A Glimpse North Vietnam Tour

Sunny Welcome to Vietnam! Welcome to Hanoi, we will meet and take you to your hotel, check-in and today is free at your leisure to rest or explore, discovering your own first impressions of Vietnam. O/N in Hanoi.

Morning activities:

Depart at 8:00 am, after checking out, from your hotel by van. We will begin our day by visiting Uncle Ho, learning about his great life at the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Presidential Palace, and his residential place.

Next stop is the nearby Temple of Literature. The site of Vietnam’s first University. Built in the twelfth century, to teach the royals the Confucius theory.

Here we will also have a chance to see a traditional music performance. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant for a taste of authentic Hanoi Pho.

Afternoon activities:

In the afternoon, you visit Quan Thanh Temple and Tran Quoc pagoda for more understanding of Vietnam history. A late afternoon walk around Hoan Kiem lake and Hanoi’s fascinating Old Quarter for some great fun, shopping, and street food tour. This is your chance to be part of typical Hanoian style and its traditional Vietnamese culture.

We finish our relaxing but informative day by attending a Water Puppet Show, a favorite experience for all visitors to Vietnam. We can help you get back to your hotel if you wish. But often our guests would just rather spend the early evening enjoying a drink with a view of the city.

Dinner on your own. 8:30 pm: Transfer from a prearranged meeting spot to the station for your night train to Sapa. O/N on train

Morning activities:

The train arrives in Lao Cai at about 6:30 am where your Origin Vietnam Travel guide will welcome you. Look for the “Origin Vietnam” sign or your name when you exit the train station. Then take a morning drive through the clouds by car / van to Sapa (about 1.5 hours).

When you arrive in Sapa you will be taken to a local restaurant for a morning shower & breakfast. Then we will take a short ride from Sapa to our trekking base where we start our trek through terraced rice fields and Hmong villages. Chances to meet and talk with locals working in the fields are plentiful. Also this is the best time for us to give children some books, pencils…

Afternoon activities:

We will break for a picnic lunch en route then continue trekking to Ta Phin village of the Dao people (4 hours).

Your Dao host family will warmly welcome you to their traditional home where we will share in an ethnic style dinner and stay the night. O/N at Ta Phin village

PS. How about homestay in Sapa?

Trekking and homestay (4 hours)

Morning activities:

At the first gleam of daylight, you will see and hear the sounds of morning village life. You can join them in some of their activities, like feeding the animals, cleaning the house, gardening or preparing breakfast. After breakfast, we will complete our trek on a valley route to the main road (4 hours) linking Lao Cai and Sapa.

Alternatively, for this long trek, you can choose a short morning wander around the village for about 1hour, resulting in more time spent with the host family and other villagers. For both options, you will be supported by our car / van back to Sapa (30 minutes). When we arrive back in Sapa we will check in to the hotel, shower, and break for lunch.

Afternoon activities:

At 2:30 pm we will visit the gardens of beautiful Ham Rong mountain & take part in a traditional ethnic music performance put on by the ethnic minority people. Then return at your own leisure with free time to discover the secrets of this colorful town. O/N in Sapa town.

Morning activities:

Morning preparations, breakfast, check-out, then it is time to take a wonderful journey by car. We will go up and over Tram Ton pass and then descend, zig-zagging to the valley below. The views on this trip are absolutely incredible!

En route is the chance for you to experience beautiful landscapes. This is very less touristic so it will give you an amazing journey.
Travel on a spectacular Tram Ton Pass with cloud cover all day, well known as one of the most beautiful in Vietnam. It takes you about 1 hour by car to pass through Tram Ton pass. You stopover to visit Love waterfall with 2km trekking both round way to enjoy its beauties. Then continue the trip to Tam Duong and have a chance along the way to see the spectacular sceneries of Tram Ton Pass, Ngu Chi Son mountain.

Our destination is Tam Duong, but before we get there we will visit Binh Luand see hill tribe people carrying with them their hand crafted products or leading animals on the way to market. You will be free to wander around but please be respectful of the people here as they are reluctant to have their picture taken without permission.

Have lunch at a restaurant.

Afternoon activities:

We keep going to visit Binh Lu area. This area has not seen many tourists. We will have lunch here, then continue through the untouched villages with frequent stops to visit and talk to the locals.

You will visit Na Tam village to interact with Lao minority people, to chill out its majestic beauty of tea hills (walking distance around 2km).

Have dinner at a local restaurant.

Evening is your relaxing time at the hotel in Tam Duong Town. O/N in Tam Duong.

Morning activities:

Awaken early to witness the region bathed in morning sunlight. Have breakfast with the family. You wake up to the sound of pigs, chickens and dogs. The family is already preparing for today’s work.
Then you leave the homestay and continue your trip to visit H’Mong Hoa (Flower Hmong) village of Sin Sui Ho, located 1500m above sea level. En route you can take photos and admire the terrace field and mountain landscape.

Continue to Ta Leng village to catch the beautiful rice terrace fields in Lai Chau. Have lunch on the way

Afternoon activities:

This afternoon you continue to see a nice terrace field along road a and then leave Lai Chau to return to Sapa.
Have more chances to see beautiful mountain landscapes. Arrive in Sapa if you still have time you are free to wander around Sapa as your own way to discover Sapa town beauty. Free to have your own dinner.

Note: You will return to Sapa in late afternoon and finally depart for the Lao Cai train station at 5:30 pm.The train leaves Lao Cai at 8:50 pm and arrives after a pleasant sleep in your first class, shared AC soft berth to Hanoi by 4:30 am. O/N on train.

Morning activities:

When you arrive in Hanoi, a very short walk will get you to a prearranged hotel for you to shower and take a short rest before we start our next day.

Depart 8:00 am on a shared bus from your hotel to Halong city. After 3.5 hours driving and viewing simple, country side, rice paddy life, we arrive at the at port around 12:00

Afternoon activities:

The junk crews welcome guests on board at Hon Gai Wharf. Enjoy welcome drinks and check in Deluxe cabin on Prince Junk or Red Dragon Junk. Lunch with fresh local seafood while cruising into Halong bay. From 13.15 to 13.30 Start cruise program and excursions a Fantastic cruise in Bai Tu Long Bay with a great traditional Vietnamese lunch while start cruising. Pass through extraordinary shaped-islands such as: Poem mountain, the center market, Teapot islet, Goat’s head islet, Indochina film studio… up to your imagination.

We will arrive in the Cong Do area around 15:00 where we have a chance to see one of the most beautiful caves in this area. After visiting Thien Canh Son Cave is a great time for exploring the hidden lagoons in Bai Tu Long Bay. It takes around an hour. After that is your time to Enjoy swimming in the crystal water of Bai Tu Long Bay.

Back to our junk to enjoy relaxing or the sunset. Dinner and overnight on board nearby Vung Vieng Fishing village. O/N on board.

Morning activities:

Have more chances to see the sun rise over the bay. Have breakfast on board. Then the cruise sails to the Vung Ha area where you are on a rustic rowing boat to visit the famous floating village Vung Vieng. Here you will know how the local fisherman’s daily life…

Check out of the cabin and the cruise towards the harbor while having an A la carte lunch on board. Disembark the harbor at noon time.

Afternoon activities:

Being picked up at Hon Gai harbor and transferred, you return to Hanoi. We will arrive in Hanoi at 17:00 pm. Say goodbye and wishing you amazing time with Prince Junk Halong 2 days! Check in at the hotel and O/N in Ha Noi.

Morning activities:

Have a morning discover Duong Lam ancient village in Son Tay town. The ancient village has a history of about 1,200 years and it is special for many houses dating back up to 400 years. The village has the special thing that most of the buildings here are made of laterite and mud, two materials that are abundant in the area.

Have the opportunity to visit Ngo Quyen King Temple and see the handicraft houses for more knowledge. Have lunch at a local family.

Afternoon activities:

Travel by van rambling along the dike of the Red river. This afternoon you will visit the traditional handicraft villages, pagodas, and temples that lie just on the outskirts of the Hanoi capital. There are a multitude of interesting things to see and learn about. See the places where they make ceramic wares of Bat Trang village, paper paintings, bamboo arts and do outstanding wood carvings. Back to Hanoi for free dinner.

Evening is your free time to experience around Hanoi city in your own way. O/N in Hanoi.

Morning activities:

Pick-up at your hotel is at 8:00 am and head for Bac Kan, the province of Ba Be Lakes. During the 6 hour drive, we will make a stop at the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology in Thai Nguyen city. Take a coffee break here if you wish. We continue our drive. Stopping for lunch at a local food stall in Bac Kan town.

Afternoon activities:

We keep going to our destination is a small village of the Tay minority people situated inside Ba Be National Park.

Arrive at our homestay and refresh with a short afternoon walk around the park and even a swim in the nearby lake. Back home for dinner and talk with our very warm and friendly hosts. Learn about this interesting culture and way of life.

Then retire to our beds for a delightful sleep in a traditional stilt home. O/N in Ba Be

Morning activities:

Wake up with the chirping of birds and sounds of village life. Well rested, take in the moment of natural tranquility away from the stresses of the city. Breakfast, we start to discover the imposing beauty of the area on a local hand-crafted canoe Glide along the river, through a pretty cave and onto a powerful waterfall.

Afternoon activities:

The whole journey offers great natural scenery and photo opportunities. After lunch at a local food stall near the waterfall, we canoe till our hearts’ content into Ba Be Lakes and all its majesty. Enjoy great swimming and water fun.

Finish the day with a light trek through ethnic minority villages back to our new home. Dinner, followed by a second night’s sleep in the traditional stilt home. O/N in Ba Be

Morning activities:

Again, take advantage of the morning’s fresh air and village energy. Have breakfast and enjoy a last leisurely walk in the park. A bicycle or scenic motorbike ride is a great alternative and also great fun. Pack up your things then say goodbye to your new friends. Leave the village for Hanoi by 10:00 am. If we’re lucky, and it is Sunday, we will make a stop on the way to visit Kermis, a typical local market, in the highlands area.

Afternoon & evening activities:

Have lunch on the way. And then continue on the road to return to Hanoi city and have more enjoyment along the road of mountain beauties. We arrive in Hanoi by 5:30 pm back at your hotel.

Check in at the hotel and then be free to have your own dinner.

Evening is your free time to experience around Hanoi city in your own way. O/N in Hanoi.

Today is your free day in the Hanoi capital and all of its fascinating historical charm. Spend your day relaxing or shopping. Some suggestions include waking up early (about 6:00 am) and joining in some exercise around Hoan Kiem Lake; or taking a cyclo tour around the Old Quarter for a different point of view; or visiting the numerous markets, shopping and trying the all of street side traditional foods. O/N in Hanoi

We will pick you up at your hotel and transfer to Noi Bai International airport for your flight home, your luggage full of a lifetime’s worth of memories. We wish you a pleasant journey.