The Tonkinese splendors - 7 days / 6 nights on site - price based on 2 people.

Trip Description

Accomodation

Stay program

• day 1

  Arrival in Hanoi

  Arrival at Hanoi airport. Welcome by the guide and transfer to your hotel in the city center to drop off your luggage. Free time to rest. Afternoon: You take a walk around Hoan Kiem Lake (the returned sword) and visit the Ngoc Son temple on the edge of the lake. Then, a cyclo ride through the old quarters of Hanoi's 36 guilds allows you to experience the bustling life of the Hanoians. The walk ends with a foot massage session to help you relax after a tiring flight. Overnight at the hotel. Option 1: Hanoi Boutique Hotel***, Deluxe room: www.hanoiboutiquehotel.vn Option 2: Boss Legend Hotel****, Royal Deluxe room: www.bosslegendhotel.com

• day 2

  Visit of the city of Hanoi – Night train to Lao Cai

  Visit of the city of Hanoi – Night train to Lao Cai (B, L) (guide + driver) A whole day is dedicated to visiting Hanoi, the capital of Vietnam. This thousand-year-old city is the most important political, cultural, and religious center of the country. Originally, it was called Thang Long: the “Soaring Dragon”, spiritually symbolizing the strength and prosperity of the city. After several changes and different names, it is now called Hanoi, which geographically means “the city beyond the River”, as it is today. Morning: you start with a visit to the Temple of Literature, which is the first university of Vietnam, then the Tran Quoc pagoda (the defense of the homeland), the oldest pagoda in Hanoi, located on the edge of West Lake. Afternoon: you visit the Museum of Ethnology, which gathers costumes, tools, musical instruments, and displays some typical houses of the 54 ethnic groups of Vietnam (closed on Mondays). Evening: transfer to Hanoi station where you take the night train to Lao Cai (02 berths in an air-conditioned cabin with 4 soft berths – Livitrans train, departure at 21:40), or another equivalent train. Night on board the train.

• day 3

  Lao Cai – Bac Ha – Weekly ethnic market – Visit of the city of Sapa.

  Lao Cai – Bac Ha – Weekly ethnic market – Visit of the city of Sapa (B, D (guide + driver), about 200 km) Arrival at Lao Cai station early in the morning. Welcome by the guide and the driver. Breakfast at the restaurant next to Lao Cai station. Then, you take the road to Bac Ha, a small town located 60 km from Lao Cai. It is a major distillery center, where rice and cassava wine are produced, as well as a particularly strong grain alcohol. You visit the colorful weekly market of Bac Ha, which takes place every Sunday. The market is the weekly meeting place for the ethnic groups of the region (H’mong, Dao, Day, Nung, Phu La, Thai, Chinese, and Vietnamese) who come to exchange their products, goods, and news from their own community. NB: Depending on the dates of your trip, we adjust the program so that you can visit one of the weekly markets in the region: Coc Ly market (Tuesday morning), Cao Son market (Wednesday morning), Lung Khau Nhin market (Thursday morning), Can Cau market (Saturday morning), Cat Ba market (Sunday morning). The Saturday and Sunday markets are the most beautiful. After visiting the market, you take the road back to Sapa via Lao Cai. Sapa is nicknamed “the city in the clouds” and is located at 1,650 m altitude. This city enjoys a nuanced climate, between temperate and subtropical, with four seasons in one day: spring weather in the morning, summer-like, light and sunny afternoon, in the late afternoon, clouds bring autumn freshness and the cold night evokes winter. Sapa is one of the few cities in Vietnam where you can see snow. Check-in at the hotel. Free time to stroll around the city, enjoy its fresh air, and discover points of interest such as the market or the church. Overnight at the hotel. Option 1: Sapa Elegance Hotel***: sapa-elegance-vn.book.direct Option 2: Chau Long Hotel****: www.chaulonghotel.com

• day 4

  Sapa - ethnic villages - night train to Hanoi

  Sapa – Muong Hoa Valley – Lao Chai Village (Colorful H’mongs) and Ta Van (Dzays) – Sapa – Hike through the villages of Ma Tra (Black H’mongs) and Ta Phin (Red Daos) – Night train back to Hanoi (B,L) (guide + driver), about 40 km You take an easy hike along well-trodden paths through the villages of Lao Chai and Ta Van, home to the colorful H’mong and Dzay ethnic groups in the Muong Hoa valley. It is a spectacular walk through breathtaking landscapes, inhabited by some of the friendliest people you could meet. Very beautiful terraced rice field scenery. Return to Sapa by car and have lunch in town. In the afternoon, you hike in the area of Ma Tra (Black H’mongs) and Ta Phin (Red Daos), and you can once again admire magnificent terraced rice fields. Contact with the locals. Transfer to Lao Cai to take the train back to Hanoi. While waiting for the train, you go to a hotel near the station to rest and take a well-deserved shower. Livitrans train or another equivalent train (02 berths in an air-conditioned cabin with 4 soft berths – departure at 19:35). You part ways with the guide. Overnight on board the train.

• day 5

  Hanoi - Ninh Binh - Van Long

  Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Van Long – boat excursion in the “terrestrial Halong Bay” – Bike ride to Thung La and Thung Lau (B, D) (guide + driver), about 100 km by road / 20 km by bike with many stops. Arrival at Hanoi station early in the morning. Welcome by the Hanoi driver. Breakfast and a bit of rest in a restaurant. After breakfast, departure by the mandarin road to Van Long, in the Gia Vien district, Ninh Binh province. Upon arrival in Van Long, you board a local boat for a 1.5 to 2 hour excursion in the Van Long nature reserve. This offers magnificent views of the landscapes and rural life. Compared to Tam Coc, Van Long is much more primitive and completely untouched. It is also called “the terrestrial Halong Bay.” The rivers, mountains, caves, rice fields, old houses, its warm inhabitants, and the small bamboo boats make Van Long a place much appreciated by travelers. Tourists who come to visit the reserve have the opportunity to see rich fauna and flora within the most biodiverse flooded area in Vietnam. After dinner (at your own expense), you are transferred to Trung’s house, in the village of Lang Van, 1 km from Van Long. Homestay accommodation. Warm welcome. Afternoon: you take the bike for a ride through the villages. Stops are planned for contact with the locals. Then, you arrive at Thung La, 9 km from the village of Lang Van. Visit the Thung La temple, rarely visited by tourists. You continue for 1 km to reach Thung Lau (valley of the reeds), a very beautiful valley surrounded by mountains where the Dinh Tien Hoang temple is located. Return to the village of Lang Van along dikes and through magnificent rural landscapes. It is sometimes possible to see birds returning to their nests at the end of the day (around 5 p.m.) in the Van Long reserve. Overnight and dinner at the homestay. At Trung’s (fan and air conditioner, mattress bed, toilet and shower, hot water) NB: The 20 km bike ride includes several stops for contact with locals, visits, and photos. If this is too tiring for you, it is always possible to do only the outward or return trip by bike. The other trip will be by car.

• day 6

  Ninh Binh - Halong

  Ninh Binh – Halong – Cruise and overnight on board the junk: Halong Bay – Me Cung Cave (B, L, D) (guide + driver) about 200 km Departure for Halong Bay, the eighth wonder of the world with nearly 3000 limestone sugar loaves spread over an area of 1500 km². Legend has it that a dragon descended here, quenched its thirst, and, finding the place magnificent, never left. Since then, it has been called the “bay where the dragon landed” (Ha Long). Arrival at the Hon Gai pier towards the end of the morning. 12:00 – 12:30: Boarding the La Fairy Sails junk (11 cabins). Your private guide stays on land and an onboard guide takes care of all passengers. Welcome drink and briefing about the cruise as well as safety instructions. 13:00 – 15:30: Lunch is served on board the junk while it crosses Halong Bay, paradise on earth! 15:30 – 17:00: Discovery of the Lom Bo area and visit to Me Cung Cave, one of the most beautiful caves in Halong Bay. You climb to the top and enjoy the panoramic view of the bay. Swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the bay. 17:00 – 19:00: Return to the junk. Relax on the terrace and enjoy a small party while admiring the sunset over the bay. An impressive sight. 19:00: You enjoy a dream dinner on the upper deck by candlelight, in the middle of the calm bay. You attend a fascinating fruit and vegetable carving show. The meal is accompanied by traditional music. You can also fish for squid. Overnight on board the “La Fairy Sails****” junk (Deluxe room)

• day 7

  Halong - Hanoi

  Halong – Kayak – Titop Island – Return to Hanoi – Departure (B, L) (guide + driver) about 170 km + 30 km 06:30 – 07:00: You start your day with a Tai Chi class on the junk's terrace, or simply enjoy the sunrise while taking photos. 07:15 – 07:45: Outdoor breakfast. The junk continues its cruise in Halong Bay. 07:45 – 08:30: You go kayaking to explore the bay. 08:30 – 09:15: The junk arrives at Titop Island beach. Free time to swim in the turquoise waters or climb to the top of the island to enjoy the panoramic view. 09:45 – 10:15: Check out of your cabin; the junk heads back to the pier. 10:15 – 11:45: You take part in a cooking class before having the buffet lunch. 12:00 – 12:30: Disembark from the La Fairy Sails junk. The private guide and driver welcome you at the pier. Return to Hanoi. Transfer to Hanoi airport for your international flight.