North Of Vietnam Discovery (7 days/6 nights)

Upon arriving at Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport, you will be welcomed by one of our MinMax team members and brought to your hotel in a private car. As arrival times vary and international travel can be quite exhausting, we leave the remainder of the day open. Your first night is spent in Hanoi city.

Day 2 starts around 8:00-8:30 AM with a hotel pickup and shuttle bus out to Halong Bay. Upon arriving at the port, the Ha Long Cruise boat crew will bring you aboard, where you can enjoy a welcome drink and check in to your assigned cabin. A seafood lunch will be served soon after, and as your boat launches out into the mystical bay, you’ll immediately see many of the numerous attractions.

A quiet cruise carries you along the amazing karsts, all boasting different, unique formations. From the Mat Qui (Monster’s face), But Moc & Cap De islets, through the Trong (Drum), Luon and Trinh Nu caves, out into the remarkable Floating Fishing Village- you will be mesmerized and captivated by Halong’s timeless beauty. As for personal time, there will be plenty of opportunities for swimming, sun bathing and photography all throughout the day. Top off the day with an unforgettable sunset dinner and relax under the starlit sky before retiring to the comfort of your cabin.

Early risers can enjoy a morning view of the Bay’s iconic landscapes while waiting for breakfast. After eating, pass the morning hours atop the boat’s upper deck, where you can capture breathtaking, panoramic shots of the rocky islets rising up from the bay’s crystal-clear waters. With no towns, roads or traffic nearby, the silence is absolutely serene. Before heading back to town, explore one more “Amazing” (Sung Sot) cave, swim and relax at the Titop Beach and soak up some top-deck rays. Lunch is served while you make your way to port, and you’ll arrive at the harbor by 12:00 Noon. Your shuttle bus to Hanoi will be waiting, and you’ll arrive back at the hotel around 4.30PM. In the evening, our driver will transfer you to the Hanoi Train Station, where you will catch a night train north to the hill station of Lao Cai (Sapa). (Overnight on Train).

Upon arrival in Lao Cai (around 5:30AM), you will be picked up and transferred (in a private car) to Sapa. You will have a chance to eat breakfast and relax at local restaurant once you reach the town. You will have the morning to walk around and explore Sapa on your own, and after lunch, will check in to the hotel. Around mid-afternoon, you will embark on a 2-hour trekking journey from the hotel to visit the authentic Cat Cat Village: home of to the Black H'mong hill tribe. From here a private car will pick you up and transfer you back to the hotel. (Overnight in Sapa)

After breakfast at the hotel, we will start trekking to visit a village of the Black H’mong Tribe (Lao Chai San). During this trek, we will go through hillsides along the picturesque Muong Hoa River. Crossing the river by suspension bridge, we will reach Lao Chai village. Here we will take paths across the rice paddy fields to get to the 3rd village of the Dzay minority (Ta Van village), enjoying a picnic lunch along the way. From Ta Van, our private car will pick you up and transfer you back to Sapa for a refresh and transfer back to the Lao Cai station. You will take the night train back to Hanoi (overnight on the deluxe train)

You will arrive to Hanoi’s Train Station around 5:00 AM where you can walk to a MinMax Travel affiliate hotel nearby the train station. Here you’ll have the opportunity to freshen up, relax and have some breakfast. 
Around 9AM, your tour of Hanoi will start by visiting the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Here you can experience the architectural splendor and historical importance of Uncle Ho's final resting place- a national treasure for all Vietnamese. Adjacent to the mausoleum is Ho Chi Minh's former “House on Stilts,” where the leader spent a great deal of his free time. From here we visit the nearby One Pillar Pagoda, an 11th century temple built by King Ly Thai To. This pagoda is not only historically and religiously significant, but is also an important symbol for the people of Hanoi. Continuing on, we visit one of the city’s most iconic destinations: the Temple of Literature (Quoc Tu Giam). Vietnam’s first University, this 11th century establishment boasts perfectly manicured gardens and extremely well-preserved architecture, offering visitors some excellent insight into Vietnam’s rich past. We will have lunch at local restaurant and then pay a visit to the Hanoi Ethnology Museum, which focuses on the 54 officially recognized ethnic groups in Vietnam. After that we will take you to Hoan Kiem Lake to see its peaceful waters and visit the iconic Ngoc Son Temple. We will transfer you back to your hotel and you will spend the evening in Hanoi.

After breakfast, you will have the chance to explore Hanoi City one last time (leaving at least 2 hours before your flight’s departure). Our driver will bring you to Noi Bai International Airport, and your tour is complete!!

We would like to express our sincere thanks for considering and (hopefully) choosing to travel with MinMax. We are confident that you will thoroughly enjoy every moment of your trip and every corner of our beautiful country.

MinMax: The Maximum experience for the Minimum price!