Must-sees in North Vietnam

Hanoi - Halong Bay - Hanoi - Sapa - Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Hanoi

A trip through the main natural and cultural sites of North Vietnam, with off-the-beaten-track stops, a night at a local’s house and visits that emphasize contact with the people and their culture.

Duration

7 days / 6 nigths

Region

North Vietnam

Average budget

From $640

You will obviously embark on a junk to appreciate Halong Bay during two days and one night, admire the mountains of Sapa by venturing into the heart of the rice terraces and perhaps sleep at the inhabitant’s house, visit the old Vietnamese capital as well as the caves and mountains of Ninh Binh to finally appreciate the authentic old quarter of Hanoi and all its treasures.

Whether you land at the airport, enter the city by train or bus, you will be picked up at any time and accompanied to our hotel by private vehicle or cab.

We individually adapt your program to your mode and time of arrival in Hanoi.

Thus, we can, in consultation with you, shift the beginning of your program according to your arrival time, to give you time to acclimatize!

During this tour Must-sees in North Vietnam you will enjoy

Contemplate various landscapes

  • Halong Bay, with a night on board a junk
  • The mountains and rice terraces of the Sapa region
  • The limestone peaks over rice fields of the terrestrial Halong Bay
  • The aerial and lacustrine villages

Experience special moments

  • The authentic atmosphere of a popular district of Hanoi
  • The colorful markets of ethnic minorities
  • Activities with local people

The PLUS of the Pilgrim

  • A small group during the excursions
  • A permanent link with the hotel if necessary
  • Nights in the homes of local people in comfort mode
  • Accompaniment by experienced guides

Make the experience last

  • A longer stay in one or more villages mentioned in the program
  • An extension to the North East of Vietnam
  • An extension to the region of Bac Ha and Sapa
  • Tour idea to personalize

A tour according to your desires

This tour proposal is 100% customizable according to your desires.

You will be able to modify your tour (duration, accommodations, activities, and services) during our exchanges.

Day 1 Welcome in Hanoi

Arrival at Hanoi airport or train station. Welcome by your English speaking guide and transfer to the hotel located in the center of the city (30 km – 45 minutes). Installation at the hotel, then free time.

 

The end of the afternoon is devoted to a walk in the 36 streets and corporations district, historical and commercial center of the capital, circumscribed between the old citadel and the Red River dam.

 

Return to your hotel after a stop at the restored Sword Lake, the heart of Hanoi.

 

Airport transfer : 1h.
Free meals.

Steps :
Hanoi
Accommodation :
The Pilgrim Hotel (Hanoi)
Hanoi

Day 2 Magnificent cruise in Halong Bay

After breakfast, transfer to the 8th wonder of the world: Halong Bay.

 

The bus will pick you up directly at your hotel in the old quarter of Hanoi, then departure for the south-east of the Red River delta: crossing rice-growing plains and arriving at the marina of Tuan Chau around noon.

 

Lunch will be served on board by the crew while the boat makes its way to the most beautiful islets of the bay. The cruise begins!

 

During this cruise, you will have the opportunity to:

  • discover this multitude of karst peaks emerging from the waters. Riddled with numerous caves, these islands and islets with various shapes (sail, dog, rooster, incense…) also hide unexpected lagoons,
  • visit the splendid Sung Sot (Surprising) Cave, one of the most beautiful caves in Ha Long Bay, with stalagmites and stalactites dating back thousands of years,
  • go for a canoeing or bamboo rowing trip in the Luon Cave area, a more remote landscape of the bay,
  • go to Ti Top (Titov) Island to bathe in the sublime waters of the bay or to climb the highest mountain to admire the panorama of Halong.

 

Dinner, served by the crew, will be followed by a free evening in your cabin, in the restaurant or on the upper deck of the junk: card games, night fishing, … for your personal rest and relaxation!

 

Travel by mini-bus : 2h30.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.

Steps :
Hanoi, Halong Bay
Accommodation :
On a junk (Halong Bay)
Junk
Halong Bay
Halong Bay

Day 3 Ship ahoy !

Waking up at dawn is a must in the bay, which offers an unparalleled tranquility in the early hours of the day. It is a privileged moment to do a Tai Chi discovery session at dawn, on the upper deck of the junk, to fill up with energy at the beginning of the day.

 

The buffet breakfast is served while the junk sets off slowly towards Cat Ba Island. The return cruise allows you to discover other corners of the bay and makes you aware of the extent of the bay.

 

Once moored, you will visit the fishing village of Viet Hai which is located between the blue sea, the high mountain and the old jungle of Cat Ba National Park.

 

Lunch will be served on board the junk in the late morning, for a return to Tuan Chau port around noon. You will take a bus to Hanoi in the middle of the afternoon.

 

Once you arrive at your destination, you will enjoy free time until early evening. You will then board a sleeper train to Sapa.

 

Travel by mini-bus : 2h30.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Steps :
Halong Bay, Hanoi, Sapa
Accommodation :
On a sleeper train
Halong Bay
Halong Bay

Day 4 Trekking in the Sapa mountains

Arrival at the train station of Lao Cai, capital of the province of the same name and border town on the Red River at 400 m above sea level. Transfer to Sapa, a town at 1600 m altitude dominated by the Phan Si Pan peak (3143 m), with a one-hour shared bus ride. Upon arrival, check into the hotel and have breakfast in our restaurant.

 

Start the day by walking down to the southeast of Sapa along the Muong Hoa Valley with many beautiful sceneries along the river to Y Linh Ho village, home of the Black H’mong minority. Continue walking to Lao Chai village.

 

Lunch at a local restaurant before reaching Ta Van village of Tay minority.

 

Pick up by bus to return to Sapa for hotel check-in. The rest of the day will be at your convenience to discover the city (Dragon Mountain, Orchid Garden, the market, the Church…).

 

Travel by train : 7h.
Travel by mini-bus : less than 1h.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Etapes :
Sapa
Accommodation :
At the hotel or in a homestay
Sapa
Sa Pa

Day 5 Sapa and its beautiful villages

Free time at your convenience in the city or the surrounding villages. Sapa is a very popular destination for travelers, where it is very easy to find an occupation. Lunch in town. Return by bus to Hanoi in the late evening.

 

Travel by bus : 7h.
Free meals.

Steps :
Sapa, Hanoi
Accommodation :
The Pilgrim Hotel
Sa Pa

Day 6 Excursion to Halong Bay in Land

Departure to the south of Hanoi to Ninh Binh province. For example, you can go to Tam Coc to ride a traditional sampan along the Ngo Dong River and visit three different caves (Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba). You can also go to the Buddha’s prayer place in Bai Dinh pagoda, the biggest pagoda in Vietnam with 500 La Han statues.

 

At noon, you will enjoy a buffet lunch of Vietnamese dishes at a local restaurant.

 

You can enjoy the afternoon to go to Hoa Lu the ancient capital of Vietnam and visit Dinh King and Le King temples. You can also continue to Trang An pier, and start a boat ride to visit the Trang An cave complex and the scene of the King Kong movie.

 

At the end of the day, you will return to Hanoi by bus where you will be dropped off at the hotel.

 

Travel by mini-bus : 2 x 2h.
Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch.

Steps :
Hanoi Ninh Binh Hanoi
Accommodation :
The Pilgrim Hotel
Ninh Binh
Ninh Binh

Day 7 Guided tour of Hanoi

Hanoi, Vietnam’s thousand-year-old city, one of the most captivating capitals in Southeast Asia, captivating in so many ways, between tradition and modernity, playing with subtle and discreet charms, opening up to the world through its development.

 

Hanoi will not leave you insensitive. Its effervescence is captivating. In the heart of the capital, the old city, or old quarter, is the privileged place to discover the richness of its culture, a part of its economic and tourist life.

 

It is home to the 36 Corporations or 36 Streets district, its typical markets which are very lively at dawn, its gastronomic specialties, especially street food, its many lakes, including Hoan Kiem Lake, its pagodas, temples and museums, …

 

Here comes the conclusion of your 7-day program.

 

Just like at your arrival, we adapt your last day according to your desires or obligations and organize your return to the airport or perhaps, the continuation of your stay to the south!

 

Free meals.

Steps :
Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi
  • Price estimation

A tour according to your desires

Our tours are tailor-made (with the possibility of private guides and drivers), so the price is never fixed for each Pilgrim traveler.

The price varies according to the number of travelers, the level of services, the seasonality, and the booking delays.

Count on this trip starting at $640 per person, and starting at $1,100 for a couple*. The only exact price will be the one that appears on your personalized and finalized quote.

* International flights are not included in this estimate.

This price includes :

  • All travel on site
  • Accommodation at the hotel, at the inhabitant’s house or on the junk
  • Breakfasts and meals during the excursions
  • Night train Hanoi – Lao Cai in sleeper
  • Bilingual English-speaking guides
  • Entrance fees to the sites to visit and activities
  • Application fees and taxes
  • All logistic services necessary for the organization of the program

This price does not include :

  • Domestic and international flights and airport taxes to/from Hanoi
  • Entry visa fees
  • Drinks and other meals not mentioned in the program
  • Water bottle (can be purchased on site)
  • Telephone, personal expenses
  • Any other service not mentioned in the “Price includes” section.

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