Vietnam - Specifically The North

Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi arrival

Stop At: Hanoi, Hanoi
Warmly welcome to Hanoi, the 1000-year capital of Vietnam!
Upon arrival, you will be greeted by our local driver then transferred to Hanoi center to drop off luggage. Stay at leisure for refreshment after long flight.
Please note!
- Hotel check-in time is 14:00
- Depend on your arrival time, the program will be adjusted accordingly.
Duration: 2 hours

No meals included on this day.
Accommodation included: Hanoi Boutique - Deluxe room (3*)/ May De Ville Old Quarter -

Superior room (4*)


Day 2: Hanoi City Tour

Stop At: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, 2 Hung Vuong Ba Dinh Square, Hanoi 100000 Vietnam
It is your day to visit the Capital of Vietnam today. Let's start from the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his simple house-on-stilts and the One-Pillar pagoda near Ba Dinh Square, where the most solemn ceremonies of Hanoi take place. Go on to the Temple of Literature, the very first high school of Vietnam Scholars

Afternoon, we will visit Hoan Kiem Lake and the nearby Ngoc Son temple, Ly Thai To statue. Walk through the Old Quarter, a fascinating network of narrow alleys and shop houses also known as ‘The 36 Streets’ – each street being named after the merchandise traditionally sold there, ranging from fabrics to crafts and from medicines to tombstones.
Overnight in Hanoi
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Hanoi Boutique - Deluxe room (3*)/ May De Ville Old Quarter -

Superior room (4*)

Day 3: Hanoi – farm tour and cooking class at local family

Stop At: Manh's Farm Tour and Home Cooking Class in Hanoi, 4 Hamlet, Song Phuong Commune, Hanoi Vietnam
Morning, we leave Hanoi center and drive to the west of city. Our visit will start from a local market since Le Dynasty, Next to the market place is nice vegetable farms, where we take a tour around vegetable fields growing a variety of produce. Join a local farmer with his daily work. Depend on the season this will involve ranking, sowing, water greens, picking greens and other garden activities. During the work, learn more about cultivation techniques and lifestyle through the farmer’s stories. At noon time, we will visit a local family and learn how to prepare delicious local meals by fresh ingredients, then make traditional cake while learning more about Vietnamese family's customs. Enjoy special tea and local wine from the host. Bid farewell to the family and driver back Hanoi center later on.
Duration: 4 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Hanoi Boutique - Deluxe room (3*)/ May De Ville Old Quarter -

Superior room (4*)

Day 4: Hanoi – Pu Luong Retreat - Water wheels walk

Stop At: Pu Luong Nature Reserve, Pho Doan, Thanh Hoa 448100 Vietnam
Early morning, check out and take drive to Pu Luong (150km from Hanoi).
Enter Pu Luong Nature Reserve by road via a breathtaking mountain pass giving you a panoramic view of the whole valley. You arrive at your accommodation in time for a delicious lunch, followed by free time to explore the beautiful retreat, with its captivating panoramic views and tranquil setting.
Transfer to a suspension bridge over the Cham River, where you begin your walk in search of stunning water wheels. Get up close to each wheel and discover how water is moved from river to handmade bamboo aqueducts via simple constructions of all sizes.
Arriving at scenic Tan Lap Bridge, you disembark to be transferred back to Pu Luong Retreat for dinner.
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Pu Luong Retreat / Deluxe valley-front pool room

Day 5: Pu Luong Retreat - Enthralling Trekking Routes

Stop At: Pu Luong Retreat, Thành Lâm, Bá Thước District, Thanh Hoa, Vietnam
Breakfast at the retreat. We start early in the morning to descend into the beautiful valley facing the Retreat where you walk around tumbling rice terraces. Trek through small paths shrouded in vegetation to slowly reveal a picturesque village sitting at the base of a towering mountain. Your camera will not be able to sit still!

Continuing to the base of the valley, you weave between roads and farm land, villages and wild fields, ponds and rivers, mountains and open land. Savour the ever-changing scenery as you trek to a beautiful spot to enjoy a simple picnic lunch.

After enjoying delicious food, you have your free afternoon to explore the refreshing water to the nearby river, before moving to pick up point to be transferred back to the Retreat for dinner.

Overnight in Pu Luong.
Duration: 2 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Pu Luong Retreat / Deluxe valley-front pool room

Day 6: Pu Luong - Village life and the community– Hanoi

Stop At: Pu Luong Nature Reserve, Pho Doan, Thanh Hoa 448100 Vietnam
Breakfast at the retreat.

You have the chance to get close to village life and interact with locals living in the hills above the Retreat. Glimpse at daily life, walk around working farmland and rice fields, and learn about making weaving colorful textiles, followed by lunch at the Lodge.

Check out the Lodge in the afternoon and transfer back to your hotel in Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.
Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
Accommodation included: Hanoi Boutique - Deluxe room (3*)/ May De Ville Old Quarter -

Superior room (4*)

Day 7: Hanoi – Halong Bay

Stop At: Halong Bay Vietnam
After breakfast, head East for more than 3 hours to Halong Bay, the pride of the Gulf of Tonkin, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO in 1994 and 2006. Upon arrival in Halong, check in the overnight cruise to discover the magnificent beauty of this “Descending-dragon” bay, created by thousands odd-shaped limestone rocks and karst grottoes. After a lunch on board, we can visit the Grottos, stop for swimming or kayaking, passing floating houses and approach islets to enjoy their beauty in close distance. Back to the cruise, enjoy cooking demonstration before having dinner. Evening attend activities on the boat or relax at your own leisure. Overnight on the cruise.

Please note the program may be little varied upon the cruise you choose.
Duration: 5 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch
• Dinner
Accommodation included: Oriental Sail /Deluxe room (3*)/ Grayline Cruise /Deluxe room (4*)

Day 8: Halong Bay – Hanoi

Stop At: Halong Bay Vietnam
You should wake up early to enjoy the dawn on the sea in the early morning. The Vietnamese call the "East Sea" by a point-oriented name "Eastern Sea", so you may guess how miraculous seeing the sunrise over the islets of the Bay. After breakfast our boat will continue to cruise in marvelous areas, where almost each islet has its own name, adopting its shape or reminiscent like Sail Island, Fisherman’s head rock, Butterfly rock or Turtle islet etc. Check out your room and have brunch on board while the cruise coming back the pier. Transfer overland to Hanoi. Check in hotel. Your time at leisure. Overnight in Hanoi
Duration: 3 hours

Meals included:
• Breakfast
• Lunch: Brunch
Accommodation included: Hanoi Boutique - Deluxe room (3*)/ May De Ville Old Quarter -

Superior room (4*)

Day 9: Hanoi at leisure

Stop At: Hanoi, Hanoi
Breakfast at hotel.
Stay at leisure today at your own for relaxing or shopping around. Overnight in Hanoi.

Meals included:
• Breakfast
Accommodation included: Hanoi Boutique - Deluxe room (3*)/ May De Ville Old Quarter Superior room (4*)

Day 10: Hanoi Departure

Stop At: Hanoi, Hanoi
At your leisure until your driver comes to meet and transfer you to the airport to take the departure flight. End of services.
Please note!
- Hotel check-out time is 12:00

Duration: 1 hour

Meals included:
• Breakfast
No accommodation included on this day.