Travel to Hanoi - Halong - Sapa

The tour guide & driver will be welcoming you at Noi Bai airport; it takes us 35 minutes driving to the centre of Hanoi then check-in at hotel. Let’s start our city tour from Temple of Literature, the 1st university in Vietnam then continue to Ba Dinh Square - the biggest square in Hanoi where all biggest cultural, political events of the cities for taking photos of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (outside). Later have an overall view of the capital by a “cyclo” visit, which will start around the Old Quarter of Hanoi, stop at Ngoc Son Temple located on the Hoan Kiem Lake (the “Sword” Lake). Overnight in Hanoi.

Night activities suggestion: enjoy local beer at Ta Hien Streets, experience the ambience of sleepless street with life music, the young people of Hanoi and also foreign tourists. Hundred of bars and pubs in the Old Quarter are also at your disposal. Or just simple spend your time at various boutique shops.

After breakfast, we will depart to Halong Bay, passing beautiful scenery filled with rice paddies, winding rivers and quaint villages. Upon arrival in Halong, we’ll take a big boat to cruise the Bay to discover the magnificent beauty of this “Descending-dragon” bay, created by thousands odd-shaped limestone rocks and karst grottoes. After a lunch of fresh seafood on board, we can visit the Surprising Cave, stop for swimming or kayaking (at your own cost), passing floating villages and approach islets to enjoy their beauty in close distance. Evening attend activities on the boat or relax at your own leisure. Overnight on the boat. 

Please note the program may be little varied upon the cruise you choose & weather condition on that day.

After breakfast, visit by boat to Luon Cave, a ring-shaped pool inside an island in Halong with absolutely tranquil landscape and emerald water. Back to the Wharf of Halong passing the most densely area with many islands that have been named like the Cock-Fighting Rock, Sail Island, Incense burner rock or Sea Dog Rock. Arrive at Halong Wharf around 11.00. Return to Hanoi around 4PM. Free at your own leisure You will have refreshment at a mini hotel near the train station until being transferred to the railway station for night train to Lao Cai. Overnight on train. (4 persons/cabin)

Arrive in Lao Cai and drive to Bac Ha market. This is the biggest local ethnic market of the region and takes place every Sunday. It is literally a riot of color as many different ethnic groups from surrounding villages gather to trade. After exploring the market, you will enjoy lunch in a local house. Note: The program can be changed depending on the market schedule calendar.

After lunch, you will leave the colorful market behind, to follow a zigzag road along the mountain to visit Ban Pho 1 and Ban Pho 2 villages, inhabited by Flower H'mong people. We will stop at a local house to see how corn wine is made - a special wine Bac Ha is renowned for. Taste some and you will truly feel its local flavor. Return to Sapa in the late afternoon. Overnight at hotel in Sapa.

Breakfast at hotel, before starting our trek through the beautiful Muong Hoa valley in Sapa. After following the road for 2km, we reach Y Linh Ho village home to Black H'mong ethnic people. We continue our walk to Lao Chai village and enjoy beautiful views of terraced rice fields along the way. The guide will prepare a simple picnic style lunch for you. After lunch, we will visit a Catholic church and explore local traditions and customs. In the afternoon, we will reach the heart of the Sapa valley, the Ta Van village home to Dzay ethnic people. Here you will have the chance to see the Dzay’s daily activities. In the late afternoon the car will pick you up for the return journey to Lao Cai to catch the night train back to Hanoi. Overnight on the train (4 persons/cabin).

We will arrive at Hanoi train station at 5:30am where you will be picked up brought to a small hotel to freshen up and have breakfast, before being transferred to the airport for departure flight.