Mountains to The Sea

Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam’s bustling colonial capital. Your driver and guide will meet you outside the baggage claim of Noi Bai Airport and take you to your hotel in the city center. In the afternoon, enjoy an orientation walk, visiting some of Hanoi’s main attractions: the Opera House, Old Quarter, St. Joseph’s Cathedral, Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple. Rest of the day, you are free at leisure.
Meals: N/A.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Today you have a full day to explore Vietnam’s charming capital. With its wide tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and ancient oriental pagodas, Hanoi is an eclectic mix that offers something for everyone. Your city tour will take you to Hanoi’s key sites: the Ho Chi Minh Complex (Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and stilt house), the nearby One Pillar Pagoda; the Presidential Palace; the Temple of Literature; the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda & West Lake; the Quan Thanh Temple, and one of the city’s museums (a choice between the History Museum and the Ethnology Museum). Enjoy a traditional Water Puppet Performance – a unique Vietnamese Art form hailing from Southeast Asia’s wet-rice culture. In the evening, savor a welcome dinner of authentic Vietnamese food at one of Hanoi’s finest restaurants – before heading to the train station to catch your night train to Laocai.
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner.
Accommodation: on train (in a shared 4 soft berths cabin with A/C).

The train arrives at the Laocai railway station in the early morning. Your guide and driver will meet you there and take you on the 40km drive to Sapa, Northwest Vietnam’s premier travel destination, named “Tonkinese Alps” by the French.

Enjoy breakfast in the town while breathing clean mountain air. At 10:00 A.M, leave the hotel and start trekking. Walk through the local market then follow a road going downhill to Cat Cat Village. The Black Hmong’s village is famous for its brocade weaving craft as well as its gold and silver jewelry making. The walk to Cat Cat Village and its nearby hills provide an opportunity to see farms and techniques used by the people in the area. Take a short stop at a waterfall and a hydroelectric station. Afterward, trek up back to the town and spend rest of the day at leisure.

Optional (ticket excluded in the tour package):
The world’s most modern three-rope cable car system, Fansipan Legend, was opened to public use on February 2016. At the inaugural ceremony, representatives from Guinness World Records presented a certificate recognizing the system as the world’s longest three-rope cable car (6,292.5 meters). The facility was also named the three-rope cable car system with the world’s biggest height gap between its departure and arrival stations (1,410m). The cable car system stretches from Muong Hoa valley in Sapa Town, Lao Cai Province to the peak of 3,143-meter Fansipan, known as Indochina’s rooftop. Passengers used to spend two days climbing to Fansipan summit, but now it takes only 15 minutes thanks to this system. The dream of reaching Indochina’s rooftop, which used to be hard to do, becomes easier for everyone. As soon as you reach Fansipan station in an altitude of 2,800m above sea level, 600 stairs await for you to climb up to the summit. Standing on the top of Fansipan, it seems that you are enjoying a life on heaven. Surroundings are range of mountains and cloud only. And then you return the station for a ride back to Sapa.
WORKING HOURS
Start: 7:30 A.M – End: 17:30
PRICE
Adult and child (taller than 1.3m): 30 USD/ person Child: 20 USD/ person.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa.

After breakfast, drive south towards Muong Hoa Valley, and then descend by foot through the largest terraced rice paddy area in the Sapa region. The walk takes you through the village of Lao Chai, home to the Black Hmong minority, then onto the Ta Van village, inhabited by the Zay minority. Experience a great opportunity to observe the daily life and traditional hospitality of these local people before continuing on to the remote Topas Ecolodge in Su Pan. This unique, eco-friendly lodge is situated atop two cone formed hills, set deep in the spectacular Sapa Valley of Northern Vietnam.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodation: Ecolodge in Sapa.

Set by foot to the Lech Village. After a short walk on the main road you will descend towards the Thanh Kim River, stop en route to capture the most beautiful scene of the valley. Cross the river, you will head up to the village where you spend your time to experience the daily life of the local people and then follow the main road to return to the Ecolodge for lunch and check-out.

Head back to Sapa for some free time and finally descend to Laocai and enjoy dinner at one of the local restaurants before boarding your overnight train for the return trip to Hanoi.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: on train (in a shared 4 soft berths cabin with A/C).

Arrive in Hanoi in the early morning then drive to Ninh Binh. Hoa Lu, situated 100 km south of Hanoi, was the capital city of Vietnam under the Dinh Dynasty between 968 and 1009 AD. Some of the sanctuaries and tombs have survived the years and can still be seen today. Start cycling on countryside roads onto Hoa Lu and the ancient 10th century citadel. Apart from the historical interest, the area is also one of astounding natural beauty with limestone peaks whose splendor is often said to surpass that of Halong Bay. Continue your ride through the limestone peaks to Tam Coc, passing rice paddies and rural villages. In Tam Coc lunch is served at a local restaurant with a view over the boat pier. The tour includes being rowed along the Ngo Dong River, which makes for a truly unforgettable experience, passing between towering limestone peaks.
You conclude an excursion day with a visit to Bich Dong Pagoda.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Ninh Binh.

(The itinerary is a sample, depends on weather and it will be different between cruises. Our travel consultants will provide the exact schedule and program if you book other cruise such as Hera Cruise, Halong President Cruise, Emperor Cruise, Halong Violet, Halong Jasmine, Paradise Luxury Cruises, Ginger Cruise, Orchid Cruise, Indochina Sails, Au Co Cruise, Starlight Cruise, Sealife Cruise, Oriental Sails etc.)

Halong Bay is one of the most loved spots in Vietnam for a reason – it’s gorgeous. On this Halong Bay tour, we take you away from the hectic pace of life in Hanoi and introduce you to the tranquil, beautiful Halong Bay…

Following breakfast, journey northeast through the rich farmland of the Red River Delta (Nam Dinh, Thai Binh & Hai Phong) to Halong Bay, truly one of Vietnam’s most scenic impressive sights. On arrival you are welcomed onboard a traditional junk. Settle into a private comfortable cabin and unpack for a two day cruise around Halong Bay. Along the way, enjoy a huge lunch served on board and admire the picturesque scenery of islands. These limestone karst formations are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. You will anchor for a leisurely swim in a secluded cove and an enjoyable visit to Sung Sot Cave, one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs. The remainder of day is for your own pleasure; observing the bay, lazing around the deck or simply soaking up the sunshine.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Accommodation: On cruise on Halong Bay.

Awake early and participate in Tai Chi on the top deck or simply relax and enjoy the sunrise over the bay’s towering islands. Enjoy a morning cup of coffee or tea, before setting out to explore nearby islands by rowboat. Return to the junk for breakfast then take advantage of the sundeck and admire the amazing rock formations of the bay as you navigate back to Halong City. Have brunch on board the boat before returning to Halong Pier.
Your driver will meet you at the dock and take you to Noi Bai Airport of Hanoi to catch your departure flight home.
Meals: Brunch.
Accommodation: N/A.