Meal: NA – Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi Welcome to Hanoi – the charming, historic capital of Vietnam. Our driver and tour guide will meet you at Noi Bai International Airport and take you to your hotel in the city center. Check in to your room after 2 PM and relax.

Activities : Sightseeing

Meal: Breakfast/lunch – Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi Any North Vietnam tours should always start with its very heart and soul, to trace back the imprints of the bygone eras vividly etched on its every corner. Today you have a full day to explore the centuries-old capital of Vietnam. You will start with the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house at the back, and the One Pillar Pagoda. Then, proceed to the Temple of Literature – the first University of Vietnam and take in the delightful scene around West Lake, including the well-preserved Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple. Learn more about Vietnamese people with a visit to Ethnology Museum, housing a fabulous presentation of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities, featuring well-presented tribal art, artefacts, and everyday objects gathered from across the nation, and miniatures of traditional village houses. Later in the afternoon, you will enjoy a traditional Water Puppet performance for an intimate insight into Vietnamese rural life throughout history. Originated in the Red River Delta in the 11th century, water puppetry is as old as the city itself, hailing from the country’s wet rice culture and sketching a lively and colorful picture of an agricultural society typical of the North with a humorous twist to every skit.

Activities : Museums

Meal: Breakfast/lunch – Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi About 100km to the south of Hanoi is Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of the first two imperial dynasties (the Dinh and the Le) of Vietnam in 42 years, until the third king – Ly Thai To, decided to move his seat to Dai La and name it Thang Long or Soaring Dragon (now Hanoi) in 1010. As you trace the country’s history through the architectural legacy of its ancient royal palace, pay homage to its first and second feudal rulers with a visit to the two temples built in honor of them – King Dinh Tien Hoang and King Le Dai Hanh. Have lunch in a local restaurant nearby, where you will have a chance to try goat meat, a trademark specialty of Ninh Binh. After lunch, board a small boat and meander lazily down the gentle river, through three small, enigmatic caves. Bask in the timeless charm of the ‘Halong Bay on Land’ – characterized by lofty karst outcrops jutting out of the gleaming ocean of rice paddies, while tuning in to the sounds of sweet chirping and lapping water licking the boat’s hull. Around 4pm, you will return to the pier, where our driver will be waiting for you for your drive back to Hanoi.

Activities : Sightseeing

Meal: Breakfast/lunch/dinner – Accommodation: On Cruise The reason why Halong Bay is indispensable when it comes to North Vietnam tours or any Vietnam tours in general, is because it fits almost every traveler’s taste and wallet, from backpackers, to honeymooners, to families, to bon vivants. After getting picked up from your hotel, you will be transferred to the astounding Halong Bay dripping in natural beauty, at 12:00 pm. You will be welcomed aboard and sailing into the bay, through innumerable islands and islets, while lunch is being served. After lunch, you will take a short trek to a nearby summit to feed your eyes on the magnificent panoramic view of the bay dotted with golden sails. Seize this chance to swim in the calm water or kayak around this ethereal seascape or just simply sunbathing on the sundeck. Later in the afternoon, pay a visit to a quaint fishing village for an opportunity to talk with fishermen who have inhabited the bay for almost three generations. Go back to the ship and watch the crepuscular rays fade into a riveting abyss of orange as it sails to a peaceful body of water for an overnight stay on board.

Activities : Sightseeing

Meal: Breakfast/Brunch – Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi Kickstart your day with an early Tai Chi Session on the sundeck and you will be rewarded with an unparalleled visual glory of the sun peeking above the watery horizon. After breakfast, you will visit an enigmatic limestone grotto and then go back to the ship for a final glimpse of Ha Long Bay as you cruise back to the dock. Check out as the ship arrives at the harbor by noon and drive back to Hanoi. Stay there for the night.

Activities : Sightseeing

Meal: Breakfast – Accommodation: NA After breakfast at the hotel, our guide will accompany you to the airport to catch your scheduled flight. Our North Vietnam tours end here. Bon voyage!

Activities : Sightseeing