Day 1: Hanoi – Arrival – Without guide, with driver

Upon arrival at the airport, our driver will meet you and transfer you to the hotel in the city center (30km – 45 minutes). Rest time in your room (available from 2pm).

If you have time, you can freely stroll around the old quarter and visit the Dong Xuan market which was built by the French in 1884. It is really colorful and lively

Free dinner and overnight at the hotel

Day 2: Hanoi – discovery of the capital (B, L) with guide and driver

The day is reserved for the following sites:

• The Ho Chi Minh Complex (Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, One Pillar Pagoda)
• The Temple of Literature
• And other sites depending on the time

08:30 – Welcome by the guide and the driver for the visit of the city of Hanoi and its must-see sites starting with the visit of the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (outside), its house on stilts and the One Pillar Pagoda. Then, head to the Temple of Literature which is a Temple of Confucius, a very important historical and cultural monument of Hanoi and the country.

Welcome lunch in a good restaurant

In the afternoon, you will visit the Defense Pagoda of the country. It is the most beautiful pagoda in the capital built in the 6th century.

Then, you will participate in the water puppet show which represents the flooded rice culture in the Red River Delta. Finished with a walk around the old quarter of Hanoi

Free dinner and overnight at the hotel

Day 3: Hanoi – Mai Chau – Poom Coong Village (B, L, D) with guide and driver

Departure for Mai Chau via charming little roads. Arrival at the village of Poom Coong (Thai people) in Mai Chau.

Lunch at the local home with traditional dishes.

Installation at the local home in the village.

Afternoon: you take a light walk (or bike) around the village or passing through neighboring villages. Beautiful landscapes of rice fields and villages … The walk certainly brings you very pleasant moments with the contacts with the smiling, warm and friendly local inhabitants. Opportunity to discover the life, the local culture and their crafts.

Dinner at the local home, you enjoy the friendliness of the inhabitants.

Night at the local home, in the traditional Thai house – house on stilts (no private room, with mattress, blanket, pillow, mosquito net, curtain and fan)

 

Day 4: Poom Coong Village – Van Long Nature Reserve – Boat trip to “Halong Bay on land” – Bike ride – Hanoi (B, L) with guide and driver

After breakfast, depart via the Mandarin Road to Van Long in Gia Vien district of Ninh Binh province.

Upon arrival in Van Long, you will board the local boat for a 1.5-hour excursion to Van Long Nature Reserve. The excursion offers magnificent views of the landscapes and rural life. Compared to Tam Coc, Van Long is much more primitive and completely untouched, also called “Halong Bay on land”. Rivers, mountains, caves, rice fields, old houses, friendly people, small bamboo boats etc, all these make Van Long become a must for travel lovers. Tourists who come to visit the reserve have the opportunity to see the rich fauna and flora within the most bio-diverse flooded area in Vietnam.

Lunch at the restaurant.

In the afternoon: you take the bike to take a ride through the villages in Van Long. Stops planned for contact with local people. You arrive at Thung La area 7 km from Van Long village. Visit Thung La temple which is beautiful, very quiet and not touristy, a beautiful valley surrounded by mountains where Dinh Tien Hoang temple is located. It was in this valley that he often used reeds to direct maneuvers with other shepherds and practiced martial arts in his childhood; and he won all the battles. From this area, he left and succeeded in restoring the unity of the kingdom shaken by struggles between 12 great lords in the troubled periods that followed the independence of the country and the death of the liberator Ngo Quyen.

Then you will return to Hanoi. Arrival at your hotel at the end of the day

Free dinner and overnight at the hotel

 

Day 5: Hanoi – Lan Ha Bay (B, L, D) shared bus, English-speaking guide on board

7:30-7:45: The junk shuttle bus picks you up at the hotel.

Take highway 5B, arrive at the ferry Pha Got, then take a twenty-minute ferry ride to Cat Ba Island.

11:45: Arrive at Beo Pier, the boat crew will give you a warm welcome!

Enjoy the welcome drink while (your) guide gives you a cruise briefing and safety instructions, and hands over the keys to your cabins.

13:00: Savor your delicious lunch while enjoying the breathtaking view of Lan Ha, the secluded and quiet bay. Marvel at the uniquely shaped limestone towers and islands, including the famous Finger Islet and Candle Islet.

14:30: Kayak through the beautiful limestone mountain landscape, visit Ba Ham Lakes (Three Lakes) The only way to discover these mystical caves and lagoons is by kayak. (depending on the tide of the day)

• Ba Ham Cave is a system of three hidden lagoons connected to each other by caves, then kayak to Ba Men Beach, a pristine and untouched environment, a truly romantic place to swim or just bask in the glory of this location.
• (Depending on the weather or water level) We can kayak around Three Fisheries

16:30: Return to the junk and enjoy the evening at sunset on the Sundeck, with snacks and fruits, while participating in a traditional cooking class. In which, the chef demonstrates how to make spring rolls. You can also try your hand. Then continue to enjoy our Happy Hour offers at all bars on the cruise.

Before dinner time, our experienced captain chooses the quietest area to anchor for the night.

19:00: Savor delicious local dishes prepared and served by our masterful catering staff on board

Enjoy the scenery of the bay at night, on the upper deck. Relax while sipping drinks from the bar. Try your hand at night squid fishing, play cards or chess or simply gaze at the stars.

Overnight on the junk

Day 6: Lan Ha Bay – Hanoi – Night train to Hue (B, L)

6:10: Wake up for sunrise on the sundeck

7:00: Enjoy breakfast on board while enjoying the most peaceful areas of Lan Ha Bay

8:00: This ultra-interesting activity – a chance to cycle through the forest, visiting Viet Hai village (6 km), an idyllic nondescript village in the middle of the jungle, almost hidden by the imposing mountain ranges of Cat Ba National Park. This bike ride along the waters of the lake and the village path, passing through a dark tunnel witnessing the soothing rice fields and the lake is an unprecedented experience.

Optional electric car ride is available

10:00: The cruise welcomes you on board and you can freshen up and relax before settling your bills and checking out.

10:45: A well-prepared lunch is served as the cruise cruises gently through the emerald waters and numerous karst mountains towards the port.

12:30: Disembark and return to Hanoi

17:00: Arrive in Hanoi.

Transfer to a mini-hotel near the train station. You settle into your room to take a shower and rest a bit.

Dinner on your own before taking the train to Hue. Train SE19, Gate 1C, departs at 19:30.

Overnight on the train. Private, air-conditioned cabin for 4 people with soft berths.

Day 7: Hue – city tour (B, L) with guide and driver

Arrival at Hue train station at 8:30 am. Welcome by our guide and driver.

You will have breakfast of local specialties with the guide.

Visit the Imperial City, the only exemplary vestige of what was once an imperial city of Vietnam nestled in the enclosure of the Citadel, facing the imposing Flag Tower.

Lunch in a good restaurant.

In the afternoon: Board the boat for a cruise on the Perfume River which crosses the quiet city of Hue and separates it into the old city to the north and the modern city to the south. Stops during the cruise to visit Thanh Thien village, the old wharf of Bao Vinh, and then bike ride in the village of Sinh which specializes in print making on paper, visit Thien Mu pagoda (the Heavenly Lady) – a symbol of Hue.

If time permits, discover Dong Ba market, the largest market in Hue where you can find all kinds of goods including souvenir gifts…

Return to your hotel.

Overnight at the hotel

Day 8: Hue – Danang – Hoian (B, L) with guide and driver

After breakfast, you leave the city center to visit Tu Duc tomb

The price includes: ✓ Hotel and homestay accommodation ✓ French-speaking guide on all routes except Halong Bay (with English-speaking guide on board) and free days ✓ Transfer and travel by private vehicle as mentioned: private minibus, bicycle, cyclo, boat, etc. ✓ English-speaking group tour to Halong Bay ✓ Meals mentioned ✓ Night train from Hanoi – Hue ✓ Domestic flight from Danang – Saigon ✓ A bottle of mineral water/day/person ✓ Entrance fees for the sites to visit ✓ Administration fees The price does not include: ✓ International flight ✓ Tips and personal expenses ✓ Meals not mentioned in the program ✓ Bank charges related to payment ✓ Any other service not mentioned in the “Price includes” section