AN 8 DAY VACATION - NORTH VIETNAM HIGHLIGHT TOUR
Everyone wants to have a long vacation. But what if you only have 8 days? Vietnam is a diverse country in every sense: terrain, climate, culture, ethnic minorities, and regions. And if you only have 8 days of vacation then this is exactly the best choice for you. It combines diversity in a short period of time.
BRIEF SCHEDULE
Day 1: Welcome to Vietnam - Hanoi arrival - Street food tour (D)
Day 2: Hanoi - City tour full day – water puppet show (B/L)
Day 3: Hanoi to Pu Luong Nature Reserve (B/L)
Day 4: Puluong Natural Reserve – Exploration: Cave - Hiking (B/L)
Day 5: Puluong Natural Reserve – Ninh Binh (B/L)
Day 6: Ninh Binh beauty: Hoa Lu (ancient capital) - Trang An (B/L)
Day 7: Ninh Binh – Halong bay (B/L/D)
Day 8: Halong bay – Hanoi (or Noi Bai airport) (B/L)
The tour ends here!
Thank you and see you in other tours
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DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: Welcome to Vietnam - Hanoi arrival - Street food tour (D)
Welcome to Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. Your driver and tour guide will meet you at the airport and transfer you to your hotel. Check into the hotel and have free time to explore the city at your own pace, or rest after the flight.
- Welcome Board
- Private transfer: from Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) to Hanoi
- Transfer time: 45 minutes
Walking and street food tour
To tell you something about Hanoi, a cup of coffee before the tour is great. But remember that Coffee in Hanoi is strong. Drink this in the afternoon can make you lose sleep. So maybe egg coffee is the best choice right! It is very famous in Hanoi.
Take some hours of the day for sightseeing around Hanoi Old Quarter by walking is the favorite activity of all tourists. You really can feel and touch to the daily life of the local people: like visiting the railway street, Hoan Kiem Lake where is the origin of many stories. See Hanoi church – a very tourist attraction, then take a look at Bach Ma temple that dates back to more than 1000 years old. This is one of great for defending temple in old Hanoi. Head through a biggest colourful local market (Dong Xuan market) then visiting house of heritage of Hanoian built 18 century. Enjoy a mix of peaceful scenery and bustling street life on this adventurous walk.
Finish the trip by taking a cyclo to the place where you have the first dish of the street food tour.
On a 3-hour walking tour, you’ll explore the culture, and history of Hanoi, and step into a world full of street food vendors. Unlike big cities all around the world, street food in Hanoi is not just hot dog carts and pretzel stands, we offer an opportunity to try out 5-6 different dishes at the local food stand, family restaurants…
A rotating menu from day to day to represent the variety of delicious options, but tastings might include – but are subject to change: rice noodle soup with beef, rice noodle with chicken, rice noodle with grilled pork, snail, or dry noodle, sticky rice, along with various kinds of donut, steamed pancake or Vietnamese sandwiches.
- Hanoi Street food tour: 3 hours
- Start time: 17:30 - 18:00
Day 2: Hanoi - City tour full day – water puppet show (B/L)
Explore the charming city of Hanoi, often referred to as the ‘Paris of the East’, with its yellow ochre colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevards and scenic lakes.
The first place is Tran Quoc Pagoda located on Golden Fish IsLand in West Lake. It is the oldest pagoda in Ha Noi built in the 6th century. This is listed one of the most 16 beautiful pagodas in the world by UK Daily Mail. Visit the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an imposing monument of marble and granite built to house the preserved body of beloved revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh, affectionately known to the Vietnamese as “Uncle Ho”. Visit the One Pillar Pagoda, a Buddhist temple built in 1049 of wood in the shape of a lotus blossom and set on a single stone pillar. Continue to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first national university built in the late 11th century. The picturesque temple is an example of well-preserved traditional Vietnamese architecture and is featured on the back of the 100,000 Vietnamese dong banknote. In the afternoon, visit the fascinating Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays) which houses an extensive collection of traditional costumes and artefacts from Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minority groups.
Conclude your day by watching an entertaining water puppet performance, a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form said to have originated in the flooded rice fields of the Red River Delta where villagers entertained themselves by manipulating puppets over the water. The show uses colourful wooden puppets to depict scenes of rural life and episodes of national history set to music. Overnight at the hotel.
- Private group: 7 hours
Day 3: Hanoi – Puluong Natural Reserve (B/L)
Around 7:00 Transfer Hanoi - Pu Luong. You enter Pu Long Nature Reserve by road via a breath taking mountain pass giving you a panoramic view of the whole valley. You arrive at your accommodation in time for a delicious lunch, followed by free time to explore the beautiful retreat, with its captivating panoramic views and tranquil setting.
After check-in the resort, You head to the Cham River with a suspension bridge where you begin your walk in search of stunning water wheels. Get up close to each wheel and discover how water is moved from river to handmade bamboo aqueducts. Via simple constructions of all sizes. Arriving at a local fisherman's bamboo tent, you have a short rest to gear up for the rafting adventure with them. Float along the calm river and enjoy the views, in between learning how to paddle and steer your handcrafted rafts. Arriving at scenic Tan Lap bridge, you disembark to be transferred back to the hotel.
- Private transfer: 4,5 hours from Hanoi to Pu Luong Nature Reserve
- Bamboo rafting will depend on the conditional weather
Day 4: Puluong Natural Reserve - Exploration (B/L)
In the morning, we will hike 4km through fields and small villages. In particular, we will visit Muong Kho village and Muong Kho bat cave. This is one of the best points of Pu Luong. A village hidden behind mountains with poetic landscape. A giant cave that is 250 million years old is waiting for you to explore.
After a few hours of operation. A lunch filled with local flavors will await you. You will definitely love its taste because all the visitors love it.
After refueling with lunch and resting a bit. In the afternoon, we will explore one more wonderful hiking route. What awaits you is a majestic nature with only trees, grass, flowers, streams, and wind. A 6km long path is waiting for you to conquer.
(If you don't like this seemingly difficult challenge, you can choose another easier path. Halfway through, we will give you another experience. That is to sit on the motorbike and go to the meeting point).
End of a long day of activity. The resort's swimming pool and delicious dinner await you.
- Private tour with tourguide
Day 5: Puluong Natural Reserve – Ninh Binh (B/L)
8:00 Opening a new day with fresh air and majestic beauty of view from the resort.
After nice breakfast and coffee time. 8:00, driver and tour guide will take you to Pho Doan local market. We must say that it is another world: poor life but so interesting. All products are made and found by locals sold and displayed there.
Take time to feel it until you think it is enough for you then following the tour guide. He will take you along the villages, the fields, You'll have chance to engage with locals here and see their rural way of life. Sometimes, on your roads, there would be other spaces that open in your eyes. They are beautiful paddle fields or rice terraces. That moment, just stop and have your own best pics to keep something about that area.
At the end of hiking tour, delicious lunch is waiting for you.
After lunch, Driver and tour guide will take you to Tam Coc – Ninh Binh, a center of tourism in Ninh Binh province. You will see the beauty of flat land with different paddle fields.
Just check in the hotel or resort before taking time to talk a walk around or riding on a bike to see around. You would never be upset. That area is so lovely and poetic.
Back to hotel to take a bath and have a great dinner.
- Private transfer from Pu Luong Nature Reserve to Ninh Binh: 3.5 hours
- Meals included: breakfast, lunch
- Drink not included in meals
Day 6: Getting the best of Ninh Binh (B/L)
Embark on an exciting adventure with a visit to Hoa Lu, Vietnam's ancient capital and first centralized feudal state from the late 10th century. Though the old citadel is mostly in ruins, the temples of the Dinh and Le dynasties remain and are surrounded by picturesque rice paddies.
Savor a delightful lunch at a local restaurant, featuring a variety of local dishes such as goat meat and fried rice.
After lunch, take a 2,5-hour bamboo boat ride to Trang An. It all comes together to form a masterpiece that the Vietnamese refer to as "Halong Bay on land."
This is a world heritage site with two values: cultural and natural. I really don't want to say much about it before you enjoy it for yourself. Imagine a fairy tale and you are a part of it. You will have wonderful moments to rest. Close your eyes to feel the wind and the sounds of birds around you.
If time allows, challenge yourself with 470 stone steps to conquer the top of Mount Mua, one of the attractive spots in Ninh Binh before returning to the hotel. This will be an unforgettable experience for you.
- Private group: 8 hours
Day 7: Ninh Binh – Halong bay (B/L/D)
7:30, Driver will meet you at the hotel lobby and take you along a scenic route to Halong Bay where you will board a cruise ship.
- Private transfer: from Ninh Binh to Ha Long Bay
- transfer time: 3.5 hours
Getting on Cruise and running to the sea from Tuan Chau habour.
Onboarding - Visit Dark & Bright Cave 2D1N (Stellar Of The Seas)
Welcome aboard and refresh yourself with the welcome drink. Meet the captain, and crew for briefing and safety instructions.
12h30 approx: Check-in on the cruise.
13h00 approx: Enjoy lunch
14h00 approx: Receive key and check-in the cabin.
14h30 – 15h30 approx: Kayaking or Relaxing on a local rowboat to visit Dark and Bright cave.
15h30 – 17h30: Swimming around the cruise
18h00 approx: Cooking demonstration
18h00 – 19h00: Join the Happy Hour
19h00: Enjoy dinner
Overnight on cruise
- Cruise itinerary and schedule are subject to change due to weather, tide levels and operating conditions.
Day 8: Halong bay – Hanoi (or Noi Bai airport) (B/L)
Enjoy the last day in Ha Long bay. The feeling of waking up in the sea with so many islands and islets around make you relax and lazy. It is up to you. Tai Chi class starts from 6.30 but if you want to rest in bed, just miss it. But this is itinerary for the second day.
6h15 approx: Enjoy the sunrise
6h15 – 6h35 approx: Taichi exercise
6h45 – 7h30 approx: Enjoy breakfast
7h00 – 08h30 approx: Take pictures by drone at the Swimming pool (depending on the weather condition) on Stellar Of The Seas)
9h30 – 9h45 approx: Pack up the luggage and put them in front of the door, then return the key to the reception counter.
9h45 approx: Enjoy a brunch buffet
10h45 approx: Settle down the payment for personal expenses (beverages, spa, etc.).
11h10 approx: Return to the mainland by speedboat.
Driver will be waiting for you in office before you getting on bank.
Transfer from Halong bay to Noi Bai International Airport by private car
If you have the flight at the same day, just back to Hanoi one more night. What I have not done yet, just do it like visiting beer street, where people call the crossroad of the world.
- Private transfer: Ha Long bay to Hanoi (or Ha Long bay to Noi Bai airport)
- Transfer time: 3.5 hours
Thank you and see you in other tours!
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Accommodation
3-stars hotels:
Hanoi: Mina Hotel and Spa Hanoi or similar
Pu Luong: Pu Luong Retreat or similar
Ninh Binh: Le Clos Du Fil hotel
Halong Bay: Le Journey Cruise or similar
4-stars hotels:
Hanoi: Tirant Hotel or similar
Pu Luong: Pu Luong Retreat or similar
Ninh Binh: Hidden Charm Hotel & Resort
Halong Bay: La Pandora Cruise or similar
5-stars hotels:
Hanoi: Apricot Hotel or similar
Pu Luong: Pu Luong Retreat or similar
Ninh Binh: Emeralda Resort Tam Coc
Halong Bay: Doris Cruise or similar
Guide
Experienced English speaking guide
French/German/Spanish/Russian/Chinese speaking guides are available upon request. The surcharge will be applied
Meals
As per the tour program:
B = Breakfast
L = Lunch
D= Dinner
Transport
- Door-to-door pick-up & drop-off services by private car
- Limousine bus from Hanoi to Sapa and from Sapa to Hanoi
- Air-conditioned bus between Hanoi and Halong Bay (2-way)
- Air-conditioned bus or private cars for the excursions
Other included
– All sightseeing tickets according to the itinerary
– Tissues and water on coach
– Service charges and government tax
– 24/7 hotline support guaranteed
– Vietnam Visa letter approval
Other not included
X International flights and departure taxes
X Optional Tour
X Beverage, Personal expenses, tips, and gratuities
X Early check-in and late check-out (If not mentioned)
X Compulsory Gala Dinner on 24 Dec, 31 Dec and 21 Jan (Tet)
X Public holiday surcharge (Christmas and New Year, Tet holiday in Vietnam, Local New Year in Cambodia, Laos and Thailand) if applicable
X Surcharge for airport cabs from 12:00 am – 05:00 am
X Visa stamping fee on arrival at the airport (Vietnam: $25/person)
X Services not mentioned above
