Welcome by the tour guide upon your arrival at the airport, and transfer by private car to the hotel

In the afternoon, try cyclo for 1 hour to discover:

• From the colonial district with its charming architecture, to the avenues lined with greenery
• Hoan Kiem Lake and its legend and Ngoc Son
• From the maze of streets teeming with small shops in the heart of the famous and fascinating “old quarter of the 36 corporations” and its famous silk street (Hang Gai)

Depending on your wish, the evening entertainment will be scheduled either on the 1st day of your arrival or on a following day to be chosen with your guide, depending on the timing of the days in Hanoi

• Water puppet show
• Welcome dinner with our host
• Overnight in hotel

Depending on your centers of interest and the timing, you manage with your guide the choice of these visits and the order in which you wish to do them!

• The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
• The One Pillar Pagoda
• Quan Thanh Temple & Tran Quoc Pagoda
• Visiting Dong Xuan Market
• Visiting the Women’s Museum
• The visit to the Ethnography Museum, the result of Franco-Vietnamese cooperation, is marvelous
• The street of the train: surprising... houses glued to each other and crossed by a railway line and the inhabitants who live on the rails
• A workshop for making lacquer, the specialty of Vietnam. You will have the explanations of the different stages, the inlay of mother-of-pearl, eggshells, etc...
• Overnight in hotel

Hanoi - Bac Ninh - Hanoi - Night Train - Lao Cai: 80 km - 2h

Round-trip travel from Hanoi to Bac Ninh in 2 hours

• Drive by private car to Dinh Bang village in Bac Ninh Province
• Enjoy either a horse carriage, or an ox cart ride around the village
• See a local market in full swing
• Visit Dinh Bang Communal house and the Do Temple
• Enjoy a traditional music show “Quan Ho”
• Continue the journey to Bat Trang, a ceramic making village
• Stop at But Thap Pagoda and see its many mystical and mysterious aspects

Return to Hanoi in the afternoon. Relaxation with a traditional massage in a massage parlor, well-being, nothing like it to make you feel in good shape

Around 8:30 PM, transfer to the Hanoi train station to take the overnight sleeper train to Lao Cai with your guide

Lunch included

Overnight on train

Y Linh Ho - Lao Chai - Ta Van

Early morning arrival at Lao Cai station

Enjoy breakfast at a brasserie with your private guide and driver

Transfer by private vehicle to Sapa for a day of hiking around Sapa, meeting ethnic minorities in the heart of the rice fields

• Y Linh Ho village, in the Muong Hoa valley, is the starting point for the hikes
• Hike 6 kilometers through the terraced rice fields to the village of Lao Chai
• This small village is inhabited by the Black Hmong ethnic minority. Along the way, meet women from the village dressed in ethnic costumes. You will be touched by their kindness in walking a part of the way with you
• After lunch, take a short 2-kilometer walk to the village of Ta Van, inhabited by the Giay ethnic group
• The people of Ta Van specialize in stone and wood carving. The women work with hemp, weave on looms, and prepare indigo blue dyes after harvesting the plant
• Overnight in homestay

Sapa - Bac Ha: 100 km - 3h

• Hike on a mountainous road with terraced rice fields on either side. Sapa is a former high-altitude station founded by the French in the early 20th century. Sapa is home to over 30 ethnic minorities and boasts. Vietnam’s highest peak, Mount Fansipan, which stands at 3143 meters above sea level
• Visit the Ma Tra village of the Black Hmong ethnic minority and the Ta Phin village where the Red Dao people live
• To end the day, we offer you our Zen Moments with the Red Dao people. In an authentic establishment in the north and part of our trusted network, you will relax with the benefits of a medicinal herb bath

Transfer by private car to Bac Ha, where the Flower Hmong reside

• Visit the village of Bac Ha, meet the locals, explore their homes, and their way of life
• Dinner and overnight stay with a homestay family or other accommodation (please consult us)

Bac Ha Market - Lao Cai - Bus - Hanoi: 6h

Other markets on different days (please contact us for more information)

• Visit the grand Bac Ha market that takes place on Sundays. It is the most colorful market in northern Vietnam. Although very touristy, it is also very authentic. The minority ethnic groups such as the Flower Hmong, Tay, and Phu La gather here for commercial and social exchanges. The market is full of excitement and vibrant colors
• The Hmong women wear outfits made up of large, elaborately embroidered skirts and black tops with shoulders and collars adorned with flashy embroidery. They are also adorned with beautiful silver jewelry
• Visit the baroque palace of the H’Mong leader, Hoang A Tuong, built in 1920 and well-restored
• Visit another village - Ban Pho village. Meet with the colorful Hmong and Tay ethnic groups

In the afternoon, your guide will take you to the express bus station in Lao Cai, which will bring you back to Hanoi in 5 hours

Dinner will be available at the stations, where different stands offer hot dishes and various food products

Upon arrival in Hanoi around 9 pm, our driver will be there to take you to your hotel

Overnight in hotel

Hanoi - Ninh Binh: 100 km - 2h

In the morning, depart through the Vietnamese countryside, passing by images of rice fields where women in conical hats work and fishermen cast their nets. The peaceful and serene landscape is dotted with cultivated lands, small sun-drenched forgotten pagodas, and disordered cemeteries

• Visit the Dinh and Le dynastic temples before arriving at the Tam Coc site, which boasts exceptional surroundings

The scenery is made up of stunning rock formations covered in vegetation, rising up from the tranquil green rice paddies

• Board a small rowboat paddled by a woman
• Savor the specialty of Ninh Binh (goat meat and puffed rice gratin) for lunch at a local and family-run establishment
• In the afternoon, cycle towards the Bich Dong pagoda. If time permits and you are up for it, climb the steps carved into the rock to reach the pagoda and enjoy an exceptional view of the entire site
• Overnight in homestay

Ninh Binh - Halong Bay: 185 km - 4h

A dream setting that makes Ha Long Bay to be classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Let yourself be charmed aboard a magnificent traditional-style junk, with one night on board. A romantic and unforgettable getaway!

Ha Long means the “descent of the dragon”. According to legend, a dragon descended into the bay to tame the sea currents. With the violent movements of its tail, it cut deeply into the mountain. Then, he plunged into the sea. The water level rose, revealing only the highest peaks

Ha Long day 1:

• Embarkation on the junk boat at the Halong port to start the cruise
• Lunch at the onboard restaurant with delicious seafood caught in the bay
• Sail with a beautiful itinerary
• Discover the wonders of the bay, coves, islets, caves, beaches
• Swimming (depending on weather conditions)
• Dinner with local seafood specialties
• Overnight in a superior luxury private cabin

Halong Bay - Hanoi - Fly - Hue: 4h30

Ha Long day 2:

• Wake up on the bay and morning cruise
• Introduction to kayaking
• Lunch and disembarkation in the late morning
• Activities: cave visit, kayaking, swimming, Tai Chi initiation, beautiful discovery of the fishing village

Return to Hanoi

Transfer by private car to the airport for your flight to Hue. Upon arrival at the airport, you will be welcomed by your guide and transfer to the hotel

Overnight in hotel

After breakfast, a transfer from your hotel to Toa Kham wharf for a cruise on the picturesque Perfume River

• Buy fresh ingredients for the cooking class on the way at the Dong Ba open-air market
• Embark on a traditional dragon boat heading for Thien Mu pagoda - the symbol of Hue city
• Go for an adventurous amble or bicycle ride to visit the garden-house styled homes at An Hien, ancestral temple of Thien Mu, and the Thuy Bieu Village
• Prepare traditional Hue cuisine carefully with the chef at Thuy Bieu Village and tuck into your “achievement” afterwards
• Relax by dipping your feet in medicinal herb water - a traditional therapeutic practice - and unwind with an excellent massage by a visually-impaired masseuse
• Overnight in hotel

Depending on your interests and timing, you can work with your guide to choose which visits to make and in what order!

• The numerous historical treasures of Hue were classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1993
• Visit the Tomb of Emperor Minh Mang, who reigned from 1820 to 1840
• Visit the Tomb of Emperor Tu Duc, who reigned from 1848 to 1883

Hue’s Craft Special

• The making of incense sticks will no longer be a secret to you after a stop in a small village near Hue, specializing in this activity
• Visit the village of Phu Cam, specialized in the making of conical hats, including the “poetry hat”
• The famous kites of Hue. The passion for kite-flying is deeply rooted in Vietnamese culture
• Overnight in hotel

Hue - Hoi An: 120 km - 3h

• Take the Mandarin Road and cross the Cloud Pass for a stunning view of the Lang Co peninsula before heading to Hoi An
• Make a stop in Danang to visit the Cham Sculpture Museum. The Chams are an ethnic group from India
• Discover the Marble Mountains, also known as the “mountain of the five hills”

Hoi An is now a UNESCO World Heritage site

• Enjoy a lovely walk in the old town, which was once a bustling merchant port

In the narrow alleys, you will find a rich architectural heritage of beautiful old houses with colorful facades and wooden balconies, Chinese congregation houses, temples, pagodas, museums, and the Japanese Covered Bridge

Overnight in hotel

Our driver will pick you up at the hotel for your “Saga Bamboo” day

• Firstly, you will discover the charming “round basket boat” on which you will sway for a little ride! It’s called Thuyen Thung! It’s made of woven bamboo, made in just one day! Along with a skilled rower, you will glide for 30 minutes on the river. Your rower will show you what skilled hands can create with simple coconut leaves: rings, headdresses, baskets, etc
• To continue the “bamboo saga”, enter Vo Tan Tan’s bamboo universe! His numerous unique creations are admirable: a life-size electric car made entirely of bamboo, a light and sturdy bamboo bike, bamboo bicycle helmets, not to mention his two-story bamboo house, where a host of bamboo utility objects furnish and decorate the place. Even the iPhone has been given a luxurious personalized bamboo case!
• To complete this visit, Tan organizes a “home” lunch (not included). Authentic Hoi An culinary specialties are prepared in strict accordance with the original recipes of Hoi An families. The bamboo saga continues with a visit to a lantern workshop. Their frames are made of bamboo, and you can learn to create your own lantern by participating in a 2-hour workshop
• And, as the highlight to end this beautiful day in honor of Bamboo, an unprecedented and breathtaking show! Show Teh Dar: An acrobatic troupe that performs on giant bamboo poles, to the rhythm of live tribal music! A “never-seen-before” show, recognized as a cultural heritage by UNESCO
• Overnight in hotel

Enjoy free time to wander the Hoi An ancient town or leisurely lounge on beach

Overnight in hotel