Best of the North (Vietnam)
Highlights
Its bays are dotted with towering karst islets, its capital speckled with tranquil lakes and its rugged mountains peppered with remote hilltribes. Experience it all on this compact journey covering the very best of this sensational region.
Some of the highlights included are:
- Explore the leafy streets of Hanoi by cyclo
- Cruise stunning Halong Bay in a traditional junkboat
- Discover more about northern Vietnam’s colourful hilltribes
- Hike to remote mountain villages in picturesque Sapa
Holiday Type
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What's included
- International flights
- 3 nights in 4* hotels
- 5 breakfasts, 4 lunches, 1 dinner
- 1 night Halong Bay Cruise
- Hanoi to Sapa overnight train
- Lao Cai to Hanoi overnight train
- Hanoi city tour
- All transfers
Need to know
- Arrives: Noi Bai International Airport (HAN)
- Time difference: GMT+7
- Visa requirements: British passport holders require a tourist visa; please ask your travel consultant for more information
- Language: Vietnamese
- Currency: Vietnamese dong (VND)
- Flying time from UK: Around 20 hours
- Plug type: 2 round pins or 2 flat pins
- Voltage: 220V
Your route
Itinerary
Fly from UK to
Hanoi
Soak up the colonial charm of elegant Hanoi and take a cyclo tour around the historic Old Quarter. Hanoi is one of Vietnam’s most attractive cities, with a delightful mix of old fashioned architecture, modern hotels and streets filled with bicycles and street hawkers. Visit the regal Presidential Palace and the manicured gardens of the Temple of Literature, and if it’s peace and tranquillity you are after, find one of the city’s lakes, popular spots to practice Tai Chi. For lunch, why not try out one of Hanoi’s fabulous restaurants, serving fresh ingredients cooked with light aromatic flavours.
4* Silk Path Hotel
Includes a Hanoi city tour
Halong Bay
Head for Halong Bay, where you’ll spend the night on a traditional junkboat, cruising the emerald green waters and admiring the picturesque scenery. Halong Bay, whose name means ‘Bay of Descending Dragons’, is one of the world’s most beautiful natural wonders, and is a World Heritage site. Explore the many grottoes found in this pretty area, cool off with a dip in the sea and top up your tan on deck. After sleeping to the sounds of the waves lapping against the boat, wake up to a refreshing morning swim in the cool waters.
1 night on board a Junkboat
Sa Pa
Take the overnight train to the former French hill station at Sapa and soak up the stunning mountain views. The hills around Sapa are home to a number of ethnic minority groups, each with their own customs and traditions. Take a look at their handicrafts, tools and colourful costumes in the Sapa Museum, and learn about the town’s military past. Wander around the local market, where you are likely to encounter some of the local hilltribes, usually in their traditional dress. Trek into the mountains along a gentle pathway, a two hour walk that takes you along the river to photogenic Tien Sa waterfall.
1 night on board the overnight sleeper train from Hanoi to Sapa & 1 night at the 4* Chau Long Sapa
Lao Cai
Ascend the mountain of Ham Rong for panoramic Sapa views, including the stunning Hoang Lien Son mountain range as a stunning backdrop. Take an hour-long walk to the rice paddies and corn fields of Ta Phin and learn about the colourful traditions of the local Dao people, whose distinctive scarlet headdresses are dyed using the roots of local plants. From Ta Phin, drive to Lao Cai station and catch the overnight sleeper train back to Hanoi.
1 night on board the overnight sleeper train from Lao Cai to Hanoi
Depart Lao Cai and return to the UK
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