Scenic Northern Journey

08:00
After breakfast, we will depart Mai Chau and wind our way for 4 hours to Ninh Binh where we take an amazing rowing boat to visit Trang An Ecotourism area. Trang An Eco-Tourism complex is a home of 600 kinds of flora and over 200 kinds of fauna that many of them in the Red book of Vietnam. It is also a gathering of 31 valleys, 48 cross-water caves and we will visit 3 to 6 of them.

12:00
Arrival Ninh Binh, we will head to a local restaurant for lunch.

13:00
After lunch, we will embark on the rowing boat, we can enjoy the fresh air, clean and clear water with underwater grass. Experience ourselves the feeling and emotion when we are on the water caves.

16:00
Return to the Wharf and transfer to visit Hoa Lu ancient Capital city of Vietnam between 968 & 980AD. Here we will visit the ancient temples of King Dinh and King Le.

17:00
Finish the day tour and drive to the hotel to check in.

Overnight in Ninh Binh
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_) – Halal Food Available Upon Request

We will depart Ninh Binh in the morning and drive for 03 hours to Nam Dinh Province, 150 km south-west of Hanoi in the coastal zone of the Red River Delta. On the way, we will stop to visit the Ancient Co Le Pagoda dating back to the 10th century. This is one of the biggest and nicest pagodas in North Vietnam. Besides its special architecture, Co Le pagoda has the largest bell in Vietnam.
We will then continue on to Nam National Park, formally known as a Nature Reserve of the area and later became Vietnam’s first Ramsar site, for the conservation of wetlands.

We’ll embark on a boat trip to discover the wetland. After a one-hour boat trip through the National Park, we arrive at a Clam Hut where we will be served a delicious seafood lunch. We can rest and relax in the Hut for a while before transferring back to the mainland. From here we will be picked up and driven to a local homestay where we will spend the night with our host family.

Alternatively, if you are not keen on the homestay we can always replace it by the hotel in the City without any surcharge.

Overnight in Nam Dinh
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) – Halal Food Available Upon Request

Morning
08:00

After breakfast, your guide and driver will collect you from the hotel and drive you 4 hours (140km) to Halong City and port. As Halong Bay is so popular, there is usually a crowd of boats at the docks -please be reassured that the cruise itself will be scenic and relaxing.

12.00 – 12.30 approx

Arriving Tuan Chau marina. Welcome aboard the cruise.  Refresh with our welcome drink. Meet the captain, crew in the cruise briefing.
Check into your cabin. Time to refresh and unwind.
Set sail as lunch is served.
Join us for a typical local lunch in the dining room or at the outdoor dining area. Mingle yourself in the stunning views of the Bay and it’s dramatic limestone islets as we sail through the calm emerald waters heading to Maze cave.

Afternoon
Arrive at Amazing cave (hang SửngSốt), explore the cave and find out how the cave was named Amazing.

Reach to the peak point of the cave for a breathtaking panoramic view of the bay.
Back to the boat, our cruise will take you to a stunning tranquilizing isolated lagoon for swimming or just simply relaxing on the boat with our spa service and mingle in the picturesque seascape.
Heading back toward the sleeping area.

Early evening
Summit on the sundeck watching the sunset, enjoy our pre-dinner local wine appetizer. It’s an ideal time to make acquaintance with new friends, sharing your traveling experience or simply watching the sunset.
An authentic Vietnamese menu will be served.
After dinner, reward yourself with a large selection of cocktails at our bar, or take for you one of our onboard activities: book reading, games, movies, and squid fishing, etc.

Overnight on board
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) – Halal Food Available Upon Request

06.30
For the early risers, join us for a Tai Chi session on the sundeck. Tai chi helps focus the mind and condition the body, joining Tai Chi session to full charge your energy for the day.
07.00 – 08.00
Local breakfast is served.
08.00
Our guide will brief you information and the highlights of this fascinating floating village and its local community.
Take your option either exploring the village yourself on a kayak or comfortably capture the daily life of the fishermen on bamboo boat rowed by the locals.
09.00
Check out the cabins, at your leisure while our cruise taking you to pass by other beautiful highlights in the bay.
10.00
You will join our short class of Cooking demonstration, how to make spring rolls before an early lunch is served.
Ready to get off the boat.
11.45 – 12.00
Disembark the boat, your guide and driver will bring you back to Hanoi. On the way back we stop to visit the charming Yen Duc Village, a typical authentic Northern village. Here we will attend a traditional water puppet show performed by the local artists. While watching the show, we will enjoy plenty of local snacks.
17:00
Get back to our hotel in Hanoi. Have a rest before the exciting evening food adventure and nightlife experience.
18:00
Your private guide will collect you at the hotel and take you out for the evening food tour.

We will wander past street stalls and quiet residential lanes where we can observe local life that has changed little since Hanoi was founded over 1000 years ago. This will bring us lots of sights and sounds of the evening in Hanoi.

During our walk we will have plenty of opportunity to interact with the locals and sample various street food such as Banh Cuon (Vietnamese Steam Rice Rolls), Banh My (Vietnamese baguettes), Nom Du Du (papaya Salad with beef), Bun Cha (grilled pork with vermicelli) and especially the amazing Egg Coffe. You will also venture down a small alley to join in the local tradition of feasting on fresh fruit served in a cup and smothered with crushed iced – this specialty is one not to be missed!

Overnight in Hanoi
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) – Halal Food Available Upon Request

08:00
After breakfast, your adventure tour in Vietnam will begin as your private tour guide picks you up and takes you on a full-day city tour of Hanoi, famed for its tree-lined boulevards, French colonial architecture, and a thousand years of history. Below are the recommended sites, but of course, your guide will be happy to modify the list based on your preferences.
Visits:
– Thang Long Citadel (the most recent UNESCO World Heritage Site of Vietnam), built in the 11th century by the Ly Viet Dynasty, marking the independence of the Dai Viet (former Vietnam)
– Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Presidential Palace
– One Pillar Pagoda, one of the most iconic temples in Vietnam
– Temple of Literature (a Confucius temple considered the first National University of Vietnam)
Lunch will be served at KOTO (Know One Teach One), sponsored by an NGO (a non-governmental organization) for the disadvantaged children of Hanoi. The staff is former street children being trained in culinary and hospitality skills.
After lunch, return your hotel for some rest before strolling along the iconic HoanKiem lake and the most exciting shopping part of the Old Quarter including Hang Gai– Hang Bong – NhaTho street, the best place to pick up some high quality, fashionable silk items, lacquerware, embroidered goods, and ethnic-minority crafts; Hang Dau (Shoes street), where hundreds of shoe-sellers lining. Most of the footwear consists of brand names made at Vietnamese factories that have been rejected as seconds, making them a great purchase with usually only a small imperfection. There are also plenty of fake North Face, Samsonite bags where Hang Dau Street meets Lo Su.
15.00 – 15.30
Be picked up by the private car for a 20-minute drive to Japanese retail giant AEON Shopping Mall. Here you can spend 1 – 2 hours at the huge Japanese food court, shopping for local brand clothes (Canifa, The Blue, etc.) at a remarkably good price, as well as households and other stuff. Get back to the hotel at about 18.00. Maybe have a shower or rest before relaxing your whole body with the Vietnamese traditional massage 90’ at the SF Spa center (check review)

Note: the city tour program is flexible. Our guide would be more than happy to adjust the tour itinerary at your needs. You can skip one site or add another if you so wish.

Overnight in Hanoi
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_) – Halal Food Available Upon Request

Today will be on your own leisure. Breakfast will still be included and check out will be at mid-day.
Depending on your departure time a private driver will collect you from the hotel and transfer you back to the airport for your departure flight.

Meals: (Breakfast/_/_) – Halal Food Available Upon Request