Day 1: Hanoi city tour (L)
Our tour guide will pick you up at the hotel and start your tour with a visit at Ho Chi Minh complex including: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Museum and One Pillar Pagoda. Continue to visit Tran Quoc Pagoda – one of the oldest pagodas in Vietnam. Lunch at a local restaurant.
Continue the tour to visit Bat Trang pottery village (on Monday, Tuesday and Friday) or Ethnology Museum (on Sunday, Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday). Then keep moving to visit the Literature Temple – the first university of Vietnam, constructed in 1070. The last stop is Hoan Kiem Lake with Ngoc Son temple and Hanoi’s Old Quarter where you’ll have a chance for doing shopping and exploring the life of the local people here before tour ends.
Night 1: Night train to Lao Cai from Hanoi
Our tour guide will pick you up at the hotel (around 20.30) and transfer to Hanoi Railway Station for the night train to Lao Cai. Sleep on the train (wooden deluxe train with A/C).
Day 2: Sapa – Y Linh Ho – Lao Chai – Ta Van – Sapa (B/L/D)
Early arrive at Lao Cai train station. Meet and greet by our tour guide and driver and then transfer to the hotel in Sapa. Early check in if the room is available otherwise you will have a shower or relax in a basic hotel room.
You will start your tour with 6km of walking down to the south east of Sapa along the side of Muong Hoa valley to Y Linh Ho village of the Black H’mong. Keep moving 2km-trekking down to Lao Chai village, through terraced rice fields to Ta Van village of the Dzay minority people. Have lunch at a local family. Then keep trekking 2km to the bus stop in Ta Van and get back to Sapa.
Overnight in Sapa.
Day 3: Cat Cat & Sin Chai – Night train back to Hanoi (B/L/D)
After breakfast, our tour guide will take you to visit Cat Cat village of the Black H’mong (4km from Sapa town). Relax at the stunning waterfall and the vestige of a hydroelectric power station that was constructed by the French during the colonial time in Vietnam. Enjoy the lunch and then next 6 km to Sin Chai – located at the foot of Fansipan Mountain, “known as the roof of Vietnam and Indochina”.
From here you can enjoy the spectacular landscapes before heading back to Sapa. Free and Easy at Sapa Town before heading to Lao Cai Station and getting on the train. Overnight on the train.
Day 4: Hanoi – Halong Bay – overnight on a cruise (L/D)
07.30 – 08.30AM Our tour guide will come and pick you up at the hotel lobby and depart for Halong Bay with a stopover on the way for refreshments.
At noon: Arrive at Tuan Chau dock, tendering to the cruise, welcome on board and check into your cabin. Enjoy lunch with a mixed Vietnamese and International while cruising through Incense Burner islands, Fighting Cock islet, Stone Dog, ect.
Afternoon: kayaking through the stunning landscape with Limestone Mountains & swimming or just relaxing on the sun-deck for fantastic views at Hoa Cuong floating fishing village. Enjoy the Cooking Class on the floating house to learn how to make the fresh/fried spring rolls and mix fish-sauce.
Back to the cruise and pass by Soi Sim Beach and “Rang Dua” Island.
19:00 Enjoy dinner.
20:30 Free and easy: join in the activities such as singing karaoke, dancing, squid fishing, playing cards or relaxing at leisure before getting back to your cabin.
Overnight on Boat
Day 5: Halong Bay cruising – back to Hanoi (B/L)
Enjoy morning Tai Chi with the master on the sundeck before having breakfast. After that, visit Sung Sot Cave – the most beautiful cave of the bay and then return to the cruise, check-out and relax before enjoy the lunch as cruising back to the pier.
Arrive at the dock by 11:00am and return to Hanoi. Arrive in Hanoi by 16.30 – 17.00.
Ends Hanoi – Ha Long – Sapa Group 5 day package tour.