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8-Day Best of Northern Vietnam Travel

Customisable Itinerary
4.5 • 15 travellers have booked with Hoang A.

Trip Overview

This eight-day tour of Northern Vietnam features a variety of activities across the region. The tour starts in Hanoi where you will be guided through some of the most interesting and historical attractions in the city!

You'll explore some breathtaking mountainous scenery of the northern part of Vietnam and experience the local hospitality. You'll do part of the trip on a motorbike which is a marvellous experience for the adventurous who love challenges.

At the end of this trip, you'll understand just how wonderful Northern Vietnam travel is!
Sightseeing
Outdoors & Nature
Culture & Arts
Hiking & Trekking
Cruising

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Itinerary

Day 1

Hanoi Arrival and Half-Day City Tour

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Hanoi Arrival and Half-Day City Tour

Over the next 8 days, you'll experience how wonderful Northern Vietnam travel can be. Upon arrival, you will be met at the arrival hall and transferred to the Golden Lotus Hotel to check-in. After lunch, you will visit St Joseph Cathedral, Hanoi Opera House and then go on a Cyclo Tour and visit Ngoc Son Temple. In the evening, you explore the Old Quarter where you will enjoy a typical street food dinner.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Golden Lotus Hotel3 star

  • activities icon
    Activities

    St Joseph Cathedral

    Hanoi Opera House

    Old Quarter Exploring By Cyclo

    Ngoc Son Temple

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Noi Bai International Airport to Old Quarter

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Lunch and dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Hanoi

Day 2

Hanoi City Tour and Sapa Overnight Train

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Hanoi City Tour and Sapa Overnight Train

After breakfast, you'll check out and start the day with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the historic One Pillar Pagoda, the Taoist Quan Thanh Temple and the oldest Pagoda in Hanoi, Tran Quoc Pagoda. For lunch, you'll try whole shrimp wrapped in a light batter at Banh Tom Ho Tay Restaurant. Then, you'll visit the Military Museum, Temple of Literature and go to see the Water Puppet Show. Later, you'll try some lovely pho, before heading to the train station for the night train.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Night Train To and From Sapa

  • activities icon
    Activities

    Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum

    One Pillar Pagoda

    Quan Thanh Temple

    Tran Quoc Pagoda

    Vietnam Military History Museum

    Temple of Literature

    Water Puppet Show

  • restaurant icon
    Restaurants

    Ho Tay Restaurant

    Quan An Ngon Restaurant

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast, lunch and dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Hanoi

Day 3

Cat Cat Village and Dragon's Jaw

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Cat Cat Village and Dragon's Jaw

You will have breakfast near the station, transfer to Sapa and walk for about 20 minutes to Cat Cat village. You can gain a small glimpse of the daily life of the Black H’Mong people - a highlight of Northern Vietnam travel. You'll have lunch with the Red Dao people, known for their colourfully embroidered designs. After check-in, you will take the stone path to Dragon’s Jaw Mountain, rewarded with amazing views. For dinner, you can try the unique Sapa street food, skewered, meat and vegetables.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Cat Cat View Hotel2 star

  • activities icon
    Activities

    Cat Cat Village

    Dragon’s Jaw

  • restaurant icon
    Restaurants

    Le Bordeaux Restaurant

    Red Dao House

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Ga Lào Cai to Sa Pa

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and lunch

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Hanoi

    Lào Cai

Day 4

Y Linh Ho, Lao Chai, Ta Van and the Ancient Rock Field

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Y Linh Ho, Lao Chai, Ta Van and the Ancient Rock Field

After breakfast, you'll hop on your bikes to Y Linh Ho village and Lao Chai Village. You'll see the beautiful valley and have a chance to meet the Black H'Mong people, wearing their clothes dyed indigo. You'll help with preparing lunch at a local house and sharing with the family. After lunch, you'll drive to Ta Van Village visit the Ancient Rock Field with rock carvings. In the evening, you can enjoy another dinner of Sapa street food.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Cat Cat View Hotel2 star

  • activities icon
    Activities

    Y Linh Ho Village

    Lao Chai

    Ta Van Village

    Ancient Rock Field

    Sapa NightlifeOptional Activity

  • restaurant icon
    Restaurants

    Ta Van Village

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Bicycle from Sa Pa to Ta Van

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and lunch

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Lào Cai

Day 5

Explore Waterfalls and Back to Hanoi

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Explore Waterfalls and Back to Hanoi

This morning is in nature and Northern Vietnam travel doesn't get much better than this. After breakfast and checking out, you will drive to Silver Waterfall for an enthralling view of this 100-metre waterfall. You will then trek to the Golden Stream full of poetic stories. You'll have a nice seafood lunch at Song Nhi Restaurant and then go back to the station to take the night train back to Ha Noi. You will have dinner at the Emotion restaurant near the station before catching the train.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Night Train To and From Sapa

  • activities icon
    Activities

    Silver Waterfall

    Love Waterfall

  • restaurant icon
    Restaurants

    Viet Emotion Restaurant

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Sa Pa to Lào Cai

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast, lunch and dinner

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Lào Cai

    Lai Châu

    Hanoi

Day 6

Cuc Phuong National Park by Motorbike

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Cuc Phuong National Park by Motorbike

After an early breakfast, you'll ride a motorbike to Cuc Phuong National Park, a well-preserved rainforest. Your first stop is the 1000-Year-Old Tree, which takes at least 20 adults to hug. After lunch, you'll visit the Endangered Primate Rescue Centre, where about 150 primates are being prepared for release back in the wild. In the late afternoon, you'll head to the hotel by motorbike. Maybe for dinner, you can try one of the Ninh Binh specialities goat meat or "burned rice".

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Hoang Son Peace Hotel4 star

  • activities icon
    Activities

    The 1000-Year-Old Tree

    Endangered Primate Rescue Centre

  • restaurant icon
    Restaurants

    Hoang Son Peace HotelOptional Activity

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Motorcycle from Hanoi to Cuc Phuong National Park

    Motorcycle from Cuc Phuong National Park to Ninh Bình

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and lunch

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Hanoi

    Ninh Bình Province

Day 7

Onwards to Ninh Binh

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Onwards to Ninh Binh

After breakfast, you'll ride a motorbike to Trang An River for a morning cruise in small boats. The cruise takes you to some beautiful caves. For the fit traveller, you can climb 700 steps to a temple with a great view. After a local lunch, you'll visit Bai Dinh Pagoda with its cluster of spiritual and cultural Buddhist structures. In the late afternoon, you'll drive back to Ha Noi by motorbike and stay at Golden Lotus Hotel.

  • accommodation icon
    Accommodation

    Golden Lotus Hotel3 star

  • activities icon
    Activities

    Take a Boat Cruise on Trang An

    Bai Dinh Temple

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Motorcycle from Ninh Bình to Trang An Grottoes tour

    Motorcycle from Ninh Bình to Hanoi

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast and lunch

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Ninh Bình Province

    Hanoi

Day 8

Hanoi Departure

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Hanoi Departure

After breakfast, you'll be transferred to the airport for your flight home. Hopefully, you'll be leaving with plenty of stories of just how wonderful Northern Vietnam travel can be

  • transportations icon
    Transportations

    Private Driver from Old Quarter to Hanoi

  • meals icon
    Meals

    Breakfast

  • destination icon
    Destinations

    Hanoi

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What’s included?

  • 7 nights accommodation
  • 23 activities
  • 7 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 3 dinners
  • Airport transfer
  • Entrance fees
  • Ground transportation
  • Licensed English speaking guides

What’s not included?

  • Alcohol beverages
  • Domestic flights
  • Entry visas / airport departure tax
  • Gratuities
  • International flights
  • Laundry
  • Personal expenses
  • Travel insurance
  • Trekking permits
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