Highlights
The legends of northern Vietnam await you on this incredible 8-day tour through the country’s most beautiful natural scenery and cultural diversity. The story begins in Halong Bay, birthplace of what some consider as the start of Vietnamese civilization with a Halong Bay day cruise, followed by historic visits of Hanoi’s Old Quarter and mouthwatering cuisine. Then, head to the mountains of Sapa’s remote Hoang Lien National Park to meet ethnic minority communities and to reach the summit of Southeast Asia’s tallest mountain via cable car, Mt. Fanispan. The story ends with an enchanting day-visit to Ninh Binh, home to Trang An scenic complex and centuries’ old pagodas at Vietnam’s sacred Buddhist centre, Bai Dinh.
Details
Brief itinerary
Day 1: Hanoi Arrival - Transfer to Halong
Day 2: Halong Bay Day Cruise
Day 3: Halong - The Old Quarter of Hanoi
Day 4: Hanoi - Sapa - Cat Cat Village
Day 5: Sapa - Lao Chai - Ta Van Village - Mt. Fansipan
Day 6: Sapa - Hanoi at leisure
Day 7: Bai Dinh Pagoda - Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex
Day 8: Hanoi Departure
DAY 1: HANOI ARRIVAL - HALONG (D)
Xin Chào and welcome to the stunning capital of Vietnam, Hanoi! Once you have completed immigration procedures at Noi Bai International Airport, say hello to your local guide and buckle up for a 2-hour journey to Ha Long, your gateway to the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Halong Bay.
One of Vietnam’s most impressive tourist attractions, Halong Bay is one of three bays making up the legendary Gulf of Tonkin. Translating to “descending dragon” in Vietnamese, the area is thought to be the place where a mother dragon with her children came to help the locals fight enemy invaders thousands of years ago, staying afterwards to help farm, raise cattle, and reclaim the land. The story states that the thousands of limestone karst mountains and islets were at one time emeralds laid down by the mother dragon to repel enemies. A legendary story for a legendary place, to be sure!
Upon arrival at your hotel, check in and relax, taking in the views from this quaint coastal city with a welcome seafood dinner showcasing the best of what the region has to offer.
Overnight in Halong.
DAY 2: THE NATURAL WONDERS OF HALONG BAY (B,L,D)
After breakfast, discover the natural wonders of Halong Bay aboard a premium Halong Bay day cruise, passing thousands of limestone karts rising out of the emerald waters of the bay. Tour one of the bay’s most famous caves and enjoy an extravagant buffet lunch on board before returning to the pier in the early afternoon.
The rest of the day is at your leisure to explore as you wish. We recommend checking out Sun World’s Halong Complex for thrilling games and cable car rides or get a panoramic view of Halong Bay with a scenic seaplane tour, spying pearl farms, hidden beaches, and more!
Overnight in Halong.
DAY 3: HALONG - THE OLD QUARTER OF HANOI (B,L,D)
After breakfast at the hotel, return to Hanoi via a 2.5 hour private transfer. Receive a proper introduction to Hanoi with a much-deserved, Hanoian-styled lunch served at a local restaurant before an exploration of the Old Quarter’s 36 famous labyrinth-like streets, by cyclo (a three-wheeled bicycle taxi). There will be plenty of chances for selfies and shopping as you learn about the city’s artistic side and interesting history. The tour includes sampling Vietnamese coffee or traditional desserts (chè), as well as a visit to iconic Hoan Kiem Lake and its island temple, Ngoc Son.
Overnight in Hanoi.
DAY 4: HANOI – SAPA - CAT CAT (B,L,D)
Start the day with an early morning breakfast before departure to the mountains via join-in limousine bus to Sapa, a 5.5 hour journey. Formerly used as a retreat by the French in the late 1800s to escape the heat of Hanoi, Sapa’s mountains have always been home to numerous ethnic minority tribe villages who know how to live off the land, concoct traditional medicine remedies, and create incredible embroidered textiles colored with natural dyes. While the town has modernised quite a bit in the last 20 years, it is still very easy to get out into the mountains with hikes and cycling tours. Surrounded by enchanting rice terraces and thundering waterfalls hidden behind towering mountains and deep valleys, Sapa is the place to go for nature lovers, sport enthusiasts, aspiring photographers, and cultural explorers.
Freshen up at your hotel upon arrival in Sapa and fill up with a delicious local lunch before starting a short visit to stretch your legs, either by car or walking, to Cat Cat Village, a H’mong ethnic minority group. Learn about their culture, and get some first-hand experience by trying on their clothing to take some photos, continuing on past an old hydro-electric power station built by the French in the early 1900s. The tour ends at a beautiful waterfall, a perfect spot to take photos with your friends and family.
Overnight in Sapa.
DAY 5: SAPA - LAO CHAI - TA VAN - MT. FANSIPAN (B,L,D)
Today is an exciting day full of sightseeing! After breakfast, take a scenic drive through the Muong Hoa Valley, marveling at the cascading rice terraces gliding down the sides of the impressive Hoang Lien Mountain Range. A gentle half-day hike takes you through Lao Chai and Ta Van villages, home to different ethnic minority communities, most notably, the Giay, Black H’mong, and the Red Dzao.
Return to Sapa for lunch and then get ready to conquer the so-called “Roof of Indochina”, mainland Southeast Asia’s highest summit, Mt. Fansipan, by funicular and cable car! Standing at a staggering height of 3,143 meters, nowadays you can reach the top in just 30 minutes instead of a 3-day grueling trek to see the most incredible views of the surrounding Hoang Lien Mountain Range, Muong Hoa Valley, and on a very clear day, even China!
Overnight in Sapa.
DAY 6: SAPA - HANOI (B)
Wake up in the misty mountains wrapped in clouds and take in the views of Sapa with a hot cup of coffee or tea before heading down to breakfast. After, depart Sapa for Hanoi at 08:00 by join-in limousine bus, arriving at the bustling city centre around 13:00/13:30, just in time for hotel check-in.
The rest of the day is at your leisure to enjoy Vietnam’s capital, with its wide variety of high-quality spas, restaurants, and malls to shop in!
Overnight in Hanoi.
DAY 7: HANOI - BAI DINH - TRANG AN (B,L,D)
After breakfast, take a two-hour private transfer with your guide to Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Ninh Binh province. Noteworthy for its breathtaking natural landscape of vibrant river valleys framed by limestone karst mountains, Trang An is a quintessential look into Vietnam’s most beautiful scenery and countryside culture. Here the farmers often have two harvest seasons due to the way they plant the rice, giving guests ample chances to catch the beauty of the golden rice fields, from late May to mid June and mid August to early September.
Spend the morning visiting Bai Dinh Pagoda, one of Vietnam’s most sacred pagodas and spiritual sites, followed by a lunch of local Ninh Binh delicacies at a local restaurant. Then, take a 2-3 hour rowboat ride through Trang An as a local woman guides you with ease using only her feet to move the oars! Don’t forget your camera as you will see hidden lagoons, caves, and even where some parts of the Hollywood Blockbuster, Kong: Skull Island, was filmed.
Transfer back to Hanoi in the late afternoon.
Overnight in Hanoi.
DAY 8: HANOI DEPARTURE (B)
Your last day is spent at leisure as you snap up those last-minute souvenirs around the Old Quarter of Hanoi before a noon check-out. Then head to Noi Bai International Airport to catch your flight home.
Special Rates
Please contact us for the best rates.
Services included
+ 7-night hotel accommodation based on twin/double share (see Accommodation section for details)
+ 7 breakfasts, 5 lunches, 6 dinners as mentioned in the itinerary (B= Breakfast, L= Lunch, D= Dinner)
+ Combo admission ticket to Mt. Fansipan, including round-trip Muong Hoa Monorail, round-trip Fansipan Cable Car, and one-way Fansipan Peak Funicular
+ Traditional boat trip and pagoda visit in Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex
+ Traditional cyclo tour in Hanoi’s Old Quarter
+ Premium join-in Halong Bay Day Cruise with lunch aboard Sea Octopus or Halong Princess
+ English-speaking local guides with one guide in Hanoi/Halong/Ninh Binh and one guide in Sapa (please enquire for other languages)
+ Tours and airport transfers as mentioned by private air-conditioned vehicle unless stated otherwise
+ Round-trip join-in transfer from your hotel in Hanoi to your hotel in Sapa by limousine bus (9 or 18 seats)
+ Entrance fees for all mentioned visits, activities, and tours
+ VAT and service charges.
Services not included
+ Admission ticket to Sun World Halong Complex and Queen Cable Car ride
+ Halong Bay seaplane sightseeing tour (recommended to book in advance)
+ International and domestic flights (quoted separately)
+ Visa fees (if any), travel insurance, and tips
+ Meals other than mentioned above
+ Early check-in or late check-out fees
+ Personal expenses (drinks, laundry, telephone, etc)
+ Peak season surcharges and compulsory gala dinners on 24th Dec and 31st Dec
+ Other services not clearly indicated in the package inclusions above.
Terms & Conditions
PAYMENTS
A deposit of 30% of the total booking is required within three days from the date of confirmation. The balance payment is due at 45 days prior to tour commencement date. For bookings made less than 45 days, full payment is required. Bookings will be cancelled if payments are not received by the due date(s).
Payment can be made via bank transfer or credit cards. In addition to the total payable amount, credit card payments will incur a merchant fee of 2.5% for MasterCard and Visa, 3% for American Express. Any bank charges and merchant fees must be covered by the customer.
CANCELLATIONS
Confirmed bookings must be cancelled by the party leader in writing (by email) and this will only be effective once the written cancellation is confirmed by FantaSea Vietnam. Cancellation by the party leader will be subject to the following cancellation fees from the date the written cancellation is received:
+ more than 45 days prior to tour date - 10% of total cost
+ between 31 and 45 days prior to tour date - 25% of total cost
+ between 16 and 30 days prior to tour date - 50% of total cost
+ within 15 days prior to tour date or “no show” - 100% of total cost.
AMENDMENTS
Any amendments to confirmed bookings must be requested by the party leader in writing (by email). Whilst we will endeavor to assist, we cannot guarantee that requests will be met. If we can make the requested change, you will be provided with a quote detailing any additional costs, whether incurred due to your amendments, imposed by a Third-Party Travel Provider, or our amendment fees. In all cases, the following amendment fees shall apply:
+ If amendments are made more than 45 days prior to scheduled tour date: the first amendment is free of charge. From the second amendment: a charge of U$80 per amendment for a short trip (less than 7 nights) or U$150 per amendment for a long journey (7 nights or more).
+ If amendments are made within 45 days prior to scheduled tour date: the above standard cancellation fees will apply, and full price will apply to new travel arrangements.
We will not charge any cancellation/amendment fees if it is due to a breach by us of any of our obligations or due to our fault; or if the Third-Party Travel Provider amends your booking through no fault of the customer.
