Welcome to Vietnam. On arrival in Hanoi, you will be met at the airport and transferred to your hotel, where your room is available from 2:00 PM onwards.

The rest of the day is free for you to enjoy this energetic capital at your own pace. Shaped by a blend of Chinese, French, and Southeast Asian influences, Hanoi rewards slow exploration: wander the Old Quarter, do some shopping, taste local street food, or catch a water puppet show on your own. Meals are at your own arrangement. Overnight in Hanoi.

Optional Tour (Supplement): Hanoi Half-Day City Tour

In the afternoon, discover the charm of Vietnam’s capital on a half-day city tour. Begin at the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam), founded in 1070 as the first university of Vietnam and one of Northern Vietnam’s most attractive sights, with free time to shop along the way. Continue to Train Street in Phung Hung, Hoan Kiem, where you settle in with a drink of your choice and wait for the train to pass through the narrow lane at twilight. Your guide then takes you to the Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre, where expertly handled puppets perform on the water’s surface and offer a glimpse of Vietnam’s colourful past. Meals are on your own. Overnight at the hotel.

Depart Hanoi at around 6:00-6:30 AM by shared limousine to Sapa, a charming mountain town in the Hoang Lien Son Range. The journey of approximately 5.5-6 hours follows a modern expressway past scenic countryside, lush valleys, and terraced rice fields.

On arrival, enjoy lunch at a local restaurant (at your own expense) before beginning your exploration of the region’s landscapes and ethnic minority culture. In the afternoon, set out with your guide on a scenic walk south of Sapa to Cat Cat Village, then continue through the winding valleys towards Y Linh Ho, where terraced fields spill down the hillsides and a deep gorge reveals a rushing river below. Trek along gentle slopes and pause to watch local children casting their nets in the water.

Further on, you reach the terraced hamlets of the Black H’mong community, where you can stroll at your own pace, breathe in the crisp mountain air, and take in the surrounding scenery before returning to your hotel in the late afternoon. Meals are at your own arrangement. Overnight in Sapa.

This morning, your guide escorts you to the cable car station, where you board the Muong Hoa funicular train from Sapa town to the departure point. From there, a scenic 20-minute cable car ride offers panoramic views over the mountains and valleys.

On reaching an altitude of around 2,800 metres, you have time to explore the area, visit the pagodas and spiritual sites, and take photos. Reaching the summit of Fansipan (3,143m, the Roof of Indochina) involves walking up approximately 600 steps; for those who prefer not to walk, a short mountain train is available on site at your own expense. Afterwards, return by cable car and funicular train to Sapa town.

Check out of your hotel. The limousine collects you at around 2:00 PM for the drive back to Hanoi (about 5.5-6 hours, with two short breaks on the road). Check in to your hotel and enjoy the evening at leisure. Meals are on your own. Overnight in Hanoi.

Leave Hanoi in the morning for Halong Bay, arriving around noon. Board a traditional junk for a spectacular five-hour day cruise of the bay, with a fresh seafood lunch served on board.

Take in the aquamarine waters and limestone formations that have made Halong Bay one of Southeast Asia’s premier destinations, visit a few of its most famous caves, and watch the sunset over the bay. Return to the harbour and transfer to your hotel for check-in. Dinner is on your own. Overnight in Hanoi.

At 8:00 AM, your guide collects you from the hotel for the drive to Ninh Binh province, about 120 km from Hanoi.

At around 10:30 AM, visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital, the first capital of Vietnam. Here you learn why the capital was later moved to Hanoi, and step inside the temples of King Dinh and King Le, the first and second emperors of ancient Vietnam, built in the 17th century. At 11:30 AM, spend 45 minutes cycling around the village to discover the life of local people, followed by lunch at a restaurant serving a range of local dishes at 12:30 PM.

From about 1:30 PM, visit Trang An, recognised by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in 2014 and chosen as a filming location for Kong: Skull Island in 2016. A boat trip takes you through its remarkable tunnel cave system, including Sang Cave (Light Cave), Toi Cave (Dark Cave), and Nau Ruou Cave (Wine-Making Cave), along a green river framed by natural karst scenery.

At 4:00 PM, continue to Mua Cave (Dancing Cave), where almost 500 steps lead to the top of Lying Dragon Mountain and an amazing panoramic view over Tam Coc. Depart at 5:30 PM and arrive back in Hanoi at around 7:30 PM for drop-off at your hotel. Please note that your guide may adjust the order of the itinerary depending on weather conditions.

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and free time at leisure until your scheduled transfer to Noi Bai International Airport for your departure flight.

We hope you have enjoyed your memorable journey through Vietnam and wish you a pleasant onward journey. End of services.