
From City Buzz to Mountain Serenity – Vietnam Discovery Tour
Overview
Experience the very best of Northern Vietnam on this immersive 8-day, 7-night journey combining culture, history, breathtaking landscapes, and authentic local encounters. Your adventure begins in Hanoi, the thousand-year-old capital of Vietnam. Explore the charming Old Quarter, savor iconic Vietnamese street food, and visit important cultural landmarks including the Ho Chi Minh Complex, Temple of Literature, and Ngoc Son Temple. A traditional water puppet show offers insight into Vietnam’s unique artistic heritage. Continue to the world-renowned Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site famous for its emerald waters and thousands of dramatic limestone karsts rising from the sea. Enjoy an overnight cruise featuring kayaking, cave exploration, swimming, and breathtaking sunset views in one of the most spectacular seascapes in the world. Next, travel to Ninh Binh, often referred to as “Ha Long Bay on land.” Visit the ancient capital of Hoa Lu and take a peaceful boat ride through the stunning Trang An grottoes, gliding beneath limestone caves and along tranquil waterways surrounded by lush mountains and rice fields. Your journey continues into the scenic highlands of Mai Chau, where you will experience authentic rural life. Trek and cycle through traditional Thai ethnic minority villages, interact with local families, and admire expansive rice paddies set against a backdrop of rolling mountains. Finally, retreat to the unspoiled natural reserve of Pu Luong, known for its terraced rice fields, bamboo water wheels, suspension bridges, and peaceful valleys. Enjoy light trekking, bamboo rafting along the Cham River, and time to relax amidst serene countryside scenery. Throughout the journey, guests enjoy comfortable 3–5 star accommodations, carefully selected local restaurants, guided sightseeing, and seamless private transportation. This tour perfectly balances cultural discovery, natural beauty, light adventure, and relaxation — making it an ideal choice for travelers seeking an authentic and diverse Northern Vietnam experience. Guests & Hotel Price (Per Person in USD) Private Group Size 3★ Hotel 4★ Hotel 5★ Hotel 2 Guests USD 1055 USD 1077 USD 1202 3 – 4 Guests USD 1095 USD 1117 USD 1243 5 – 10 Guests USD 794 USD 815 USD 941 10 – 15 Guests USD 626 USD 648 USD 774 15 – 20 Guests USD 588 USD 610 USD 736 Prices are based on per person sharing a twin or double room. Children Policy Children under 4 years old: Free of charge (FOC) (Domestic flight tickets not included, if applicable) Children 4 – 7 years old (without extra bed): 50% of adult rate Children 8 – 10 years old (without extra bed): 75% of adult rate Children from 11 years old: Charged at full adult rate Child price applies when sharing a room with two adults. Cancellation Policy More than 60 days before departure: Free of charge 30 – 59 days before departure: 10% of total tour cost 15 – 29 days before departure: 30% of total tour cost 7 – 14 days before departure: 50% of total tour cost Less than 7 days before departure or No-show: 100% of total tour cost
Highlights
Detailed Itinerary
Hanoi Arrival – Old Quarter Food Discovery
HANOI ARRIVAL – FOOD TOUR ( MEALS: D) Upon arrival at Noi Bai airport, our guide and driver will meet you at the airport and transfer to your hotel in city center. In the afternoon, you’ll join food tour and discover every corners of the Hanoi Old Quarter. You’ll enjoy amazing local food including: Banh Cuon: Vietnamese steamed rice rolls Bun Cha: rice noodles with barbecue pork. Hoa Qua Dam: fruit beams - one of the most popular cooling dishes for young people on hot summer days. In the sweltering weather, enjoying a cup of sweet, refreshing, and cool beams of fruit is a wonderful thing that everyone loves. Egg – coffee: a Vietnamese drink traditionally prepared with egg yolks, sugar, condensed milk and robusta coffee Finnally, we are heading to Ta Hien street. It’s known as “ beer corner of the Hanoi Old Quarter”. Our guide’ll take you back your hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.
- Airport arrival and hotel transfer
- Guided Hanoi street food tour
- Taste local specialties: Banh Cuon, Bun Cha, Egg Coffee & local desserts
- Walk through Hanoi Old Quarter
- Visit Ta Hien Beer Street
- Overnight in Hanoi
Hanoi Cultural & Heritage Exploration
HANOI CITY TOUR ( MEALS: B,L) After breakfast, our tour guide will meet you in the hotel lobby. We will visit Hanoi with Ho Chi Minh Complex that completed in 1975. We visit outside Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. The complex includes the Presidential Palace, House-on-Stilts, the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and One Pillar pagoda. After that we will visit the Temple of Literature that was originally built as a temple to Confucius, this is the site of Vietnam’s first University dating back to 1070. The temple highlights the importance of Vietnamese society for education. Have lunch at a nice restaurant in city center. After lunch, we continue our trip to visit Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake: The Ngoc Son temple is set on a tiny island on the Hoan KiemLake, its history dating back to the 13th century. The temple is reached by crossing the The Huc Bridge which literally means the ‘Place Touched by Morning Sunbeams’. The Hoan Kiem Lake is the local point of the city and the source of many legends. After that, we take 45 minutes Cyclo Tour through the Old Quarter: Also known as the 36 streets, this bustling area of narrow streets is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. Originally, each of the 36 s names’ was related to the products being sold there. It’s a great place to explore on foot with numerous photo opportunities. Before back to your hotel, we will enjoy the water puppet show at Thang Long theatre - a tradictional performance of Vietnamese. Overnight in Hanoi.
- Visit Ho Chi Minh Complex (outside Mausoleum)
- Presidential Palace & One Pillar Pagoda
- Temple of Literature – Vietnam’s first university
- Explore Hoan Kiem Lake & Ngoc Son Temple
- Cyclo ride through Old Quarter
- Traditional Water Puppet Show
- Overnight in Hanoi
Hanoi – Ha Long Bay Cruise Experience
HANOI – HA LONG BAY ( MEALS: B,L,D) After your breakfast, we leave Hanoi for Halong Bay in 3 hours drive. Ha Long Bay is known as the most famous World Heritage Site in Vietnam for its beautiful seascape, thousands of spectacular islands and islets jutting out from the sea, amazing caves with marvelous stalagmites and stalactites in different sizes and shapes. Upon arrival, you'll be welcomed on board. Lunch will be served while the boat is sailing to Halong Bay. In the afternoon, we’ll join some activities: sightseeing, kayaking, swimming, visit cave...(depending on each cruise’s itinerary). Stay overnight on the cruise.
- Scenic drive to Ha Long Bay
- Cruise embarkation & welcome lunch onboard
- Kayaking or swimming (depending on cruise program
- Cave exploration & sightseeing
- Sunset views on deck
- Overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay
Ha Long Bay – Ninh Binh Journey
HA LONG BAY – NINH BINH ( B,L) Enjoy the morning view of the beautiful landscape with a cup of coffee or tea then have breakfast. After breakfast, the cruise will bring you on a trip to explore deeper inside the bay. The brunch will be served on the way sailing back to the port and our driver will pick you up and transfer to Ninh Binh. Overnight in Ninh Binh.
- Morning Tai Chi or scenic cruise views
- Breakfast and brunch onboard
- Continue bay exploration
- Disembark cruise
- Transfer to Ninh Binh
- Leisure evening
- Overnight in Ninh Binh
Ancient Capital & Trang An Boat Adventure – Mai Chau
NINH BINH – MAI CHAU ( B,L,D) After your breakfast, we visit Hoa Lu, the picturesque site of a 10th-century capital of an ancient Vietnamese Kingdom called Dai Co Viet for 41 years (968-1009). You will visit to the 2 promient temples called King Dinh Temple & King Le Temple. After that, we take the amazing boat trip to visit Trang An grottoes which is a gathering of 31 valleys, 50 cross-water caves, and home to 600 kinds of flora and over 200 kinds of fauna, many of them in the Red Book of Vietnam. While rowing through Trang An grotto in the quiet, fresh air of the highlands, with only the sound of birds and the oars stirring the clear water and surrounded by magnificent forested mountains upon which graze white goats, visitors enjoy a heaven on earth. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant. After lunch, we are heading to Mai Chau. Stay overnight in Mai Chau.
- Visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital
- Explore King Dinh & King Le Temples
- Trang An boat trip through caves and valleys
- Scenic countryside landscapes
- Transfer to Mai Chau valley
- Overnight in Mai Chau
Mai Chau Villages – Pu Luong Nature Reserve
MAI CHAU – PU LUONG ( MEALS: B,L,D) After breakfast at local hotel/homestay. We start trekking Lac & Poom Coong Villages where Thai People are living. You’ll have a chance to discover local culture & traditions. After that, we start biking along rice paddy fields and interact with local hill tribe people here. Lunch will be served at local restaurant. After lunch, we start to visit Na Meo and Na Mo villages. After that, we are heading to Pu Luong and check in. Overnight in Pu Luong.
- Trekking Lac & Poom Coong ethnic villages
- Cultural interaction with Thai minority communities
- Cycling through rice paddies
- Visit Na Meo & Na Mo villages
- Transfer to Pu Luong
- Overnight in Pu Luong
Pu Luong Nature Discovery & Bamboo Rafting
PU LUONG DISCOVERY ( MEALS: B,L,D) After your breakfast, you will be transfered to a suspension bridge over the Cham River, where you begin your walk in search of stunning water wheels. Get up close to each wheel and discover how water is moved from river to handmade bamboo aqueducts via simple constructions of all sizes. After that, we gear up for the bamboo river rafting. Float along the calm river and enjoy the views, in between learning how to paddle and steer your handcrafted rafts. Lunch is served at local restaurant. In the afternoon, we start trekking to Uoi village – a small village with amazing rice terraces. You’ll immerse yourself into beautiful scenery. Dinner is served at local restaurant. Overnight in Pu Luong.
- Walk to suspension bridge & water wheels
- Explore traditional bamboo irrigation systems
- Bamboo rafting on Cham River
- Trekking to Uoi village
- Rice terrace photography & village exploration
- Overnight in Pu Luong
Closing Chapter of Your Vietnam Journey
PU LUONG – HANOI ( MEALS: B,L) You enjoy breakfast at resort. Today, you are free at your leisure. Lunch will be served at local restaurant. After lunch, we are heading back to Noi Bai International Airport. Our guide & driver say goodbye to you
- Leisure morning at resort
- Relaxation and scenic surroundings
- Lunch at local restaurant
- Transfer to Noi Bai International Airport
- Departure
Inclusions
- Accommodation with daily breakfast
- Private air-conditioned transportation throughout the tour
- Meals as mentioned in the itinerary (B/L/D)
- English-speaking tour guide
- Ha Long Bay overnight cruise & shared boat activities
- Trang An boat trip in Ninh Binh
- Entrance fees and sightseeing tickets
- Drinking water during transfers
Exclusions
- International & domestic flight tickets
- Vietnam visa fees
- Personal travel insurance (recommended)
- Personal expenses (laundry, drinks, shopping, etc.)
- Tips for guide and driver
- Peak season or holiday surcharges (if applicable)
- Any services not mentioned in the inclusions