THE HIGHLIGHTS OF NORTH VIETNAM
The Highlights of North Vietnam is designed for our travellers to experience the major tourist attractions in northern Vietnam while following the less-travelled routes. The tour is to show our travellers different aspects of the normal Vietnamese life from the ethnic minorities in the mountains of Sa Pa and Mai Chau to the idyllic and breathtaking countryside of Ninh Binh.
The tour not only engages you in easy sightseeing activities, but also adds some soft adventure activities with walking amid the fresh nature of Sa Pa and Mai Chau and staying in a White Thai home with basic facilities. Still the tour grade is of easy and relaxing pace.
While conditions may be limited in the mountains and in the countryside, we'll allow certain level of luxury with a cruise on a traditional deluxe wooden junk through the wilderness of the World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay. Amid the wild of this paradise on Earth, we'll indulge every of our senses with fine wine and fresh local seafood.
The tour will not complete without a cooking class preparing the fine cuisine of northern Vietnam at a local restaurant in Ha Noi. And you'll have plenty of leisure time to recall the once-in-a-life time experience of northern Vietnam before bidding farewell to the beaming smiles of the locals.
Summary
Day1 Arrive in Ha Noi (0850). Ha Noi City Tour (B/L/D)
Day2 Ha Noi – Mai Chau (B/L/D)
Day3 Mai Chau – Ninh Binh (B/L/D)
Day4 Ninh Binh – Ha Long Junk Cruise (B/L/D)
Day5 Ha Long Bay – Ha Noi. Night Train for Lao Cai (B/L/D)
Day6 Arrive at Lao Cai. Lao Cai – Sa Pa (B/L/D)
Day7 Sa Pa – Lao Cai. Night Train for Ha Noi (B/L/D)
Day8 Arrive in Ha Noi. Cooking Class & free time (B/L)
Day9 Free at leisure. Depart Ha Noi (200) (B)
The tour price includes
English-speaking guide;
Twin/Double-shared accommodation at hotels as per itinerary;
Homestay at Mai Chau;
Private transportation by A/C van/car as indicated in the tour program;
Private cabin on the local train for Ha Noi – Lao Cai – Ha Noi;
Private cabin on a shared junk cruise on Ha long Bay as in the tour program;
Meals as indicated in the tour program (B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner);
Cooking class fees as per itinerary;
All admission fees in the tour program;
The tour price doesn’t include
Insurance of any types;
Visa fees;
Drinks or personal expenses;
Others not specified in the included services above;
Hotels:
Ha Noi: 3*
Mai Chau: Homestay
Ninh Binh: 2*
Ha Long Bay: wooden junk with private bathroom
Sa Pa: 2*
THE HIGHLIGHTS OF NORTH VIETNAM
Day1 Arrive in Ha Noi (D)
Arriving at Noi Bai Airport, you'll be welcomed by Paradissa Travel tour guide and escorted to the city.
You''ll enjoy free time for refreshment before we take you out again to sample the fine cuisine of Ha Noi at a local restaurant. Overnight in Ha Noi.
Day2 Ha Noi – Mai Chau (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the hotel.
0830: Leave your hotel for the drive to Mai Chau through the scenic countryside. Arriving at the village of the white Thai in time for lunch, we'll get our room and have time to explore around the home. Afternoon is for visiting the countryside around Mai Chau. Dinner at the family home. Overnight on a house on stilts of a White Thai Community.
Day3 Mai Chau – Ninh Binh (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the family home.
Drive to Ninh Binh and enjoy lunch at Tam Coc. The route is not seen often by other tourists while the scenery is just fresh and tranquil.
In the afternoon, we'll have a cruise on sampan through the river surrounded by rock mountains and paddy fields. Then we continue our way to Phat Diem Stone Cathedral, a very unique structure of Vietnam. Dinner and stay overnight in Ninh Binh at a hotel.
Day4 Ninh Binh – Ha Long Junk Cruise (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Drive to Ha Long Bay through the heart of the Red River Delta with idyllic countryside. The road conditions are good and there are plenty of opportunities for taking pictures of Vietnam.
Arriving at Ha Long, embark on our wooden junk for an overnight cruise through the wild of Ha Long Bay. You'll have twin/double-shared private cabins on a shared junk. Our lunch and dinner are served on board the junk. Overnight on the junk in the wild of Ha Long Bay.
Day5 ( Thursday, May 22, 2008 ) Ha Long Bay – Ha Noi. Night Train for Lao Cai (B/L/D)
Breakfast on board.
Continue our cruise until the last feast for lunch and disembarking at 12:00 noon. Then we'll join our van to travel back to Ha Noi. Arriving in Ha Noi, you'll have free time at leisure until the evening when our tour guide will take you out again for the fine cuisine of Ha Noi.
After dinner we'll proceed further to the railway station for the overnight train journey for Lao Cai. Overnight on board the train. (private cabin with soft-sleepers)
Day6 Arrive at Lao Cai. Lao Cai – Sa Pa (B/L/D)
Arriving at Lao Cai early, we'll meet our driver and drive on the terraced hillsides to Sa Pa – a cloud-covered town. We'll have breakfast at our hotel while room may be not ready until the check-in time.
After breakfast, we'll enjoy a walking tour amid the fresh nature of Sa Pa to Cat Cat Waterfall. After lunch at a local restaurant, we'll get back to our hotel and enjoy free time at leisure. Dinner is at a local restaurant. Overnight at the hotel in Sa Pa Town.
Day7 Sa Pa – Lao Cai. Night Train for Ha Noi (B/L/D)
Breakfast at the hotel.
Enjoy a tour of Ham Rong Mountain with ethnic traditional show by local ethnic boys and girls.
Lunch at a local restaurant.
In the afternoon, we'll enjoy the tour to the Gateway to Heaven and the Silver Waterfall. You'll have free time at leisure until we'll travel back to Lao Cai for the overnight train trip for Ha Noi. Dinner at Lao Cai. Overnight on board thet train. (private cabin with soft-sleepers)
Day8 Arrive in Ha Noi. Cooking Class & free time (B/L)
Arriving in Ha Noi early in the morning, we'll be transferred to the hotel. We check into our room which has been booked and ready for early check-in.
Breakfast is at the hotel.
You'll have time to get relaxed until our tour guide comes back and escorts out you for the cooking class.
Enjoy the food cooked by yourself for lunch.
Free time at leisure for the remainder of the day. Dinner is on your own today.
Day9 Free at leisure. Depart Ha Noi (20:00) (B)
Breakfast at the
Enjoy free time at your own pace until our tour guide and driver come back and transfer you back to the airport for your departure flight. Please kindly remember to check out of the room at 11:00 A.M
