Continue to visit Hanoi: the Temple of Literature (1st Vietnamese University of the 11th century), then the Temple of Grand Genius and the pagoda of the Defense of the Motherland located on the edge of the Great West Lake. Lunch in town. Afternoon is spent on a pedal boat or boat ride on West Lake.

In the late afternoon: visit a school. In the evening: puppet shows on the water. Dinner in town and night at the hotel.

Meals included : breakfast, lunch, dinner.

 

Mai Chau is located in the southwest of Hanoi, it is an ideal destination for people wishing to spend their journey outdoors or hikes to ethnic villages in the valleys. Mai Chau is also considered as the cradle of the Thai and Muong minority inhabitants. So far, they have kept their customs, their traditions ... Visiting Mai Chau, you will have the opportunity to learn about the life of ethnic groups in the mountains.

After breakfast, you will leave for Mai Chau. You will definitely leave the flat delta country for the mountainous region. You will have the chance to admire the beauty of the mountainous region with rice terraces lined with banana groves. Sometimes you will see Thai and Muong houses hiding under the trees. Arrival to Mai Chau. Installation and lunch at the inhabitant. In the afternoon, you will have a nice bike ride to visit the villages of Poom Coong, Nhot, Na Phon, Lake and Van and observe the daily activities of local people. Dinner and overnight at the inhabitant (summary comfort).

In the evening: you will take part to the musical folklore show of the inhabitants of Thai dancing with khene (the traditional flute of ethnic minorities), and enjoy rice alcohol.

Meals included : breakfast, lunch, dinner.

 

At ninety-five miles from Hanoi, in Ninh Binh province, there is a huge amount of Vietnam's rich historic heritage, such as the country's former capital city until the 11th century. The province of Ninh Binh attracts visitors with its historical greatness, spectacular shows and a rich cultural destination.

Thinking about Ninh Binh, we think of the inevitable ones like the city of Hoa Lu and part of the Halong Bay terrestrial and its Bai Dinh pagoda, which is today one of the largest Buddhist centers in Southeast Asia. After breakfast, you will go to the Ninh Binh province. Arrival at Hoa Lu, you will visit the former capital of Vietnam operating under the two dynasties Dinh, Thung Nan (the valley of the sun). Discovery of two temples dedicated to the kings Dinh and Le. Lunch in a local restaurant. Then you will go on an excursion in a rowing boat on the Tam Coc River (three caves). The cruise will last about 2 hours.

Tam Coc is a small village whose inhabitants organize walks on the Ngo Dong River. You will see the rocks having the appearance identical to the phoenix, the mandarin hat, the turtle ... It will be wonderful. Sometimes, the river will merge with the rice fields and give you the impression of sailing on a real sea. What a nice cruise! In the late afternoon, bike ride to visit Bich Dong Pagoda and Thai Vy Temple.

Dinner in town and night at the hotel.

Meals included : breakfast, lunch, dinner.

 

Halong Bay is known as the 8th wonder in the world thanks to its beautiful landscapes, superb caves, clean air and rich biodiversity. With an area of 1500km2, and more than 3000 limestone islands, Halong Bay is truly a surprising destination. Exploring Halong Bay on the Oriental Sails Cruise - one of the best 3-star cruises in Halong Bay.

08h00 - 08h30 Departure in 3.5 hours at the Hon Gai International Harbor, visit the private waiting room of Oriental Sails JSC - The OS Lounge.
12h30 - 13h00 Welcome aboard, embark on oriental sails followed by a cruise briefing.
13h00 - 15h30 Enjoy local seafood while Eastern Sails sail along the limestone islands of Bai Tu Long Bay.
15h30 – 16h30 Visit of the fishing village

They are interested in local daily life: Take a trip by wooden oar boat (about 45 minutes) around the fishing village of Vung Vieng - one of the largest fishing villages in Halong Bay to see the life of local fishermen. The village is located in a closed lagoon, surrounded by mountains, excellent facilities for good photos. It is a chance to know better the daily life of the fishermen of the village. After the visit, you could swim around the boat.

16h30 - 17h30 Return to the Oriental Sails and get some rest while the sun begins to set.
17h30 -19h00 Enjoy Happy Hour at the bar and solarium and join our cooking class with Oriental Sails Chef
19h00 - Dinner is served. Take part to other activities, night squid fishing or singing activities are available until 22:00.

Night aboard Cong Do Area.

Meals included : breakfast, lunch, dinner.

 

Hanoi - was Thang Long which means dragon in flight while Halong Bay means the descent of the dragon. According to a legend, this one would have descended in the bay to domesticate the marine currents. With the movements of his tail, he cut deeply into the mountain. This is a beautiful story explaining the origin of the bay of thousand islands, islets and limestone rocks.

06h30 – 07h00 Start your day with a Tai Chi exercise on the terrace.
07h00 – 09h00 Catch the morning view of the seascape with a cup of tea or coffee, have breakfast on a cruise to Thien Canh Son Cave.
09h00 – 09h30 Visit Thien Canh Son Cave - the medium-sized and less visited cave in Bai Tu Long Bay
09h30 – 10h00 Restitution of the cabins. Luggage can be delivered to reception.
10h00 – 11h00 Back to the port. Have lunch on board.
12h00: Landing of the eastern sails
12h00 - 16h30: Return to Hanoi.

After dinner in town, transfer to Hanoi train station for the night train to Lao Cai - Sapa / train KING EXPRESS (or LIVITRANS EXPRESS, or CHAPA EXPRESS) - Cabin with 4 berths for the SUPERIOR category / Departure 21:40. Night on board.

Meals included : breakfast, lunch, dinner.

 

Welcome at Lao Cai station and transfer to Sapa. Arriving at Sapa, the French settlers, attracted by the climate and the beauty of the landscape, had made Sapa a mountain resort. The city is located at 1650m, at the foot of Mount Fanxipan highest point of Vietnam at 3142m. After breakfast, start visiting Sapa by the Dragon Maw Hill, the Orchid Garden, the old Sapa Church, the Market ...

Lunch and dinner in town and night at the hotel.

Meals included : breakfast, lunch, dinner.

 

Walking day from Sapa to Ta Van and Lao Chai villages. You will have beautiful rice terraces to see throughout the trip. Dinner in town. Night at the hotel.

Meals included : breakfast, lunch, dinner.

 

Quaint, authentic and colorful: Bac Ha Weekly fair held on Sunday mornings. Between 7am and 9am, roads and mountain tracks are very lively. There, a peasant pulls his donkey who doesn’t want to move forward. Here, another holds a piglet at the end of a leash by pushing it with a bamboo whip. Others, wiser, prefer to carry the little pigs on the platform to avoid losing weight on the way to the fair. Some go by couple, the woman carrying on the back the stack of hoods that she braided, the man the jerry can of alcohol that he has distilled. They put on their best clothes. Turbans of all shapes, red, blue or black, cross simpler chests planted with fresh tea leaves or embellished with silver coins. The colorful H'mong women and girls have donned their finest skirts, all folded, swinging from the right to the left at every step, making grandmothers look like children. The tunics are finely embroidered and the aprons shimmering. The sellers offer basic necessities (groceries, books and school supplies, toiletries, haberdashery), relayed, according to rotations which differ, by the peasants who came to sell their production (vegetables, breeding, handicrafts). Finally women calculate the benefit of the day or compare the products, the girls are beautiful, men clink at the rice alcohol while discussing horses and land.

After lunch in Bac Ha, walk to visit hamlets around Bac Ha: Ban Pho 1 and Ban Pho 2, inhabited by ethnic H'mong variegated. Visit the abandoned house of Huang A Tuong, a former H'mong chief.

Dinner at Lao Cai. Then transfer to Lao Cai train station and take the night train Lao Cai - Ha Noi / train KING EXPRESS (or LIVITRANS EXPRESS or CHAPA EXPRESS) - Cabin with 4 berths for SUPERIOR / Departure 20h35. Night on board.

Meals included : breakfast, lunch, dinner.

 

Arrival at Hanoi station around 5:00 am Reception and transfer to the hotel. After breakfast, you are free until transfer to the airport and return flight. End of the trip.