Highlights
Halong Bay is best taken slowly, from the deck of a traditional junk, limestone islands drifting past and fresh local seafood coming out of the galley.
The rail line between Hanoi and Sapa curves through open country, and the window view earns its ticket.
Leave the crowds of Hanoi behind for Dong Ngac, an old village unlike anywhere else nearby.
Tour Details
10 Days / 9 Nights
Departs every other Sundays
Trip Grading: Easy
3 - 4 Star Hotels
Group Size 16 PAX (Maximum)
Includes Daily Breakfast, 3 Lunches, 2 Dinners
Guaranteed Departure with minimum of 2 PAX
Itinerary
You land in Hanoi, transfer to the hotel, and the hours until the tour briefing are yours.
The city is left behind this morning for Dong Ngac, an old village with a character all its own. You ride around it by bicycle, pausing at the market to pick up fresh produce for the meal ahead. The historic Communal House is on the route, and in the Ancestral House a member of the resident Do Clan hosts you and explains how life here actually works. A cooking class follows; whatever you produce becomes lunch, and then the road leads back to Hanoi.
A morning set aside for a handful of the capital's more singular addresses. Hoa Lo Prison, notorious under the nickname 'Hanoi Hilton Prison', comes first, followed by the Temple of Literature, then a long wander around the Ho Chi Minh Quarter. Free time follows, then you board the Fanxipan Overnight Train for the run north to Sapa, and that is where tonight is spent (or a comparable service).
An early arrival at Lao Cai Station, then the transfer to your hotel. Breakfast first, and the guided walk begins: Lao Chai and Tan Van, two villages sitting quietly in the Muong Hoa valley. At Hau Thao and Saseng you meet Black H'mong families and watch the day unfold at their own pace. A gentle trek finishes in the Ta Van Hoa Valley, where terraced paddies stack up the slopes and the views run a long way.
The day opens with a drive out to Ban Khoang, a far-flung village belonging to the Red Dzao. Walking its lanes, you pick up something of their customs, their distinct culture and the way they have chosen to live. The road carries on into the Ta Giang Phinh valley and a string of smaller settlements, where daily routines are on plain view, and lunch is taken before the drive back to Sapa.
An unhurried drive along the mountainside, pausing at the Silver Waterfalls and then Tram Ton Pass, which locals call 'Heaven's Gate'. From there you trek across rice fields under the bulk of the Hoang Lien Son range. On the way back stands O Quy Ho, a village farm raising medicinal plants, flowers and speciality produce. Towards evening you head down to Lao Cai station for the night departure; the Fanxipan Overnight Train is your bed again, or a comparable service.
The train pulls into Hanoi early and breakfast is a local one, shared with the rest of the group. From there it is a drive to Ninh Binh, a handsome place threaded with rivers and paddy fields and studded with hundreds of limestone towers. Hoa Lu, the old capital, comes first; then a rowing boat takes you through Trang An and its long chain of caves and grottos. The rest of the day is free.
The morning drive heads for Halong Bay, one of the great natural sights in Vietnam, where a well-fitted junk is waiting. Lunch is served on board, and the afternoon goes to the quieter corners of this peaceful bay that most people never reach. Come evening you can withdraw to your private cabin, stretch out on deck or settle in at the bar. The night is spent aboard Bhaya Cruises (or a comparable vessel).
Sunrise comes with Tai Chi up on the sundeck. Brunch is served while the boat makes its way back to port, and from there a vehicle returns you to Hanoi. The afternoon is open, and the group gathers again in the evening for a farewell dinner.
Breakfast, then the transfer out to the airport for whatever comes next.
What´s included
- 7 nights in described Hotel or similar
- 1 Night Cruise Accommodation
- 1 night train journey, Hanoi to Sapa
- Daily Breakfast for 2 Persons
- 3 Lunches, 2 Dinners
- Transport in air-conditioned vehicles
- Small group touring
- All Entrance fees
- English speaking tour leader
- All Tipping
- Arrival and departure transfers
Excluded
- Any Personal Expenses
- Visa fees
- Porters
- Insurance, plus personal items: laundry, mini-bar, phone calls and drinks
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