North Vietnam tour 9 days

About Us

About Vietnam

Tour Overview

For those with interest in the cultural mosaics and inspirational landscapes of Northern Vietnam, and those with limited time, this is truly ideal for you. A panorama of diverse beauty from Hanoi’s lively Old Quarter, to Sapa’s mountains, terraced rice paddies and ethnic minorities, to the magic and treasures of Halong Bay.

Tour 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: A wonderful trek to Hmong village (~ 6km), then Lao Cai for night train to Hanoi.
Day 6: Hanoi – Halong, welcome on the boat.
Day 7: Explore the tranquil scenery in Bai Tu Long bay, back to Hanoi.
Day 8: Your free day in Hanoi.
Day 9: Departure Hanoi to your home/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: A wonderful trek to Hmong village (~ 6km), then Lao Cai for night train to Hanoi.

Wake up in Sapa town, breakfast at the hotel then enjoy the morning with some of your new friends that you may have met the afternoon before. You have the entire morning and lunch for free time and visiting the lively markets.
At around 2:00 pm, travel by car/van down to the south of Sapa town then we will do a mix of wonderful trek & hike along the terraced paddy fields, streams and villages (2- 3 hrs) to visit the peaceful Hmong village of Y Linh Ho to learn more about the Black Hmong. You will return to Sapa by van. A refreshing shower will be arranged before your train in Sapa or Lao Cai. Dinner on your own well before the train leaves for Hanoi and arrives to Hanoi at about 5:00 am. Please find your own way back to your hotel.
Inclusion:Transfer, guide, train ticket, breakfast, entrance fee,

Day 6: Hanoi – Halong, welcome on the boat

Arrival in Hanoi in the early morning at around 5:00 am. Please find your way by foot back to a mini hotel near the Tran Quy Cap station gate to have shower and basic set menu breakfast.

Depart, 8:00 – 8: 30 am on a shared van 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. Check- in, enjoy welcome drink & cruise briefing. Lunch with fresh local seafood while cruising to Bai Tu Long bay via Indochina film studio, Teapot islet, Blockhouse islet, Goat Head islet. Stop for swimming, visit mysterious Thien Canh cave. Relax at a wild beach, swim & kayak to explore the bay. Back to junk to enjoy relaxing or the sunset. Dinner and overnight on board nearby Vong Vieng village or Trinh Nu cave.
Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrances fees, kayak, boat/junk, breakfast, lunch, dinner, permit, fishing gears.,

Day 7: Explore the tranquil scenery in Bai Tu Long bay, back to Hanoi.

Early risers can enjoy the sunrise and the quiet breath-taking beauty of Bay’s landscape. From 7.30 to 8:00 am have breakfast in the fresh air then visit Vong Vieng fishing village by a rustic row-boat. Meet the locals, visit floating school & fish farms. More time to swim in the middle of the bay. From 10: 15, we serve on a La-Carte-Menu, you can order any dishes in the menu whenever you want for breakfast and lunch. Continue cruising through the bay, along the way seeing more of the fascinating formations. 11: 45 check out cabin while cruising back. By noon at 12:00, we will be ashore then hit the road back to Hanoi at around 4:00 pm. Check in hotel and stay overnight at your hotel in Hanoi.
Inclusion: Transfer, guide, entrance fee, boat/junk, breakfast, lunch, hotel.,

Day 8: 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 9: Departure Hanoi to your home/next destination.

Driver 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, breakfast.

Tour Cost

Tour Price: Contact 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.