Explore Northern Vietnam With This Tour Itinerary

It’s time to recover, a night in Hanoi, a full day to explore the city and an overnight train journey. Once you have arrived and settled in, you can enjoy a sumptuous local dinner to say “hello” to Vietnam, and talk about your tour. On the following day, you can explore the sights of Hanoi and the Ethnology Museum to prepare yourself for your excursion up into the mountains.

In the late evening, board the overnight sleeper to Lao Cai, on the border with China.

Two Days in Sapa

You'll be a bit bleary-eyed when you drag yourself off the train at five in the morning, but the drive up to Sapa, the crisp fresh air and the prospect of breakfast will wake you up. Then it’s off with an expert local guide to visit the colorful ethnic villages along the verdant valley beside Mt. Fansipan, Vietnam’s highest peak.

An early night, then it’s time to take off to an ethnic market in the morning – quite a drive, but the scenery and the market make it well worth the journey. You can arrive back in Lao Cai with several hours before the train arrives, but you can arrange for yourself to freshen up in a hotel and have dinner in a local restaurant before you board the overnight sleeper back to Hanoi.

A day and a half on the bay and a night under the stars

Another bleary-eyed morning, but time for a rest and breakfast before your car arrives to take you to Ha Long Bay. A boat will be waiting for you.

The Ha Long Bay experience is difficult to describe – suffice it to say that most of the travelers rate it as their most durable memory. If you're a seafood fan – you're in for something special! If the weather’s good, take the pillows from the cabin and sleep on the roof – it’s magic, especially if you encounter a clear Ha Long dawn! Sadly, it’s back to Hanoi on the following afternoon.

Time to leave!

You'll be free until your car arrives to take you to Hanoi's Noi Bai airport.