Northern Vietnam Tour 14 Days

Tour Overview

This is a special design for you to experience the nature and culture of Vietnam from the magic of Halong Bay , to Sapa’s picturesque mountains and colorful hill tribes, then on to the tranquility of Ba Be National Park . The contrasting geographies on this trip will conjure curiosity and awe at every destination. Of course with the Hanoi capital as your base, all of the great shopping, food, architecture and tourist sites are there for you to enjoy.

Itinerary in brief:

Day 1: Good morning Hanoi.
Day 2: Hanoi city tour – Vietnam cyclo, night train to Lao Cai.
Day 3: Hanoi – Lao Cai – Sapa, trek to Ta Phin (~ 14km)
Day 4: More in Ta Phin and back to Sapa
Day 5: Sapa – Tam Duong by car
Day 6: Tam Duong – Sapa – Hanoi, via night train
Day 7: Hanoi – Halong Bay
Day 8: Halong Bay – Hanoi
Day 9: Hanoi to the traditional handicraft villages
Day 11: Ba Be Lakes, boating and canoeing
Day 12: Ba Be Lakes – Hanoi
Day 13: Your free day in Hanoi
Day 14: Departure from Hanoi to your home or next destination

Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Good morning Hanoi.

Welcome to Hanoi, we will meet and take you to your hotel, check-in and today is free at your leisure to rest or explore, discovering your own first impressions of Vietnam. Overnight in Hanoi.
Inclusion: Transfer, guide, hotel,

Day 2: Hanoi city tour – Vietnam cyclo, night train to Lao Cai.

Depart at 8:00 am from your hotel by van. We will begin our day by visiting Uncle Ho, learning about his great life at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Presidential Palace, and his residential place. Next stop is the nearby Temple of Literature. The site of Vietnam’s first University, built in twelfth century, to teach Confucius’s theory to royals. Here we will also have a chance to see a traditional music performance. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant for a taste of authentic Hanoi Pho (noodle soup). In the afternoon, choose one from the numerous museums or temples around Hanoi (Museum of Ethnology, Women’s Museum, History Museum or Quan Thanh Temple). In the late afternoon we take a cyclo through Hoan Kiem lake and Hanoi’s fascinating Old Quarter for some great fun, shopping, and street side traditional food.

This is your chance to be part of typical Hanoian style and its traditional Vietnamese culture. We finish our relaxing but informative day by attending a Water Puppet Show, a favorite experience for all visitors to Vietnam. We can help you to get back to your hotel if you wish, but often our guests would rather just spend the evening enjoying a drink with a view of the city. Dinner on your own.
8:30 pm: Transfer from a prearranged meeting spot to the station for your night train to Sapa boarding at around 9: 50 pm. You will be in shared AC soft sleeper cabins to travel North to Lao Cai town.
(Our tour guide will show you a mini hotel which you will have a shower and basic breakfast before going on Halong bay).

Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, lunch, puppet show ticket,Vietnam cyclo (pedicab), train ticket.,

Day 3: Hanoi – Lao Cai – Sapa, trek to Ta Phin (~ 14km)

Today’s morning: The train arrives at about 6:30 am; look for the “iExplore vietnam Travel” sign when you exit the train station, as our guide will pick you up. Then take a morning drive through the clouds by car / van to Sapa (~ 1.5 hours). When you arrive in Sapa you will be taken to a local restaurant for a morning shower & breakfast.
We will then take short ride from Sapa to our trekking base where we start our trek up and down hills (~ 5- 6 hrs) through terraced rice fields, bamboo ranges and many minority villages. Lunch break before we keep hitting the road to Ta Phin village. Our Dao host family will welcome you to their traditional home where we will share in an ethnic style dinner and stay the night.
Inclusion:Transfer, guide, train ticket, entrance fee, all meals, permit, homestay. ,

Day 4: More in Ta Phin and back to Sapa

At the first gleam of daylight, you will see and hear the sounds of morning village life. You can join your host family in some of their activities like feeding the animals, cleaning the houses, gardening or preparing breakfast. After breakfast, we could take a short morning wander around the village or resulting in more time spent with the host family. You will be then supported by our car / van back to Sapa (30 minutes).

When we arrive back in Sapa, check in to the hotel, shower, and pause for lunch on your own. At 2:30 pm we will take an easy walk (~ 5km) to Cat Cat village, homeland of Black H’mong hill tribe and to take part in a traditional ethnic music performance put on by the ethnic minority people. Your own dinner and evening, sleep in the hotel in Sapa.
Note: The music show in CatCat is closed on Wed afternoon, an alternative will be arranged.
Inclusion: Breakfast, transfer, guide, entrance fee, music show ticket, hotel.,

Day 5: Sapa – Tam Duong by car

Morning preparations, breakfast, check-out, then it is time to take a wonderful journey by jeep. We will go up and over Tram Ton pass and then descend, zig-zagging to the valley below. The views on this trip are absolutely incredible! Our destination is Tam Duong, but before we get there we will visit Binh Lu and see hilltribe people carrying with them their hand crafted products or leading animals on the way to market. You will be free to wonder around but please be respectful of the people here as they are reluctant to have their picture taken without permission. This area has not seen many tourists. We will have lunch here, then continue through the untouched villages with frequent stops to visit and talk to the locals. Overnight in Tam Duong.

Inclusion; Breakfast,Car / van,Tour Guide,Hotel

Day 6: Tam Duong – Sapa – Hanoi, via night train

Breakfast then back in the jeep or car for the uphill climb back to Sapa. Time for capture yesterday’s missed photographs of this fabulous areas. If this day falls on Sunday then 2 beautiful markets can be visited on our way.
Inclusion; Breakfast,Car / van,Tour Guide,AC train tickets

Note: You will return to Sapa in late afternoon and finally depart for the Lao Caitrain station at 5:30 pm.
The train leaves Lao Cai at 8:50 pm and arrives after a pleasant sleep in your first class, shared AC soft berth to Hanoi by 4:30 am.

Day 7: Hanoi – Halong Bay

When you arrive in Hanoi, a very short walk will get you to a prearranged hotel for you to shower and a take a short rest before we start our next day.
Depart, 8:00 am on a shared bus from your hotel to Halong city. After 3.5 hours driving and viewing simple, country side, rice paddy life, we arrive at the at port. At 12.00, the junk crews welcome guests on board at Hon Gai Wharf. Enjoy welcome drinks and check in Deluxe cabin on Junk. Lunch with fresh local seafood while cruising into Halong bay.
from 13.15 to 13.30 Start cruise program and excursions a Fantastic cruise in Bai Tu Long Bay with a great traditional Vietnamese lunch while start cruising. Pass through extraordinary shaped-islands such as: Poem mountain, the center market, Teapot islet, Goat’s head islet, Indochina film studio ……up to your imagination
we arrive Cong Do area around 15:00 where we have chance to see one of the most beautiful cave in this area. after visiting Thien Canh Son Cave is a great time for exploring the hidden lagoons in Bai Tu Long Bay. it’s take around an hour after that is your time for Enjoy swimming in the crystal water of Bai Tu Long Bay.
Back to our junk to enjoy relaxing or the sunset. Dinner and overnight on board nearby Vong Vieng Fishing village

Inclusion; Car / van,Tour Guide,Private cabin on junk,All meals,Entrance fee(s)

Day 8: Halong Bay – Hanoi

Wake up early in the morning for a great sunrise and a breath of fresh ocean air. Breakfast served on boat then we do a leisurely cruise through thousands of seemingly never ending islands. These are great opportunities to capture some amazing photographs, We stop to visit a floating fishing village and listen to some legendary stories of the fishermen’s daily life. Take one last swim somewhere in the middle of the bay to refresh before cruising back to the Halong city pier. By noon we be ashore and break for lunch at a local restaurant. Then we hit the road back to Hanoi. We arrive and finish our tour at your hotel by 5:00 pm.

Inclusion; Private cabin on junk, Hotel, Car / van,Breakfast, lunch,Tour Guide

Day 9: Hanoi to the traditional handicraft villages

We leave after breakfast at 8:00 am by van rambling along the dike of the Red river. Today we will visit the traditional handicraft villages, pagodas, and temples that lie just on the outskirts of the Hanoi capital. There are a multitude of interesting things to see and learn about. See the places where they make ceramic wares, paper paintings, bamboo arts and do outstanding woodcarvings. Back to Hanoi for overnight.

Inclusion; Transfer,Tour Guide,Entrance fee(s),Breakfast, lunch,Hotel

Day 10: Hanoi – Ba Be Lakes

Pick-up at your hotel is at 8:00 am and head for Bac Kan, the province of Ba Be Lakes. During the 6 hour drive, we will make a stop at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Thai Nguyen city. Take a coffee break here if you wish.We continue our drive.stopping for lunch at a local food stall in Bac Kan town.
Our destination is a small village of the Tay minority people situated inside Ba Be National Park. Arrive at our homestay and refresh with a short afternoon walk around the park and even a swim in the nearby lake.
Back home for dinner and talk with our very warm and friendly hosts. Learn about this interesting culture and way of life. Then retire to our beds for a delightful sleep in a traditional stilt home.

Inclusion; Car / van,Tour Guide,Entrance fee(s),All meals,Homestay

Day 11: Ba Be Lakes, boating and canoeing

Wake up with the chirping of birds and sounds of village life. Well rested, take in the moment of natural tranquility away from the stresses of the city. Breakfast, we start to discover the imposing beauty of the area on a local hand-crafted canoe Glide along the river, through a pretty cave and onto a powerful waterfall..
The whole journey offers great natural scenery and photo opportunities. After lunch at a local food stall near the waterfall, we canoe till our hearts’ content into Ba Be Lakes and all its majestic. Enjoy great swimming and water fun. Finish the day with a light trek through ethnic minority villages back to our new home. Dinner, followed by a second night’s sleep in the traditional stilt home.

Inclusion; Transfer,Tour Guide,Local boats,Entrance fee(s),All meals,Home-stay

Day 12: Ba Be Lakes – Hanoi

Again, take advantage of the morning’s fresh air and village energy. Have breakfast and enjoy a last leisurely walk in the park. A bicycle or scenic motorbike ride is a great alternative and also great fun. Pack up your things then say goodbye to your new friends.Leave the village for Hanoi by 10:00 am.
If we’re lucky, and it is Sunday, we will make a stop on the way to visit Kermis, a typical local market, in the highlands area. Have lunch on the way. We arrive in Hanoi by 5:30 pm back at your hotel.

Inclusion; Breakfast, lunch,Tour Guide,Transfer,Hotel

Day 13: Your free day in Hanoi

Today is your free day in the Hanoi capital and all of its fascinating historical charm. Spend your day relaxing or shopping. Some suggestions include waking up early (about 6:00 am) and joining in some exercise around Hoan Kiem Lake; or taking a cyclo tour around the Old Quarter for a different point of view; or visiting the numerous markets, shopping and trying the all of street side traditional foods. Overnight in town.

Inclusion; breakfast, Hotel

Day 14: Departure from Hanoi to your home or next destination

We will pick you up at your hotel and transfer to Noi Bai International airport for your flight to home, your luggage full of a lifetime’s worth of memories. We wish you a pleasant journey.

Inclusion; Transfer, tour guide.

Tour Cost

Tour Price: Cotact Us

Exclusion: insurance, drinks & personal expense, tips, others not mentioned in details
What To Bring Items: Passport, change of clothes, sun-glasses & hat, toiletries, sun-block, insect repellent, flashlights, good shoes, personal first aid kit & medicines, small VND notes for buying drinks. If you feel the need then sleeping bags, cable lock for your bags is recommended.

Notes:

- Hotel: We use 3 star standard hotel (s), twin shared room (s). Upgrade is available on request.

- Sites: Ho Chi Minh mausoleum is close for re-maintenance in Septermber and November yearly and almost ll museums are closed on Monday and Friday weekly, you can choose to visit another site instead. No short or informal wear is allowed in the Mausoleum,

- Sleeper Train to Sapa: Please click here for more information.

- Homestay condition: Very basic, please visit our website for FAQs.

- Meals: Vietnamese food

- Halong Bay tour: We share mini – van, deluxe Red Dragon or Lagoon Explore Junk with maximum 10 people and twin shared cabin aboard.

- Car / Van Quality: Using new AC car or van depending on your group size

- Tour guide: English speaking guides (on site).

- The trek time is just approximate and depending on speed and weather.

- Please be aware that flight times, trains, hotels and other services are subject to availability. Where flights/trains are cancelled or delayed iExplore will endeavor to secure alternative arrangements of similar value,

- Hotels, flights, train’s details will be updated at time of booking confirmed (your fax of confirmation)

- Check – in: 14:00; out: 12:00 noon. Early check in if it is subject to availability.

- This itinerary and supplementary information has been complied in good faith and was accurate at time of writing.

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