8 DAYS OF 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.
The differences in geography, beauty, climate, people and culture will give you a lot of emotions. We wish you would have an unforgettable time in your life.
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 – Sapa – Sapa sightseeings (B/L)
Day 4: Sapa beauty: Rice terraces - Hiking (B/L)
Day 5: Sapa - Lao Cai border gate - Hanoi (B/L) (2 opptions)
Day 6: Hanoi - Ninh Binh: Hoa Lu (ancient capital) - Trang An heritage site (B/L)
Day 7: Ninh Binh - Ha Long bay: Natural wonder of the world (B/L/D)
Day 8: Halong bay – Hanoi (or Noi Bai airport) (B/L)
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DETAILED ITINERARY
Day 1: Welcome to Vietnam - Hanoi arrival - Street food tour (D)
Welcome to Hanoi, the oldest city in Vietnam. Hanoi is the capital as well as the economic, political, cultural center of Vietnam in more than 1000 years where most of dynasties left their marks. Hanoi is very rich in historical sites and beautiful landscapes and leading the country in the number of relics and so many traditional trade villages, architecture heritage and a system of museums. Each region is a cultural layer with different origins. What you will see in Hanoi will truly amaze you.
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.
* Self - Guided time in Hanoi: It would be very interesting to take a walk around Hanoi old quarter, specially Hoan Kiem lake and to observe the differences in architecture colors and the local daily busy life.
- Welcome Board
- Private transfer: 45 minutes from Noi Bai International Airport (HAN) to Hanoi
- Overnight in Hanoi
*Hanoi Street food tour
Around 2.5 hours of walking street food tour, you’ll explore the cuisine culture of Hanoi with a full world of street food vendors. We offer an opportunity to try out 5-6 different dishes at the local food inns or eateries. A rotating menu from day to day to represent the variety of delicious options, but tastings might include.
Don’t worry if you are vegetarian or vegan. They have all the food for you to choose from. Don’t worry about hygiene either. This is also a big concern in Hanoi.
But the interesting thing is that it's not just about going out and trying some food. It's more like a short tour where what you see behind the scenes is a whole culture.
Day 2: Hanoi: Full day Hanoi city tour – water puppet shows (B/L)
Hanoi is a very interesting city with a lot of value. Exploring 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 in West Lake. It is the oldest pagoda in Hanoi built in the 6th century. Then visiting the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum built to house the preserved body of beloved revolutionary leader Ho Chi Minh. Visiting the One Pillar Pagoda, a Buddhist temple built in 1049 of wood in the shape of a lotus flower 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.
In the afternoon, visiting 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.
Finishing 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 colorful wooden puppets to depict scenes of rural life and episodes of national history set to music.
- Overnight in Hanoi
- Private group: 7 hours
Day 3: Hanoi – Sapa – Sapa sightseeings (B/L)
Have breakfast at the hotel or have a breakfast box delivered to you. 7.00am, The car will pick you up at the hotel and take you to Sapa. The city of Mist will welcome you after a long drive.
You will leave Sapa on a 30-minute drive to the 100-meter-high Love Waterfall, which owes its name to a legend that tells of a fairy who fell in love with a mountain boy who played his flute at this picturesque spot. On the way, you can make an optional stop at a local farm and explore it at your leisure. Continue uphill to Heaven's Gate via Tram Ton Pass and enjoy the view of the breathtaking Mount Fansipan. At 3,143 meters above sea level, it is the highest mountain in Indochina. Enjoy the view and take some photos before returning to Sapa.
- Overnight at the hotel in Sapa
Day 4: Sapa rice terraces hiking (B/L)
Picking up: 8.30 am
Today's trek takes you along the Hoang Lien mountain range, which offers you many opportunities to enjoy the views of the vast rice paddy terraces in Muong Hoa Valley, the largest valley in the region.
Start your tour with a 6-kilometer hike to the southeast of Sapa along the Muong Hoa valley to Y Linh Ho village, home to the black H'mong people. Continue with a 3-kilometer hike down to Lao Chai village. Here, you will have a simple lunch before exploring the village. After lunch, you will continue hiking through terraced rice fields to Ta Van, the village of the Dzay minority. This hike is relatively easy, but the path can be quite slippery in the rain, so good footwear is recommended!
- Overnight at the hotel in Sapa.
- Private group / 8 hours
Day 5: Day 5: Sapa - Lao Cai border gate - Hanoi (B/L) (2 opptions)
5.1 Sa Xeng and Sau Chua Hiking (option 1)
Starting at 8.30 am,
Enjoy the 15-minute drive to the villages of Sa Xeng and Sau Chua. From here, you will have the best views of the Hmong villages, which are located in a mountainous area overlooking the Muong Hoa Valley. Then we leave the main road for a two-hour hike to the two Black Hmong villages called Sa Seng and Sau Chua, which consist of four small hamlets spread along the narrow but fascinating valley. The trail gradually winds downhill from the high mountainside, passing through farmland and impressive terraced fields, and later along the Sau Chua stream that connects the hamlets. Enjoy the beautiful scenery during your hike, and meet the Hmong as they go about their daily work. Visit some of the houses and get to know the way of life of the locals. The hike ends when the village path meets your van, which will take you 5 kilometers back to Sapa.
End the tour on day 3 in Sapa. Hope in the car and return to the capital, Hanoi.
- Overnight at a hotel in Hanoi
5.2. Indochina rooftop - Fansipan – Cabble car trip (option 2)
After two days of long walks, today you will have the opportunity to go to one of the most interesting and attractive places in Sapa. That is the peak of Mount Fansipan, 3,143m high. It is the highest mountain peak in Indochina. At the top of Fansipan, you will feel like you are in real paradise when the clouds are just below your feet. On the cable car you can see everything beautiful about Sapa: villages, fields, flower gardens, especially the constantly changing weather.
Before stopping for lunch in Lao Cai city your tour guide will take you near the border of China and Vietnam. It is an interesting place between two worlds, between two cultures. You will definitely have beautiful pictures before returning to Hanoi.
Day 6: Hanoi - Ninh Binh: Hoa Lu (ancient capital) - Trang An heritage site (B/L)
Only about 2.5 hours departing from Hanoi, you will arrive in Ninh Binh, one of the most ancient lands in Vietnam. The guide will tell you a little about the history of Vietnam in the 10th century, the plots, tricks, the struggle for the throne, and the fascinating conspiracy theories.
After a delicious lunch, we will move to Trang An heritage site, a unique heritage site in Southeast Asia with both cultural and natural values.
Depending on your health situation. If you still have enough energy, take a bike ride before checking in at the hotel in Tam Coc - Ninh Binh.
- Overnight in Ninh Binh
Day 7: Ninh Binh - Ha Long bay: Natural wonder of the world (B/L/D)
The trip to Halong bay and staying overnight on a cruise is the highlight for most travelers, and you are probably no exception.
7:30 am: Driver will meet you at the hotel lobby and take you along a scenic route to Ha Long Bay where you will board a cruise ship.
Today could be the biggest reward after long days of traveling to some northern Vietnam provinces. You will cross 4 delta provinces to reach Ha Long Bay, a natural heritage and wonder of the world. A beautiful yacht is waiting to welcome you, taking you out to the bay with a view beyond words. All fatigue will quickly disappear when you see with your own eyes the majestic scenery of limestone mountains that seem to open up to welcome you into another world. You can participate in on-board activities such as visiting caves, kayaking, swimming or simply stay on the ship to rest with a cocktail.
The end of the day awaits you with sunset. Night falls on Ha Long Bay with a shimmering scene of ships. You will never forget this moment. The manager of the cruise will convey to you the specific schedule when you board the cruise ship.
- Cruise itinerary and schedule are subject to change due to weather, tide levels and operating conditions
- Private transfer: 2.5 hours from Hanoi to Ha Long Bay
- Overnight on cruise
Day 8: Ha Long 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. There will be some more activities before the cruise slowly returns to shore. As always, decide what's right for you.
Waking up for a Tai Chi class starts from 6.30 but if you want to rest in bed, just miss it. Then going out for bamboo boat or visiting the cave.
When the cruise returns to shore. A cup of coffee can make time pass more slowly. You will have a lunch or brunch before disembarking.
Around 11:00: The driver will be waiting for you and take you directly to the airport to return home. The places you go through are just a part of Northern Vietnam. There are many other beautiful places waiting for you to visit. See you again one day soon!
If you do not 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: 3.5 hours from Ha Long bay to Hanoi (or Ha Long bay to Noi Bai airport)
The tour ends here!
Thank you and see you in other tours!
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WHAT'S INCLUDED
Accommodation
3-stars hotels:
Hanoi: Mina Hotel and Spa Hanoi or similar
Sapa: Sapa Panorama Hotel or similar
Ninh Binh: Ninh Binh: Le Clos Du Fil hotel or similar
Halong Bay: Le Journey Cruise or similar
4-stars hotels:
Hanoi: Tirant Hotel or similar
Sapa: Amazing Sapa Hotel or similar
Ninh Binh: Hidden Charm Hotel & Resort
Halong Bay: La Pandora Cruise or similar
5-stars hotels:
Hanoi: Apricot Hotel or similar
Sapa: Silk Path Grand Resort and Spa or similar
Ninh Binh: Emeralda Resort Tam Coc or similar
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
- 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
- Insurance
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
