Northern Highlights 12 days

The colonial capital city Hanoi is a unique Asian city with tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and oriental pagodas and temples.

This full day tour takes you around Hanoi's most interesting sights, including the Ho Chi Minh Complex: Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and his Stilt House, Presidential Palace and the One Pillar Pagoda nearby, and the Old Quarter also known as the 36 streets and guilds. Also on the tour - the Lake of the Restored Sword and Ngoc Son Temple, the Temple of Literature, peaceful West Lake along lovers' street Thanh Nien, the tranquil Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple and one of the city's museums, either the History Museum or the Ethnology Museum.

12:15 Arrive in Ha Long city, board our traditional wooden junk boat, Huong Hai Junk, for an overnight journey. Sip on a refreshing welcome drink upon check in before you begin your cruise through the bay. Feast on a delicious lunch as you cruise among hundreds of islets (Dinh Huong islet, Ga Choi – Fighting Cock islet, Dog islet, Finger islet, etc.) to discover unspoilt pockets of Halong Bay and visit Sung Sot cave, one of the most imposing grottos of the Bay. Swim at Soi Sim beach or Titov beach or a short trek to the top of Titov mountain for a magnificent panorama scenery. Kayaking option: After visiting Amazing cave, you can go kayaking from Soi Sim beach to Luon Cave to enjoy the quiet atmosphere of the bay (or from Bo Nau cave, to Soi Sim beach to TiTov)

19:30 Enjoy your dinner with fresh seafood on board.

21:30 Squid fishing or relax and chatting with your partner, friends, family. Overnight on Ha Long Bay aboard Huong Hai Junk.

07:00 For early risers complimentary tea, coffee, fruit and cake are served. 08:00 Visit Luon cave on small bamboo boat paddle by out crew staff and enjoy the quiet atmosphere enclosed by high islets and mountains. Be back to our Huong Hai Junk. Sail past rock formations such as Man’s Head islet, Tortoise islet, Butterfly cave, Lion islet, Bai Tho mountain, enjoy the tranquil scenery as the boat meanders its way through the bay on the way back to Ha Long city, etc. Arrange your luggage and do the check out onboard at around 9.00 am. Enjoy a wholesome brunch as your boat weaves through strange-shaped limestone rock formations.

11:45 Arrive back at Ha Long city for disembarkation where your driver waits to take you back to Ninh Binh via Thai Binh, the heart of the Red River Delta.. Overnight in Ninh Binh.

In the morning take a sampan on Ngo Dong River, Halong Bay on land to visit enjoy the scenery of Tam Coc caves and ancient temples, green rice fields and the life of farmers in the Red River Delta. Drive and spend one hour visiting the King Dinh and King Le temples of the Ancient Capital Hoa Lu. Have lunch in a local restaurant and drive to the Phat Diem Cathedral.Overnight in Ninh Binh.

Today you take a drive West toward Mai Chau with one stop along the way for refreshments and coffee. Continue driving toward Mai Chau valley stopping on the way to take in the spectacular scenery. Our hosts for this evening will be the White Thai minority people and we will stay in one of their traditional stilt houses. There, we will be toasted as honoured guests and will be able to sample some of their homemade rice wine! In sampling these people's hospitality, we will discover a little more about their lives and culture following the evening meal. Free. At leisure. Tonight's accommodation will probably be a little more rustic than your usual accommodations at home.

This morning you are free to wander around the villages to get in touch with the Thai ethnic people. Leave Mai Chau for Hoa Binh - the capital of the Muong ethnic people. Visit Muong people village. Back to Hanoi where you have ree time to walk in the Old Quarter for shopping or simply enjoy a cup of coffee at one of the cafes by the Hoan Kiem lake. Meet with your guide for transfer to Hanoi Railway Station for night train to Lao Cai. Overnight on train.

The train arrives at the Lao Cai train station at approximately 6 am. There will be a vehicle waiting to transfer us to Sapa. The drive to Sapa is only 33 km, but it takes around 1.5 hours. Once at Sapa, we will check into hotel ( early check-in subject to availablitity). Time to freshen up and have breakfast at the hotel. Then, enjoy a free morning to explore around town. At 10 am from the hotel there will be a walking tour to the hill tribe villages of Cat Cat, home to the H'mong hill tribes minority peoples. As we walk to the villages nestled in the valley below Sapa, we will meet some of the local minority people on their way to and from Sapa. Here we have the opportunity to share cultural experiences with the families that live in the area. Overnight in Sapa.

Following breakfast at we explore the Sapa daily market and then set out on our 3-4 hour trek that will take us along buffalo paths and trails and through several hilltribe villages of Lao Chai and Tavan, home to H'mong, and Dzay people. This is an absolutely spectacular walk through stunning scenery inhabited by some of the friendliest people you can meet. Stop for a picnic lunch on the way at a family in Ta Van village. Overnight in Sapa.

In the morning visit Ham Rong Mountain, which offers you a great view of Sapa and the surrounding area and its orchids gardens.

At noon you check-out and take a drive to visit Ta Phin village, home to the Red Dao minority people then transfer to Lao Cai Railway station for night train to Hanoi. Overnight on train.

Early arrive in Hanoi Railway Station. Pick up and transfer to have breakfast and coffee before drive to Perfume pagoda.

On arrival take a cruise along a river to an area considered by Vietnamese Buddhists as a holy. Climbing up to the mountain, visit beautiful temples and pagodas built on cliffs. It will provide you a nice balance of cultural exploration and physical exercise. Picnic lunch or lunch at a local restaurant before driving back to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.

There are no activities planned for today. You may enjoy your free time until transfer to the airport for your onward flight. End of services.

Almost all of our tours are daily departure. To make a booking, you must submit a reservation form. Then we process the booking and reply to you within 24 hours.

You can reserve by phone or by fax: You can call our 24/7 call center hotline at ++ 84.1234 68 69 96 or ++ 84.24.3927 4120 or send us a fax using our form at ++84.24.3927 4118.

Yes, of course if you would like to make a reservation directly with the tour operator or travel agent, you will need to contact them directly. However, we are in good position to make the offer, make the booking and run the trip as we are a local tour operator.

You will be notified via an e-mail (within 24 hours after placing your order) and we will do our best to suggest or book an alternative similar hotel based on your preferences and our experience.

We can only guarantee bookings made at least 3-working days (not including Sun & Public holidays) before the departure date.

You can book as far as 24 months in advance, but please ensure you remember you have made the reservation. We will charge 20% of total rate is required upon the confirmation of services require full payment 60 days before departure.

You can expect to receive the invoice as a reminder well in advance of your trip.

To complete a reservation for someone else, simply type in his or her name instead of yours for guest name. Don’t forget to use your email address to receive your confirmation information.

Please inform us and the hotel immediately as any changes or fee will depend on the hotel policy. We will also try our best to offer you similar ground services.

Making an online reservation is easy and safe. Just complete the secure reservations form (SSL – 128bit), making sure that you give us your e-mail address.. As soon as we receive your request we will reply within 24 hours.