8 Days Best of Northern Vietnam: Hanoi - Sapa - Halong Bay
TOUR HIGHLIGHTS
Day 1 Hanoi Arrival
Day 2 Hanoi Heritage Exploration
Day 3 Hanoi - Sapa
Day 4 Sapa Trekking Tour
Day 5 Sapa - Hanoi
Day 6 Hanoi - Halong Bay
Day 7 Halong Bay - Hanoi
Day 8 Hanoi City - Departure
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Ideal tour for first-time visitors – It’s possible to extend by one or more nights
Private tour with flexible travel dates and programs
Arrival in Hanoi / Departure from Hanoi City
Please, contact our Travel Consultants to start planning your trip to Vietnam.
Everyone has a dream holiday, but to make it a reality can be exhausting - From deciding on where to go, what to do, how to get around and searching for the best deals at the very outset of planning a holiday, right up to reading through reviews and recommendations the night before, it’s enough to make even the most organized among us feel overwhelmed.
Holidays are a time to relax and booking a holiday should be a stress-free experience. And that’s exactly why we’re here: to help you to experience the world on your terms. We have the local knowledge you won’t find in guidebooks and can help people discover the authentic soul of a place.
For over 10 years, we’ve listened to what people want to experience and how they want to feel on their travels. We create highly personalized itineraries with extraordinary experiences for discerning travelers, based on their own passions, interests, and needs. The result? Meaningful travel experiences that stay with them long after they return home and clients return to us year after year. Let us create a dream holiday made especially for you!
Day 01: Hanoi Arrival (D)
Welcome to Hanoi! Upon your arrival at Noi Bai Airport in Vietnam's Capital of Hanoi, your tour guide will welcome you outside the customs area holding a sign with your name on it. Transfer to the hotel for check-in. We’ll then proceed with a sightseeing tour of Hanoi.
CITY TOUR HIGHLIGHTS:
- Visit West Lake and Tran Quoc Pagoda where you can get a deep understanding of the local life, culture, and religion
- Explore the Old Quarter by rickshaw to view the most elegant French colonial architecture and the bustling streets in Hanoi
- Enjoy a traditional water puppet show which is unique to Vietnamese culture
- Dinner at a local restaurant
Overnight in Hanoi
Day 02: Hanoi City Tour (B/L)
Full-day tour of Vietnam’s capital city, including Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, his traditional stilt house, and the thousand-year-old Temple of Literature also known as the First University of Vietnam. Lunch at a local restaurant.
After lunch, we head to visit the Ethnology Museum (closed on Monday) where you can discover the diversity of Vietnam’s many ethnic groups.
Transfer back to the city center for a leisure walking tour around Hoang Kiem lake and its vicinity. A walking tour with a tour guide is a great way to see the Old Quarter. You have the opportunity to take beautiful photos of people, buildings, food...and enjoy every moment you have. Back to your hotel at 17.00. Dinner on your own
Remark: Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum closes from 08 September to 08 November for annual maintenance. * Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed on Fridays and Mondays and most museums are closed on Mondays. *All visitors to the mausoleum are required to wear clothes covering their knees and shoulders. This applies to both men and women
Overnight in Hanoi
Day 03: Hanoi – Sapa (B/L/D)
After breakfast at your hotel and check-out, you will be picked up by a private vehicle with your private guide and transferred from Hanoi to Sapa via Noi bai - Lao Cai Expressway. The travel time is approximately 5 hours. Lunch at a local restaurant in Sapa.
Afternoon visit the Silver Waterfall - the most beautiful waterfall in Sapa, and then enjoy the great view and feeling at the "Heaven Gate" of Sapa - Tram Ton Pass is the highest point of Hoang Lien Son mountain range where you can see the majestic Lai Chau Valley and imposing Fanxipan mount. You will be transferred to your accommodation in Sapa and enjoy the rest of your day at leisure. Dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight in Sapa
Day 04: Lao Chai – Ta Van – Sapa (B/L/D)
Today our guide takes you to villages populated by H'Mong and Dzay peoples, respectively called Lao Chai and Ta Van. You have the opportunity to take beautiful photos of rice terraces and enjoy the breathtaking mountain scenery. Walk through villages where ethnic people live. Visit their homes and witness their daily activities. Lunch at a local family. After lunch, drive back to Sapa Town.
In the afternoon, free to walk around Sapa town or go shopping at the local market or have a soothing massage, facial, or pedicure. Dinner at a local restaurant.
Overnight in Sapa
Day 05: Sapa – Bac Ha Sunday Market – Hanoi (B/L)
Have breakfast at your hotel and check out. At 07.30: Your private guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel and transfer about 2.5 to 3 hours to Bac Ha Town, home of Flower Hmong ethnic people, one of Vietnam’s most vibrant ethnic groups. Bac Ha Market, which takes place once a week on Sunday morning, is one of the biggest and most colorful markets in the area.
On arrival, you will visit Bac Ha Market. Bac Ha Market is considered the most beautiful market for Minority people in Vietnam. Every Sunday morning, many different ethnic groups such as Flower Hmong, Phu La, Black Dao, Tay, and Nung minorities gather to buy and sell local products that cannot be found elsewhere. You will observe and explore the lifestyle and culture of local people through the market. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. After lunch, transfer back to Hanoi and relax totally. Dinner on your own.
Overnight in Hanoi
Option 2: In the morning, you will have a short transfer to Fansipan Cables Station and Take a scenic cable car ride up 3,143 meters above sea level to the peak of Fansipan Mountain, the highest mountain in the Indochinese Peninsula, Fansipan. Take in an impressive scenic view of Hoang Lien Son Range and Muong Hoa Valley’s natural landscapes as you ascend the mountain. When you reach the top, spend time admiring the breathtaking views and exploring the various temples at the peak. Immerse yourself in the rich history and culture of the mountain with a visit to the Bich Van Thien Tu pagoda, Bao An Thien Tu temple, and Thanh Van Dac Lo spiritual landmarks. Lunch at a local restaurant.
Afternoon transfer back to Hanoi via Lao Cai - Noi bai Expressway. The travel time is approximately 5 hours. Transfer to Hotel for check-in. Free at leisure. Dinner on your own.
Please note that: After the cable-car ride you still have to climb another 600 steps to the peak of the mountain (It takes about 20 minutes), or you can take another funicular from Do Quyen Station, passing a series of pagodas and buddhas to the summit (you buy your ticket).
Day 06: Hanoi – Halong Bay Cruise (B/L/D)
Have breakfast at the hotel and check out.
08:00: Your private guide and driver will pick you up at your hotel and transfer about 3.5 to 4 hours to Halong Bay — with a 30-minute comfort stop.
11:30 - 12:15: Arrive at Halong International Cruise Port.
12:30 - 13:00: Embark on the Halong cruise. Check-in, enjoy welcome drinks, and cruise briefing.
13:00 - 14:30: Enjoy lunch while cruising to magnificent Bai Tu Long Bay, and admire the fascinating formations on the way.
15:30 - 16:30: Explore the well-hidden Thien Canh Son Cave.
17:00 - 17:30: Return to the boat – Swim or relax on sundeck.
18:00: Anchor for overnight in the Cong Do area.
18:15: Pre-dinner cocktail party (complimentary "Halong sunset" cocktail with snacks).
18:30 - 19:00: Cooking class in the restaurant or outdoors.
19:30 - 21:00: Savour a delicious set dinner in the restaurant.
21:00 - 23:00: Night-time squid fishing or relaxing and enjoying the fresh air.
Note: The above itinerary is for your reference only as each cruise will have a different itinerary and will be slightly different. Halong Bay Cruise is subjected to weather conditions.
Overnight Cruise in the Famous Halong Bay
Day 07: Halong – Hanoi (Brunch)
06:30: Enjoy the sunrise on the Bay. Morning Tai Chi session on the sundeck.
06:45 - 07:45: Coffee, tea, and breakfast pastries are served in the restaurant.
08:00 - 08:30: Transfer to bamboo sampan boat to visit Vung Vieng Fishing Village. Rowers are local people wearing traditional costumes.
09:00 - 09:30: Check out of cabins. Start cruising towards the port.
09:30 - 10:30: International buffet brunch served in the restaurant.
10:30 - 11:00: Disembark. Transfer back to Hanoi. Check in at the hotel and enjoy the rest of your day at leisure. Dinner on your own.
Overnight in Hanoi
Day 08: Hanoi City – Departure (B)
After breakfast at the hotel, it's your leisure time until we transfer you to Noi Bai Airport for your departure flight. Check-out time: 12h00. A late check-out can be arranged subject to room availability and a surcharge will be applied.
End of services.
Thank you for traveling with us!
Wishing You a Happy and Safe Journey
Package Includes:
- Hotel accommodation with daily breakfast on Double/ Twin or Triple sharing. If the listed hotel is fully booked, alternative accommodation will be offered
- Halong Bay with an overnight cruise. Cruise on non-private junk in Ha Long bay.
- Private transfer, meals, sightseeing, and entrance fees as specified in the itinerary
- Private English-speaking guide service
Package Excludes:
- Flight ticket, Airport taxes, fuel surcharge
- Early check-in or Late check-out
- Travel Insurance & other personal expenses.
- Tips for guide and driver
- Porterage
- Visa fee (if applicable)
- Beverage. Other services not mentioned above
Note:
- All rates are subjected to changes with or without prior notice
- All rates are subject to surcharges during Peak season and Holiday season if applicable.
- Halong cruise itinerary subject to vary without prior notice and each cruise might run on a different program.
- Transfer times are approximate and subject to local conditions at the time of travel and the daily order of sightseeing is subject to change
Please refer to Hanoi Premium Travel & tour booking terms-and-conditions