Things to do in Northern Vietnam

8:10-8:50 AM Shuttle bus & tour guide will pick you up from Hanoi Old Quarter and transfer to Halong Bay by highway only 2,5 hours Enjoy a full-day trip to Ha Long Bay and get immersed in the beauty of the stone mountains, caves, sandy beach, and more. Board a vehicle from the hotel and enjoy a scenic drive through the green fields. Arrive at the Tuan Chau Habour and cruise through the turquoise waters and amazing rock formations. Soak in the beauty of the surroundings while enjoying a traditional Vietnamese lunch on board. Next, you will continue to explore the beautiful Sung Sot cave, known as the surprising cave. Admire the shimmering stalactites embodying countless strange and unique shapes. Take a kayak or bamboo boat to spend some time in the water and discover the stunning Luon Cave. Feel the warmth of the sunshine as you pass by Titop island. Take a refreshing dip in the water or trek to the Titop peak for photos with a panoramic view of the bay. Relax for a while before going back to the boat to enjoy a sunset party with red wine, french fries, cakes, and fruits. After reaching Ha Long harbor, the driver will transfer you back to Hanoi. 21:00 The end trip and drop off at Hanoi Old Quarter

Day 1: After getting picked up by your guide in Hanoi Old Quarter, board your tour bus and begin the journey to Sapa, stopping for regular breaks along the way. Arrive in Sapa just in time for lunch at a local restaurant to prepare for your first hike.  After lunch, begin your hike to Y Linh Lo. Trek downhill through the Muong Hoa Valley, passing by rice paddies and small hamlets where you will learn more about the life of local tribes. Continue trekking through villages and rice terraced fields to Ta Van village, a place settled by the Dzay people and is commonly considered to be the most beautiful in the area. Whilst in Lao Chai village, you will also be able to exchange communication with the local villagers. overnight with a local family of the Dzay people in Ta Van. Stay with your family overnight for an evening of rest and relaxation.  Day 2: Commence your day of adventure with a nourishing breakfast prepared by the family you are staying with before setting off on your trek. The trekking distance for this part of the tour is 4 kms and lasts 2-hours. Start your scenic trek to the rice paddies, where upon arrival you will have a fantastic opportunity to take some unique holiday photos of the surrounding landscapes. Enjoy a walk through a bamboo forest and stop to have a panoramic view of Giang Ta Chai village – home of the red Dzao People. Continue on your trek through the Ciang Ta Chai Bridge to the main road, from here, a bus will pick you up to head back into Sapa town.  Upon your arrival in Sapa Town, you can shower in your hotel, check out, have a bite to eat, or relax until all group members are ready to depart. Board your bus back to Hanoi, with two comfort breaks along the way, and be dropped off on Tran Quang Khai street.

Experience the beauty of Ninh Binh and Ha Long Bay on a multi-stop 3-day trip from Hanoi. Ride a traditional bamboo boat, kayak to scenic caves, join a Vietnamese cooking class, and go squid fishing. Most meals, entry fees, and overnight accommodation are also included. Day 1: After morning pickup in a spacious and climate-controlled bus, relax on the scenic drive through the countryside on the way to the ancient capital of the Lê dynasty at Hoa Lu.  Get free time to climb to the Hang Mua Viewpoint to capture pictures before sitting down for lunch. Later, experience traditional travel with a bamboo boat ride. Explore one of the pristine karst caves in Tam Coc before checking in to the ecolodge. Swim in the lodge pool, try more local food, or rent a bike to explore the village during your stay (costs not included). Day 2: Hop on the shuttle bus in the morning and transfer from Ninh Binh to Halong Bay (no guide during the transfer). Pause for a 15-minute rest stop at the Hai Duong Province and arrive at the cruise ship in the early afternoon. Enjoy a welcome drink once you board the boat. Sample fresh, local seafood for lunch while cruising through Ha Long Bay. Admire views of Incense Burner Island, Fighting Cock Islet, and the Stone Dog rock formation. Soak up some sun onboard or go kayaking to marvel at sights like the Limestone Mountains, the Luon Grotto, and Titop Island. Join a sunset party onboard the ship and pick up some new skills with a Vietnamese cooking class. As day turns to night, indulge in a set-menu dinner of Vietnamese food. Afterward, join a squid fishing outing with the crew. Get hands-on while cooking fresh squid with the cruise chef. Continue the fun onboard with activities like card games or sing your heart out during karaoke. Sleep overnight in a cozy cabin. Day 3:  Wake early and admire the sunrise over the bay from the sundeck. Take in the morning views of Halong Bay with a cup of tea or coffee and a hearty breakfast. Transfer by boat to Surprise Cave, the biggest cave in Halong Bay. Dig into a traditional Vietnamese lunch while cruising back to the pier before being transfered back to your accommodation in Hanoi.

Discover the beauty of Sapa on a 2-day trip from Hanoi. Stay overnight in a hotel, enjoy local cuisine, and fuel your inner adventurer with a diverse variety of treks. Immerse yourself in the local communities while visiting spots like Lao Cai and Ta Van. Day 1: Hanoi – Sapa (Lunch) Start with pickup from your hotel in the Old Quarter of Hanoi and depart for Sapa. Follow the highway to Lao Cai city where you will make your first stop for breakfast by yourself. Stop off at Lao Cai city before arriving in Sapa, where you'll see the colorful traditional costumes of H’mong, Dzao, and Tay People. Here enjoy a lunch of local Vietnamese dishes at the hotel. Take a short trek to the gate of Cat Cat village, home of the Black H’mong ethnic people and located near the bottom of a deep valley at the foot of Fansipan Peak. A local guide will give you insight into the daily life of the locals. Trek down to the bottom of the valley to the waterfall, where the French built a hydraulic power station. Stop to take photos before walking back uphill to meet the bus. The trek is approximately 2.5 kilometers and lasts for 2 hours. In the evening, return to Sapa Town, where you can enjoy your evening at your leisure. Stay overnight in Sapa Lodge/Charm Sapa Hotel or similar. Day 2: Sapa – Hanoi (Breakfast/Lunch) Have breakfast at your hotel and prepare a light pack for trekking. You can keep your luggage in storage at the reception. Take a Trek to Lao Chai Village through the rice terraces and along Muong Hoa Streams to the Black Hmong village of Lao Chai.  See the spectacular landscape of Hoang Lien Son Mountain before heading to Ta Van village, home of the Dzay People. The trek takes around 3.5 hours and covers about 9-12 kilometers. The tour guide will make the best itinerary for the trek depending on your ability of trekking. The bus will pick you up at Ta Van Bridge to take you back to the center of Sapa. Take a break at the hotel and have lunch, before enjoying some time to explore at your own leisure. After some free time, meet the rest of your group at the hotel to prepare for your return to Hanoi. Get back on the bus around 2:30 PM to go back to Hanoi. During the journey, stop for a break. Arrive back at your accommodation in Hanoi in the late evening at about 9:00 PM. Set Menu 1 • Pumpkin soup • Sauteed chicken with mushrooms Sapa Charm Salad • Sauteed vegetables local style • Steam rice • Seasonal fresh fruit Set Menu 2• Tomatoes soup • Marinated sizzled beef on the iron plate • Deep-fried spring rolls • Sauteed vegetables local style • Steam rice • Seasonal fresh fruit Set Menu 3 • Vegetable soup • Stir fry pork sweet and sour • French fries • Sauteed vegetables local style • Steam rice • Seasonal fresh fruit Vegan Menus: Set Menu 7 • Vegetable soup • Vietnamese fried • Tofu in tomato sauce deep-fried spring rolls • French fries • Sauteed vegetables local style Steam rice • Seasonal fresh fruit Set Menu 8 • Pumpkin soup • Marinated sizzled tofu on the iron plate • Sauteed mushrooms and garlic • Omelette • Sauteed vegetables local style • Steam rice • Seasonal fresh Ffruit

After meeting your local guide and driver, head about 30 minutes out of Sapa Town to visit the Silver Waterfall, Love Waterfall and Tram Ton Pass. Explore the area before leaving for the traditional village of Ban Khoan. From there, begin your trek. The trek, about 4 hours and 15 kilometers (9.3 miles), takes you along mountain trails and through remote tribal villages. Enjoy amazing views of the surrounding rice paddies, and take plenty of photos as you learn about the unique cultures of the Hmong and Red Dzao people. Take a break for a picnic lunch before continuing the trek to the home of the Red Dzao tribe in Ta Phin Village. In the afternoon, meet your driver to begin the 30-minute transfer back to Sapa.

Day 1: Start with pickup from your hotel in Hanoi. Arrive at Tuan Chau pier and board the boat. Enjoy the buffet lunch while the boat is cruising towards North East of Ha Long Bay. Cruise next to the Dark and Bright Caves, the ideal place for you to get up close to Ha Long Bay by bamboo boat or kayak. Then enter a less populated area at Tra Bau - Lan Ha Bay. Select the option to discover Ba Trai Dao Beach, which is ideal for kayaking and swimming. Enjoy a refreshing dip in the green emerald water. Onboard you may join a cooking demonstration as you learn about Vietnamese dining culture. The chef and staff will instruct you in making a traditional dish from Vietnam. Enjoy happy hour at the bar while watching the view of the bay at sunset. Sit for a deluxe dinner made with the freshest ingredients in a sophisticated space with elegant French neoclassical style and traditional oriental touches. Admire the beauty of the bay at night. You may want to try your luck with squid fishing or watch a movie in the restaurant. Day 2: Rise early in the morning for a Tai Chi session on the sundeck. Enjoy breakfast at the restaurant while continuing the cruise. Take part in a kayaking tour in the Ao Ech area, before checking out of your cabin. Brunch will be served at the restaurant on the 2nd deck. Return to Tuan Chau Marina for your transfer back to Hanoi.

Day 0: Transfer from Hanoi to Lao Cai by overnight train Either enjoy pickup from your hotel or make your way to the Hanoi train station yourself by 9 PM. Board the overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai at 10 PM. Enjoy the night on the train and reach your destination the next morning. Day 1: Sapa Center - Cat Cat village (L, D) Meet your tour guide at the train station and head to Sapa at 6 AM. Indulge in breakfast at your hotel before taking a walk around Sapa. Visit the market and old cathedral and meet people from the Black H’mong and Red Zao ethnic minorities who are selling handicrafts. Walk down to the southwest of Sapa to visit Cat Cat Village, where the Black H’mong live. Relax at the foot of the waterfall and the vestige of a hydroelectric power station that was constructed by the French during colonial times in Vietnam. Enjoy a picnic lunch by the side of the river and then make your way to Sin Chai, the village located at the foot of Fansipan Mountain, known as “the roof of Vietnam and Indochina.” From there, enjoy sweeping landscapes before climbing back to Sapa. After dinner, explore the charm of Sapa by night. Enjoy roasted corn and baked eggs beside a charcoal fire or go shopping. Spend the night in the 3-star Sapa Hotel. Day 2: Sapa – Y Linh Ho – Lao Chai – Ta Van (B, L, D) Enjoy breakfast in your hotel and then walk down to the southeast of Sapa along the side of the Muong Hoa Valley to the Y Linh Ho Village of the Black H’mong. Continue trekking down to the Lao Chai village of the H’mong. Take a cooking class and enjoy lunch with a local family and then walk through terraced rice fields to Ta Van Village of the Dzay minority people and stay overnight. Day 3: Ta Van – Giang Ta Chai – Su Pan – Sapa (B, L, D) After breakfast, continue on trekking to visit 2 villages of the Red Dzao and the H’mong. Visit a beautiful waterfall and Rattan Bridge. Take in views of the landscapes through the bamboo forest. Head to the main road to catch a car to return to Sapa. If any roads are too far or too difficult to trek, you can go by electric car or motorbikes. Around 2 PM, pack your things and prepare to leave Sapa. Hop in your limousine back to Hanoi at 2:30 PM. Enjoy drop-off at your hotel in Hanoi at around 9-10 PM.

La Pandora Cruise 2 Days/1 Night (Ha Long Bay - Lan Ha Bay) (01 night on La Pandora cruise) Day 01: Hanoi – Ha Long Bay – Lan Ha Bay (L/D) 08:15 – 08:45: Hotel or private address pick up with our shuttle bus. Short break half way. 11:45 – 12:00: Arriving Tuan Chau marina, transferred by tender of La Pandora cruises. 12:45 – 13:00: Welcome aboard the cruise. Refresh with our welcome drink. Meet the captain, crew in the cruise briefing, safety instruction. 13:00 – 13:15: A special lunch in Vietnamese cuisine of fresh seafood and an assortment of appetizing favorites are served while sailing through Islets of Con Vit. 16:00: The Cruise sails through Lan Ha Bay. The area is surrounding of extraordinary limestone karsts landscapes. We progress to Ong Cam Area of Lan Ha Bay- a separate part of Ha Long Bay. This is a quiet tourist paradise in Vietnam, enjoy kayaking and/or enjoy swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the Bay. 17:30: Back to La Pandora Cruise, drop anchor for staying overnight. Enjoy cooking demonstration (teaching you how to make our speciality, Spring rolls) and the complimentary Sunset Party on the sundeck with local wine and fresh fruit. 19:00: Dinner is served in the restaurant. Enjoy delicious local food prepared and served for you by our wonderful onboard catering staff. After dinner, retiring to your cabin or join the fishing excursion, watch a movie, have a drink at the bar, wifi access or play exciting games. Overnight on board. Day 02: Dark & Bright Cave – Ha Long Bay – Hanoi (B, L) 06:00: Enjoy sunrise and admire the never-ending miraculous scenery of the Bay. Practice an invigorating Tai Chi session on the sundeck. 06:30: Light breakfast, coffee and tea served. 07:00: Visit Dark & Bright Cave and islets by local rowing boats which is a wild and mysterious beauty in the middle of the World Heritage. 09:15: Back to our La Pandora Cruise, relax before checking out. 10:00: Lunch is served on board. 12:00: Disembark at the Tuan Chau marina by tender. Take our shuttle bus to return to Hanoi 15:00 – 15:30: Arrival back at your hotel or home. Included: •Welcome drink, cold handkerchief, fresh fruits basket, two bottle of mineral water in each cabin. •Full furnished deluxe en-suite cabin with A/C, hot water. •Hi – class A/C shuttle bus (round trip). •All meals on board (02 Lunches, 01dinner, 01 breakfast). •Complimentary morning tea and coffee. •Cooking demonstrations. •Entrance and sightseeing fees. •Kayaking, Tai chi exercise, Local rowing boat, swimming (if the weather permits), Squid fishing. •English speaking tour guide. Excluded: •Beverages, tips, and gratuities. •Personal expenses Note: •The itinerary may be changed upon the weather condition.

Day 1: Ha Noi - Cat Ba Island - Lan Ha Bay Start your 2-day adventure with a convenient pick up from your hotel in Ha Noi's old quarter. At your accomodation you will have a short meet and greet with your driver before being transferred to Cat Ba. You will first take a short and scenic drive to God Harbour (Hai Phong city), from here, you will board your speed boat for the island of Cat Ba.  Once you arrive at the dock in Cat Ba you will be taken on a scenic drive through National road until you reach the main city centre of Cat Ba. Here you will check into your cruise.  After a morning of transit you will have worked up an appetite! Enjoy lunch at a local and recommended restaurant with seafood and vegetables. For the rest of the day you will get to see such sights as Monkey Island, Twin Beach and Ben Beo floating village.  After lunch you will first stop in the Hang Ca area, here you will be able to paddle along hidden lagoons and tunnels. At sunset your cruise will anchor overnight at three peaches island. Here you will be able to swim and enjoy cocktails at the bar before spending the evening on the ship. Day 2: Lan Ha Bay - Viet Hai Village - Cat Ba Island After you enjoy your delicious breakfast you'll be ready to start your second day of adventure. Continue on your cruise to Ha Long Bay - you will have the choice to either take a walk along the beach or ride a bicycle to Viet Hai Village. Once you reach the Viet Hai Pier you will start your 6-km cycle to a remote village in the middle of Cat Ba. Once here you will get a chance to see how the locals live.  After your cycling adventure you will head back to your cruise ship and travel back to Lan Ha Bay. Enjoy an early lunch on your boat surrounded by beautiful views and check out of your cabin. From here you will visit a fishing village on a boat through hundreds of islands at Lan Ha Bay. After this you will return to Beo harbour before being transferred via bus back to Ha Noi. 

Day 1: Hanoi - Ninh Binh 8:00 AM after being collected from the Hanoi Old Quarter, you will embark on your 2.5-hour journey to the Ninh Binh Province. Uncover the cultural and natural heritage of the Ninh Binh province on a guided day trip from Hanoi. Pay a visit to the Bai Dinh Temple Complex, float through the tranquil rivers of Trang An, and climb to the top of Mua Caves for striking panoramic views of rocky hills. Get picked up from your hotel in Hanoi and depart toward Ninh Binh. Stop at Bai Dinh, the biggest complex of Buddhist temples in Vietnam, to gaze at the imposing pagoda. See 500 Arhat Statues made out of blue stones, a 36-ton bronze bell, and a 100-ton Buddha statue, rising up to 10 meters. Take a lunch break in a local restaurant, with a Vietnamese buffet of goat meat, fish, chicken, and fried rice, as well as vegetarian food options. Continue to the Trang An Landscape Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site featured in the 2017 movie Kong: Skull Island. Hop on a wooden boat to navigate through its quiet rivers, discover mysterious caves, and admire towering limestone karsts covered with tropical plants. Finally, climb up 500 steps to the viewpoint of Mua Caves to marvel at panoramic views of Tam Coc before transfer to Ninh Binh home-stay. You will later spend the night at a home-stay/hotel in Ninh Binh. Day 2: Ninh Binh - Bai Tu Long Bay 8:00-8:30 AM shuttle bus will pick-up at Ninh Binh home-stay 12:00 Boarding time. 13:00 Check-in your cabin. 13:15 The Cruise Manager will give a welcome speech with all the cruise information and Safety instructions. 13:30 Enjoy the Buffet Lunch with the best products of the Bay. 14:45 Visit the Vung Vieng Floating fishing village by kayak or bamboo boat 15:30-16:30 If you want to relax on the boat instead of participating in other activities feel free to use our sauna for no extra cost. 16:30 Relaxing time: the right moment for a massage or to take some pictures of the spectacular sunset in the bay. And happy hour 17:30 The Cooking Demonstration is waiting for you to discover the secrets of Vietnamese Cuisine 19:00 Dinner is ready in the restaurant. Fill your senses with a selection of Western fusion food and Vietnamese traditional dishes. 21:00 Enjoy the Squid Fishing activity. Day 3: Bai Tu Long Bay - Hanoi 06:30 Practice one of the oldest traditions of East Asia: Tai Chi – A beautiful and relaxing experience on the open deck. Tea and coffee are served. 07:00 Light breakfast is served. 07:30 Explore Thien Canh Son cave in Ha Long Bay. Witness its beautiful stalactites and stalagmites. Note: there are about 200 steps to get up to the cave. 09:00 Check out time. Please put your luggage outside the cabin and the key at the reception desk. Our staff will transfer your luggage to our lounge for you. 09:30 Brunch is served at the restaurant on the 2nd deck. 11:10 The boat arrives at the pier. 11:45 Bus pick up and transfer back to Hanoi 15:00 The end trip at Hanoi Old Quarter