Northern Vietnam Stopover, 4 days

On arrival at Hanoi Airport, you are greeted  by our guide and taken to your hotel by private transfer. You may 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 years of history, with many interesting cultural and historic monuments, beautiful lakes, shady parks, bustling street markets, fun 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 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 half day guided tour of Hanoi, seeing the most notable landmark of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed 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 visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Ho Chi Minh House, a simple traditional stilt structure set in a well-tended garden. He  lived and worked in this residence  until his final days. Nearby this complex is the One Pillar Pagoda which is rising from the center of a square lotus pond, ascending on a single pillar and resembling a blossoming lotus flower. We follow it with the Temple of Literature, one of the most picturesque attractions in Hanoi. This well-preserved temple is now dedicated to the scholars of Confucius but was once the first university of Vietnam. The successful candidate records are still found in various stone steles set over giant stone turtles. Heading out of the town, we set off on a drive to Halong Bay, one of  the most famous sights in Vietnam. This journey takes anything between three and four hours, passing through the beautiful countryside of flooded rice fields and roadside villages to the rocky formations of Halong Bay. En route we make a stop at a craft center, to stretch our legs and see many local  villagers making the excellent craft objects  in  traditional way. On arrival in Halong, you check in our hotel and spend this evening at leisure. You can soak up the sea air and laze along  the beachside where are a bunch of seafood restaurants, amazing bars, and shopping malls.

The incredible limestone outcroppings form the spectacular seascape of Halong Bay, making it an incomparable natural wonder in Vietnam. Today, we board a traditional style junk to explore this  scenic bay on a four-hour trip out . The traditional boat zigzags itself in Halong Bay, giving us some fantastic views with a blend of  the sky and limestone islets rising amazingly from the clear and emerald water. These rocky outcrops usually named by their distinctive shapes are littered with beautiful coves and tiny beaches.  We will anchor for an enjoyable visit to the Thien Cung Cave, one of the many beautiful sites hidden beneath towering cliffs. The grotto interior is naturally adorned with stalactites and stalagmites of various shapes and sizes. These stone columns change their color,  with the reflected light bringing bright green and even purple hues draping across the deep grotto. The boat excursion continues through the islet jungle back to Tuan Chau Harbour.  Along the way, we enjoy a huge lunch served on board and catch up some last images of Halong Bay. The  spectacular scenery will be rounded off as we make our way back to Hanoi, arriving in time to attend a fantastic water puppet performance.  We follow it with a pleasant walk around Hoan Kiem Lake, one of the major scenic spots in Hanoi.

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. The holiday comes to an end with a transfer to Hanoi Airport for  your departure.