Northern Vietnam In Depth

This "Northern Vietnam in Depth" lasting for 10 days from Asia King Travel features all different geographical areas in the region and gives you a lot of chances to interact with locals and experience attractive activities.

10 days

Vietnam

Classic Highlights

- Trekking Tours

Attractions

Ha Noi - Sapa - Ninh Binh - Ha Long City

Duration

10 days

Code

VCT7

Overview

Overview

Discover the beauty and depth of North Vietnam with the 12-day North Vietnam in Depth tour. Begin in Hanoi, the “Paris of the Orient,” and take in the stunning sights of the city. Experience the night train to Lao Cai, then take a short trek to the Hmong and Zay villages of Lao Chai and Ta van, where you'll enjoy breathtaking views of rice field terraces.

Next, sneak into Bac Ha market on Sunday, where you'll witness the unique cultural features of remote mountainous areas. Take a relaxing boat trip in Thac Ba Lake and a hand-rowing boat trip through the beautiful landscape of Trang An, known as "Halong Bay on land."

Return to Hanoi and embark on a full-day trip, exploring the city's many treasures. Then, travel to the UNESCO-listed Halong Bay, where you'll spend a serene night on board, surrounded by pure, fresh atmosphere. Return to Hanoi for a final night before departing.

This comprehensive tour provides a unique opportunity to experience the stunning landscapes, rich culture, and deep history of North Vietnam. From the bustling city streets to the tranquil countryside, every moment of this journey is sure to leave an indelible impression.

Highlights

Take a beautiful picture of Hanoi city– the Paris of the Orient after taking one full day trip
Enjoy a quiet night with pure, fresh atmosphere on board in Halong Bay
Experience night train for round trip between Hanoi and Lao Cai
Sneak into Bac Ha market on Sunday. The market deeply shows the typical cultural features of the minorities in remote mountainous areas.
Short trekking to visit Lao Chai and Ta van the village of the Hmong and Zay people. Enjoy the beautiful scenery of rice field terrace
Take a relaxing boat trip in Thac Ba Lake
Take a hand-rowing boat trip through the beautiful landscape of Trang An, known as Ha Long Bay on land

Itinerary

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You will be welcomed by our guide by arrival at Noi Bai Airport. We transfer you with a comfortable vehicle to the city center of Hanoi to check-in your hotel. This day is scheduled to take some rest after your long flight. You have the opportunity to get some first impressions of the city by yourself and of course our tour guide is always available at your request. Overnight at the hotel in Hanoi

After breakfast, our guide will pick you up and show you around Hanoi, Vietnam’s gracious capital. We enjoy a full day city tour starting with the Ho Chi Minh Complex, home to his mausoleum, garden, house on stilts and a museum which traces his life and work.

Our first stop is to visit the mausoleum of the nation’s founder Ho Chi Minh. Located in the center of Ba Dinh Square, this is the most important monument of Vietnam in which Ho Chi Minh’s body is preserved. This site only opens on Tuesday to Thursday and weekends from 08:00 – 11:00.

The next destination is the Presidential Palace and the Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilts. The Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house was completed on May 19th, 1958 as a birthday present for uncle Ho and becomes a symbol of his simple life.

Close to this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda. The pagoda looks like a lotus blossoming from the square pond. It was constructed in 1049 by King Ly Thai Tong based on his dream of Goddess of Mercy seating on a lotus flower and giving him a boy. In 1954, it was destroyed by the French and then restored in 1955.

We follow this with the Temple of Literature, which is well known as the first university of Vietnam. This temple provides an opportunity to learn more about education in Vietnam since 1000 years ago until recent history.

In the afternoon, visit the impressive Ethnologic Museum that is dedicated to Vietnam's 54 ethnic groups. This museum has both indoor and outdoor exhibition area with the most popular architectural styles of house’s ethnic people. The museum closes on every Monday.

You have free time until we transfer to the rail way station to board a soft sleep & AC train to Lao Cai/Sapa (21:00).

At approximately 06:00 we arrive in Lao Cai. Your chauffeur waits with a 45 minutes’ drive by private car, from Lao Cai Station to Sapa. After a fresh up and breakfast, we drive from Sapa town to Lao Chai village.

Lao Chai & Ta Van Villages are the places where ethnic black H’mong and Dzay people are living. Here you will enjoy the fresh air, see terraced fields and stream and visit some of Black H’mong families to learn more about their culture and customs.

Along the road, you have a chance to contemplate the beauty in peace of the Muong Hoa Valley, magnificent surroundings of mountains and rice terrace fields. Particularly, you can meet many ethnic minority groups (H’mong, Zay, and Red Dao) whose stalls are along the way to sell fruits or sweets. From the main road, we get off the car and trek along a local path until we reach the Black H’mong village of Lao Chai and experience the daily life of the villagers. Continue walking from Lao Chai to Ta Van village, where the Zay hill tribes live. Here you take a rest and enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by your local guide in a local house. After lunch, relax and continue trekking to the meeting point on the main road for transferring back to Sapa town. The rest of this day is at leisure. Discover the fanciful Sapa town on your own, its bustling market with colorful handmade brocatelle stuffs of the ethnic people, tea and coffee shops as well as the local culture in this mountainous town. Overnight in Sapa

Today we transfer to Silver Waterfall where you will be able to take a short walk to the waterfall. And continue your trip to climb up Ham Rong Mountain

Visitting Ham Rong Mountain, visitors will have chance to climb up to the Cloud Yard to admire the panorama of Sapa with vibrant colors of over 300 species of orchids and numerous caves & stones, which brings you a lot of memorable emotion.

This afternoon from the hotel there will be a walking tour to the hill tribe villages of Cat Cat to the H'mong hill tribe minority peoples.

Just 3 km from Sapa town, Cat Cat village is a popular place for whom wish to explore the unique cultures of Northwest mountainous region of Viet Nam. Here, visitors can not take their eyes off the splendid beauty of Tien Sa, Gold, Silver streams and Cat Cat Waterfall.

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 at hotel in Sa Pa

After breakfast, we drive past the beautiful scenery for a 100km to the tranquil town of Bac Ha, home of the Flower Hmong and amazing Sunday market.

Located 105 km from Sapa, this is the biggest weekly market opening every Sunday morning. Here you will have a chance to witness thousands of local minority people in their traditional ethnic dress, drink alcohol and trade goods.

Upon arrival, we will explore Bac Ha lively Market which not much changed by time. We then continue our trip to Thac Ba Lake. The night in a beautifully constructed stilt house down by the lakeside.

Thac Ba is the biggest man-made lake in Vietnam and captivates travelers with its incredible authentic beauty and more than 300 islands under lush vegetation. We participate in a boat trip and visit some Dzao and Tay villages. After lunch in a local restaurant our expedition North West comes to the end. In the afternoon we arrive back in Hanoi. Overnight at the hotel in Hanoi

After breakfast, we continue our trip by a transfer to Ninh Binh province

Situated in the south of the Northern Delta region, Ninh Binh is well known as the first imperial capital of Vietnam under Dinh, Le & Ly Dynasties. Come here, you will admire a gorgeous countryside with water buffalos, majestic limestone and grottos.

And we then explore the beautiful countryside in Vietnam by an excursion to Hoa Lu - The former capital of Vietnam in the 10th century covers an area of 300 ha. Now, in Hoa Lu there are just 2 temples dedicated to King Dinh Tien Hoang and King Le Dai Hanh.

Afterwards, we take an amazing boat trip to visit the Trang An grottoes, a gathering of 31 valleys, 50 cross-water caves, and home to 600 kinds of flora and over 200 kinds of fauna surrounded by magnificent forested mountains. All these factors make Trang An become a fascinating destination.

Overnight in Ninh Binh

Breakfast at hotel and then start a 3-hour drive through the Red River Delta to Ha Long City.

Declared as a World Heritage site by the UNESCO in 1994, Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam’s most spectacular natural attractions. Nearly 200 km far from Hanoi, the bay is dotted with 1600 limestone islands, capturing visitors’ attention.

Comfort stop en route for photos and coffee before arriving to Ha Long City. We then transfer to a traditional wooden sailing junk for a cruise through the limestone cliffs and emerald waters of Ha Long Bay, giving us the chance to take in the stunning scenery of this World Heritage Site. While on board we will be served a sumptuous fresh, local seafood lunch followed by a swim and exploring some of the limestone caves in this area. When the sun comes down we drop anchor for the night nearby a remote island. Overnight on board

Rising to the tranquil beauty of the bay we have time for an early morning dip with joys and emotions for watching sunrise on sea followed by breakfast. This morning we continue to move around the bay to find more secluded areas. The junk will be near us at all times serving as a back-up vessel for those that require it. At around midday we will return to the main harbor before transferring to our awaiting vehicle for a 3-hour journey to Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi

After breakfast you have free time at your own pleasure until we transfer you to the airport for your flight home

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Trip notes

Tour includes:

Accommodation in a double or twin share room with daily breakfast
Overnight cruise on board a good-quality boat in Halong Bay (non-private boat)
Private air-conditioned vehicle during all tours and transfers.
TSC Train or similar (sharing soft sleeper & AC, carriage cabin of 4 berths) : Hanoi - Lao Cai
Entrance fees for all visits as mentioned in the itinerary
Experienced English speaking guide during all tours and transfers
Lunch or dinner as specified in the itinerary
Local private boat cruise in Ninh Binh
Water & cool towels
Government taxes & service charge

Tour excludes:

Vietnam Visa stamp fee: USD 25/ person
International airfare and departure taxes
Meals, if not specified in the itinerary
Early check in/ late check out
Domestic flights and domestic airport taxes
Gala dinner on 24th and 31st December if any
Surcharged for Public holidays
Drinks and meal not mentioned
Personal expenses such as laundry, telephone, drinks … etc.
Personal travel insurance (we highly recommend that you purchase adequate insurance).
Gratuities/ Tipping
All other services not specified in the itinerary