10-Night Stay

Day 1: Ha Noi arrival

Day 2: Ha Noi - Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang

Day 3: Ha Giang - Quan Ba

Day 4: Quan Ba - Dong Van – Meo Vac

Day 5: Meo Vac – Bao Lac – Cao Bang

Day 6: Cao Bang – Ban Gioc – Pac Bo Cave – Cao Bang

Day 7: Cao Bang – Ba Be  

Day 8: Ba Be – Ha Noi

Day 9: Ha Noi - Ha Long

Day 10: Ha Long - Ha Noi

Day 11: Ha Noi - Departure

Phu Quoc Beach Extension

4 Nights

Day 11: Ha Noi – Phu Quoc

Day 12 - 13:  Phu Quoc

Day 14:  Phu Quoc – Ho Chi Minh

Day 15: Ho Chi Minh – Departure

6 Nights

Day 11: Ha Noi – Phu Quoc

Day 12 - 15: Phu Quoc – Free at leisure

Day 16:  Phu Quoc – Ho Chi Minh

Day 17: Phu Quoc - Ho Chi Minh – Departure

After a long flight, you will arrive at our nearly thousand-year-old capital – Hanoi. Our guide will meet you at Noi Bai Airport and transfer you to the hotel in the city centre. Note: Rooms are available from 14.00. Early check-in is excluded.

Hanoi's Old Quarter, known simply as the 36 Streets, is a must-see for anyone travelling to Vietnam. With a history dating back to the 13th century, it used to be a residential, manufacturing, and commercial centre. Each street was specialized in one specific type of manufacturing or commerce.

In the late afternoon, take a guided walking tour to explore the fascinating maze of backstreets.

Walk around Dong Xuan Market, the biggest wholesale market in the Old Quarter, while enjoying the tantalizing sights, smells, and flavours of local food. Continue to O Quan Chuong, the only one of the five gates that once surrounded Thang Long citadel which remains a real 'square gate'.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Ha Noi - Tuyen Quang - Ha Giang (Breakfast, Lunch)

Breakfast at hotel. At 8:30AM, the tour guide will meet you at your hotel’s lobby, and you'll depart for the remote region of the far north. This trip is totally off the beaten track, through the most beautiful mountainous areas in Vietnam. Meet locals who live in a village nested in the high mountains or deep in the valley, and learn about their traditional lifestyle.

Almost halfway, we'll stop in Tuyen Quang town. This mountainous province is in the centre of Lo Valley, a tributary of the Red River.

Tuyen Quang has another name: 'the capital city of revolutionaries'. Tan Trao, Son Duong used to be the base of both the Communist party and Ho Chi Minh before August 1945. You will come to visit a historical relic of Tan Trao and a Tay village.

Have lunch in the village. In the afternoon, continue the drive towards Ha Giang and walk through the neighbouring hamlets. Small paths wind between hamlets and undulating rice fields. Meet local villagers.

Check in to your hotel at the end of the day.

Overnight in Ha Giang.

Day 3: Ha Giang - Quan Ba (Breakfast, Lunch)

Breakfast at hotel. Continue your ascent. Drive to winding Quan Ba, on the border of China. Highlights of the journey include dramatic scenery, local villages, and lush farmland.

Cross Quyet Tien plateau (Quyet Tien market is held on every Saturday morning, from 6AM – 10AM) and reach Quan Ba Heaven Gate where you can enjoy panoramic views of the great valley surrounding you.

On arrival, take a short walk to visit an H’mong family-run workshop to learn about traditional dyeing methods that have been handed down for generations. Get involved with their daily work, including dyeing with indigo and weaving. Then, observe the maturity ceremony, one of the oldest traditions in the region.

Breakfast at hotel. Today, get ready to visit the highlights of Ha Giang. Enjoy amazing landscapes while winding along mountain passes through beautiful lush valleys.

Stop for photo hunting or short visits to local villages. Keep driving toward Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark. Designated by UNESCO as one of 77 global sites with important geological and cultural heritage, Dong Van Karst Plateau Geopark contains several geological heritage sites of particular significance.

Visit Sung La town to visit a beautiful traditional H'mong house. Visit a unique century-old mansion, considered a national relic, belonging to the Vuong royal family who once ruled a vast area of the border region. Built in the 1900s, this palace was designed in the style of ancient Chinese architecture dating to the Qing era, made from materials such as solid stone blocks, wood, and terracotta tiles. 

End the day at the 100-year-old Dong Van Old Quarter, the highest old quarter in Vietnam, with typical Chinese architecture on a dramatic backdrop of sheer mountains and green rice fields. The quarter is home to more than 40 old houses that feature simple, unadorned wood pillars and thick clay walls. Have lunch in a restaurant.

Crossing Ma Pi Leng Pass, classified in 2009 as a regional heritage site for its unique geological landscape. The pass is an impressive 15 km of winding roads carved into the mountains that are nearly 2,000 meters above sea level. From Ma Pi Leng viewpoint, get the most astonishing view over the Nho Que River below, with hundreds of limestone mountains towering above. 

Continue the scenic drive toward the beautiful Meo Vac valley, formed from picturesque terraced rice fields and peaceful villages nestled at the foot of the hills. Overnight in Meo Vac.

Day 5: Meo Vac – Bao Lac – Cao Bang (Breakfast, Lunch)

After breakfast at hotel, drive about 3-hour to Bao Lac, a rural district of Cao Bang province. Have lunch in Bao Lac.

In the afternoon, continue driving to Cao Bang, the second UNESCO recognized Global Geopark in Vietnam after Dong Van Karst Plateau. Cao Bang is the home to breathtaking landscapes of Limestone Mountains, rice terraces, wild rivers, waterfalls and caves.

Visit the Phia Thap Village. Surrounded by green rice paddy fields and mountains, this village offers a fresh living environment. Stroll through the village and observe how the locals make incense from the natural materials by traditional methods. Witness the whole process of making an incense stick: bamboo cutting into thin sticks, water soaking, aromatic-leaf-powder sticking, wood power whirling, and drying. Try to create your incense sticks with the careful guidance of local artisans. 

Overnight in Cao Bang.

Day 6: Cao Bang – Ban Gioc waterfall – Pac Po cave – Cao Bang (Breakfast, Lunch)

Breakfast at hotel.

This morning, transfer to the spectacular Ban Gioc Waterfall and admire the breathtaking scenery of the cascading water flowing into the beautiful jade-blue body of water. Capture a wonderful picture of Ban Gioc waterfalls surrounded by limestone mountains and valleys. Optional: visit Truc Lam Ban Gioc pagoda where you will have a chance to capture a stunning panoramic view over Ban Gioc waterfalls and its surroundings.

Continue your visit to Nguom Ngao cave, one of the most spectacular cave systems in Vietnam. Created by an underground river, Nguom Ngao has amazing stalactites of various uniqueness and size. 

Not far from Ban Gioc, visit Pac Bo cave, an important historical site in an enchanting location, characterized by fostered limestone mountains, crystal clear rivers, rice fields and small villages nested in the valleys. In 1941 Ho Chi Minh crossed the Chinese border to Vietnam. He settled in Nung, then moved to live in Pac Bo Cave. There he coordinated the independence movement and began the Vietnamese translation of the history of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union.

Overnight in Cao Bang.

Breakfast at hotel.

In the morning, leave for Ba Be National Park. Established in 1992, Ba Be National Park is home to over 550 known plant species, hundreds of wildlife species, and 13 tribal villages. The scenery here is formed from limestone mountains peaking over 1500 meters, plunging valleys wrapped in dense evergreen forests, speckled with waterfalls, caves, and lakes dominating the very heart of the park. Ba Be Lake is 7km in length. It's width measures over 1km at its widest, where it is the confluence of three rivers, from which the river takes its name.

In the afternoon, board a local boat to explore the entire length of the three connected lakes of Ba Be (meaning 'Three Bays' in Vietnamese). Take in beautiful natural settings that are formed from water, jungle, mountains, and clouds. Visit Puong Cave, an enormous 300 m tunnel carved out by the river through a limestone mountain and famed for its strange and unique stalactites and the bat community of ten thousand. The boat proceeds downriver to Dau Dang Waterfall, a series of cascades between sheer walls of rock.

Overnight in Ba Be.

Day 8: Ba Be - Ha Noi (Breakfast, Lunch)

After breakfast at hotel, depart Ba Be along a scenic road covered by lush mountains and peaceful villages. Arrive in Ha Noi in the early afternoon.

After a long drive, indulge with a 120-minute VIP local therapeutic massage. This is a signature product that combines the unmatched Vietnamese methodology of natural (medicine-free) healthcare, applied over 25 years of experience, with our unique initiative in delivering an authentic experience of Hanoi’s traditional culture to clients. The spa package includes:

• Private room
• Body cleanse with a set of products extracted from seasonal grapefruit/ginger essential oils
• Soak in wooden tubs/Jacuzzi with herbal bath powder
• Steam bath with seasonal leaves, ginger salt foot bath
• Himalayan salt rock bath
• Aromatic herb steaming with 18 types of medicinal herbs
• Seasonal steam bath
• Intensive treatment with Wormwood or Ginger cream
• Enjoy nutritious food (choose 1 of 3 options), nutritious porridge, herbal drink and fruit

Day 9: Hanoi – Ha Long Bay (Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner)

Breakfast at your hotel.

Between 8:00 and 8:45 AM, the driver will driver pick you up from your hotel’s lobby. You will travel on a comfortable Limousine shuttle bus (without tour guide) from Ha Noi to Ha Long Bay, the World Nature Heritage. On arrival, you will embark on one of the most luxury cruises in the Bay: enjoy the welcome drink, check in to your cabin and have lunch while the boat slowly cruises towards the bay (Ha Long Bay or Lan Ha Bay). Pass the rock formation and experience the beauty of the bay with a range of fascinating site excursions.

Dinner on board. In the evening, the night fishing service is available on request.

Overnight on board.

Note:

• Please keep in mind that itineraries are subject to change due to port authorities, cruising conditions and/or weather conditions.
• Use of in-house English-speaking guide on boat only.

Day 10: Ha Long Bay – Hanoi (Breakfast, Brunch)

In the morning, watch the sunrise and folllow a Tai Chi practice on the sundeck.

The boat continues cruising through the bay, passing stunning karst formations and more site excursions showing the highlights of the bay.

Disembark the boat at around 10:30 – 11:00. The limousine shuttle bus transfers you back to Ha Noi City,

Overnight in Ha Noi.

Day 11: Ha Noi – Departure (Breakfast)

Breakfast at the hotel and enjoy free time to relax until your transfer to the airport (without guide) for your return flight.

Check-out is at 12:00pm. It is possible to keep the room until your departure from the hotel at an additional cost (subject to availability; contact tour operator on arrival in Hanoi to make your request).

Take a late morning flight from Ha Noi to Phu Quoc Island. Phu Quoc is called the island of pearls due to its natural wealth. This is a haven for nature and sea lovers looking for a place to unwind. The island is considered 'off the beaten track' as it remains remarkably undeveloped. Phu Quoc’s forests and pristine white sand beaches make this an ideal place for trekking, diving, and snorkelling.

Upon arrival at airport, the resort’s shuttle bus will transfer you to the hotel.

Stay overnight on Phu Quoc Island.

Day 12 - 13 or Day 12 - 15: Phu Quoc – Free time (Breakfast)

Enjoy 2 or 4 days, depending on your chosen offer, at your leisure to relax, sunbathe, read and sip a fresh cocktail. Stay overnight on Phu Quoc Island.

OPTIONAL EXCURSION: Snorkelling & Sunset BBQ Dinner on Islet

Duration: Half day (14:00 – 19:00)

Day 14 or 16: Phu Quoc – Flight to Ho Chi Minh City (Breakfast)

After breakfast, the resort’s shuttle bus will transfer you back to the airport. Take a morning flight from Quoc to Ho Chi Minh City (or so-called Saigon). Located on the Saigon River, Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon as it is still called by all, is Vietnam's major port and largest city.

On arrival at Tan Son Nhat Airport in Ho Chi Minh City, the local guide will greet you and transfer you to your hotel in the city centre.

Day 15 or 17: Sai Gon – Departure (Breakfast)

You'll be free today until you meet your driver for a transfer to the airport in good time to catch your departure flight (check-out time at 12.00PM).

Throughout your tour, you'll be accommodated in Standard Rooms in the following hotels (or similar):

• Hanoi: Acoustic Hotel & Spa 4* (or similar)
• Ha Giang: Phoenix Hotel 4* (or similar)
• Quan Ba: H'mong Village Resort 4* (or similar)
• Meo Vac: Auberge De Meo Vac Mountain Lodge (or similar)
• Cao Bang: Max Boutique Hotel (or similar)
• Ba Be: Sai Gon Ba Be Resort 4* (or similar)
• Ha Long: Indochine Cruise 5* (or similar)
• Phu Quoc: La Veranda Phu Quoc 5* (or similar)
• Sai Gon: Odys Boutique Hotel 4* (or similar)

Duration: Half day (14:00 – 19:00)
 

In the afternoon, we will pick you up at your hotel and head out to the pier for a boat trip to Buom Island and May Rut islets. Enjoy the cool breeze and relax while on the boat. Explore the colourful, diverse sea life with a variety of coral and fish while swimming and snorkelling, or just relax and sip a refreshing cocktail at the beach bar.

A BBQ dinner is served on the islet before returning to the harbour and transferring to your hotel.

NOTES: Islands may be changed dependent on weather conditions.

Year on year Vietnam is becoming a more popular holiday destination as people start to discover all that this beautiful and fascinating country has to offer. The attraction of a holiday to Vietnam is evident when you consider its unique cultural and historical heritage set in an unspoilt, diverse and engaging landscape. 

Whilst Vietnam is an extraordinary country to explore, an increasing number of tourists are going simply to relax; with over 3,000km of coastline, stunning white sand beaches and a number of luxury resorts.

Ho Chi Minh, also known as Saigon, is a symbol of the Vietnam War, witnessed at the War Remnants Museum, the Cu Chi tunnels and the Independence Palace. Take a tour of the local market "Ben Thanh", where there is a multitude of stalls, and be amazed by the nature of the Zoo & Botanical Garden, a reserve that protects elephants, tigers and very rare orchids.