HANOI – HALONG BAY ON OVERNIGHT CRUISE (5 DAYS)

Welcome to Hanoi – the capital of Vietnam!
Upon arrival at Noi Bai International Airport, welcomed by the driver and transfer to the center of Hanoi to check-in hotel (Normal check in time is 14:00). At leisure to relax and get rid of jet lag. Overnight in Hanoi.

Breakfast at hotel. Morning, we’ll pick you up and take you to visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex, which includes Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (closed on Mondays, Fridays and during Sep – Nov for annual restoration) – the final resting place of the beloved national hero, Uncle Ho – and President Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house where he lived off and on from 1958 to 1969. Next, visit the One Pillar Pagoda, which is actually a group of structures that collectively make up a pagoda built over the water in the middle of a square lake. After that, you’ll have a chance to explore the Tran Quoc Pagoda on the shore of West Lake. From there, it’s onto the Temple of literature, which was Viet Nam’s first university and is dedicated to Confucius.  Lunch at the restaurant before heading to Hoan Kiem Lake – the heart and soul of Hanoi.

Option 1: Tue, Wed, Thu, Fri, Sat, Sunday
You’ ll stop in at Museum Of Ethnology. This superb museum showcases the depth of Vietnamese cultural diversity with an astounding collection of 15,000 artifacts gathered from throughout Vietnam. Maps, displays and dioramas are labeled in Vietnamese, French and English. Displays portray a typical village market, the making of comical hats and a Tay shamanic ceremony; videos show the real thing. You can also check out a traditional Black Thai house reconstructed in the museum. There’s also a center for research and conservation where scientists from all over the world study traditional Vietnamese cultures.

Option 2: Monday
Depart for Bat Trang ceramic village which is about 20 km away from Ha Noi, this is pottery village with a half- milleary historic development.
Later, take the car to come back to your hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.

Breakfast at hotel. From Hanoi, at 8AM, head East for more than 3 hours to Halong Bay, the pride of the Gulf of Tonkin, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO in 1994 and 2006. Upon arrival in Halong, we’ll take a big boat to cruise the Bay to discover the magnificent beauty of this “Descending-dragon” bay, created by thousands of odd-shaped limestone rocks and karst grottoes. After a lunch of fresh seafood on board, we can visit the Surprising Grotto, stop for swimming or kayaking (at your own cost), passing floating villages and approach islets to enjoy their beauty in close distance. Dinner on board. Evening attend activities on the boat or relax at your own leisure. Overnight on the boat.
Note: The program may vary depending on the cruise you choose. You will have a station English speaking guide on cruise.

After breakfast, visit by boat to Luon Cave, a ring-shaped pool inside an island in Halong with absolutely tranquil landscape and emerald water. Back to the Wharf of Halong passing the most dense area with many islands that have been named like the Cock-Fighting Rock, Sail Island, Incense burner rock or Sea Dog Rock. Brunch on cruise. Arrive at Halong Wharf around 11.00. Return to Hanoi around 4PM. Free at your own leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.
Note: The program may vary depending on the cruise you choose. You will have station English speaking guide on cruise.

Breakfast at hotel. Time at leisure until check out the hotel (Normal check out time is 12:00) and transfer to the airport with driver for the departure flight.