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North Vietnam Highlights: Sapa – Ninh Binh – Halong – 8 Days

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The Heart of This Journey

Eight days in the north of Vietnam, full of fresh air and big landscapes. From Hanoi you take the night train into the mountains for three days of walking among the hill tribe villages and rice terraces of Sapa, including a night at a remote ecolodge, then explore the limestone peaks and rivers of Ninh Binh by bike and boat, and finish with a night on Halong Bay.

  • Hanoi in fullAn evening walk in the Old Quarter, the city’s landmarks, water puppets and a welcome dinner.
  • By night train to the mountainsFall asleep in Hanoi and wake up at the foot of the Hoang Lien Son range.
  • Walking in SapaThree days on foot through Hmong and Giay villages and the great rice terraces of Muong Hoa.
  • A night at Topas EcolodgeA remote lodge on two hilltops with sweeping views over the valley.
  • Ninh Binh by bike and boatCycle to the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, then row between limestone peaks at Tam Coc.
  • A night on Halong BayIslands, a great cave, kayaking among the karsts and sunrise from the deck.

Tour Destinations:

Detailed Itinerary:

Here is how the eight days unfold, from an evening walk around Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem Lake to a last sunrise over Halong Bay. Every part of it can be adjusted: add a night where you want to linger, swap an activity or change your hotel class, and we will shape the plan around you.

Day 01:Hanoi Arrival

Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam’s bustling capital, a city of tree-shaded lakes, French colonial boulevards and a thousand years of history.

Arrival

Your driver and guide meet you outside the baggage hall at Noi Bai Airport and take you to your hotel in the city centre.

Afternoon

Take an orientation walk past the French-built Opera House and through the narrow streets of the Old Quarter to Hoan Kiem Lake, where a red bridge leads to the island temple of Ngoc Son.

At leisure

The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you please.

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 02:Hanoi City Tour – Night Train to Lao Cai

A full day in Hanoi, a capital of broad, tree-lined boulevards, French colonial buildings, peaceful lakes and old pagodas, then the night train north.

Morning

Begin at the Ho Chi Minh Complex, where the granite Mausoleum stands beside the modest stilt house in which the country’s founding father lived and worked. Nearby are the One Pillar Pagoda, rising from its pond like a lotus flower, and the yellow Presidential Palace. Continue to the Temple of Literature, dedicated to Confucius and home to Vietnam’s first university.

Afternoon

Head to West Lake for the peaceful Tran Quoc Pagoda and the Quan Thanh Temple, then choose a museum: the History Museum, for the story of Vietnam through the ages, or the Museum of Ethnology, for the traditions of its many ethnic groups. Later, watch a water puppet show, a folk art born in the flooded rice fields of the Red River Delta.

Evening

Enjoy a welcome dinner of authentic Vietnamese dishes at one of Hanoi’s finest restaurants, then transfer to the station to board your night train to Lao Cai.

Good to know: the night train has shared four-berth soft-sleeper cabins with air conditioning. A private cabin, or a road transfer by limousine van, can be arranged on request. The Museum of Ethnology is closed on Mondays.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner. Accommodation: Overnight on the train to Lao Cai.

Day 03:Lao Cai – Sapa – Cat Cat Village

Wake up in the mountains of the far northwest, among the peaks the French once called the Tonkinese Alps.

Early morning

The train pulls into Lao Cai station, where your guide and driver meet you for the drive of about 40 kilometres up to Sapa. Have breakfast in town as you breathe in the cool mountain air.

Late morning

Set off on foot through the local market, then walk downhill to Cat Cat, a Black Hmong village known for its indigo-dyed brocade and its silversmiths. Along the way, the path passes small farms where you can see how families work the steep hillsides, with a short stop at a waterfall and an old hydroelectric station.

Afternoon

Return to town, with the rest of the day at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast. Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa.

Day 04:Sapa Trekking – Overnight at Topas Ecolodge

A day walking through the Muong Hoa Valley, home to the largest spread of rice terraces around Sapa.

Morning

After breakfast, drive south to the Muong Hoa Valley, then walk down through the terraced rice fields to Lao Chai, a village of the Black Hmong people, and on to Ta Van, home to the Giay people.

Midday

Stop for lunch along the way and take time to meet the families who live here and enjoy their warm hospitality.

Afternoon

Continue to the remote Topas Ecolodge in Su Pan, an eco-friendly lodge set on two rounded hilltops, with sweeping views across the valley.

Good to know: the walks are mostly downhill on village paths, which can be slippery after rain. Good walking shoes are essential.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch. Accommodation: Topas Ecolodge near Sapa.

Day 05:Topas Ecolodge – Lech Village – Sapa – Night Train to Hanoi

One more walk in the valley before the night train back to Hanoi.

Morning

Set out on foot for Lech village. After a short stretch on the main road, the path drops down towards the Thanh Kim River, with a stop for photos at one of the valley’s most beautiful viewpoints. Cross the river into the village and spend time with the locals as they go about their day.

Midday

Walk back to the ecolodge for lunch and check-out.

Afternoon

Return to Sapa, with time at leisure in town.

Evening

Drive down to Lao Cai for dinner at a local restaurant, then board your night train back to Hanoi.

Good to know: the night train has shared four-berth soft-sleeper cabins with air conditioning. A private cabin, or a road transfer by limousine van, can be arranged on request.

Meals: Breakfast. Accommodation: Overnight on the train to Hanoi.

Day 06:Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Hoa Lu – Tam Coc

Ninh Binh is often called Halong Bay on land, a landscape of limestone peaks rising from rice fields and rivers.

Early morning

Arrive in Hanoi in the early morning and drive south to Ninh Binh.

Morning

Cycle through the countryside to Hoa Lu, about 100 kilometres south of Hanoi, which was the capital of Vietnam in the late 10th century. Some of its temples and royal tombs have been preserved and can still be visited.

Midday

Continue through the limestone peaks, past rice paddies and villages, to Tam Coc, where lunch is served at a local restaurant overlooking the boat pier.

Afternoon

Board a small rowing boat for a ride along the Ngo Dong River, which winds between towering limestone peaks and through low caves. End the day at Bich Dong Pagoda, built into the side of a mountain.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch. Accommodation: Hotel in Ninh Binh.

Day 07:Ninh Binh – Halong Bay – Overnight on Cruise

Swap the countryside for Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of limestone islands rising from turquoise water, and a night aboard a traditional junk.

Morning

After breakfast, your driver takes you through the Red River Delta countryside to Halong Bay.

Midday

Step aboard your junk around midday and enjoy a seafood lunch as the boat sails out among the islands.

Afternoon

Cruise past some of the bay’s islets, among them Dinh Huong and Ga Choi, and step inside one of its great caves, such as Thien Cung, Dau Go or Sung Sot. Then take a kayak into quiet corners of the bay that larger boats cannot reach.

Evening

Swim if the weather allows, take photos or simply relax as the sun sets over the Gulf of Tonkin. The night is spent on the water, with only the gentle rocking of the boat for company.

Good to know: swimming depends on the weather.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Accommodation: Overnight on the cruise.

Day 08:Halong Bay – Hanoi – Departure

One last sunrise over the bay before your journey home.

Early morning

Rise early for tai chi on the top deck, or simply watch the sun come up over the islands with a cup of coffee or tea.

Morning

Explore the nearby islands by rowing boat, then return on board to relax on the sundeck as the junk cruises slowly back to the harbour. Brunch is served before you reach the pier.

Departure

Your driver meets you at the dock for the transfer to Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport and your flight home.

Meals: Brunch.

Day 01:Hanoi Arrival

Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam’s bustling capital, a city of tree-shaded lakes, French colonial boulevards and a thousand years of history.

Arrival

Your driver and guide meet you outside the baggage hall at Noi Bai Airport and take you to your hotel in the city centre.

Afternoon

Take an orientation walk past the French-built Opera House and through the narrow streets of the Old Quarter to Hoan Kiem Lake, where a red bridge leads to the island temple of Ngoc Son.

At leisure

The rest of the day is yours to enjoy as you please.

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 02:Hanoi City Tour – Night Train to Lao Cai

A full day in Hanoi, a capital of broad, tree-lined boulevards, French colonial buildings, peaceful lakes and old pagodas, then the night train north.

Morning

Begin at the Ho Chi Minh Complex, where the granite Mausoleum stands beside the modest stilt house in which the country’s founding father lived and worked. Nearby are the One Pillar Pagoda, rising from its pond like a lotus flower, and the yellow Presidential Palace. Continue to the Temple of Literature, dedicated to Confucius and home to Vietnam’s first university.

Afternoon

Head to West Lake for the peaceful Tran Quoc Pagoda and the Quan Thanh Temple, then choose a museum: the History Museum, for the story of Vietnam through the ages, or the Museum of Ethnology, for the traditions of its many ethnic groups. Later, watch a water puppet show, a folk art born in the flooded rice fields of the Red River Delta.

Evening

Enjoy a welcome dinner of authentic Vietnamese dishes at one of Hanoi’s finest restaurants, then transfer to the station to board your night train to Lao Cai.

Good to know: the night train has shared four-berth soft-sleeper cabins with air conditioning. A private cabin, or a road transfer by limousine van, can be arranged on request. The Museum of Ethnology is closed on Mondays.

Meals: Breakfast, Dinner. Accommodation: Overnight on the train to Lao Cai.

Day 03:Lao Cai – Sapa – Cat Cat Village

Wake up in the mountains of the far northwest, among the peaks the French once called the Tonkinese Alps.

Early morning

The train pulls into Lao Cai station, where your guide and driver meet you for the drive of about 40 kilometres up to Sapa. Have breakfast in town as you breathe in the cool mountain air.

Late morning

Set off on foot through the local market, then walk downhill to Cat Cat, a Black Hmong village known for its indigo-dyed brocade and its silversmiths. Along the way, the path passes small farms where you can see how families work the steep hillsides, with a short stop at a waterfall and an old hydroelectric station.

Afternoon

Return to town, with the rest of the day at leisure.

Meals: Breakfast. Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa.

Day 04:Sapa Trekking – Overnight at Topas Ecolodge

A day walking through the Muong Hoa Valley, home to the largest spread of rice terraces around Sapa.

Morning

After breakfast, drive south to the Muong Hoa Valley, then walk down through the terraced rice fields to Lao Chai, a village of the Black Hmong people, and on to Ta Van, home to the Giay people.

Midday

Stop for lunch along the way and take time to meet the families who live here and enjoy their warm hospitality.

Afternoon

Continue to the remote Topas Ecolodge in Su Pan, an eco-friendly lodge set on two rounded hilltops, with sweeping views across the valley.

Good to know: the walks are mostly downhill on village paths, which can be slippery after rain. Good walking shoes are essential.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch. Accommodation: Topas Ecolodge near Sapa.

Day 05:Topas Ecolodge – Lech Village – Sapa – Night Train to Hanoi

One more walk in the valley before the night train back to Hanoi.

Morning

Set out on foot for Lech village. After a short stretch on the main road, the path drops down towards the Thanh Kim River, with a stop for photos at one of the valley’s most beautiful viewpoints. Cross the river into the village and spend time with the locals as they go about their day.

Midday

Walk back to the ecolodge for lunch and check-out.

Afternoon

Return to Sapa, with time at leisure in town.

Evening

Drive down to Lao Cai for dinner at a local restaurant, then board your night train back to Hanoi.

Good to know: the night train has shared four-berth soft-sleeper cabins with air conditioning. A private cabin, or a road transfer by limousine van, can be arranged on request.

Meals: Breakfast. Accommodation: Overnight on the train to Hanoi.

Day 06:Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Hoa Lu – Tam Coc

Ninh Binh is often called Halong Bay on land, a landscape of limestone peaks rising from rice fields and rivers.

Early morning

Arrive in Hanoi in the early morning and drive south to Ninh Binh.

Morning

Cycle through the countryside to Hoa Lu, about 100 kilometres south of Hanoi, which was the capital of Vietnam in the late 10th century. Some of its temples and royal tombs have been preserved and can still be visited.

Midday

Continue through the limestone peaks, past rice paddies and villages, to Tam Coc, where lunch is served at a local restaurant overlooking the boat pier.

Afternoon

Board a small rowing boat for a ride along the Ngo Dong River, which winds between towering limestone peaks and through low caves. End the day at Bich Dong Pagoda, built into the side of a mountain.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch. Accommodation: Hotel in Ninh Binh.

Day 07:Ninh Binh – Halong Bay – Overnight on Cruise

Swap the countryside for Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site of limestone islands rising from turquoise water, and a night aboard a traditional junk.

Morning

After breakfast, your driver takes you through the Red River Delta countryside to Halong Bay.

Midday

Step aboard your junk around midday and enjoy a seafood lunch as the boat sails out among the islands.

Afternoon

Cruise past some of the bay’s islets, among them Dinh Huong and Ga Choi, and step inside one of its great caves, such as Thien Cung, Dau Go or Sung Sot. Then take a kayak into quiet corners of the bay that larger boats cannot reach.

Evening

Swim if the weather allows, take photos or simply relax as the sun sets over the Gulf of Tonkin. The night is spent on the water, with only the gentle rocking of the boat for company.

Good to know: swimming depends on the weather.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. Accommodation: Overnight on the cruise.

Day 08:Halong Bay – Hanoi – Departure

One last sunrise over the bay before your journey home.

Early morning

Rise early for tai chi on the top deck, or simply watch the sun come up over the islands with a cup of coffee or tea.

Morning

Explore the nearby islands by rowing boat, then return on board to relax on the sundeck as the junk cruises slowly back to the harbour. Brunch is served before you reach the pier.

Departure

Your driver meets you at the dock for the transfer to Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport and your flight home.

Meals: Brunch.

Price Included:

Accommodation (3 star in average).

Breakfast & meals per mentioned in the itinerary.

Transportation by private car with A/C.

English-speaking guides.

Return train ticket Hanoi – Laocai – Hanoi (shared 4 berths cabin with A/C).

All entrance fees, performances, boat trips & excursions.

Price Excluded:

International flight.

Travel insurance.

Vietnam Visa.

Gratuities for tour guides/drivers.

Beverages & other personal expenses.

Video Highlights:

Indulge in a vivid, sensory panorama of our cherished destinations, carefully curated to ignite your wanderlust and craft a tantalizing prelude to your forthcoming journey!

Private, tailor-made trip
8days
7 nights
  • DepartureAny date you choose
  • 4 stopsHanoi · Sapa · Ninh Binh · Halong Bay
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