Roof Of Vietnam, 7 days

On arrival at Hanoi Airport, you are greeted  by our guide and taken to your hotel by private transfer. You will have some time free to relax or explore at your own leisure. The capital city of Vietnam, Hanoi is a fascinating blend of East and West, combining traditional Sino-Vietnamese motifs with French flair. The building boom has made Hanoi a rapidly developing city in Southeast Asia. However, it still retains an old charm brought from a thousand year of history, with many interesting cultural and historic monuments, beautiful lakes, shady parks, bustling street markets, funny shops and open air eating spots jostled in ancient houses, and historic temples adjoining colonial style structures. They offer both local and foreigner visitors an endless exploration. You might like to stroll through the fascinating old quarter containing many vibrant streets which are named after the specific goods once offered for sale at these places. The lively atmosphere in Hanoi old quarter runs from the early hours until late at night  with many street vendors calling, horns honking, and chaotic traffic with waves of motorbikes you’ve never experienced.

Today, we enjoy a guided tour of Hanoi, seeing the most notable landmark of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (close on Mon. and Fri. and Oct. to Nov).  This imposing marble and granite monument was built towards the Ba Dinh Square. We queue up for a walk past silent sentries, paying a homage to Ho Chi Minh before we go to his residence, a simple stilt house set in a well-tended garden. He has  lived and worked in this residence  until his final days.  We visit all of them and follow the walkway to the One Pillar Pagoda, of which the origins date back to the foundation of Hanoi City. Upon leaving this area, we visit the Temple of Literature. This well preserved landmark is now dedicated to the scholars of Confucius but was once the first university of Vietnam. We head towards  the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology (close on Mon.) where display various documents, images and objects focusing on  54 Vietnamese ethnic groups in  both outdoor and indoor sections. Upon leaving this sight, we drive past various attractions, some of which are  Tran Quoc Pagoda, Quan Thanh Temple, West Lake, Long Bien Bridge, and Opera House. No stop planned, it is simply a glimpse of the cityscape. We enjoy a fantastic water puppet show before we board the local train for an overnight journey to Lao Cai. The train conditions are basic; we travel in soft sleeper class which is compartment for up to four people, a communal environment. This train journey is in keeping with the adventure nature of our trips and allows you to experience a taste of the ‘ real Vietnam’.  

The train pulls into Lao Cai Station, giving us a unique view of Vietnam away from the capital cityscape and a different type of discovery. You are greeted by our guide and travel along the winding roads to Sapa Town. The hotel room is not available for early check in; however you can leave the luggage at the hotel and start  this day activity. We take a drive downhill  before we set off on a walk  from Y Linh Ho to Lao Chai and Ta Van Villages. The local footpaths bring us a chance to meet many villagers doing their daily works. They may be the Hmong, Dao or Giay  ethnic minorities who have settled here a long time ago and make for the main local population. On arrival  at Lao Chai Village, we have a stop to admire the stunning mountain backdrop and the steep terraced rice fields, and make friend with local ethnic minorities along village lanes. We continue walking to Ta Van  Village, home to the Zay ethnic minorities. They often stay on stilt house and have their own  culture and traditions , which are different from their nearby Hmong people. We complete our walking trip and drive back to Sapa Town. This hill station set at an elevation of 1,500 meters has some warm days and cool evenings. The evident vestiges of the French colonial era are still found in place as it was once a summer retreat place for French administrators to escape the unbearable summer heat in the  plain regions.  We stroll around to discover the quaint townscape brought from the prominent architecture styles, mountain peaks,  rice terraces, and colorful ethnic minority people.

Upon leaving Sapa, we start our drive through Lao Cai Border Town to Bac Ha. These mountain roads are difficult in some places, with some downhill and uphill drive. On arrival in Bac Ha Town, we enjoy a walk  around to explore the vibrant Bac Ha Weekend Market. This local trade fair is rather affected by the influx of mass tourism, but it still offers some colorful picture and a unique experience.  We see many different ethnic minorities including  the Flower Hmong, Dao, Phu La, Nung, La Chi, and Tay, and discover their amazing local trading ways. These hill tribe people come into this conglomeration on every Sunday for not only to trade but also enjoy some entertainments, and are recognisably distinct by their dress. They  make for the entirely local affair full of noise, colour and  hustle, and the bustle of commerce. We also have time to enjoy a short walk  to the nearby village of  Ban Pho, home to the flower Hmong people who are dominant in this mountainous area. They have their own culture, traditions, and costumes different from their counterpart in Sapa. We visit a traditional house to learn more about the local lifestyle and taste the potent maize alcohol distilled by villagers. Today we travel by overnight train from Lao Cai back to Hanoi. The local train usually leaves Lao Cai by mid-evening, giving us some time to catch a look across the border line to the China land.   

The train journey delivers passengers to Hanoi station at dawn. You are met by  hotel staff and walk to a nearby hotel for  fresh up and breakfast. Heading out of the town, we make our way through the beautiful countryside to Halong Bay. The cruise team will welcome us on board with refreshing drinks and provides some information about the watercraft and the activity program. We check in our private cabin and unpack for a two-day cruise. The exciting excursion begins as our boat  zigzags itself in Halong Bay. Along the way, we feast on a huge lunch (veg. meals also available on request), catching some beautiful views of the bay with a blend of the sky and limestone islets jutting out from the clear and emerald water. These rocky outcrops are usually named by their distinctive shapes and littered with tiny beaches and beautiful caves. You spend this afternoon to simply admire the splendid scenery unfolding beyond your eyes or go for some activities; rowing boat excursion, swimming and kayaking (optional). We can improve our culinary skill while participating in a cooking class in the flavor of the sea. The master chef will show the guests how to make some traditional Vietnamese delicacies. We follow it  with a sumptuous dinner and enjoy some evening entertainment at the dining room. There are also possibilities to try your hand at squid fishing from our boat.

The early light begins washing the night away, unveiling the marvelous beauty of Halong Bay. You can participate in a Taichi exercise on the sundeck and may get a chance to catch some wonderful photos of the sunrise over Halong Bay. The boat trip continues past many imposing  islands, giving us a new exploration of this beautiful bay.  We can spend our time at leisure or step onto a tender to visit Sung Sot, one of the many beautiful caves hidden beneath towering cliffs. The uphill walkway with nearly 100 steps is somewhat arduous; however, the panoramic view from nearby boat pier to rocky islands in the far distance, makes the hardship all worthwhile. We enjoy this splendid landscape before we start the exploration of Sung Sot Cave. This remarkable cave is naturally adorned with countless stalactite and stalagmite formations. They stretch amazingly from floor to ceiling, forming various pillars to support the cave dome. The illuminating spotlights of various colors within the stone formations add more enchantment to this beautiful cave. We come back to our cruise and weave our way through a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars towards Tuan Chau Marina. The wonderful time in Haling Bay is followed by a drive back to Hanoi. Along the way, we make stop at our pleasure, to stretch our legs and see many local villagers making excellent craft objects in traditional ways. 

There are no activities planned on this final day. You may have free time to continue your exploration of Hanoi City, do your last shopping or simply look back upon your trip images before your airport transfer. The holiday comes to an end with a transfer to Hanoi Airport for  your departure.