10-Day Northern Vietnam Tour

Day 1 - Hanoi Arrival.
Day 2 - Hanoi Sunrise & City Tour.
Day 3 - Hanoi – Mai Chau.
Day 4 - Mai Chau – Dien Bien Phu.
Day 5 - Dien Bien Phu Discovery.
Day 6 - Dien Bien Phu – Sapa.
Day 7 - Sapa Trekking Tour.
Day 8 - Sapa – Hanoi.
Day 9 - Hanoi – Halong Bay – Overnight on cruise.
Day 10 - Halong Bay – Hanoi – Departure.

Day 1 - Hanoi Arrival.
Welcome to Hanoi, the Vietnam’s bustling colonial capital. Upon arrival, your guide and driver will meet you outside the baggage claim of Noi Bai Airport and take you to your hotel. Check in and have a break then. In the afternoon, take a walking orientation around the city center, visiting some of Hanoi’s main attractions including the Opera House, St. Joseph's Cathedral, Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple. Later, enjoy a traditional Water Puppet Performance – a unique Vietnamese Art form hailing from Southeast Asia’s wet-rice culture.
Meals: N/A.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 2 - Hanoi Sunrise & City Tour.
In the early morning, our guide will greet you at your hotel. First we visit to the famous flower market where hundreds of different kinds of flowers are being sold in bulk to the flower shop keepers. From there, continue to transfer to Long Bien bridge where, underneath is one of the biggest and busiest fruit markets of Hanoi. Both these markets are only seen in the early morning!
Next we will travel on foot and see the Old Quarter begin to wake up. You will see street side markets preparing for the morning. We’ll also make our way to Hoan Kiem Lake to witness, and maybe even take part in, people, young and old, exercising, doing Tai Chi, and jogging. As the sun rises, and the light becomes perfect, take every opportunity to snap some of the best photos of your trip!
Finish the tour with a traditional Hanoi breakfast of Pho Bo or Banh Cuon or Banh Mi, and head back to your hotel to short rest. (Or you can return to enjoy complimentary buffet breakfast at your hotel). 
The afternoon tour is dedicated to a more in depth discovery of Hanoi beginning with a visit to visit the Temple of Literature, a structure dedicated to Confucius. It was constructed in 1070, the compound soon became the first Vietnamese university. Then visit the renowned Museum of Ethnology (closed Mondays), which houses an interesting collection of artifacts relating to the mosaic of ethnic groups that inhabit Vietnam.
End the day trip at West Lake including the sedate Tran Quoc Pagoda & Quan Thanh Temple, enjoy sunset over the lake. 
Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 3 - Hanoi – Mai Chau.
This trip to the northwest highlands of Mai Chau offers a balance of cultural interest and physical activity, set amongst some of northern Vietnam's most stunning scenery. Your driver and guide will meet you at your hotel and take you along the national road No. 6 to Mai Chau: a small town nestled in the midst of a lush valley and surrounded by emerald-green rice fields. Enjoy picturesque views of the scenic landscape, sown with pagodas and rural villages. Stop along the way to visit the Muong tribe and then at Thung Khe Pass for a spectacular view of Mai Chau Valley. 
Have lunch in Mai Chau then spend the afternoon trekking off the typical tourist track. Trek through terraced rice paddies and small villages, discovering the natural beauty of the valley and encountering the culture of the White Thai people, living in the region. Spend overnight in Mai Chau. 

* Distance: 170 km or 100 miles.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Accommodation: Homestay/hotel in Mai Chau.

Day 4 - Mai Chau – Dien Bien Phu.
Farewell Mai Chau and take the drive to Son La. Let’s stop en route to visit villages of various tribes including the H’mong, Thai, Muong and Dzao and orchard, tea farm in Moc Chau plateau – Vietnam’s premier tea-growing region, before reach Son La (200km from Mai Chau) for a late lunch. 
In the afternoon, continue along winding mountain roads through North Vietnam’s stunning countryside. The most picturesque scenery here is Pha Din Pass, well-known as a historical site during the 1st Indochina War ended in 1954, and a charming and dangerous pass at elevation 1,300m with breathtaking view. According to local legend, “Pha Din” means the connection between Heaven and Earth. On arrival, check in your hotel and spend rest of day at leisure. 

* Distance: 320 km or 200 miles.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel in Dien Bien Phu

Day 5 - Dien Bien Phu Discovery.
Nestled in a heart shaped basin near the border with Laos, lies Dien Bien Phu, the famous historical battleground, where the Vietnamese successfully defeated the French, marking the end of French colonial occupation. Start the day early with a visit to the local market where you will meet charming Thai tribes in their traditional costume purchasing their farm products. Next, you will visit Dien Bien Phu Museum and A1 hill then continue to Dien Bien Phu Cemetery to observe a minute’s silence in memory of the heroes who devoted their lives for the victory of the historical Dien Bien Phu Campaign. Visit General De Castries’s Bunker, Old Muong Thanh Bridge and Nam Rom river. Then you drive to Muong Phang Village to trek about 1 hour in the forest to visit the historical relic site of the Dien Bien Phu Campaign Headquarters. Return to the hotel for relaxing. 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. 
Accommodation: Hotel in Dien Bien Phu.

Day 6 - Dien Bien Phu – Sapa.
This morning, leave Dien Bien Phu for Sapa. The road is a bit bumpy at times, but the rough route is quickly compensated by the magnificent scenery: yawning valleys, winding rivers, and canonical mountains – a photographer’s dream. The drive to Sapa takes you up Tram Ton – the highest pass in Vietnam – and views of the Fansipan Peak, known as “the roof of Indochina”. Visit the nearby Silver Waterfall. Upon arrival in the little town of Sapa, check in to your hotel. Nestled in a sweeping valley near the Chinese border, Sapa is Northwest Vietnam’s premier travel destination. Built in 1922 as a French colonial hill station, this quaint town is now a trekker’s paradise, offering hiking routes through terraced rice fields and enchanting hill tribe villages. Enjoy a free afternoon to explore the colorful town on your own. Have dinner and stay overnight in Sapa. 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch. 
Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa.

Day 7 - Sapa Trekking Tour.
Enjoy your tasty breakfast in the hotel while breathing fresh air of the mountainous region. Today, you will start a bit later to pick up the best time when the sun arises for the best vision & photos. Your guide and driver will transfer you to Sapa vicinity where the ethnic minorities live. En route, stop for magnificent landscapes, silver waterfalls. The first your visit is Can Ho B which is a home for Red Dao people. When walking in this hamlet, you will be so much welcomed by the locals whom you meet on the way. Visit their home to learn how the traditional costumes are made from hemp and dyed by indigo plant. Then, proceed further to Ta Giang Phinh, a Hmong village, nestled in the valleys below Sapa for a four to five-hour trek. As you walk through the authentic village, you will have a great chance to meet and interact with the native people who love to share with you about their life and so. Back to Sapa later and the rest of the day is at your leisure. 

* Trekking: 5 hours downhills.

Meals: Breakfast, Picnic Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa.

Day 8 - Sapa – Hanoi.
Spend the whole morning at your leisure or to explore the town yourselves. You will have a couple of hours to relax and enjoy lunch in Sapa Township before driving back to Hanoi (~ 6 hours).
Optional:
You can also choose to experience Muong Hoa funicular and take the cable car to Mt. Fansipan – the rooftop of Indochina (ticket excluded in the tour package):
The world’s most modern three-rope cable car system, Fansipan Legend, was opened to public use on February 2016.
At the inaugural ceremony, representatives from Guinness World Records presented a certificate recognizing the system as the world's longest three-rope cable car (6,292.5 meters). The facility was also named the three-rope cable car system with the world's biggest height gap between its departure and arrival stations (1,410m).
The cable car system stretches from Muong Hoa valley in Sapa Town, Lao Cai Province to the peak of 3,143-meter Fansipan, known as Indochina’s rooftop.
Passengers used to spend two days climbing to Fansipan summit, but now it takes only 20 minutes thanks to this system. The dream of reaching Indochina’s rooftop, which used to be hard to do, becomes easier for everyone.
As soon as you reach Fansipan station in an altitude of 2,800m above sea level, 600 stairs await for you to climb up to the summit. Standing on the top of Fansipan, it seems that you are enjoying a life on heaven. Surroundings are range of mountains and cloud only. And then you return the station for a ride back to Sapa.

WORKING HOURS:
Start: 7:30 A.M – End: 17:30
PRICE (round-trip ticket of cable car & funicular):
Adult and child (taller than 1.3m): 48 USD/ person.
Child: 36 USD/ person.

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Day 9 - Hanoi – Halong Bay – Overnight on cruise.
(The itinerary is a sample, depends on weather and it will be different between cruises. Our travel consultants will provide the exact schedule and program if you book other cruise such as Hera Cruise, Halong President Cruise, Emperor Cruise, Halong Violet, Halong Jasmine, Paradise Luxury Cruises, Orchid Cruise, Indochina Sails, Au Co Cruise, Starlight Cruise etc.) 
Halong Bay is one of the most loved spots in Vietnam for a reason - it's gorgeous. On this Halong Bay tour, we take you away from the hectic pace of life in Hanoi and introduce you to the tranquil, beautiful Halong Bay... Following breakfast, journey east through the rich farmland of the Red River Delta to Halong Bay, truly one of Vietnam's most scenic impressive sights. On arrival you are welcomed onboard a traditional junk. Settle into a private comfortable cabin and unpack for a two day cruise around Halong Bay. Along the way, enjoy a huge lunch served on board and admire the picturesque scenery of islands. These limestone karst formations are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves. You will anchor for a leisurely swim in a secluded cove and an enjoyable visit to Sung Sot cave, one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs. The remainder of day is for your own pleasure; observing the bay, lazing around the deck or simply soaking up the sunshine. 
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner. 
Accommodation: on cruise on Halong Bay.

Day 10 - Halong Bay – Hanoi – Departure.
Awake early and participate in Tai Chi on the top dec

• Hanoi - stroll through the French Quarter and check out the 36 streets of the Old Quarter.
• Mai Chau - small town tucked in the middle of a lush valley and surrounded by green rice fields.
• Dien Bien Phu - the famous historical battlefield, where the Vietnamese beat the French, ending the French colonial rule.
• Sapa - known as the hiker's paradise, offering hiking trails through terraced rice fields and charming hill tribe villages.
• Halong Bay - overnight cruise on the beautiful UNESCO-listed bay on a cozy junk boat, kayak, swim and explore the amazing caves.