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Along the banks of the Red River lies Hanoi, a city locked in time yet simultaneously leaping forward. Hanoi’s atmospheric Old Quarter, beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake and classic colonial architecture will leave you enchanted. There are excellent museums and art galleries to tour and when you get hungry, you’ll find the northern streetfood is both abundant and delicious. Pull up a chair at one of many charming cafes to watch life unfurl and gain a sense of the city’s timeless rhythm.
Not far from Hanoi waits the fairy tale landscape of Ninh Binh, where sheer limestone cliffs rear straight up from paddy fields, and rowboats will bring you on a mesmerising journey through river caves. No visit to the north is complete without a cruise on Halong Bay to soak in the sight of thousands of islets and the bay’s deep emerald green waters.
Xin chao! Welcome to Vietnam! Pick up at Noi Bai International Airport by local guide and transfer to hotel in Hanoi.
Rest of the day is free at leisure.
Overnight in Hanoi.
Note: Hotel’s check-in time is 14:00
Morning visit Temple of Literature – the first university of Vietnam built in
11th century, followed by President Ho
Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, his house-on-stilts
and the nearby One Pillar Pagoda.
In the afternoon take a 45-minute cyclo ride around
the Old Quarter to see daily life of Hanoians, followed by a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake and visit to
Ngoc Son Temple.
Overnight in Hanoi.
Note: Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum opens in the morning
only and closes on Mondays and Fridays. Other museums also close on Mondays. Ho
Chi Minh’s Mausoleum closes annually on October and November for maintenance.
This is a 4-hour drive, including a
leg-stretching break en-route, to the mountainous plateau of Hang Kia. Hang Kia
is on H’mong ethnic lands, a remote village known for its plum trees and the
beauty of their flowers. You have lunch at a local home, and will be treated on
traditional H’mong delicacies. For this meal and the other in the mountainous
area, we will dine in the local way: several dishes of meats and vegetables are
served at once with rice and broth on the side. Everyone is served a bowl of rice
and then pick here and there with chopsticks some meats and vegetables to eat
along.
After lunch, you will join the Batik workshop of
H’mong people to study their unique wax resist dye technique with symbols for
expressions of nature and spiritual depictions. This is an introduction to
Hmong culture and batik design, offering a rare insight into the richness of
Hmong culture in a warm, friendly, family environment. After the workshop, you
will bring back your hand-made Batik cloth as a memory of H’mong unique crafts.
Take your time to walk around the village before driving deeper into the valley
until we reach a small hamlet called Ban Buoc.
Waken up in the early morning, this is the best
time of day to go for a walk on single trails and enjoy the quaint atmosphere
of this lovely piece of countryside. We recommend a 12-kilometer gentle hike to
the village of Mai Hich. The opportunity to tread lightly and meet locals along
rice fields, hamlets and vegetables gardens. Bicycles are also available if you
prefer to make the little exploration on two wheels. We arrive at a local
family-ran guesthouse in Mai Hich on stilts where we have lunch and relax
Overnight in Mai Hich
In the morning, you'll take the drive to Cuc
Phuong National Park. Upon arrival, visit the Visitor Center and the Endangered
Primate Rescue Center, dedicated to the rehabilitation, breeding, research,
and conservation of endangered primates. Today it is home to over 140 primates
in 15 species and subspecies, including six species which are kept only here
and in no other facility in the world. Take a 2.5 hour hike to visit the 1000-year-old tree. You have chance to
understand about many different kind of trees and plants, animals and insects.
On the way back visit Prehistoric Men
Cave where ancient people lived 7,500 years ago.
Overnight in Cuc Phuong.
After breakfast, say farewell to the host and
depart for Ha Long Bay, one of the
most stunning natural wonders of Vietnam, a picturesque blend of harmonious
transition between the mountains and the sea. On arrival, board a traditional
junk and head out into the Gulf of Tonkin amongst the huge limestone outcrops
and emerald waters. Lunch is served onboard while the junk cruises through
scenic part of the bay.
In the afternoon, we reach a less travelled area where we will devote ourselves to pure relaxation. The program is not fixed and depends on the time of the year and weather, but there will be an opportunity to visit a cave as well as explore a floating village or do a little bit of kayaking over the course of these 2 days. We end the day on the sundeck as the sun sets on this magical seascape. This evening, you can enjoy an aperitif or attend a cooking demonstration before dinner. Overnight in a comfortable private cabin with an en-suite bathroom.
Note: Cruise itinerary and schedule are subject to change due to weather, tide levels and operating conditions. Swimming or kayaking excursions may be cancelled due to poor weather.
For those early birds, start the day with a
proposed Tai Chi session, while tea and coffee are served as the sun rises and
illuminates the surrounding seascape. We then continue our exploration of the
bay. Upon returning to the boat, check-out of your cabin and enjoy a light
brunch while cruising back to the pier. We disembark and transfer back to
Hanoi.
Rest of the day is free at leisure.
Overnight in Hanoi.
Transfer with
guide to Noi Bai International Airport for departure flight.
Note: Hotel’s check-out time is 12:00
Arrange your trip in advance - book this tour now!