Trip Name: Best of northern Vietnam
Type of trip: Private
Trip Duration: 8 days
Starting: Hanoi capital city, Vietnam
Finishing: Hanoi capital city, Vietnam
Trip Grading: Regular itinerary, moderate walking
Destinations: Hanoi – Halong – Sapa - Hanoi
Flexibility: This sample itinerary can be amended accordingly to meet your expectation.
Highlights: This tour offers the best attractions in a short time. Starting out in the capital city Hanoi, you will visit many wonderful sites. Visit Sapa and trek along the spectacular landscapes & colorful hill tribe people. Cruise the spectacular Halong Bay on a romantic old style Vietnamese Junk boat.
Brief Itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival
Being personally welcomed and transfer to hotel by Asia Top Travel staff
Day 2: Hanoi City tour and night train to Sapa
Enjoy a full day sightseeing tour of Hanoi‘s highlights with Asia Top Travel tour experts. Take the night train to Sapa
Day 3: Sapa – Cat Cat
Enjoy walking down hill to the nearby Cat Cat village of the Black H’Mong people
Day 4: Sapa – Lao Chai – Ta Van – Giang Ta Chai
Trekking on a fairly rocky road (you need a good walking shoes for today), though Lao Chai village, a Black Hmong’s ethnic village.
Then continue to Ta Van village of Giay ethnic minority people.
Continue the trek through a bamboo forest to Giang Ta Chai, a Red Dao ethnic minority village
Day 5: Sapa – Ta Phin – night train back to Hanoi
Enjoy a day to learn about the Red Dao ethnic minority’s life style, culture
Day 6: Hanoi - Ha Long Bay
Arrive to Hanoi by 4:30 Am. Travel to Halong bay by private comfortable transportation, enjoy the overnight cruise.
Day 7: Ha Long – Hanoi – night train to Sapa
Boat trip in Halong and return to Hanoi by later afternoon
Day 8: Hanoi departure
Pick up at train station and see off at airport.
Day 1: Hanoi arrival
You will meet Asia Top Travel driver, and being transferred to hotel for check in. The rest of the day you are at leisure.
Meals: none
Accommodation: Boutique hotel in Hanoi
Day 2: Hanoi City tour (B/L/-)
Breakfast is at the hotel,
0830 Am: Our guide and driver pick up you at the hotel lobby for a full day exploring Hanoi.
Today features the most highlights of Hanoi including Ho Chi Minh Complex, Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, His House-on-Stilts, One Pillar pagoda…
You enjoy an hour Cyclo Tour through the Old Quarter of Hanoi, heading to Ho Chi Minh complex, the old quarter is also known as the 36 streets and guilds, this bustling area of narrow streets is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. Originally each of the street’s names was related to the products being sold there.
After that we will visit the Temple of Literature - a temple to Confucius, this is also known as Vietnam’s first University dating back to 1070.
Lunch today features a feast of the best known authentic local cuisines of Hanoi Noodle soup with beef, Pho Bo at the most famous Pho eatery in Hanoi, and the best Bun Cha Hanoi, also known as Noodle with grilled pork serving with delicious special Hanoi spring roll serving with Hanoi local cold beer.
After having lunch you enjoy a drive out to the outskirt of Hanoi to visit Museum of Ethnology, widely acknowledged as the best museum in the country and it has an extensive display dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 Ethnic minority peoples. As well as the comprehensive array of exhibits inside, there are also traditional tribal houses reconstructed within the ground. Then, we go back to the centre of Hanoi to visit Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake. If time permit, enjoy a walking tour through the old quarter to explore the old town on foot with numerous shops and photo opportunities.
Tonight you are boarding an overnight train trip to Sapa
Accommodation: Overnight train
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Day 3: Sapa - Cat Cat Village (B, L)
Upon arrival at Lao Cai Railway station in the early morning, our awaiting guide and driver will meet you right at the exit of the station. Transfer you for an hour drive up hill to Sapa town. Check in hotel, freshen up and enjoy breakfast at the nearby local restaurant, (Check in time is 1.00 Pm, free early check in is subjected to availability). Then stroll around Sapa town, visit Sapa market and chatting with H’Mong, Dao people who come to market for trading. Colorful tribal dress, purses, aluminum bracelet, silver necklaces, horn comb at all sorts can be found from stalls on the second floor of the building.
Downstairs flour of the market is lively with all sorts of green vegetables, fruits, foods cultivated in Sapa.
We have scheduled a special lunch of typical Sapa foods at a popular local eatery in Sapa town
After lunch, you enjoy walking down hill to the nearby Cat Cat village of the Black H’Mong people. Visit a local H’Mong friendly family and enrich your tribal knowledge with our local guide’s passion
Transferred back to Sapa, and you enjoy your time at leisure. Dinner tonight is on your own.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Accommodation: Boutique hotel in Sapa
Day 4: Sapa - Lao Chai - Tavan – Giang Ta Chai (B, L)
Enjoy your time at leisure and late breakfast at hotel,
9.00 Am: Meet our tour expert and driver at hotel lobby to depart for the 4 hour trekking journey. Our driver will stop en route for Kodak moments on the way go downhill to Muong Hoa valley. You begin the trekking on a fairly rocky road (you need a good walking shoes for today), though Lao Chai village, a Black Hmong’s ethnic village. Then continue to Ta Van village of Giay ethnic minority people. Terrace fields are great for photographing, and cold soft drinks, beer, water can be found along the way of your trek. You will also visit local people’s house and schools en route. Continue the trek through a bamboo forest to Giang Ta Chai, a Red Dao ethnic minority village. Visiting the village and nearby waterfall, then we trek uphill to a road where your car is awaiting to transfer you back to Sapa.
Late afternoon you are free at leisure or enjoy foot massage at a local stall near your hotel.
Dinner tonight is on your own arrangement
Meals: Breakfast, take-away lunch
Accommodation: Boutique hotel in Sapa
Day 5: Sapa - Ta Phin village - Overnight train to Hanoi (B, D)
9:00 Am: meet Asia Top Travel guide and driver at hotel lobby and drive to Ta Phin village, and meet another interesting tribal who dress up nicely in their respective traditional costumes and wearing a bright red turban. They are the colorful Red Dzao people - the people of interesting legend. We also visit a family for learning local culture and life style. Transfer back to Sa Pa by lunch time. You are free at leisure until being transfer to Lao Cai railway station. We will also visit China border, 3 km from Lao Cai station before boarding the night train. Lunch today is on your own arrangement.
Accommodation: Overnight train back to Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast, Dinner
Day 6: Hanoi – Halong by Deluxe Huong Hai traditional Junk cruise.
Arrive to Hanoi by 4.30 Am. Our driver will pick up and transfer you to hotel. Being picked up from Hanoi at 7:45 – 8:30 by SHUTTLE VAN; depart Hanoi to Ha Long Bay by road through the rich farmlands of the Red River Delta.
12.15 pm: Arrive in Ha Long city, board our traditional wooden junk boat, Huong Hai Junk, for an overnight journey. Sip on a refreshing welcome drink upon check in before you begin your cruise through the bay. Feast on a delicious lunch as you cruise among hundreds of islets (Dinh Huong islet, Ga Choi – Fighting Cock islet, Dog islet, Finger islet, etc.) to discover unspoilt pockets of Halong Bay and visit Sung Sot cave, one of the most imposing grottos of the Bay. Swim at Soi Sim beach or Titov beach or a short trek to the top of Titov Mountain for a magnificent panorama scenery.
7.30pm: Enjoy your dinner with fresh seafood on board.
9.00pm: Squid fishing or relax and chatting with your partner, friends, family.
Overnight on Ha Long Bay aboard Huong Hai Junk.
For those who book kayaking option: After visiting Amazing cave, you can go kayaking from Soi Sim beach to Luon Cave to enjoy the quiet atmosphere of the bay (or from Bo Nau cave, to Soi Sim beach to TiTov)
Accommodation: Overnight cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Day 7: Ha Long – Hanoi (B, L)
7.00am: Enjoy the early morning tea, coffee.
8.00am: Visit Luon cave on small bamboo boat paddle by out crew staff and enjoy the quiet atmosphere enclosed by high islets and mountains. Be back to our Huong Hai Junk. Sail past rock formations such as Man’s Head islet, Tortoise islet, Butterfly cave, Lion islet, Bai Tho mountain, enjoy the tranquil scenery as the boat meanders its way through the bay on the way back to Ha Long city, etc. Arrange your luggage and do the check out onboard at around 9.00 am. Enjoy a wholesome brunch as your boat weaves through strange-shaped limestone rock formations.
11.45am: Arrive back at Ha Long city for disembarkation where your driver waits to take you back to Hanoi. Transfer back to Hanoi by SHUTTLE VAN. Arrive your hotel in Hanoi at around 4.00pm. The rest of the day you are at leisure.
Meals: Breakfast and Lunch on board.
Accommodation: Overnight on the train. (Soft Sleeper Cabin with AC)
Day 8: Departure Hanoi
Breakfast is at the hotel.
Meet your guide at hotel lobby and being transferred to Noi Bai airport for boarding a flight to the next destination
Finish the based trip.
Meals: Breakfast