Landing at the Noi Bai airport, you are welcomed by professional tour guide and driver at the pickup lobby. Enjoy 45-minute driving to the city center (Hanoi Old Quarter) with city’s briefing information about the most visited spots, culture, traffic and cuisine….Arrive in your hotel, check in and have a rest.

Note: Hotel check in time at 14.00

Continue the day with an walking tour. Start with a small pagoda named Ba Da quietly located in a small alley – only few steps from the Hanoi Great Cathedral, built by French colonialism since the 19th century. Your tour guide also takes you to typical streets of Hanoi such as Lan Ong Street selling traditional medicine, Lo Ren Street where metal items are produced … Stop to visit the Dong Xuan central market – the largest in Hanoi. Continue walking to the famous area for night activities and street food – Ta Hien street, where you can see the vibrant streets with a lot of the amazing local foods and drinks. Trying to taste some for an unforgettable experience.

9:00 AM: Get Pick up by tour guide to the Temple of Literature which was built under the Ly dynasty in 11th century for worshipping Confucius and teaching Royal children. Enjoy a walk in the garden to the city’s symbol Khue Van Cac. You will then visit the World Heritage “stone steles” which shows the name of outstanding students. Continue to explore the Quoc Tu Giam which is considered as the first national university of Vietnam.

Next stop at the Ethnology Museum (closed every Monday) which offers a deep insight into Vietnamese culture through traditional costumes, tools, musical instruments and traditional houses of many ethnic groups. To fully explore this interesting museum, it takes you around two hours. 

In the after noon you visit the French Quarter – it is a “little Paris” in Hanoi with tree-lined boulevards, government head offices and a big square. Visit (outside) Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum before having a leisurely walk in the botanical gardens to visit the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts where he used to live and work. Towards the unique One – pillar pagoda which is one of the city’s symbols. It takes us from 1 to 2 hours to explore this complex, depending on the number of traveler.

Come back to city centrer and have a rest before enjoying the water puppet shows that is the unique performances, first appeared in the 11th century. In these shows, the daily life, culture and belief of Vietnamese people are described by puppets on water. The show usually integrates a traditional music performance as well.

8:00 AM: Meet tour guide and driver then depart to Mai Chau. On the way, visit a Muong village. Continue to Thung Khe pass where you can view magnificent panoramic views of the valley before arriving in Mai Chau town. Mai Chau is a beautiful valley located 145 km away from Hanoi. It is great place with harmonious landscapes, green mountain ranges, rice terraces and White Thai ethnic villages.

Arrival to Mai Hich, have a rest and enjoy lunch. In the afternoon explore Mai Hich by walking along the trails and concrete roads. You will be seduced by the gorgeous landscapes as the villages, rice fields, mountains and streams are in perfect harmony with one another. Do not miss the opportunity to communicate with the friendly local people who are always willing to welcome you into their house to enjoy a cup of tea.

Continue trekking along the Ma River, passing the rice field and small communities to Xam Khoe and  Buoc village, a Thai villages that is still not touristic. Enjoy the harmony of nature’s beauty and rich human culture. At the end, get a pick up by driver then transfer back to your accommodation.

Depart from Mai Hich directly to Eo Ken, 30km away, where the Muong ethnics live. Walk down the slope and enjoy the spectacular view of Pu Luong Nature reserve, rice field terraces and mountains. Visit a Muong ethnic family in Eo Kenvillage and discover their authentic life. Continue walking through this beautiful landscape and cross a stream to reach HangVillage.

Pick up by car then travel to Pu Luong to enjoy lunch. Later transfer to Chieng Lau, a beautiful rice field area with bamboo water wheels. Walk through the field to the village and encounter the locals to discover their life, culture and customs.

8:00 AM: Start a trekking day to discover the Pu Luong Nature preservation and its inhabitants. Transfer 5 km from your accommodation on 15C road on direction to Kho Muong village. Start to trek on the path to the most remote village in Pu Luong, located in the valley and surrounded by the beautiful lime stone mountains and rice terraces. Kho Muong is home to Thai ethnic group. Haveyour camera ready to capture the breathtaking scenery of rice terraces and encounter the locals en route.

Lunch will be served in the homestay at Kho Muong Village. In the afternoon, continue following the trails in the forest and the manioc field to reach Uoi village, a beautiful village home to another Thai ethnic group who still preserve their thatched houses. Keep walking to Lan Ngoai Village before transferring back to your accommodation.

8:00 AM: Enjoy breakfast before saying good-bye to the host, then walk down to the spectacular rice terrace valley. Hike through small paths and to reach four picturesque villages, Leo, Mo, Chu and Danh. Don’t forget your camera to capture these unforgettable moments. During the hike, you will enjoy the changing landscapes of rice terraces, villages, wild fields, ponds, streams and mountains. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant.  

In the afternoon, transfer to Ninh Binh. On the way, visit the sacred fish stream in Cam Luong. This place is well known for a special kind of fish that populate the stream. It’s called a sacred fish for the many mysterious stories created around this special creature. Continue travel to Ninh Binh, check in your accommodation in the late afternoon.

Enjoy breakfast and peaceful morning in the countryside. take a 15km bike ride (optional) or walk through the villages. A journey along the dyke will offer you gorgeous landscapes of rice fields, a river and limestone mountains. There are several stops for you to take beautiful photos or encounter the locals then walk to discover Thung La temple, dating back to the 11th century.

Continue to take a sampan boat trip along the stream and among the limestone mountains to discover the beauty of Van Long nature reserve. If lucky, you might get to see white monkeys and egrets on the cliffs. After the boat trip, visit an embroidery village and take part in an embroidery course under the instruction of local craftswoman, Mrs Lam. She will proudly explain the techniques of her traditional craft. This will be a good opportunity for you to practice on fabric like a real craftsman.

In the afternoon, End of the day, transfer from Ninh Binh to Hanoi. Enjoy the journey passing Red River delta with a lot of chance taking pictures of rice fields, peaceful countryside.

8:00 AM: Pick up at your hotel (in the Hanoi Old Quarter). Enjoy three hour drive from Hanoi to Bai Tu Long Bay. Your journey will pass the series of villages and rice fields in the Red River Delta. Have a stop for drink and restroom. Continue your driving, arrive at the harbor around noon, get warmly welcomed at cruise reception.

12:45: Warmest welcome drinks from our staffs. Listen to a brief of safety on board then check in your cabin

13:30: Enjoying delicious Vietnamese dishes for lunch while leisurely cruising to the core of Bai Tu Long Bay. 

15:00: Leave the cruise to discover Cap La Island– the beautiful area in Bai Tu Long bay. Enjoy kayaking through the karst and breathtaking nature, swimming and relaxing

17:30: Get back to the boat and enjoy Sunset Time (enjoy tea and fresh fruits). This time is regarded as “Happy Hour” – “buy two get one free” while our cruise is sailing to the overnight anchorage. In addition, cooking class is also organized by our guide at this time. You have a chance to make Vietnamese cuisine by yourself. 

19:00: Sumptuous set-dinner on board.

20:30: Free time for relaxing on the sundeck, listening to music, you may also try your luck with squid fishing. 

If you want to join in karaoke activity, please inform our tour guide to be supported

Overnight on board on Bai Tu Long bay

06:30: Freshen up your new day with doing Tai Chi 

07:00: Breakfast will be served in Western style and furthermore with Vietnamese traditional food. Tea and coffee is available

08:00: Explore Thien Canh Son cave. Your guide will explain the history of Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay and this Cave, made by Mother Nature

09:30: Back to your boat by tender then finish packing.   

Please remove all of your belongings from your cabin, you may leave heavy luggage outside of the cabin (staff will transfer directly to the pier).

10:30: Join in and show your creativity in fruit carving activity

11:00: Enjoy a traditional Vietnamese lunch.

12:00: Disembark in Hon Gai pier

Welcome by driver at the harbor then enjoy travel back to Hanoi. Have a rest at the middle of the way. Drop off at your hotel (in the Hanoi Old Quarter).

Private driver will pick you up at the hotel lobby (Hanoi Old Quarter) for about 45 minutes to Noi Bai airport (international or domestic hall according to your request). Thanks for the visit to our city.

Note: International flights require you to be at the airport 3 hours and domestic is 2 hours before departure time.