There are no more evocative images of Vietnam than Hanoi, Ninh Binh and Halong Bay – three amazing landscapes that offer different approaches to architecture, nature and activity in the north of this highly diverse country. All are available to see firsthand on the Gems of Northern Vietnam 5-day tour, part of our Vietnam package tours tailored to Asian travellers from Malaysia, Singapore, India, Philipines. Customers on this tour will be treated to the best of Vietnam over 5 days, going from the bustling capital of Hanoi to the history-drenched farmland of Ninh Binh, ending with an overnight cruise around the jaw-dropping limestone seascape of Halong Bay.
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Activities: Arrive in Hanoi and take the transfer to your hotel, followed by free time in the capital.
After landing in Hanoi, you will be able to progress through customs and meet our driver outside. They will help you to load your luggage into the car or van and take you to your hotel in the Old Quarter.
Once at the hotel, you will be able to check in at any time from 14:00 and explore the city at your own leisure with some free time. You could do this with a walk around the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake, where there will be enough activities to fill two days of exploration at least.
There are no meals included on the first day of the tour. Please make your own arrangements for meals and stay overnight in Hanoi.
Activities: Head to Ninh Binh province for a walking tour of Hoa Lu, followed by a river cruise and bicycle tour in Tam Coc before returning to Hanoi.
08:00 – 08:30: The Hoa Lu – Tam Coc day tour starts from your hotel, where the guide will pick you up and take you 2 hours south along a road cutting through the Red River Delta.
10:00 – 10:30: Gorgeous limestone mountains will announce our arrival in Ninh Binh Province and we head straight for the capital of ancient Vietnam – Hoa Lu. This was the country’s seat of power for 42 years and left Hoa Lu with a deeply important historical relevance in Vietnam today, with a plethora of buildings built in beautiful style.
12:00: We head over to Tam Coc following this. We start our time here with a buffet lunch before heading to the Ngo Dong River, where a local will be waiting to take us on a bamboo rowboat downstream. The 90-mintue ride is comprised of some of the most beautiful scenery in northern Vietnam, projected in soaring limestone mountains, paddy fields in the water and wet caves offering prehistoric views from their entrances and exits.
14:00: On bicycles, we take in the rest of Tam Coc village from the sanctity of its quiet cycling paths. Further views of rice paddies before an unforgettable backdrop of a jagged limestone mountain range will be the perfect ending of the tour and leave you with a lasting memory of Ninh Binh’s rural majesty.
15:00: We take the ride back to Hanoi and drop you off at your hotel in the late afternoon, leaving you to get re-acquainted with the capital through your own means.
Please make your own arrangements for dinner and stay overnight in Hanoi.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Activities: Head to Halong Bay for activities and the first night of an overnight cruise.
Note: The following itinerary is an example of a cruise in Halong Bay based off the attractions to which cruises usually sail. At the time of booking this tour, you can choose Halong Bay Cruises with which you wish to sail, with advice given by our experienced travel consultant along the way.
In the morning
Wait in your hotel lobby between 08:00 and 08:30 for the driver. Once they arrive, you will be taken across the Red River Delta to Tuan Chau Harbour, where you will meet your cruise and start your Halong Bay 2-day, 1-night tour on board.
In the afternoon
We begin our cruising at around midday, serving a beautiful lunch in the dining room as we do so. We cruise for a few hours, exploring the ship’s sundeck and cabin while soaking up the magical atmosphere that clings to the air of Halong Bay. Our first stop will be Luon Cave, a stunning wet cave through which we can kayak or be rowed on a local wooden boat, revealing a lake on the other side surrounded by streaked cliffs. Following this, we cross the canal and head to Titop, a forested island with a white sand beach at its mountain’s feet. Feel free to relax here or trek to the peak for a great view over Halong Bay.
In the evening
We return to the boat as the beautiful sunset starts to usher in the evening time. A delicious dinner will be served in the dining room, after which you can relax on the sundeck or in the cabin, or even head out on the tender boat to try some moonlit squid fishing.
Stay overnight in Halong Bay.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Activities: Finish the overnight cruise with more activities before returning to Hanoi.
Greet the sunrise with a tai chi session on the sundeck – this will help you to relieve any physical or mental stresses in front of a stunning backdrop of sun-kissed mountains. A light breakfast will be laid out before we make our first stop today, the floating fishing village of Cua Van. We can take a kayak or be rowed on a sampan boat around the village, noting its incredible architecture as it sits in the shadows of tree-clad peaks around it.
We return to the ship for a cooking lesson by the chef, who will show us how to make spring rolls before we have a go ourselves. Following this, we have a filling early lunch and head back to the harbour, where we will arrive at about midday and continue onto Hanoi.
We will arrive in Hanoi at about 16:00, giving you a chance to enjoy your free time in the capital. Perhaps this time in Hanoi, you would like to squeeze in the last few hours of sunlight at Tran Quoc Pagoda – Hanoi’s oldest building and an excellent site to watch the sunset over Tay Ho Lake.
Please make your own arrangements for dinner and stay overnight in Hanoi.
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Activities: Take the transfer to Hanoi’s international airport to end the tour.
You will have your final breakfast in the hotel and potentially some free time in Hanoi, depending on the time of your flight. The driver will arrive in good time to take you to the airport, where you will say goodbye and board the plane for your next destination.
Vietnam Tour Operator - Incredible Asia Journeys would like to thank you for selecting us and we very much hope to meet you again in the future!
Meals: Breakfast
Download this tour’s PDF brochure and start tour planning offline
A mere 2-minute walk from Hoan Kiem Lake and a 3-minute drive from Dong Xuan and the weekend night market lies the lavish Gondola Hotel. Along with the open-plan communal areas like the restaurant and the rooftop bar, The Gondola Hotel features rooms with windows affording either lake or city views. Every room features effective air conditioning and a safety deposit box for your comfort and security. For working or relaxing, the accompanying lounging area comes complete with a desk and a flat-screen TV, while the en suite bathrooms come with either a bathtub or shower option.The Gondola Hotel is your home base for travelling around Vietnam. We are located just 10 minutes from Hanoi’s central Train Station and about 35 minutes from Noi Bai International Airport via car. The tour desk at the Gondola Hotel provides you with reliable information as well as the convenience of ticket buying and tour booking services. Motorbikes and cars are also available to rent from the hotel. Return back to the Gondola Hotel after a day of activities to a soothing massage, or head upstairs to our rooftop bar to enjoy a drink and the panoramic views of the city at sunset. The Gondola Restaurant provides a great mix of Vietnamese and European food throughout the day.
A mix of traditional and modern motifs run throughout the MK Premier Boutique Hotel, with 65 rooms accommodating visitors to the wonderful city of Hanoi. With the historic Old Quarter on our doorstep, the MK Premier Boutique Hotel provides a safe and comfortable home base from which you can explore the city. For those times at the end of the day, The MK Premier Boutique Hotel offers a peaceful space where you can unwind, with a refined atmosphere accompanying your recuperation time.Discover the meaning of Vietnamese hospitality through the inviting staff, who will always be at your service during your stay with us. From the lobby to the restaurant and rooftop bar you will find well-trained staff with great English skills and a welcoming smile. We want you to enjoy your stay in Hanoi and will do everything in our power to make that happen.
The Apricot Hotel welcomes you to Hanoi!We are a proud group of Hanoian locals, passionate about Vietnamese culture, heritage and art, and are eager to share the wonders of our great country with you.Our 123 rooms are decorated with the finest examples of original art, sourced from local Vietnamese artists as a true expression of Hanoi. The delicate touches along the walls fit perfectly with the intricacy of our fine living aesthetic, which is evident throughout all rooms, lobby, restaurant, fitness centre, rooftop bar and swimming pool. Our unique Avanti Music Stage features classical piano music from 7pm to 10pm every night, providing you with the most relaxing means to end the day’s excursions. You will receive nothing buy 5-star service during your stay at the Apricot Hotel, as we want you to leave Hanoi with many positive memories forged both by the city and by us.To this end, the Apricot Hotel has the perfect location, just a few steps from the city’s centre of Hoan Kiem Lake and beautiful Ngoc Son Temple. From our gorgeous swimming pool, you can watch the interesting activity around the lake, and head out to find great local food right on our doorstep.Experience Hanoi in complete opulence at the Apricot Hotel, your luxurious home during your stay in Hanoi.
Known worldwide for its elegance and beauty, the graceful swan glides slowly through the water, just as we do in UNESCO World Heritage-listed Halong Bay. The Swan is a source of inspiration for romantic stories; your own romantic story in Halong Bay should begin with Swan Cruises.12 deluxe cabins offer passengers untold luxury. This continues throughout our beautiful restaurant and wide sundeck, along with every small detail of the ship, all of which are coated in elegance. Our staffs are a close-knit group and they will always serve you with a smile.Choose Swan Cruises for a sophisticated time in Halong Bay.Among the cruises in Bai Tu Long - The Northern part of Halong Bay, Swan Cruises is one of the good option for you to enjoy your trip in the less touristic area.
For all the beauty of Halong Bay and its wide-open seascape of incredible, natural features, the increasing popularity of the bay has put a strain on its waterways and diminished its feeling of absolute freedom. Along its southern route, Lan Ha Bay, the unrestrained nature holds as strong as ever, projecting its beauty to those explorers on the V’Spirit Premier Cruise– The newest cruise in Halong, Lan Ha Bay.Not only does the V’Spirit Premier provide access through this untapped wilderness, but it does so in a style befitting the beauty of Lan Ha Bay. This modern cruise is highly traditional in nature, with wooden decks and billowing sails set atop a safe and secure steel frame. Its luxury stretches from the cabins below to the sundeck above, encompassing a restaurant where exquisite, 5-star meals are served.Between 2 and 3 days in Lan Ha Bay, we engage in activities that bring its beauty directly to you. Kayaking, swimming, cycling, trekking and riding through caves on a local wooden boat will show you that there is still a serene appeal to find in the luxuriant world of Halong.Travel with V’Spirit Premier Cruise - one of the best cruises in Halong Bay and you will have great time.
The true beauty of the isolated Lan Ha Bay opens up from the deck of the Perla Dawn Sails. Our Luxury Lan Ha Bay Cruise offers you the utmost comfort and sublime service as it glides quietly past the limestone giants of Lan Ha, revealing a quiet, peaceful bay far removed from the bustle of Halong. Based on the traditional junk boat design, the sleek wooden aesthetic of the Perla Dawn sails gives you the most authentic experience possible, with its 18 cabins providing a first-class voyage and a chance for you to see some of Vietnam’s most magical scenery in complete opulence. Perla Dawn Sails is one of the newest cruises in Lan Ha Bay which is suitable for a group with kids, and also for couples with honeymoon time.
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Vietnam Tour Operator - Incredible Asia Journeys
