Vietnam

Upon your arrival in Hanoi, you will be welcomed by a Rahhalah representative, and you will be transferred to your hotel. Enjoy the rest of the day exploring the capital of Vietnam at your own pace, before re-assembling in the evening for a hearty welcome dinner in a fine local restaurant.

Accommodation in Hanoi: Silk Path Luxury Hotel (Deluxe room), or similar.

After breakfast, you will embark on a Hanoi city tour to visit the Ho Chi Minh complex where you will spend time at the Ho Chi Minh's mausoleum, his former stilt-house, the Presidential Palace, the Ho Chi Minh Museum and the One-Pillar Pagoda. Afterwards, you will visit the Temple of Literature, which was initially built as a temple to Confucius.

In the afternoon, you will visit the Museum of Ethnology (widely acknowledged as the best in the country with an extensive display dedicated to Vietnam's 54 Ethnic minorities), and the infamous Hoa Lo Prison Museum (also known as the ‘’Hanoi Hilton’’, where former US-presidential candidate John McCain was incarcerated for over 5 years).

You will then take a one-hour cyclo tour around the Old Quarters, known as the 36 streets. This bustling area is home to thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. Initially, the names of the 36 streets were related to the products being sold there and the respective guild. At the end of the tour, you will have ample free time for shopping.

Accommodation in Hanoi: Silk Path Luxury Hotel (Deluxe room), or similar.

After an early breakfast, you will be picked up from the hotel at around 8:30am and will head to Tuan Chau Harbor in Ha Long Bay (a 3-3.5-hour drive). Upon your arrival, you will be transferred to the main boat by tender to embark on the Sena Cruise: one of the most memorable experiences you can have in Vietnam. Once onboard, and while enjoying a welcome drink, the cruise manager will update you about the safety instructions during the cruise.

Later in the day, you will enjoy a fabulous lunch while sailing into the magnificent Lan Ha Bay – an extension of Ha Long Wonder, but much quieter and with fewer tourists. On the way, you will pass the famous Finger Islet, the Candle Islet and thousands other uniquely-shaped limestone towers and islands.

After lunch, you will spend the afternoon exploring Lan Ha Bay, following one of the below two options:
Option 1: You can visit the Dark and Bright Cave: famous for its pristine natural beauty. You can take photos and enjoy riding the bamboo boats, discovering on the way the authentic beauty of the Limestone Mountains and the blue sky of Lan Ha Bay. You will end up swimming in the emerald green water, enjoying various exciting swimming activities.
Option 2: Weather permitting, you can reach the Three Peach area for an exciting kayaking adventure. While kayaking, you will have the opportunity to observe the stunning geology of the surrounding Karts Mountains.

Late in the afternoon, you will return to the boat for a sunset party. It is the ideal time for photography enthusiasts to capture the sight of the setting sun in Lan Ha Bay setting.
Before dinner, you may also join a cooking class to learn how to prepare the famous Vietnamese spring rolls.
The boat will anchor in a tranquil area for the night, and you can spend the rest of the day marveling at the surrounding landscape and the serenity under the stars before you recede to your cabin.

Cruise in Halong Bay: Sena Cruise – Deluxe rooms or similar.

You will wake up very early, at 6am, to catch a sunrise Tai-Chi session on the sundeck, before enjoying a light breakfast in the peaceful setting of the bay.
Then, you will explore the Frog Pond Area – the famous filming location of the Kong Skull Island (King Kong) movie – kayaking and swimming in the crystal clear waters.
You will return to the cruise for an early lunch as you sail back to the port to bid Ha Long Bay farewell and return to Hanoi.

You are expected to arrive at Hanoi (a 3-3.5-hour drive) at around 3 or 4pm, and you will have the chance to refresh in La Rosa hotel (near the railway station), before you board the train at 8pm, heading to Sapa in the north of Vietnam.

Train: Hanoi – Lao Cai by Chapa Express (2 pax per cabin)

Upon arrival at the Lao Cai Station, you will be welcomed by your new guide and be driven to Sapa. After breakfast in a local restaurant, you will take the Mountain Train that passes through valleys, viaducts and tunnels offering beautiful views of the surrounding villages and nature. At the Cable Car station, you will get off the train and enjoy another 20 minutes of cable-car ride to the top. Typically, it takes at least two or three days to reach the Peak of Fansipan Mountain on foot. However, with the newly constructed three-rope cable-car system, you can reach the peak and enjoy the surrounding views within half a day.

After the 20-minute ride, you can challenge yourself by climbing the 636 steep steps to the Fansipan Summit: ‘The Roof of Indochina,’ 3,143 meters of altitude. Alternatively, you can take the cable car. Enjoy the spectacular scenery of Hoang Lien Mountain and the lush forests, before retaking the cable car and, then, the Mountain Train back to the town.

Enjoy the rest of the day relaxing and exploring the beautiful town of Sapa at your own pace.

Accommodation in Sapa: Silk Path Grand Resort & Spa – Classic rooms, or similar.

After breakfast, you will be transferred to the Sin Chai village (of the Black Hmong minority), perched at the foot of the Hoang Lien mountain range. From the top of the mountain, you will trek on a small trail with spectacular views and, then, you will gradually descend to the Cat Cat village.

The trail snakes through the mountain, and you will have the opportunity to marvel at beautiful landscapes before arriving at the Y Linh Ho village of the Black Hmong minority, where you will rest in a lovely spot nearby the river. You will then continue trekking towards Lao Chai Village.

Trekking details:
Trekking Distance: 14 KM
Trekking time: 6-7 hours.

Late in the afternoon, you will be back to Sapa town to enjoy its picturesque streets and relaxing ambience.

Accommodation in Sapa: Silk Path Grand Resort & Spa – Classic rooms or similar.

After breakfast, you will begin your hike towards to Ma Tra valley which, located around 5km south of Sapa town, attracts many visitors thanks to its amazing landscape and impressive terraced rice fields. It is the land of the Hmong peoples who, after years of nomadic life, settled down in the early 20th century and developed the terraced fields to earn their living through rice farming.

The beginning of the trail is downhill, as you cross the stream to the other bank where Suoi Ho village sits beautifully on the top of a low hill. You will spend half an hour visiting several local homes and getting acquainted with the local life before continuing hiking on a large path that will lead you to Ma Tra village. This part of the trail offers beautiful scenery of the valley and terraced paddies as well as the flower farms.

Hiking time: around 2 hours.

You will be transferred back to Sapa in time to get on the bus back to Hanoi ( around 4 pm). You are expected to arrive back at the capital at around 21.30.

Accommodation in Hanoi: Silk Path Luxury Hotel (Deluxe room), or similar.

After breakfast, you will be picked up from the hotel to be transferred to the airport for your departure flight back home. Alternatively, you may choose to continue with our Cambodia Extension.