DAY 1 : HANOI / ARRIVAL (-/-/D)
You will meet your guide on arrival, transfer and check-in to your hotel. During the drive your guide will provide an introduction to Hanoi, answer any questions you have, and make arrangements for the following day. NOTE : kindly note that should you arrive early, an early check-in is not included and subject to hotel’s availability. Your guide will brief an orientation of the city along the way. Once checked in we leave you at your leisure.
Enjoy free time for the remainder of the first day. Hanoi is Vietnam’s capital city and home to seven million people. Traditional and refined, with French colonial architecture, tree-lined boulevards, scenic lakes and a bustling Old Quarter, Hanoi has a sophisticated charm. Observe elderly people practicing Tai Chi by the lake, with barbers and food vendors plying their sidewalk trade.
DAY 2 : HANOI / LAO CAI (B/L/-)
Accompanied by your guide, the day starts with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an imposing monument lavishly built using marble and granite, where the preserved body of “Uncle Ho” resides. See the lotus shaped One Pillar Pagoda which rests on a single stone pillar emerging from the water, and then explore the Temple of Literature, the first University for the sons of mandarins, to gain an overview of Hanoi culture and ancient Vietnamese architecture. In the afternoon, visit the Museum of Ethnology offering a fascinating insight into Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minority groups. Enjoy a walking tour through the bustling Old Quarter before ending the day with a show at the water puppet theatre – a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes of rural life and episodes of national history. Your guide will assist you in checking in to your overnight train from Hanoi to Lao Cai for your trip to Sapa.
DAY 3 : LAO CAI / SAPA (B/L/-)
Arriving early, you meet your guide and visit a nearby hotel for a quick refresh and breakfast. The former French hill station of Sapa is characterised by rocky mountain ridges, terraced rice paddies and lush green valleys. Sapa is located in the picturesque Hoang Lien Son mountain range on the border with China. Colourful hill tribe minorities inhabit the surrounding mountains, each with their own distinctive style of dress. From early childhood, girls learn to grow and weave hemp, dye cloth, and decorate the families clothing with traditional embroidery motifs.
Visit a colourful market where the many different ethnic groups such as Flower H'mong, Phu La, Black Dao, Tay and Nung minorities gather to buy and sell local products that cannot be found elsewhere. Explore a remote village market where ethnic people sell homemade wares and produce such as embroidery, tobacco, rice wine, chickens, pigs, horses and buffaloes. Observe locals haggling, catching up with friends, and going about their business. At another hill tribe village, take an optional water buffalo cart ride and later enjoy a peaceful trip on a local boat down the Chay river with more stunning scenery.
DAY 4 : SAPA / LAO CAI / HANOI (B/L/-)
Spend the day touring and light trekking the beautiful mountain countryside. Take your time to photograph one of the world’s most breathtaking farmland vistas with its terraced valleys that employ traditional agriculture methods. Trekking through the Muong Hoa valley, marvel at ancient engineering techniques employed by the local farmers as they control water flow through the rice paddy terraces on the steep mountain slopes. See the different costumes of the Zay minority and Red Dao people as you trek through Giang Ta Chai village. Say goodbye to your guide as you depart on the overnight train back to Hanoi.
DAY 5 : HANOI / HALONG BAY (B/L/D)
Arriving early, you will meet your guide and have the opportunity to freshen up and have breakfast.
Travel to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong Bay and board your deluxe junk for your overnight cruise. Marvel at the dramatic vista and relax onboard, as you sail amongst the thousands of limestone islands that rise from the turquoise waters of the Gulf of Tonkin. Rock sculptures jut dramatically from the sea and the numerous caves and grottoes have created an enchanting, timeless world. Set sail through Bai Tu Long Bay whilst a seafood lunch is served, then sit back, relax and enjoy the scenery as you cruise past various islands en route to Cua Van fishing village. Explore the floating village by bamboo rowing boat. Visit Tien Ong Cave before returning to the junk for sunset cocktails and canapés, followed by dinner served on the deck or in the restaurant.
DAY 6 : HALONG BAY / HANOI (B/L/-)
Why not begin the day with a Tai Chi class on the top deck? Or just admire the beautiful scenery as the sun rises over the azure waters. Choose between an excursion to a secluded island with a sandy beach for a morning swim, or join the chef for a cooking demonstration to learn more about Vietnamese cuisine. Enjoy a buffet brunch as your junk cruises Halong Bay, passing islets and caves as you make your way back to the dock. You have the option to visit a pottery workshop on the trip back to Hanoi, where you will check back into your Hanoi hotel.
DAY 7 : HANOI DEPARTURE (B/-/-)
On your last day enjoy free time until your departure transfer and onwards flight.