Ninh Binh – Sapa – Halong Bay – 5 Days

Day 01: Hanoi – Hoa Lu – Tam Coc – Hanoi – Night train to Lao Cai (L)

Day 02: Sapa - Cat Cat Village (B)

Day 03: Sapa - Muong Hoa Valley – Bus to Hanoi (B, L)

Day 04: Hanoi – Ha Long Bay (B, L, D)

Day 05: Ha Long Bay - Hanoi (B, L)

8.00 pick you up at your hotel in Hanoi to Ninh Binh. After 2, 5 hours driving southward, we arrival Tam Coc wharf, get on the boat row while this area is still not busy, we will enjoy nice and quiet riding long river through 3 tunnel cave, consisting of the Hang Ca, Hang Hai and Hang Ba grottoes. These caves are adorned with beautiful stalactites and stalagmites of different shapes and colors that sparkle like gemstones. After 2 hours boat ride we get back on the shore, have lunch in local restaurant close by, afterwards we will go to visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital with 2 temples of the Kings Dinh and Le before heading back to Hanoi.

Evening, pick up at your hotel then transfer to the station for a night train to Lao Cai.

Overnight on soft sleeper berths cabin to Lao Cai.

We arrive Lao Cai train station in the early morning. Pick up and driving to Sapa, it takes us around one hour to make our way up the mountains. Once at Sapa, we have breakfast (we will have room if it is available - but the check in time after 12:00). We embark on a lovely walking tour to the hill tribe village of Cat Cat, home of the H'Mong hill tribe minority people. As we walk to the villages nestled in the valley below Sapa we will meet some of the local minority people on their way to and from Sapa. Here we have the opportunity to share cultural experiences with families that live in the area.

Optional Fansipan by cable car. The cable car system in Sapa is the world’s longest and highest cable car, running up from sleepy Sapa Town in Lao Cai Province to the peak of 3,143-meter. Fansipan Mountain, known as Indochina’s rooftop.

Reaching Mount Fansipan used to mean a full-day hike at least. But from Feb 2016 the trek up will be reduced to a 25-minute flight by cable car. The 6.5km long cable car can carry a maximum of 2,000 passengers an hour, with each cabin accommodating 35 passengers.

Overnight at hotel in Sapa.

Get up in the early morning and enjoy the fresh air and the daily life at Sapa market. Back to hotel for breakfast. At 9.00 we embark on a lovely trek that will take us along buffalo paths and trails and through several hills tribe villages Lao Chai & Ta Van, home to Black H'mong, and Dzay people. This is an absolutely spectacular walk through stunning scenery inhabited by some of the friendliest people you can meet. Once on the valley floor you can really appreciate the wonderful scenery that surrounds you. The walls of the valley are covered with multi-layered rice terraced fields and scattered villages.

We back to Sapa in the afternoon and wait for a bus transfer back to Hanoi.

Overnight in Hanoi.

We will pick you up around 08:00 am for a transfer to Ha Long Bay, listed as a World Heritage Area of outstanding natural beauty. "Dragon descending to the sea" as it is known in Vietnamese, picturesque Ha Long Bay has more than 1.000 limestone islets rising from the sea, many of them containing beautiful grottoes

Upon arrival at Ha Long Bay we embark on a boat trip to cruise discovering this magnificent UNESCO World Wonder. This is a great journey among surreal islands rising from a tranquil emerald sea.

In the late afternoon, we anchor for the night on the bay and enjoy a delicious seafood dinner on board.

Overnight on a junk boat in Ha Long Bay.

Early morning coffee and tea will be served on the sundeck followed by a Tai Chi class. After breakfast we take a Sampan boat to explore Luon Cave. We may have a chance to see the wild monkeys that gather around waiting for food from the tourists. After that we continue to cruise around the bay. Lunch is served on the boat on our way back to the docks then we return to Hanoi. Arrive Hanoi around 16.30.

End of the trip!