HANOI ARRIVAL

Old Quarter - Upon your arrival at the airport, meet our driver and transfer to the hotel for check-in and relaxation.

Late afternoon, join the optional Hanoi Foodie walking tour.

The guide will pick you up at the hotel to start your tour, which lasts 3 hours and includes dinner. Explore the Hanoi Old Quarter, a vibrant area full of joy and excitement. Our knowledgeable guide will help you understand and savor the local cuisine, introducing you to Hanoi’s culture, history, and food. You’ll have the opportunity to taste 4-5 local dishes.

HANOI - LAN HA BAY - HA LONG BAY

Lan Ha Bay - 9:00 – 9:30: You will be picked up from your hotel in Hanoi for a 2.5-hour drive on the 5B highway to Got Harbor in Hai Phong Province for the cruise. A tender will transfer you to board Calypso Cruises, where you will be welcomed with a drink and a towel.

After a cruise briefing and safety instructions, check into your cabins. As the cruise sails, enjoy a delicious lunch while admiring the beauty of hundreds of karst islands as you pass through Halong Bay to Lan Ha Bay.

In the afternoon, visit Light and Dark Water Cave, where you can kayak or take a bamboo boat rowed by locals. Return to Calypso Cruises to watch the magnificent sunset over the Gulf of Tonkin and enjoy happy hour (buy 2, get 1 free).

Participate in a cooking demonstration to learn about Vietnamese cuisine. Dinner will be served around 19:00. Afterward, you have free time to enjoy the bay’s landscapes from the top deck, sing karaoke, enjoy drinks from the bar, try squid fishing, or relax in your cabin.

LAN HA BAY - CAT BA ISLAND - HANOI

Cat Ba Island - 06:30: Wake up early to enjoy the dawn and start a perfect new day with Tai Chi exercises on the sundeck, followed by a light breakfast in the restaurant.

Check out of your cabin around 9:00 am. Take a 20-minute bus ride on Cat Ba Island from Gia Luan Pier to visit Army Hospital Cave, a significant historical site from the resistance war. Enjoy the natural scenery of Cat Ba National Park during the journey. Return to Calypso Cruises for lunch as the boat cruises back to the harbor. Disembark around 12:00 and return to Hanoi.

HANOI - SAPA - SHORT TREK TO CAT CAT VILLAGE

Cat Cat village - At 6:40 am, our guide will pick you up at the hotel and depart for Sapa. Travel along the highway to Lao Cai city to reach Sapa Town, known for the colorful traditional costumes of the H’mong, Dzao, and Tay ethnic people.

Enjoy a welcome drink and itinerary briefing. Check-in and have lunch with local Vietnamese dishes.

14:30: Take a short drive to the gate of Cat Cat village, home to the Black H’mong ethnic people, located near the bottom of a deep valley at the foot of Fansipan Peak. Our local guide will show you the daily life activities of the locals. Trek down to the valley bottom to see the waterfall and the French-built Hydraulic Power Station. Stop for photos with the bridge and waterfall, then walk uphill to meet the bus that will take you back to Sapa in the afternoon.

The trekking distance is about 2.5 km and lasts for 2 hours. Return to Sapa Town around 17:00. Later, have dinner and free time to join night activities in the town.

SAPA - Y LINH HO - LAO CHAI & TA VAN VILLAGES

Y Linh Ho - 8:00-8:30 am: After breakfast, start a 6 km trek down to Y Linh Ho – Lao Chai village of the Black H’mong ethnic people. Discover their daily life and traditional crafts, including making clothes, handicrafts, and indigo dyeing. Visit the largest valley with the best views of golden rice terraces in Vietnam. Have lunch at Lao Chai village.

After lunch, walk to Ta Van village of the Dzay people, a small ethnic group in Vietnam with a rich culture and beautiful houses located on rice paddy fields. Enjoy the fresh air, see terraced fields and streams, and visit some Black H’mong families. Check into a homestay around 15:00. Spend time enjoying the mountain life at sunset. Have dinner and stay overnight.

TA VAN - GIANG TA CHAI - HANOI

Giang Ta Chai Village - 8:00: Have breakfast prepared by the family and start a new day with an interesting trek.

Walk through the rice paddies for a photo session of the stunning landscapes. Trek through the bamboo forest and stop for a panoramic view of Giang Ta Chai village, home of the Red Dzao people. The trekking distance is about 4 km and lasts for 2 hours.

In the afternoon, return to Sapa Town from Ta Van village. Enjoy free time in Sapa before boarding the bus back to Hanoi. Arrive in Hanoi around 20:30-21:00. Check into the hotel and rest.

HANOI - BAI DINH PAGODA - TRANG AN GROTTOES

Trang An Grottoes - Around 08:00 am, our guide will meet you at your hotel/stay and start a 100 km bus journey through the verdant countryside, with a short break en route.

Arrive at the glimmering Bai Dinh pagoda complex, the largest pagoda in Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Set at the foot of Dinh Mountain, it offers breathtaking views of the river valley and limestone karsts.

The pagoda complex features magnificent Vietnamese architecture, requiring a full day to explore. The visit ends with a walk up the mountain to see the 100-ton bronze statue of Buddha Sakyamuni and enjoy panoramic views of the picturesque landscape.

Enjoy a fabulous buffet lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant with special dishes such as goat meat and pork.

In the afternoon, visit the Trang An Grottoes, a stunning natural area with majestic limestone massifs rising from rice paddy fields. Explore the mystical valleys, freshwater ponds, and jungle.

Embark on a traditional sampan to gently row down the river through numerous caves, including Hang Toi (Dark) cave, 320 meters long, Sang (Light) cave, 90 meters long, and Hang Nau Ruou (Cooking Wine) cave, 250 meters long. Each passage reveals new surprises and hidden valleys of tranquility. The area is rich in flora and fauna, and you may see goats jumping from cliff to cliff.

Return to Hanoi around 19:00.

HANOI DEPARTURE

Hoan Kiem Lake Walking Street - Enjoy your last moments in Hanoi or go shopping before we take you to the airport for your departure flight. Say goodbye to Hanoi!

• Transportation on tours: pick up – see off from your hotel
• Boat trip in Trang An grottoes
• Trekking
• Local street foods as mentioned in the itinerary
• Lunch
• All entrance fees indicated in itinerary
• Dinner
• Breakfast
• Kayaking
• Local English speaking guide
• Overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay
• Round way airport transfers

• Airfares
• Drinks and personal expenses
• Others not mentioned in the itinerary

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.