Itinerary Details
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 Hotel 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 Hotel 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 arrival at around noon, you will be transferred to the main boat by tender and you will be warmly welcomed to the cruise! While you enjoy a welcome drink, the crew team will deliver a cruise briefing and safety introduction. After that, you will check - in your cabin. Lunch will be served on board.
In the afternoon, the cruise will take you to the Tra Bau area to enjoy kayaking and swimming. This is a famous filming location for the movie Kong: Skull Island in Quang Ninh in 2018.
After that, you will return to the cruise to enjoy sunset party on Lan Ha Bay. It is an ideal time for photography enthusiasts to capture the stunning moment of sunset at Lan Ha Bay. Then, you will take part in a cooking demonstration and food décor with our Chef. Enjoying dinner on board, a special memorable dining experience in an intimate and romantic setting.
After the incredible dinner, enjoy some leisure time watching films, sing karaoke, enjoy evening views of the bay or try your luck with squid fishing. Cruise in Halong Bay: Amanda Luxury Lan Ha Bay Cruise or similar.
In the early morning, you will greet the new day on the sundeck with a Tai Chi session and enjoy the fresh air on the bay while you unwind with a cup of tea or coffee. After that, you will depart to Quan Y Cave by tender. Quan Y Cave is a unique site that serves both as a historical relic and a powerful reminder of a heroic wartime era. Built inside a limestone mountain, the cave once functioned as a secret field hospital during the resistance war against the Americans. It was fully equipped with treatment rooms, a recovery area, and even a cinema for wounded soldiers.
After that a buffet will be served in the restaurant while the boat heads back to the harbor.
At around 11.30 am disembark from the cruise as you bid farewell to the crew and head back to Tuan Chau Marina by speed boat. The drive back to Hanoi will take 3-3.5-hour drive. Upon arrival and you will have the chance to refresh in La Rosa hotel (near the railway station) and have free time before you board the train at 8:30pm, heading to Sapa in the north of Vietnam. Train: Hanoi – Lao Cai by Chapa Express (2 pax per cabin)
Upon arrival in Lao Cai Station, you will be driven to Sapa. After breakfast at a local restaurant, you will take the Muong Hoa Train through valleys, viaducts and tunnels offering beautiful views of surrounding villages as well as nature. Reaching the Cable Car station, we get off the train and enjoy another 20 minutes cable car ride up to the top. Normally, it takes at least two or three days to reach the Peak of Fansipan Mountain on foot. However, with the newly three-rope cable car system we can see the peak and spectacular surrounding from the peak within half a day.
After 20-minute ride, we take the mountain train to Fansipan Summit – ‘The Roof of Indochina’ with 3,143-meter height. Enjoy spectacular scenery of Hoang Lien Mountain and lush forest, we walk down to the cable car station and ride back. Take the Muong Hoa Train back to 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.
Optional Cambodia Extension
Today we will be transferred to the airport for a noon flight to Siem Reap. ( flight not included)
Upon arrival at Siem Reap International Airport, you will be welcomed by a Rahhalah representative, and you will be transferred to your hotel.
Enjoy the rest of the day at your own pace. Overnight Hotel in Siem Reap: Borei Angkor Resort 5* (Deluxe Room) or similar.
After breakfast, our guide and transport will pick them up from the hotel for a full day dedicated to exploring the temples. The day begins with a visit to Ta Prohm, also known as the "jungle temple," made famous by its appearance in scenes from the movie Tomb Raider.
Next, we head to the Angkor Thom complex, entering through the Victory Gate. This impressive site includes highlights such as the Bayon and Baphuon temples, the Terrace of the Elephants, and the Terrace of the Leper King.
In the afternoon, we visit the majestic Angkor Wat, considered the largest religious monument in the world and often listed among the Seven Wonders of the Modern World.
After the visit, guests will be transferred back to the hotel to enjoy the evening at their leisure. Overnight Hotel in Siem Reap: Borei Angkor Resort 5* (Deluxe Room) or similar.
After breakfast at the hotel, you will be accompanied by your guide and driver to Tonle Sap Lake, the largest freshwater lake in Southeast Asia. The lake’s size varies greatly with the seasons—ranging from around 2,500 km² in the dry season to nearly 10,000 km² during the wet season. Here, you’ll board a boat to explore the floating village of Chong Kneas, where you’ll see floating houses, farms, a floating hospital, and a mangrove forest—offering unique insight into life on the water.
After the boat trip, you’ll return to town to visit Satcha - សច្ច, the Cambodian Handicraft Center, where local artisans demonstrate traditional craftsmanship.
In the afternoon, your guide will take you to visit the Royal Residence and Royal Garden, followed by the Copper Statue of Angkorian Warriors. Nearby, stop at Preah Ang Chek Preah Ang Chorm Shrine, where many locals go to pray for luck.
Your final stop will be the Angkor National Museum, home to over a thousand sculptures and artifacts collected from across Cambodia. The exhibits provide a rich overview of Khmer history and the legacy of its ancient civilization.
After the visit, you’ll be transferred back to your hotel to enjoy the evening at your leisure. Overnight Hotel in Siem Reap: Borei Angkor Resort 5* (Deluxe Room) or similar.
Today you will be transferred to the Siem Reap airport for your flights back home.
