7-Day North Vietnam Tour from Hanoi with Halong Bay Cruise

• Meet your tour guide and driver, who will pick you up from Noi Bai Airport.
• Enjoy the 45-minute drive to the city centre in Hanoi Old Quarter, with a brief introduction to the city's most visited spots, culture, traffic, and cuisine. Arrive at your hotel, check in, and have a rest. (Hotel check-in time is 14:00.)
• Spend the rest of the day at leisure or visit the city on your own.

• Meet your tour guide, who will pick you up at 8:30 a.m. from your hotel to visit Bat Trang Village, located on the bank of the Red River, 20 km from the centre of Hanoi. Bat Trang is one of the country's most famous traditional craft villages, specialising in porcelain crafts. Built over 700 years ago, Bat Trang's name has a Chinese origin meaning "a large field where the bowls are made". Bat means bowl, and Trang means a specialised area.
• Visit the communal house dedicated to the man who created the porcelain craft village. Make a special visit to a family factory. Your tour guide will explain the processes of making ceramic products, and you may have a chance to work with the craftsmen.
• Stroll around to explore the village, visit some traditional ceramic ovens, and admire the beautiful products in the shops.
• Enjoy time shopping for souvenirs.
• Travel back to the city centre and have a break for lunch (at your own expense) before visiting the Temple of Literature, which was built under the Ly dynasty in the 11th century for worshipping Confucius and teaching royal children.
• Take a walk through the garden to Khue Van Cac, the symbol of the city. You will then visit the World Heritage stone steles, which show the names of outstanding students.
• Continue to explore Quoc Tu Giam, which is considered the first national university of Vietnam.
• Drive through the French Quarter, passing Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Presidential Palace, then continue to Hanoi Old Quarter, which was built in the 15th century as a trading centre in the capital with 36 streets of different products. Despite many changes, the Old Quarter is still considered a living city museum. Its unique tube houses, small alleys, temples, open-door markets, and street food vendors come together in beautiful harmony. Discovering the town on foot is the best way to stimulate all your senses.
• Watch a water puppet show with unique performances that first appeared in the 11th century. These shows portray the daily life, culture, and beliefs of Vietnamese people through puppets performing on water. The show usually also includes a traditional music performance.
• Return to your hotel.

• Meet your tour guide and depart for Mai Châu at 8:00 a.m. On the way, visit a Muong village.
• Continue to Thung Khe Pass, where you can enjoy magnificent panoramic views of the valley before arriving in Mai Châu town. Mai Châu is a beautiful valley located 145 km from Hanoi. It is a wonderful place with harmonious landscapes, green mountain ranges, rice terraces, and white Thai ethnic villages.
• Arrive in Mai Châu, check in to your accommodation, and have a break for lunch.
• Take a 5 km bike ride (optional) or walk to the rice fields in the afternoon. Discover the culture and daily life of the locals in Lac, Na Phon, and Poong Com villages. See rural work in the rice fields, weaving craftsmen, and local life.
• Return to your accommodation in the late afternoon.

Note: A private traditional music and dancing show by local people is available at an extra cost of $35 per group. Please ask our guide to make reservations if you are interested.

• Enjoy breakfast in this peaceful land, then travel to Mai Hich.
• Explore by bike (optional) or walk along the trails and concrete roads. You will be seduced by the gorgeous landscapes, including villages, rice fields, mountains, and streams, all 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 homes for a cup of tea.
• Return to Mai Châu to enjoy lunch, then depart for Ninh Bình.
• Stop on the way to meet local people and take pictures as you wish. Arrive in Ninh Bình in the late afternoon and check in to your accommodation.

• Have breakfast at the hotel, then travel to Tam Coc, which is well known as the "Halong Bay on land" and appeared in the famous French movie "Indochina".
• Take a private sampan boat upon arrival for a 90-minute cruise along the Ngo Dong River.
• Pass through three caves and witness a stunning landscape interwoven with small communities, rice fields, cemeteries, and temples.
• Continue to Bich Dong, a typical pagoda in the countryside of the Red River Delta, built in the 15th century. On arrival, you will cross a stone bridge to Chua Ha, from which more than 100 steps lead to Chua Trung, the cave pagoda with unique clay statues.
• Hike up to Chua Thuong. You will not only have the chance to learn about Buddhism but also experience incredible countryside views.
• Enjoy local cuisine in Tam Coc, then continue to Hoa Lư, the former capital of Vietnam from the 10th to the 11th century. The citadel is surrounded by limestone mountains and rivers, which naturally protected it and created an amazing picturesque setting.
• Visit the temples dedicated to Emperor Dinh Tien Hoang of the Dinh Dynasty (968-80) and Emperor Le Dai Hanh of the Le Dynasty (980-1009), who played a vital role in gaining the country's independence after a thousand years of Chinese rule. Both temples were built in the 17th century, symbolising deep respect for the kings' contributions.
• Transfer from Ninh Bình to Hanoi. Enjoy the journey through the Red River Delta, with many chances to take pictures of rice fields and the peaceful countryside.

• Meet the guide, who will pick you up at your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter. Enjoy a 3-hour drive from Hanoi to Halong Bay. Your journey passes a series of villages and rice fields in the Red River Delta. Stop for drinks and restroom breaks. Continue driving and arrive at the harbour around noon, where you will receive a warm welcome at reception.
• Check in to the boat at 12:30, followed by a cruise briefing and safety instructions. Start cruising and explore Halong Bay, one of the New Seven Wonders of Nature.
• Enjoy a buffet lunch with Vietnamese dishes served while cruising through the bay, passing some of the most beautiful and quiet areas, such as Incense Burner, Dog Stone Islet, Fighting Cock, Soi Sim Beach, and Coconut Tree Islands.
• Visit the Tung Sau area in the afternoon, surrounded by leaping rocks and a cultured pearl fishery. You can witness the process of pearl production, from culturing to harvesting and sculpting. You may also go kayaking, depending on your preference. Enjoy time with a pearl maker, and you can experience the completion of a pearl.
• Continue to beautiful Titov Beach for swimming, if the weather permits. Titov Beach is especially famous for its fresh atmosphere, clean water, and smooth white sand, creating a wonderful ambience for relaxation. You can also climb to the top of Titov Island for a panoramic view of Halong Bay.
• Return to the boat and enjoy free time while sailing to the Luon Bo area, where the boat will anchor overnight. (Optional massage service is available. Please book directly with the Cruise Manager and refer to the massage menu.)
• Attend a cooking class on the sundeck at 18:30 and learn how to make Vietnamese spring rolls, a traditional Vietnamese dish. Then enjoy Happy Hour (buy one drink, get one free). This is a great time to chat and relax while watching the magnificent sunset over Halong Bay. Evening activities include leisure time at the bar, watching movies and various Vietnamese cultural films, relaxing and spending a romantic night on the cruise, playing cards and chess, and reading magazines in your room. You may also try your luck at squid fishing and fishing from the boat.

Dinner - Deluxe Vietnamese BBQ Set Menu Dinner

• Start the day early at 6:30 a.m. onboard with a Tai Chi session on the sundeck. Tai Chi, also called Tai Chi Chuan, combines deep breathing and relaxation with slow and gentle movements. Coffee, tea, and pastries for breakfast are served in the dining room with a morning view of the bay's landscape.
• Transfer by tender to Sung Sot Cave. Walk up about 100 steps to the cave entrance. It takes approximately 45 minutes to visit Sung Sot Cave, one of the biggest caves in Halong Bay, with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites.
• Return to the cruise by tender. Check out and settle your bill at reception.
• Have a buffet brunch and enjoy the bay scenery while cruising back to Tuan Chau Wharf.
• Disembark at 11:30-12:00. Travel back to Hanoi. Have a rest stop on the way. Drop off at your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter.