Northern Vietnam tour 11 days

Arrive at Noi Bai Airport. Meeting with guide and transfer to the hotel. The rest of this day will take time to explore Hanoi charm city by you.

Hotel overnight, Ha Noi City

AM: Getting started from your hotel at 8.30 AM, driving to visit Ho Chi Minh complex, including Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum – the final resting place of the Vietnamese great father or uncle Ho, President Ho Chi Minh’s stilt House – where he lived on and off from 1958 to 1969, the next place to move to is One Pillar Pagoda – a group of structures consisting of a pagoda and a tower built in the middle of a square lake. Leave One Pillar Pagoda and transfer to West Lake, visit Tran Quoc pagoda then having lunch.

PM: After lunch, you will be transferred to visit the Temple of literature. Continue to visit Museum of Ethnology – the most interesting museum in Hanoi with many different things relating the 54 Vietnamese ethnic groups. After that, you will visit Hoan Kiem lake (Restore Sword Lake). The last place of the tour is taking a walk for few minutes to visit The old quarter of Hanoi, finally enjoy Vietnam traditional water puppet show within one hour, having dinner then night train to Sapa.

Hotel overnight, Hanoi city

AM: CTV team will pick up you at hotel in Hanoi, then driving to the south of Hanoi with 2 hours to Ninh Binh province.
It will be an exciting day highlighted firstly by 2 hours local boat ride in Tam Coc streams that we will enjoy the spectacular scenery while gliding along the river among rice paddies and ranges of limestone mountains peaking up towers over you.

PM: After lunch served with local food at a restaurant riverside, a short transfer through the peaceful country road to Hoa Lu, once the Vietnam’s ancient capital 11 centuries ago.
Here are the two temples dedicated to the King Dinh and King Le, the founder of the capital in 10th century. Return to Hanoi at about 5.00 p.m.

Hotel overnight, Ninh Binh Town

AM: After breakfast at hotel, We are driving to Hai Phong city; we visit Keo Pagoda in Thai Binh province on the way which is one of the oldest and biggest pagodas in Vietnam and the keep on going to Hai Phong city. We check in hotel and having lunch in Hai Phong city.

PM: After lunch, We travel around Hai Phong city to visit the City Museum, Du Hang Pagoda, the Hang Kenh Tapestry Factory and local markets.

Hotel overnight, Hai Phong city

AM: After hotel breakfast, We transfer to  Hai Phong harbour to take  hydrofoil (speed boat) from Hai Phong to Cat Ba Island (45 minutes).

PM: Welcome to Cat Ba island, check in hotel, have a lunch and then at leisure on beach for swimming ….

Resort overnight, Cat Ba island

AM: Breakfast in Cat Ba island resort and then take car / van to Beo pier to take the boat trip around Lan Ha bay. Cat Ba island boat cruise around and stop some small desert islands for swimming with far from touristy area and we have picnic lunch on the board.

PM: Our boat cruise back to Cat Ba Island and then your free time to explore Cat Ba island town

Resort overnight, Cat Ba island

AM: Following breakfast this morning, then leaving Cat Ba island take boat trip to Halong bay. On the cruising route, we stop to visit Sung Sot cave that is one of the biggest and most beautiful caves in Halong bay and Lan Ha bay. The lunch will be served on the boat with seafood while the boat is cruising up to the land of Halong city.

PM: After Halong bay and Lan Ha boat trip, we meet with our vehicle for the 3hour drive back to Hanoi for taking over stop in Hanoi mini hotel with shower and preparing for night train to Sapa at 9.15 PM

Train overnight, Train is from Hanoi to Sapa

AM: The train arrives in Lao Cai at 6.30 a.m, CTV team will welcome you by your name sign. We drive up to Sapa about 50 minutes on Car / Van, you will be taken to a small guesthouse for a morning showers then your breakfast at a local restaurant here. After breakfast & short morning beak, we start trekking from Sapa town. Our trekking route is from here to through the villages of Hmong and Zay people, chances to meet the locals working on the mountainsides or the rice terraces, kids ride on back of buffalo, to take photograph of  picturesque valleys & awesome scenery. We have picnic lunch on trekking route.

PM:  After lunch keep on trekking to Ta Van village of Zay people, where you will be warmly welcomed by the host, share the dinner with them, and stay at their traditional wooden house.

Homestay in Ta Van village,  Sapa 

AM: After breakfast; we are on the beaten track to GiangTaChai village of the Red Dzao minority via the paths between terraces and through bamboo forests. Visit silver waterfall and suspension Rattan Bridge, visit the people in the village and then cross Muong Hoa River up to the mountain to visit the last village of the trek - Supan village of the H'mong then having picnic lunch.

PM: Get back to Sapa by Car / Van. On the way back, enjoy visiting the ancient stone circle where stones are decorated with ancient carvings. Check in hotel. and your free time to explore  Sapa town.

Hotel overnight, Sapa town

AM: Breakfast, visit village of the black H'mong (Cat Cat village), walk around visiting people in the village and the hydroelectric power station built by the French in the old days.  Back town have lunch

PM: Check out hotel, free to explore the town. At about 5 PM. drive to Lao Cai station for a night train back to Hanoi

Train overnight, Train is from Sapa to Hanoi

Car / Van pick you up from Hotel and transfer to Noi Bai airport for Hanoi Noi departure to the next destination or coming back home.  Goodbye Vietnam and Hen gap lai (See you again)!