Highlights of Northen Vietnam 8 day tour is designed for tourist who want to see as much as possible in the North of Vietnam. In this tour, you will visit and stay overnight on Lan Ha bay – forgotten bay, visit Cat Ba island, Hoa Lu temples, Tam Coc in NInh Binh, hiking in Sapa, conquer Fansipan peak by cable car, relax with street food tour in Hanoi.
Highlights of Northen Vietnam 8 day tour itinerary
Day 1: Cat Ba Lan Ha bay 3 day 2 night cruise (lunch, dinner)
Hai Phong Tours collects people in Hanoi Old Quarter from 9h. And we pick up in Hai Phong hotel or Hai Phong airport from 11h00. If you land in Hai Phong airport earlier, please wait at coffee shop at A1 gate (click here) untill pick up time.
After pick up, Hai Phong Tours will drive you to Got harbor for Cat Ba Lan Ha bay 3 day 2 night cruise tour.
Around 12h, we will do check in procedures and get room onboard. Then we serve lunch at restaurant during the time our cruise heading to Lan Ha bay center.
Around 15h, we arrive at Dark and Light caves. This is where you are free to do either kayaking or bamboo boat trip. Then we will get back to cruise to refresh yourself. It’s time to enjoy the sunset in this magnificent Lan Ha bay. We have cooking class onboard then to learn about Vietnamese cuisine.
After dinner, you are free to relax on sundeck or go fishing at tender.
The first day of Highlights of Northen Vietnam 8 day finished here. You will stay overnight onboard.
Day 2: Viet Hai village, Van Boi, Ba Trai Dao beaches (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
We will start our second day of Cat Ba Lan Ha bay 3 day 2 night cruise tour with Tai Chi exercise on sundeck. Then after breakfast, we transfer to day boat to Viet Hai harbor. This is where we go cycling for a short trip of 5 km to Viet Hai village.
Next, we get back to cruise and move to other side of Lan Ha Bay to visit Van Boi areawhere we go kayaking after the lunch. Later, we visit Ba Trai Dao beaches to swim in this beautiful and clean area.
Then we will get back to cruise to refresh yourself. It’s time to enjoy the sunset in this magnificent Lan Ha bay. You will stay overnight onboard.
Day 3: Tai Chi exercise, Military Hospital Cave (breakfast, lunch)
It is great idea to wake up early to enjoy sunset on sundeck. This is the best to continue your Cat Ba Lan Ha bay 3 day 2 night cruise tour. We will do Tai Chi exercise on the sundeck. After breakfast, we will move to Gia Luan wharf. Hai Phong Tours will transfer you to Military Hospital Cave on Cat Ba Island by bus. This is an interesting place to learn more history of Vietnam during the resistance war against American. The cave consisted of a surgery room, eating room, meeting room, sport room.
Around 10h, get back to the cruise and check out your cabin. Then we serve lunch while our cruise get back to Got harbor.
Time to arrive in Hanoi is about 14h30-15h. We will drop off at your hotel.
Day 4: Hoa Lu temples, Tam Coc day tour (lunch)
Please get ready at your hotel’s lobby from 8h – 8h30 for pick up. Then we will head to Hoa Lu temple first. This is the formal capital of Vietnam and famous for ancient temples of Le and the Dinh Dynasties. Then Hai Phong Tours will transfer you to Tam Coc to have lunch at 12h30.
After lunch, we will do boat trip to Tam Coc (3 caves) along Ngo Dong river with rice field behind. We will row through 3 caves and it’s about 2 hours long onboard.
Then, we get back to harbor and receive cycle. We will do cycling for an hour on quiet roads through villages, rice fields, rivers and rocky outcrops to Bich Dong (around 5 km).
Finally, we get back to Hanoi at around 18h. Hoa Lu temple Tam Coc day boat tour ended here.
Day 5: Lao Chai, Ta Van, Giang Ta Chai 2 day 1 night at homestay (lunch, dinner)
Please get ready at hotel lobby from 6h30, then Hai Phong Tours will pick you up to for bus trip to Sapa.
13h, you will arrive in Sapa to check in hotel and have lunch. Then we will hike to Lao Chai village to visit the Tay and Dzay tribes. And we keep going along the bottom of Muong Hoa valley to visit Ta Van village. This is home of the Dzay minority – the most beautiful ethnic village in the area. Later, we do check in homestay. It’s good chance to know the family of Dzay People. We spend time to enjoy the mountain life on Sunset. You may attend cooking class with the family and enjoy dinner in peace. In the evening, you can join the local bar nearby with music and socialize with other tourists then overnight at homestay.
Day 6: Giang Ta Chai Village (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
08h30 – 09h00: After breakfast at homestay, we will start to do easy trek of 5 km to visit Giang Ta Chai Village – village of the Red Dzao. The trekking will take you along local paths, up and down rice terraces and into the villages and home of local hill tribes. Enjoy a beautiful waterfall and rattan bridge with picturesque landscapes…through bamboo forest. Then we will have lunch at local restaurant.
14h00, Hai Phong Tours will bring you back to Sapa Town to check in hotel. You are free to explore town till dinner time at hotel. Stay overnight at hotel in Sapa town.
Day 7: Fansipan – Hanoi (breakfast, lunch, dinner)
08h00, After breakfast in hotel, we will take you to Fansipan Cable Car Station and spend 20 minutes with cable car to enjoy the spectacular scenery. Once reaching the altitute of 2800 meters, you will have a good time to see the view and take photos. You will visit pagoda the spiritual destinations and trek up to 600 steps you will reach the peak of Fansipan – the Roof of Indochina. (Spend about 1,5 hours for hiking and taking photos).
11h00, come back to Fansipan Cable Car Station and let’s go back to Sapa town. After lunch, please check out and you are free to explore Sapa town or go shopping at Sapa Market.
If you would like to get back to Hanoi in afternoon, you will be in Hanoi at around 22h.
If you want to spend more time in town, we will get back by night bus or train. You will arrive in Hanoi next day (around 5hAM).
Day 8: Refresh, Hanoi street food (dinner)
17h, we will pick you up at hotel. Then, we will walk through streets in Hanoi Old Quarter with tour guide who will introduce the culture and the daily life in the evening of the locals.
Nom Bo Kho and Nem Ran
The first dish is “Nom Bo Kho” (dry beef salad), a very tasty and favorite food of the Hanoian before you take some steps to tasting “Nem Ran” (Spring Roll) It’s one of Top Ten greatest street foods in Hanoi for tourist to enjoy. During the tour, you not only have a chance to enjoy wonderful local foods but also get the instruction from our tour guide about the ingredients and the process to make this local tasty dishes.
Pho Cuon and more
Continue to explore the street culinary world in Hanoi by walking to Ma May to enjoy “Pho Cuon” (Stuffed pancake), one of Top Ten local foods of Hanoi which any tourist should try once when visiting this city. Get the chance to visit Hai Thuong Lan Ong Street and learn how traditional medicine was made and used.
Try Pho
We will have a short walking discovery Hanoi life by night and enjoy “Pho”– the most famous food of the Vietnamese before visiting “Nha Tho Lon” (St. Joseph’s Cathedral) to see the architectural style of this place which is described as resembling Notre Dame de Paris.
Banh My and coffee
One more local food you will taste during the tour is “Banh My“ (Vietnamese Sandwich), the pride of Vietnamese cuisine that has recently surged in popularity worldwide.
The last taste of is a famous Vietnamese coffee – “Ca Phe Trung” (egg coffee).
21h: Get back to your hotel. Highlights of Northen Vietnam 8 day ends here.
Tour includes:
- Round way transfer
- Meals as mentioned in itinerary
- English speaking tour guide
- All entrance fees
- Activities as mentioned in itinerary
- 1 night in homestay (night 5)
- 2 night onboard (night 1, 2)
- Hotel room (night 6)
- Onboard insurance
Tour excludes:
- Hotel room (night 3,4,7,8)
- Drinks
- Tip for driver, tour guide (NOT required but RECOMMENDED)
Child offer:
- Child age = current year – birth year
- Every 2 adults can escort 1 child under 5 year old. We charge 75% of adult price for the next child under 5 year old
- Child under 5 year old is free of charge
- Child from 5 to 11 year old is charged 75% of adult price
- From 12 year old, we charge 100% of adult price