Hanoi, Sapa, & Halong Bay: Your 6-Day North Vietnam Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival.
Day 2: Hanoi City Tour.
Day 3: Hanoi – Laocai – Sapa.
Day 4: Sapa – Laocai – Hanoi.
Day 5: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Overnight on cruise.
Day 6: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Departure.

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival.
Welcome to Hanoi, Vietnam’s bustling colonial capital. Your driver and guide will meet you outside the baggage claim of Noi Bai Airport and take you to your hotel in the city center. In the afternoon, enjoy an orientation walk, visiting some of Hanoi’s main attractions: the Opera House, Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple. In the evening, savor a welcome dinner of authentic Vietnamese food at one of Hanoi’s finest restaurants.
Meals: Dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour.
Today you have a full day to explore Vietnam’s charming capital. With its wide tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, peaceful lakes and ancient oriental pagodas, Hanoi is an eclectic mix that offers something for everyone. Your city tour will take you to Hanoi’s key sites: the Ho Chi Minh Complex (Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum and stilt house), the nearby One Pillar Pagoda; the Presidential Palace; the Temple of Literature; the Quan Thanh Temple, the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda & West Lake; and one of the city's museums (a choice between the History Museum and the Ethnology Museum). Later in the afternoon enjoy a traditional Water Puppet Performance – a unique Vietnamese Art form hailing from Southeast Asia’s wet-rice culture.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 3: Hanoi – Laocai – Sapa.
Early morning, your guide & driver will meet you at the lobby of the hotel then leave Hanoi for Sapa on a six hour journey on the Vietnam’s longest and modern highway.
On arrival, visit Lao Chai & Ta Van village with a short leisurely walk, an excellent way to explore the daily life and familiarize yourself with the cultures of the H’mong and Dzay people who populate the region. The trek through the breathtaking scenery of Sapa valley also gives you an opportunity to admire the amazing rice terraces. Overnight in Sapa Town.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa.

Day 4: Sapa – Laocai – Hanoi.
This morning, drive to Tram Ton Pass, Heaven’s Gate – the highest peak of roads in Vietnam (over 2000m). Admire the spectacular views, even the Fansipan summit, the highest peak of Indochina mountains (weather permits) and visit the nearby Silver Waterfall with marvelous scenery of the surrounding nature. Stop along the way to visit O Quy Ho village which known for the different kinds of vegetables, flowers, fruit trees and even medicinal plants grown here. Have lunch in Sapa then farewell this beautiful mountain town to drive back to Hanoi.
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 5: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Overnight on cruise.
After breakfast, set out on a 3 to 4 hour drive to the UNESCO World Heritage Site: Halong Bay. Spend 24 hours on a traditional Junk Cruise in the amazing bay: a natural wonderland composed of jutting limestone islands and sparkling turquoise waters. Arrive at the dock around noon and board your junk. Savor a gourmet lunch of fresh seafood onboard as we sail out into the mystical bay. In the afternoon, cruise around some of Halong’s many islands, including Dinh Huong and Ga Choi. Along the way visit one of the bay’s 3 largest caves (Thien Cung, Dau Go or Sung Sot). Stop at an island cove with a sheltered white-sand beach and take a dip in the warm waters of the Tonkin Gulf (weather permitting). Pass the night on your junk, lulled to sleep by the gentle rocking of calm waters.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner.
Accommodation: on cruise.

Day 6: Halong Bay – Hanoi – Departure.
Awake early and participate in Tai Chi on the top deck or simply relax and enjoy the sunrise over the bay’s towering islands. Enjoy a morning cup of coffee or tea, before setting out to explore nearby islands by rowboat. Return to the junk for breakfast then take advantage of the sundeck and admire the amazing rock formations of Bai Tu Long Bay as you navigate back to Halong City. Have brunch on board the boat before returning to Halong pier. Your driver will meet you at the dock and take you to Noi Bai Airport of Hanoi to catch your departure flight home.
Optional (please contact our travel consultants for an arrangement in advance):
Austrian engineer Doppelmayr and Swiss engineer Garaventa have completed the world’s largest aerial tramway across Halong Bay. The 2,222m ropeway is suspended from two concrete towers, the larger of which is 188.88m high. Each of the double-decker cabins and six sets of doors is built to carry 230 passengers, making them the biggest ever built. The tramway will take visitors between a terminal in the Bai Chay District of Halong City up to the amusement park at the top of Ba Deo Hill (Hon Gai Ward, Halong City). The Nu Hoang Cable Car (meaning Queen in English) has just operated since 25 June 2016 and the round-trip entrance ticket is 15 USD/ person (excluded). If you interested in taking this gondola lift, our driver can take you to the station of Nu Hoang Cable Car after the cruise and you may spend a couple of hours there. Afterwards, you will be transferred directly to Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport for your departure flight.
Meals: Brunch.
Accommodation: N/A.