8 Days Northern Vietnam Tour with Hill Tribe Home Stay and Sapa Minorities Discovery

The Northern region of Vietnam is so much more than just enjoying the bustling street of Hanoi, strolling through 36 old quarters. If you are interested in discovering all aspects of the region, our 8-day Essence of Northern Vietnam tour is tailored just for you. From mountains to seas, we have a trip from Sapa to Halong Bay. We travel back in time to see isolated hill tribe communities that are surrounded by verdant rolling hills and mountain streams and are watched over by striking limestone karsts. Halong Bay serves as the magnificent climax of the tour. On a cozy junk boat, we’ll spend the night visiting islands, enjoying delectable meals, swimming, tanning, and kayaking. The tour marks a perfect showcase of the visual and cultural delights of northern Vietnam!

Highlights:

  • Halong Bay: Cruise on Halong Bay;
  • Hanoi: Discover the capital city of Vietnam with Hochiminh Mausoleum and Hoan Kiem Lake;
  • Sapa: Stunning mountain view and terrace fields, primitive ethnic villages;
  • Sapa: Bac Ha Market, the Trung Do village to enjoy a water buffalo cart riding;
  • Sapa: Half Day Fun Farming Activities;

Brief Itinerary

  • Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi
  • Day 2: Hanoi-Lao Cai by train
  • Day 3: Lao Cai-Sapa
  • Day 4: Sapa
  • Day 5: Sapa-Lao Cai-Hanoi
  • Day 6: Hanoi-Halong Bay
  • Day 7: Halong Bay
  • Day 8: Halong Bay-Hanoi and Departure

Detailed Itinerary

Day 1 Arrive in Hanoi

Sightseeing and Activities: Hanoi City
Accommodation: Hanoi
Meals: None
Flight: International flight on your own arrangement or upon request

Welcome to Vietnam! The land of unique culture and stunning natural view.
Upon your arrival, your local tour guide will welcome you at the airport then escort you to hotel with private car. Check in hotel and relax.

welcome dinner with traditional Vietnamese music will give you a first taste of Vietnamese cuisine and their culture.
You will be free to explore Hanoi City by your own.

Day 2 Full Day Hanoi  City Tour-Night Train to Lao Cai

Sightseeing and Activities:The Tran Quoc Pagoda, Hoan Kiem Lake, the Tortoise Tower, the Old Quarter, the One Pillar Pagoda, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, The Temple of Literature
Accommodation: In the train from Hanoi to Lao Cai
Meals: Breakfast

This morning see the Tran Quoc Pagoda. This 1,400 year old temple features ten tiers enclosed by gardens, including a bodhi tree grown from a cutting of the original Buddhist tree under which Buddha sat. Stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake where you’ll see the Tortoise Tower perched on the water. Enjoy a half hour cyclo tour through Hanoi’s the Old Quarter. The cyclo is a historic mode of transportation in the cities of Vietnam where a cyclist leads you while you sit in a canopied seat affixed to the front. Next, visit the One Pillar Pagoda, situated on a pillar made of a single stone, in the midst of a lotus pond. This pagoda was built by a 9th century emperor who saw it in a dream and regarded this as divine inspiration to recreate the structure in his vision.

You’ll pass by the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum before visiting the highlight of this day – The Temple of Literature. This ancient university was erected almost a millennium ago and has hosted many of the most prominent scholars through Vietnamese history. The site features many gardens, pools, buildings, and ancient trees where Vietnam’s best and brightest studied under the guidance of Confucius teachings.
In the evening, board the overnight train to Lao Cai to discover the mountain tribes in northern Vietnam. Overnight on the train.

Day 3 Lao Cai-Sapa

Sightseeing and Activities: the Black H’mong village of Y Linh Ho,
Accommodation: Sapa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Arrive in Lao Cai railway station in early morning around 6:30 am. You guide will pick you up from the train and then escort you to your hotel in the highland town Sapa. Enjoy breakfast in hotel and have a short rest. Today we will have stunning mountain view and terrace fields, primitive villages.

Take a short walk of 6 km from Sapa to Black H’mong village of Y Linh Ho and Lao Chai where excellent panoramas of the larger valley, paddy terraced fields and the H’mong village are offered. Follow a small local path leading to the bottom of the valley with some stalls serving tea and fruits and a spot perfect for a rest and lunch. After lunch,visit the Giay people of Ta Van in the middle of the Muong Hoa valley. Spend a night in a local house.

Day 4 Sapa

Sightseeing and Activities: Half Day Fun Farming Activities,
Accommodation: Sapa
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Wake up in the morning, follow the home stay family to the fields to help them with farm work. You will experience their local life and learn how to do farm works in this mountain village.

After breakfast, continue trekking towards Red Dao village in Giang Ta Chai. On the way you will trek uphill and downhill then through bamboo forest. Stop at the village of Giang Ta Chai after following a path and a simple bridge. Enjoy lunch by a waterfall, just before arriving at the village. Finally, trek to return to the hill of Hau Thao village and back to Sapa from there by car.

Rest of the day is free for you to relax in the hotel and discover the lovely small town. Overnight in Sapa.

Day 5 Sapa-Lao Cai

Sightseeing and Activities: Bac Ha market, the local Flower H’mong people, the Trung Do village, a water buffalo cart riding, Chay River boat rafting
Accommodation: In the train from Lao Cai to Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Leave Sapa in the morning and drive to Bac Ha Market (approximately 2.5 hours drive). Be impressed by the colorful costume of the local Flower H’mong people, and experience the local market and discover the local life of the ethnic people.

In the afternoon, visit the Trung Do village to enjoy a water buffalo cart riding through the beautiful rice fields and the village to the riverside, then take a boat ride along the Chay River for about 30 minutes.

Tonight, you will board the overnight train for heading back to Hanoi.

Overnight on train.

Day 6 Lao Cai-Hanoi-Halong Bay

Sightseeing and Activities: the morning flower market in Hanoi, Halong Bay, the Halong Bay Cruise, fishing village, Tuan Chau Island, chef’s cooking demonstration, picturesque floating villages, fantastic rock
Accommodation: Halong Bay
Meals:Breakfast, Lunch

Arrive in Hanoi in early morning, a visit to the morning flower market where you will find how the Vietnamese like flowers.
After a light breakfast, we will drive to Halong City for the Halong Bay Cruise. Upon arrival, you will board the cruise ship for a relaxing Halong Bay Cruise through the stunning Halong Bay. You could be absolute relax by lying down on the sun deck to enjoy the beautiful scenery and sun shine. A shore excursion will bring you to discover a beautiful cave, visit a local fishing village with opportunity to interact with local people.
When the sun become a drop of burning gold that slid nearer the sea horizon, enjoy your dinner while enjoying a charming sun set.

Your heavenly journey across Halong Bay starts around noon on Tuan Chau Island at the doorstep of Vietnam’s most fascinating wonder.
As the vessel sets sails, you will be greeted by Paradise Crew and Cruise Manager who will aim throughout your stay at providing you with the highest standards of service for a pure pleasure and utmost comfort onboard our luxury facilities in the stunning surroundings.
Discover some of the treasures disseminated across the Bay of the Descending Dragon during the afternoon:fascinating cavespristine beachespicturesque floating villages, fantastic rock formations rising up out of emerald water.
While onboard, you can take advantage at leisure of our Spa, Beauty & Massage services; surrounded by a stunning setting in motion, you will attend our chef’s cooking demonstration and try your skills in the art of traditional Vietnamese cooking.
Defined to be one of the highlights of your Paradise stay, a highly refined, innovative and varied cuisine will be presented for Lunch and Dinner in the elegant dining-room, accompanied by a wide selection of wines and beverages from around the world.

Day 7 Halong Bay

Sightseeing and Activities: Tai Chi demonstration, Bai Tu Long Bay, long- white- sandy beaches, Vung Vieng Village, the limestone peaks, rowing bamboo boat, Dark Cave & Light Cave area,
Accommodation: Halong Bay
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch

Enjoy Another Full Day Halong Bay Cruise along Halong Bay, you will enjoy fun activities on the sea as well as interesting shore excursions.
Stay overnight on the boat.

As the day breaks, you are invited to join a Tai Chi demonstration taking place on the top deck of the vessel. Enjoy a buffet breakfast on the main vessel before being transferred to our day-boat, Paradise Explorer, which will take you to Bai Tu Long Bay, one among the wonderful natural wonders with beautiful islands and long- white- sandy beaches . Dropping anchor at Vung Vieng Village, one of the biggest fishing village in Halong nested among the limestone peaks, unaffected by ocean waves or strong winds by rowing bamboo boat to experience the expansive skies and breathtaking seascapes of myriad limestone outcrops rising steeply from the water and explore daily life of local people.
Back on Paradise Explorer, lunch will be served as the boat starts sailing again. On the way, stop at Dark Cave & Light Cave area. Kayak, swim, or just enjoy the quiet and splendid setting. Back on the main vessel, relax and enjoy the facilities at leisure.Bar open, spa, massage & beauty services available for bookings according to your will.
Dinner served onboard followed by movie night, squid fishing or just enjoying a cocktail surrounded by limestone rocks majestically springing out from silent waters in the night.

Day 8 Halong Bay-Hanoi and Departure

Sightseeing and Activities: Thai Chi lesson, Halong Bay sailing across its 2000 islets
Accommodation: Home
Meals: Breakfast

Greeting by the morning sun rise from the sea horizon, you can join a Thai Chi lesson for some morning exercise before breakfast. Visit a limestone grotto in the morning and disembark around 11:00 am then transfer to airport for onward flight to next destination of your Indochina tour or to your sweet home.

Early birds can attend a Tai Chi demonstration on the sundeck at the break of dawn. Start the day enjoying some Paradise delights with a colourful buffet breakfast. Continue exploring Halong Bay sailing across its 2000 islets and visiting some of its major highlights. Your Paradise Cruise will come to an end on Tuan Chau Island between 10.30am and 11.00am.

Transfer back to Hanoi Airport for your international flight back home.
Service ends.

Recommended Hotels

Destination 5 Star 4 Star 3 Star Hostel
Hanoi
Halong Bay
Sapa
Train

Service Included:

  • Admission fees for all of the sightseeing spots listed in the itinerary;
  • Meals as listed in the itinerary;
  • Hotels as listed in the itinerary;
  • Private English-speaking tour guide and vehicle for transfers & sightseeing;
  • Service charge & government taxes;
  • Luggage transfers between airports and hotels;
  • Two bottles of mineral water each day;

Service Excluded:

  • Any arrival and departure international airfares or train tickets;
  • Chinese visa fees;
  • Excess baggage charged by Airlines;
  • Single room supplement;
  • Tips to guides and drivers;
  • Personal expenses and gratuities to service staff.
  • Personal travel accident insurance;
  • All optional programs;
  • Domestic air tickets fares with airport tax and fuel extra fee based on economy class mentioned in the program.