A Glimpse of Northern Vietnam Discovery 9D8N

Depending on your flight schedule, our driver waits for you at the airport then takes you from the airport to your hotel.

8:00: Begin your tour with the Temple of Literature, the first university of Vietnam which was built in the 10th century under the Ly Dynasty and greatly influenced by Confucianism.

Next, visit Ho Chi Minh Complex, an important place for many Vietnamese pilgrims. A traffic-free area of botanical gardens, monuments, memorials and pagodas. Stop outside the Ba Dinh Square and take a look outside the mausoleum, then continue to explore the One Pillar Pagoda. 

Next stop is Tran Quoc Pagoda, one of the oldest pagodas in Hanoi, before stopping at St. Joseph’s Cathedral to learn about religion in Vietnam. The church was one of the first structures built by the French colonial government in Indochina when it opened in December 1886. You will enjoy a cup of egg coffee/drink at the end of the tour!

12:00:  Get dropped off at your hotel. Have lunch on your own!

17:00: Take a 3-hour guided walk through Hanoi's old quarter with a local guide. Get an insight into the traditions of Vietnam’s food culture.

Stop at a local restaurant to try banh my (a Vietnamese sandwich) and watch as skilled chefs demonstrate how this tasty dish is created. Next, enjoy phở  or bún chả (grilled pork with vermicelli), which are Vietnam’s most famous dish. 

Other food specialties you’ll sample include crab rolls, pillow cakes, fried rice balls, and fresh rolls – served with a dish of raw vegetables and a special sauce.

Taste che (sweet soup) and the famous Vietnamese egg coffee. 

Overnight in Hanoi

7:30 - 8:00 AM: Our friendly team will pick you up at your hotel, ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure.

8:45 - 9: 00 AM: Arrive at Quang Phu Cau village, and let the magic unfold! Experience a fascinating walking tour, guided by local experts.

Immerse Yourself: Witness the mesmerizing art of incense making as skilled artisans demonstrate each step, from bamboo chopping to dyeing the sticks and crafting the aromatic incense paste.

Engage with Locals: Get to know the heartwarming stories and history behind theage-old tradition as you chat with friendly villagers.

Photo Opportunities: Capture picture-perfect moments of incense bundles and the artisans' creative process, a photographer's paradise!

10:00 - 10.30 AM: Bid farewell to the village, but carry cherished memories with you.

11:30 PM: Return to Hanoi, and come to the Train Street - the most famous street of Ha Noi recently. Enjoy the egg coffee while watching the train pass by and taking the most advanturous pictures.

12:00 PM: Come back to the old quarter of Ha Noi where we'll drop you off at your hotel, concluding this enchanting excursion.

07:30 - 8:00: Our tour guide and driver will pick you up from the hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter for transfer to Ninh Binh. 

09:15: You will have a short break of 15 - 20 minutes to stretch your legs, use the facilities or have a quick snack. 

10:30: Visiting Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam from years 968 to 1010. Then you will visit the Temple of Dinh King and Le King to learn more about Vietnamese history under the Dinh, Le, and Ly Dynasties.

11:15 - 11:45: It’s time to join our 30 minutes cycling activity to discover the life of the local people. Or stay behind and either relax in the restaurant for sightseeing and capture the views around lake, waterfall and valleys.

12:00: You will have a buffet lunch with local specialties in the private area of our Trang An Heritage Garden. The vegetarian option is also available.

13:15 - 13:30: Option 1: Tam Coc, known as “Halong Bay on the land”, where you will spend 1.5 hours on the boat to explore this area. On this excursion down the Ngo Dong River, you will pass through the beautiful paddy fields, limestone karst formation, and a stunning cave system including Hang Ca, Hang Hai, and Hang Ba caves for a unique experience. 

Option 2: Trang An, a World Heritage Site recognized by UNESCO in 2014. There, you can spend 1.5 hours on the boat ride to enjoy the beauty of this place, which owns a beautiful tunnel cave system and appears in the New Version of Kong in 2016 - “Skull Island”.

15:30: We continue to visit Mua Cave and climb 500 steps to reach the peak of Ngoa Long Mountain, overlooking the amazing view of the city and Tam Coc below.

16:30 - 17:00: Transfer back to Hanoi.

19:00 - 19:30: Drop you off at our office.

20:00: Get transferred to Hanoi Train Station for your train to Lào cai. Train leaves at 21:30.

Sleep on the train

6:00: Arrive in Sapa. Then Have breakfast at a local restaurant 

8:30: Get picked up at your hotel to Muong Hoa Funicular of 3 km alongside of Muong Hoa valley to the cable car station in O Quy Ho around 20 minutes. The cable car ride will take you around 20 minutes to the next station at 3,000m ASL. Enjoy the view of Sin Chai valley, Fansipan peak as well as Hoang Lien national park from the cabin.

- Following 639 stone steps from the station to the top is around 40 minutes then we will arrive at the 3,143m summit, celebrate this victory, sitting high above the hills with views of this stunning mountainous landscape. (Please note that the guide won’t accompany you during the funicular or cable car.)

On the way back we also travel by cable car and funicular again.

Our tour guide will wait for you at the train station and take you to a local restaurant to have lunch.

12:30: Have lunch at a local restaurant.

Check in your room at 14:00.

14:30: A short walk to the gate of Cat Cat village, which is the home of Black H’mong ethnic people and is 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 the waterfall where the French built a Hydraulic Power Station; stop for photos with the bridge and waterfall; then you will walk up hill for the bus to pick you up to get back to Sapa at noon.

The trekking distance is about 4km and it lasts for 3 hours.

19:00 Have dinner at hotel

Overnight in Sapa. 

Have breakfast at your hotel

8.30-8.45: Trek through the rice terraces and along Muong Hoa Stream to the Black Hmong village of Lao Chai to see the spectacular landscape of Hoang Lien Son Mountain.

The trekking distance is about 9km and it lasts for 5 hours. 

12.00 – 13.30: Have lunch with delicious Vietnamese dishes made by the family. In the late afternoon, you arrive at Ta Van Village - home of the Dzay ethnic group.

14.30: Check in the homestay; get to know the family of Dzay People. Spend time enjoying the mountain life on Sunset. You may attend cooking local dishes with the family and enjoy dinner in peace.

In the evening, you can play games and socialize with other tourists, then overnight at the homestay in Ta Van Village.

7.30: Have breakfast prepared by the family and start a new day with a more interesting trek.

8.45: Keep walking to the rice paddies where you have a nice photo session of the amazing surrounding landscapes; a trek through the bamboo forest; a stop to have a panorama view of Giang Ta Chai village – home of the red Dzao people.

The trekking distance is about 4 km and it lasts for 3.5 hours

10.00: Trek through the Giang Ta Chai Bridge to the main road, the bus picks you up to come back to Sapa Town.

12:00 Relax and enjoy yourself, and if you want, take a shower in the hotel's public bathroom.

13:20 Meet all the group members at the hotel to get ready for Hanoi.

14:00-14.30: Get on the limousine van to go back to Hanoi with two rest stops. 

20:00-20:30: Arrive Hanoi, and go back to your hotel by yourself. 

Overnight in Hanoi

08:15 – 08:45: Hotel or private address pick up with our shuttle bus. Short break half way.

11:45 – 12:00: Arriving Tuan Chau marina, transferred by tender of La Pandora cruises. 

12:45 – 13:00: Welcome aboard the cruise. Refresh with our welcome drink. Meet the captain, crew in the cruise briefing, safety instruction. 

13:00 – 13:15: A special lunch in Vietnamese cuisine of fresh seafood and an assortment of appetizing favorites are served while sailing through Islets of Con Vit.

16:00: The Cruise sails through Lan Ha Bay. The area is surrounding of extraordinary limestone karsts landscapes. We progress to Ong Cam Area of Lan Ha Bay- a separate part of Ha Long Bay. This is a quiet tourist paradise in Vietnam, enjoy kayaking and/or enjoy swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the Bay.

17:30: Back to the Cruise, drop anchor for staying overnight. Enjoy cooking demonstration (teaching you how to make our speciality, Spring rolls) and the complimentary Sunset Party on the sundeck with local wine and fresh fruit.

19:00: Dinner is served in the restaurant. Enjoy delicious local food prepared and served for you by our wonderful onboard catering staff. After dinner, retiring to your cabin or join the fishing excursion, watch a movie, have a drink at the bar, wifi access or play exciting games.

Overnight on board.

06:00: Enjoy sunrise and admire the never-ending miraculous scenery of the Bay. Practice an invigorating Tai Chi session on the sundeck.

06:30: Light breakfast, coffee and tea served.

07:00: Visit Dark & Bright Cave and islets by local rowing boats which is a wild and mysterious beauty in the middle of the World Heritage.

09:15: Back to our La Pandora Cruise, relax before checking out.

10:00: Lunch is served on board.

12:00: Disembark at the Tuan Chau marina by tender. Take our shuttle bus to return to Hanoi

15:00 – 15:30: Arrival back at your hotel.

After reaching Old Quarter, get transferred to the airport by another private car/van.