, small villages nestled on the huge Hoang Lien mountain range and even the peak of Indochina, Fansipan peak (when the weather permits). Keep trekking down the trail to Muong Hoa valley.

Travel on a less touristic road to the isolated up-hill Ban Khoang village. Today we will take an off the beaten track of 12 km up and downhill on a new trail to explore the primitive culture of the Red Dao who is well-known for the most beautiful attire in Sapa.

After a picnic lunch (or early lunch at a local restaurant) in the village, follow a small hill path, trek through the corn–farm to a rainforest with amazing views of rice terraces, and on season, you may see local people and buffalos work on the field. Stop to visit orchid gardens that supply even the biggest of cities' demands for the New Year decorations. As you walk towards the Ta Phin village, be greeted as family members by villagers. Explore the unique culture and daily life of the Red Dao people who immigrated to this mountain from China, even have a special traditional herb bath.

Pick up by driver then transfer back to Bac Ha. Located at an altitude of 1000m, Bac Ha is home to several ethnic groups such as the colorful Hmong, Phu La and Tay. Bac Ha region is well known for its weekly, colorful markets surrounded by wild and beautiful scenery. The markets are not only for the exchange of goods but also for the cultural exchange of the ethnic groups for centuries.  

7:00 AM: Start to explore Bac Ha, it is possible to visit a colorful, ethnic market ( Bac Ha market is on Sunday. Otherwise we can visit Coc Ly market on Tuesday, Can Cau market on Saturday instead). Enjoy the striking atmosphere with so many goods such as vegetables, poultry, while capturing many minority groups in their best colorful clothing of the week. After visiting the market, take a walk through some idyllic ethnic villages, which is a typical Bac Ha landscape, interspersed with corn fields, cassava hills and clay houses, plum gardens adorned by H'Mong women and their colorful dresses will accompany you throughout the trip.

8:00 AM: Pick up at your hotel (in the Hanoi Old Quarter). Enjoy three hour drive from Hanoi to Bai Tu Long Bay. Your journey will pass the series of villages and rice fields in the Red River Delta. Have a stop for drink and restroom. Continue your driving, arrive at the harbor around noon, get warmly welcomed at cruise reception.

07:30 – 8:30: Our driver will pick you up at your hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter (for private transfer) or at our Shuttle Bus stop (for shared transfer). We will head to Halong city. 

12:15: Arrival at Sunworld Harbor, where you'll have a short time to relax before boarding the Garden Bay Classic Cruise.

12:30: Transfer to Garden Bay Classic Cruise Boat by tender (5-10 minutes). Warmest welcome drinks, listen to safety briefing, then check into your cabin.

13:00: Enjoy a delicious Vietnamese Set Menu while our boat cruises leisurely to the heart of Bai Tu Long Bay, Cap La area.

15:30: Embark on a kayaking adventure to discover the breathtaking natural scenery of limestone islands and islets. You can also indulge in swimming, sunbathing, and relaxing.

17:30: Join the Sunset Party on the Sundeck while the boat cruises to the Cong Do area to anchor for the night (Happy Hour offer from 5:30 pm - 7:30 pm).

18:30: Participate in a cooking class where you can learn how to cook traditional Vietnamese cuisines.

19:30: Indulge in a sumptuous BBQ dinner on the Sundeck (not available until October).

21:00: Free time to relax on the Sundeck or try your luck with squid fishing. Board games are also available.

06:30: Wake up early in the morning for Tai Chi exercise.

07:00: Have a light breakfast with Western styles while the boat cruises toward the most beautiful fishing village in Ha Long Bay.

07:30: Transfer to Vung Vieng Fishing Village by tender.

08:00: Ride on the rowing boat (rowed by the local fisherman) to explore the Vung Vieng fishing village and learn about the local fishing life.

09:00: Return to the main boat for the cruise back to the harbor by a different route.

09:30: Check out.

10:00: Have lunch onboard (Fusion style).

11:00: Disembark at Sunworld Harbor. Our driver will pick you up at the port, and bring you back to Hanoi. Expected arrival time in Hanoi at about 3:00 PM.

Welcome by driver at the harbor then enjoy travel back to Hanoi. Have a rest at the middle of the way. Drop off at your hotel (in the Hanoi Old Quarter).

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.