OVERVIEW

Northern Vietnam at a Glance

Discover the capital city of Hanoi. Get away from the hustle and bustle in the tranquil islands of Ha Long Bay. Have an insight to traditional Vietnamese lifestyle through a trip to Ninh Binh province and enjoy a boat trip through ranges of toweing limestone mountains and grottoes in a very diverse ecosystem.

ITINERARY

Hanoi | Halong Bay | Hoa Lu | Trang An | Hanoi

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Day 01

Hanoi Arrival

Welcome to Hanoi!

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Meals: Not included

Upon arriving in Hanoi, our driver will personally meet you at the airport for the transfer to your hotel. The rest of the day is time at leisure.

Day 02

Hanoi City Tour

Discover Hanoi capital in a glance

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

Have breakfast at hotel.

08:30: Our tour guide will meet you in the hotel lobby. We will visit Hanoi with Ho Chi Minh Complex that completed in 1975. The complex includes the Presidential Palace, House-on-Stilts, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and One Pillar pagoda. After that we will visit the Temple of Literature that was originally built as a temple to Confucius, this is the site of Vietnam’s first University dating back to 1070. The temple highlights the importance that Vietnamese society place then and now on education.

Have lunch at a nice local restaurant.

After lunch, we continue our trip to visit Museum of Ethnology: This museum is widely acknowledged as the best in the country and has an extensive display dedicated to Vietnam’s 54 Ethnic minority peoples. As well as the comprehensive array of exhibits inside, there are also traditional tribal houses reconstructed within the ground.

Then, we back to the center of Hanoi to visit Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake: The Ngoc Son temple is set on a tiny island on the Hoan KiemLake, its history dating back to the 13th century. The temple is reached by crossing the The Huc Bridge which literally means the ‘Place Touched by Morning Sunbeams’. The Hoan Kiem Lake is the local point of the city and the source of many legends.

45 minutes Cyclo Tour through the Old Quarter: Also known as the 36 streets, this bustling area of narrow streets is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. Originally each of the 36 s names’ was related to the products being sold there. It’s a great place to explore on foot with numerous photo opportunities.

Before back to your hotel, we will enjoy The water puppet show at Thang Long theatre - a tradictional performance of Vietnamese. The tour finishes at your hotel around 17:00.

Remark: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays; Museum of Ethnology is closed on Mondays. Other places will be recommended.

Day 03

Hanoi – Halong Bay

Departing for the UNESCO Site of Halong Bay

Accommodation: Halong bay cruise

Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner

09:00: Pick up at your hotel in Hanoi. After that we leave Hanoi for a 2.5 hours via the highway to reach Halong Bay.
12:00: At Tuan Chau International Marina, a tender boat will take you to the cruise. A refreshing welcome drink is served and you can check into your cabin.
13:00 When you are putting all of your stuffs into your cabin, our boat starts gliding out to the centre of the World Heritage Site. Your lunch, at the boat’s restaurant, is would be served with fresh local seafood, but vegetable menu is always available at your request. From the marina area, our cruiser passes by Dog Head and Swan Islands, Ba Hang Floating villages (with floating houses), Incense Burner then Thumb Islands before reaching to Luon cave area for kayaking.
14:30 - 15:00 we have time to gear up for one hour kayaking around Luon cave area. Our guide will show you some basic safety guidelines and techniques to paddle before helping you to sit on our brand new sit-on-top kayaks. After that our boat will help you visit the Titop Island one hour for swimming, sun-bathing or getting a panoramic view on island peak.
17:00 As the sun sets over the bay, we head back to our cruise and relax. Coffee, tea and fruits will be available on the sundeck or you can order your favorite drink while our boat cruises to the night’s anchorage area.
19:00 Dinner will be served with local seafood. After dinner you may choose to enjoy drinks from the bar or top deck or experience squid fishing before retiring.

Day 04

Halong Bay – Hanoi

Continue to enjoy the cruise and return to Hanoi

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

07:00 - 07:45 Enjoy the morning view of the beautiful landscape with a cup of coffee or tea. Have breakfast in the fresh air.
08:00 - 09:00 You will visit the impressive Cave of Halong Bay – Surprising Cave with your tour guide, a truly awesome and amazing cave to experience.
10:00 Check out of your cabin and settle your bill as our boat begins cruising back to the harbor. Experience more views of Halong Bay such as Fighting Cocks Island (Symbol of Halong Bay), Incense Burner and Stone Dogs Islands.
10:20 A cooking demonstration onboard shows you how to make authentic Vietnamese Spring rolls. You will learn about the recipes and techniques that create this popular dish of Vietnamese people.
10:45 Lunch is served on board during cruising towards the harbor.
11:20 Depart the cruise and travel by tender boat back to Tuan Chau International Marina where you then board the private vehicle for your return journey to Hanoi via highway. Arrive your hotel in Hanoi around 14:30.
What to bring:
• Original passport
• Shorts and T-shirt or warm clothes in winter (travel light)
• Camera, sunglasses and sun creams
• Cash for drinks (beer, wine) on boat

Notice:
-The cruise itinerary in Halong Bay is a sample itinerary and it will be changed depending on the cruise you choose, the weather or the water level at the time of your trip
- Wi-Fi is available in cruise but internet connectivity is limited due to the geography of Halong.

Day 05

Hanoi – Hoa Lu – Trang An – Hanoi

Travel to Trang An grottoes and Hoa Lư ancient capital

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast, lunch

8.00: Asia Top Travel tour expert pick you up at your hotel, travel to Hoa Lu. Along the way, we may take some stop-over for photo and refreshment while enjoying rural stunning scenery on the way. Arrive in Hoa Lu which is the former capital of Vietnam (968 – 1009) under Dinh and Le dynasties. Visit Dinh temple, Le temples and surroundings.

Have lunch at local restaurant with local food.

After lunch, take the amazing boat trip to visit Trang An grottoes which is a gathering of 31 valleys, 50 cross-water caves, and home to 600 kinds of flora and over 200 kinds of fauna, many of them in the Red Book of Vietnam. While rowing through Trang An grotto in the quiet, fresh air of the highlands, with only the sound of birds and the oars stirring the clear water and surrounded by magnificent forested mountains upon which graze white goats, visitors enjoy a heaven on earth.

Leave Trang An and drive back to Hanoi. Arrive to yout hotel around 18:30. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 06

Hanoi Departure

Say goodbye to Hanoi!

Accommodation: None

Meals: Breakfast

Breakfast is served at your hotel. You are transferred to Noi Bai Airport for your return flight.

Price

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TOUR INCLUSIONS

For your peace of mind, our tours are designed to include as much as possible in the price, but also to give you the freedom to find a special place to eat or to seek out an independent adventure that especially appeals to you.

Trip Inclusions