Day 1 – 10 Dec: Hanoi arrival

Our guide and driver welcome you at Hanoi International airport. Pick up and transfer to hotel in city. Check-in hotel and overnight there. (-/-/-)

Day 2 – 11 Dec: Hanoi city tour full day

After breakfast, 8h00 AM, start city tour with the visit to ancient Tran Quoc pagoda situated by West Lake – the most attractive lake in Hanoi. Continue to Ba Dinh square for taking photo and visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum ( closed on Monday and Friday), his former house on stilts, Presidential palace. Then walk to visit One pillar Pagoda. Lunch at local restaurant served with authentic Hanoi food.

 Afternoon, visit Temple of Literature where is the first former National University of Vietnam since 1076. The university is training center for Vietnamese leaders in the history. Visit Dong xuan Market in the Old Quarter, where you can buy souvenirs. Gather by Hoan Kiem lake for photo stop before you have ½ hour to explore city center by electrical car. Dinner at a local restaurant in Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi. (B/L/D)

Day 3 – 12 Dec: Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Hanoi

8h00 AM depart for Ninh Binh, a province in the Red river Delta, 120 km in southern Hanoi. After 3 hours drive including a rest stop on the way, we reach Tam Coc commune, the famous tourist attraction named Halong Bay inland. Climb up limestone mount to visit Bich Dong pagoda, once admired the second most beautiful cave in Southern sky. You will be rewarded by wonderful view from the mountain peak. Lunch at local restaurant by Tam Coc with Vietnamese menu.

 Afternoon you have 2 hour boat trip along Ngo Dong river along romantic limestone mountain range and rice paddy field (in summer) that is also very famous in the movie named Indochine made by French in early 1990s. We seat in sampan rowed by a local bringing us through 3 caves on the river. Back to boat wharf, get on bus and go back to Hanoi. Dinner with set menu at a local restaurant. Free at leisure. (B/L/D)

Day 4 – 13 Dec: Hanoi – Duong Lam village – Mai Chau

Start our journey at 7h30  in morning, drive to outskirt Hanoi to visit Duong Lam ancient village, where is listed as National Heritage site as it preserves almost a thousand traditional Vietnamese houses. Visit Duong Lam Communal House, then walking along village lanes, visit famous Mia Pagoda built in 17^th century. Visit and join cooking class (learn how to make fried spring rolls) at the oldest Vietnamese house that was build in the mid 17^th century. Lunch at the ancient house with authentic countryside food cooked by family.

Afternoon continue driving to Mai Chau, where is valley in mountainous province of Hoa Binh, home to Thai ethnic people. Stay in traditional house on stilts in the peaceful village where is surrounded by lovely mountains and rice field. Dinner is prepared by family in Thai style. After dinner we enjoy music show performed by Thai boys and girls in the village. Then we can sing and dance together with the band around fire place. It is so amazing. Overnight in house on stilts in Mai Chau. (B/L/D)

Day 5 – 14 Dec: Mai Chau – Hanoi

Wake up in the morning you can practice exercise in the yard or walking along village lane and rice paddy field to take nice morning photo. Taste hot green tea before breakfast. We have short trip along Xia stream by bamboo rafting. Surely the trip will brings you  peaceful and romantic feelings. Back to homestay, relax for a while or you can visit a cave, just 100 m behind the house. Lunch in the house before we say good bye the hospitable family. Drive back to Hanoi, on the way (if the time permitted), stop to take photo of Hoa Binh hydro electric dam , the largest one in South East Asia. Arrive Hanoi at 18h00. Dinner with mixed hot pot in restaurant. (B/L/D)

Day 6 – 15 Dec: Hanoi – Halong Bay

Pick up in the morning, drive to Halong Bay along the Red river Delta. Take a stop in outskirt city to visit Ly Temple, where we worship 8 Kings of Ly Dynasty in Dinh Bang village. The prosperous Dynasty governed Vietnam during 11 – 13^th centuries and made the highlights of building Hanoi capital as well as the first National University. Have lunch in Rest stop on the way, where you see Vietnamese products including traditional handcrafts, paintings, stone and wood carvings, cakes and candies.

Arrive Halong city in afternoon, check in hotel, free at leisure. Our guide takes you for walking along bustling street with hundreds of shops, street stall and cafes. Take photo at Halong Park, then go for dinner at a restaurant that is near colorful suspension Bai Chay Bridge at night. Overnight in Halong city. (B/L/D)

Day 7 – 16 Dec: Halong Bay – Hanoi

Start our cruising tour at 7h00 AM. Your private boat will take you through hundreds of limestone rocks in amazing Halong Bay with 3000 islets. The Bay was recognized as one of 7 World Wonders of Nature in 2012. If you don’t visit Halong Bay it is hard to say have been to Vietnam.

Stop to climb up to visit Sung Sot cave and take wonderful photo of Bo Nau cave from Sung Sot. We have 45 minutes at Titop beach where you can swim (if it is not cold) and climb up mountain to take photo of panoramic view of amazing Halong.

 Lunch with seafood on cruise during heading back to harbor. Meet our driver at harbor and go back to Hanoi. We follow high way so that it takes us only 2 hour drive to reach famous Bat Trang ceramic village. Visit  a family that still preserves century kiln baking ceramic products, then move to Bat trang ceramic market where you can buy souvenirs there. Go to Hanoi center for dinner. Overnight in Hanoi. (B/L/D)

Day 8: Hanoi Departure

Free at leisure till we transfer you to Hanoi international airport for your flight home. End of travel service. (B/-/-)

 HAPPY TRAVELING