Vietnam Northern Highlights 6  days 5 nights

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival (-/-/-)

Our tour guide and driver will welcome you at Noi Bai International Airport and then transfer you to your hotel in Hanoi. After check-in, you will be free with your own activities.

Overnight at your hotel in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi Orientation – Night train to Lao Cai (B/L)

On the next day, you will have chance to explore the outer Hanoi by visiting Bat Trang Village at around 8:30.

On arrival at the Bat Trang Pottery Village – one of the most famous handicraft villages of Vietnam, you'll start a soft walking to see how the locals here make pottery products, and then stop at the biggest ceramic market of the area to for a trial making of ceramic product or enjoy shopping for unique gift for your beloved. At noon, you'll be transferred back to Hanoi to enjoy lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Museum of Ethnology where you can get a glance of different ethnic minorities living in Vietnam. Then, with the next 1-hour cyclo around Hanoi's Old Quarter, you are promised to get a slow-speed view of a maze of labyrinthine streets as the daily life of the locals.

In the evening, our guide will take you to the station for the night train to Lao Cai.

Overnight on train.

Day 3: Full day trekking in Sapa (B/L)

In the early morning, you will arrive at Lao Cai Station at around 5:00. After a short break, our tour guide will depart you to Sapa by a private car. During one-hour drive, you can enjoy a stunning landscape of limestone pinnacles, lush paddy fields and picturesque villages hidden in looming mist.

Upon arrival, you will stop to leave your luggage and possibly take a shower in our partner hotel’s room.

After breakfast at a restaurant in Sapa Town, you’ll start the trekking trip from Sapa to Ta Phin valley. You start from Sapa and walk through the town for about 20 minutes before turning to a dirt road to Ma Tra, a black H’mong village. Leaving Ma Tra, you continue trekking to Ta Phin village of the Red Dzao located in one of the most scenic valleys. On the trekking path, a pinic lunch will be served outdoors in immense scenery and wild sounds that brings you unforgettable memories.

Reaching Ta Phin village, tour guide will give you time to explore the peaceful village; pose for photographs with stunning mountain view background and local people.

At around 15:00, you’ll return to Sapa by private vehicle to check in your hotel. You spend rest of your day exploring Sapa Town along with its market and sloping streets decorated with many colorful handicrafts.

Day 4: Sapa - Hanoi (B/L)

After enjoying breakfast, you will meet our guide and start another trekking day from Sapa Town to Muong Hoa Valley. On the way you can admire the unhindered views from both sides of Fansipan mountain ranges. After going through a suspension bridge, you will get close to a remote village of Lao Chai San with towering limestone karsts, green mountains and lush fields and stop at Lao Chai village for lunch. Then, we explore the villages of Lao Chai (Black H’mong) and Ta Van (Dzay) by visiting some local families and learning about their daily life and fascinating culture.

After chatting with/talking to one of the families in the village, You walk to the main road to meet up with our driver and return to Sapa Town. You’re then free to explore the town with market and sloping streets decorated with many colorful handicrafts.

At around 18:00, you will join a bus and getting back to Lao Cai to catch up a night train to Hanoi. Overnight on train

Day 5: Hanoi – Ha Long Bay – Bai Tu Long Bay (B/L/D)

Early arrival in Hanoi from Lao Cai, you'll be picked up and transferred to a local restaurant for breakfast and refreshments before the tour to Halong Bay.

At around 8:00 you will start for 3.5 hour drive from Hanoi to Halong City through the Red River Delta. Upon arrival, you will get on board of the junk and start cruising to the Bai Tu Long Bay – the further part of Halong bay while lunch with fresh seafood is served (vegetarian menu available).

Outdoor activities such as swimming and kayaking will bring you with even more exciting experiences at the anchor point. Let's start our closer exploration of the limestone rocks then enjoy the feeling of the wind blowing on the top or take some nice photos of  Halong Bay panorama. Enjoy your dinner and stay overnight on board.

Day 6: Ha Long – Hanoi (B/L)

Don’t miss your opportunity to  enjoy the tranquil morning on Halong Bay and deeply breathe its fresh air in the early morning. Your delicious breakfast will be served on board and you will take a rowing boat trip to visit a floating village in the bay and a pearl farm where you will learn more about life of local family here. At noon, while cruising back to the harbor, you will taste your lunch with fresh seafood on board.

The Vietnam Northern Highlights tour will end at about 18:00 at your hotel.
 

Accommodation at 3-star standard hotels
English speaking local tour guides. Other languages are available upon request
All transfers and land transportation in private A/C vehicles
Train ticket from Hanoi to Sapa (soft sleepers)
Kayak
Boat trips as mentioned in the itinerary
Daily mineral water
All entrance fees

Visa arrangements
Domestic and International flight
Insurance, gratuities and personal expenses
Meals, drinks and personal expenses and other meals not mentioned on the program.

Children under 5 years old: Free of charge
Children from 5 to 10: 75% of adult's rate
Children over 10: Full rate
Private trip
B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner
Please DO NOT wear shorts or mini-skirts to show your respect when visit temples, pagodas and historical sites.
Tour program is subject to change due to weather and operating conditions