Northern Vietnam | 9 Days 8 Nights

Northern Vietnam

9 days | 8 nights

Price from 3.300$ per person

Prices can vary depending on availability for both flights and hotels

A private journey through northern Vietnam, combining Hanoi, traditional handicrafts, ethnic minority villages, mountain scenery, rice terraces, Ninh Binh and an overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay.

Daily itinerary

Meals: B = breakfast | L = lunch | D = dinner

Day 01 | Arrival and discovery of Hanoi

Included meals: Dinner

After immigration and customs at Hanoi Airport, meet your private guide and driver and transfer into the city. Check in to your hotel, subject to room availability.

Discover the 36 streets of the Old Quarter by cyclo, a traditional rickshaw, and observe the rhythm of local life. Visit Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple, But Tower, Dai Nghien ink stand and the red wooden The Huc Bridge. There is also an opportunity to shop for tailor-made clothing.

Your guide will adapt the afternoon visits to your wishes and energy levels. Enjoy a welcome dinner and overnight in Hanoi.

Day 02 | Hanoi city tour

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum, the Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda.

In the afternoon, discover the Temple of Literature, known as Vietnam's first university. Continue beyond the main sights to West Lake and cycle through its quieter surroundings. Stop at Phu Tay Ho, a shrine on a peninsula dedicated to the Mother Goddess Thanh Mau, one of the four immortals of Vietnamese tradition.

An optional spa and massage stop is available at your own expense. Overnight at your hotel in Hanoi.

Day 03 | Hanoi to Duong Lam and overnight train to Lao Cai

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, travel west of Hanoi to Duong Lam Ancient Village, approximately 60 km or 1.5 hours away. This agricultural village in the Red River Delta preserves houses dating back hundreds of years and is recognised as a national heritage site.

Visit Mong Phu communal house and its original entrance gate, explore family homes over 400 years old and meet local residents. Enjoy a Vietnamese lunch in an old house.

Continue to the 15th-century Mia Pagoda and the temples of Kings Ngo Quyen and Phung Hung. Return towards Hanoi, stopping at a shoemaking workshop established by artisan Nguyen Thanh Nhan.

After dinner at your own expense, transfer to the station for the overnight train to Lao Cai. Scheduled departure is 21:50, arriving around 06:00 the following morning. Overnight in a VIP two-berth sleeper cabin.

Day 04 | Lao Cai to Can Ho and Xa Xeng in Sa Pa

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Arrive in Lao Cai early in the morning, meet your local guide and transfer to Sa Pa, a former French hill station. Stop at a small hotel for a shower and breakfast before exploring the region.

Travel uphill by car to a waterfall, then follow a downhill trail through mountain scenery, rice terraces and cornfields. Stop for lunch at a scenic spot. Continue towards Xa Xeng village to meet Red Dao and Black Hmong communities, the two largest ethnic groups in Sa Pa, and learn about their daily life and traditions.

End the day's visits with a traditional herbal bath. A private vehicle can assist between villages during these two days, with walking limited to village visits when using this option. Overnight in the Sa Pa area.

Day 05 | Fansipan and traditional textiles

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, board the Muong Hoa mountain train for a scenic journey through the valley, with views of terraced rice fields, mountains and ethnic minority villages.

Continue by cable car to Fansipan, the Roof of Indochina, rising 3,143 metres above sea level. Enjoy views across the Hoang Lien Son range and surrounding valleys. Visit the summit area and mountain temples, weather permitting, before returning by cable car to Hoang Lien Station in the afternoon.

Visit a local handicraft workshop to learn about brocade weaving, embroidery and natural indigo dyeing. Meet artisans and discover the cultural meaning of their colourful textile patterns. Return to the hotel for time at leisure. Overnight in Sa Pa.

Day 06 | Hang Da and the Muong Hoa Valley to Hanoi

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

After breakfast, head towards Hang Da, passing ethnic minority villages along the way. Walk through rainforest and rice terraces to a small highland area with views across the valleys. Visit Hau Chu Ngai, a Black Hmong village.

After lunch, walk beneath pine trees and through the Muong Hoa Valley towards Giang Ta Chai. Reach a rattan bridge and pause beside a waterfall.

Return to Lao Cai Station for the overnight train to Hanoi. Scheduled departure is 21:10, arriving around 05:15 the following morning. Overnight in a VIP two-berth sleeper cabin.

Day 07 | Arrival in Hanoi and onward to Ninh Binh

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Arrive in Hanoi early in the morning. Meet your guide and transfer to a hotel near the station for a day-use room and breakfast.

Your private driver will then take you to Ninh Binh, approximately 2.5 hours away, often called Ha Long Bay among the rice fields. Explore Trang An by rowing boat, passing through caves and waterways amid limestone formations, rice paddies and rural scenery.

Visit the 17th-century temples dedicated to Kings Dinh and Le at Hoa Lu, Vietnam's ancient capital. Overnight in Ninh Binh.

Day 08 | Ninh Binh to Ha Long Bay

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Drive approximately four hours to Ha Long Bay and board your overnight cruise. Enjoy lunch as the boat sails into Bai Tu Long Bay, passing islets such as Indochina Studio and Am Islet.

Spend the afternoon among limestone pinnacles rising from the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Visit Co Cave, also known as Thien Canh Son Cave, and walk uphill to discover its stalactites and views of the bay.

Anchor in the Cong Do area and enjoy dinner on board. Overnight in a private, air-conditioned cabin with an en-suite bathroom and hot shower. The cruise is shared with other guests; a private boat may be requested.

Day 09 | Ha Long Bay to Hanoi Airport

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Welcome the morning on Bai Tu Long Bay with a tai chi session on the sundeck. Enjoy the seascape over breakfast with tea, coffee and biscuits.

Visit Vung Vieng fishing village by bamboo boat for an introduction to life on the water. Enjoy brunch as the cruise returns to the harbour.

Meet your guide and driver for the return journey towards Hanoi Airport, approximately four hours. En route, visit Con Son Pagoda and Kiep Bac Temple, associated with General Tran Hung Dao. Transfer to the airport for your departure flight. End of the journey.

Suggested hotels and cruise

Accommodation is subject to availability at booking. Similar properties may be substituted. Categories below follow the supplier proposal.

Included services

• Accommodation in a shared double room at the selected hotels or similar.
• One night on a shared Ha Long Bay cruise, in a private cabin.
• English-speaking local guides in each region, as specified in the programme.
• Overnight trains from Hanoi to Lao Cai and back, in a VIP two-berth sleeper cabin.
• Entrance fees for the sightseeing visits listed in the programme.
• Meals as indicated in the daily itinerary.
• Private vehicle with an experienced driver.
• Local VAT.

Additional services

• Water available throughout the journey.
• A personal welcome meeting at your hotel, offered without additional charge if the schedule permits.
• Round-the-clock trip support from the Hanoi office.
• Visa pre-approval fee included; the entry visa itself is excluded.

Excluded services

• International flights and airport taxes.
• Travel insurance.
• Meals not specified as included, and the Vietnam entry visa.
• Drinks, tips, personal expenses and any service not explicitly included.

Useful information

• Hotel check-in is from 14:00; check-out is by 12:00.
• Itineraries and activities may change or be cancelled without prior notice due to weather or local regulations.
• Road, train and cruise timings are approximate and subject to the confirmed schedule.
• Private cruise cabins include a bathroom, hot water and twin beds or a double bed. The boat is shared; a private boat may be requested.
• Trains are air-conditioned, with a VIP two-berth sleeper cabin.
• Day 4 lunch inclusion should be confirmed before booking.

Regional map

Regional map from the original programme, for general orientation.