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Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi |
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Upon arrival at Noi Bai Airport, you will be picked up and transferred to hotel. Check into hotel. Relax and free time. Stay overnight at hotel. |
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Day 2: Hanoi City Tour (B, L) |
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Free in the morning until time our tour guide meets you at the lobby for a half day city tour in Hanoi. Cyclo tour (1 hour), visiting The Old Quarter of Hanoi and Ngoc Son Temple. Drop off at Thang Long theatre for the water puppet show. This art originates from rural festivals in Vietnam. The artist-men and women stand waist-deep in the water to manipulate the puppets, making them move about, talk and laugh and even dance on the surface of the water. End of the show and transfer to hotel.
At 08: 30 pm our tour guide will pick you up at hotel lobby to go to Hanoi railway station for night train to Sapa. Overnight on train.
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Day 3: Lao Cai Railway Station - Bac Ha (B, L, D) |
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Train arrives at Lao Cai Railway Station at 06: 00am. Have breakfast at local restaurant before reaching Bac Ha by car or cycle from Lao Cai railway station. Free to stroll around the Bac Ha market on the Sunday morning with the local minority. See the colourful variations of the ethnic minority people such as Flower Hmong, Phu La, Black Dao, Tay, Nung who gather to buy and sell. Lunch will be served at Sao Mai hotel in the town before having a nice cycling trip to visit Ban Pho village and King’s Hmong house. Remainder of the day is free. |
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Day 4: Bac Ha - Trung Do (B, L, D) |
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A short cycle through town visits the impressive house of the former H’Mong. Cycling around Bac Ha town before down hill to Bao Nhai river where you will have boat trip on Chay river and cycling through out of Delta river banks to Trung Do Hamlet for home stay. |
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Day 5: Trung Do Hamlet - Coc Ly River (B, L, D) |
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Full day of returning to Lao Cai railway station for night train back to Hanoi, stop on the way to visit the Coc Ly Market which is the highlight of our trip for the day. The recent discovery of this market in the region again allows you to see the wide range of different colorful ethnic minorities, such as Hmong, Red Dzao, Tay, Phu La and Nung. Overnight on train. |
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Day 6: Hanoi - Halong (B, L, D) |
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Train arrives in Hanoi around 05: 00am in the morning. Pick up at railway station and drive towards Halong Bay, truly one of Vietnam‘s most impressive scenic sights. On arrival in Halong we embark on a boat for an exploration of the legendary Halong Bay. During the trip we learn some kayak orientation and instruction in paddling technique. We begin our first kayaking experience to discover the limestone karsts formations which are littered with beaches, grottoes and beautiful caves, and visit one of the many hidden grottoes beneath towering cliffs. At the end of afternoon we return to our escorted boat for relaxation and dinner. The night paddle is available for the kayaking enthusiast. Overnight on board. |
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Day 7: Halong - Cat Ba Island (B, L) |
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Enjoy the atmosphere of early morning in the bay and breakfast with tea and coffee on board before we continue kayaking throughout the many islets, pearl farms and floating village. Head to Cat Ba island to spend the night. |
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| Day 8: Cat Ba National Park - Hai Phong - Hanoi (B, L) |
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Short trek in Cat Ba National Park, enjoying the rain forest in the morning then take the Hydrofoil to Hai Phong city to transfer back to Hanoi. The rest of the day is free. |
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| Day 9: Hanoi - Perfume Pagoda (B, L) |
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Depart hotel in Hanoi to Perfume Pagoda, one of the highlights of the Hanoi area and one of the most important religious sites in Buddhist Vietnam. Embark on the boat rowing on Yen stream to Thien Tru pagoda, climbing up the mountain to visit pagoda inside Grotto Huong Tich to learn how the Vietnamese people practice Buddhism in the traditional way. Stop over at Van Phuc - the Traditional Handicraft Silk Village before the tour finishes at your hotel in Hanoi. |
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| Day 10: Hanoi Departure (B) |
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Free time at leisure or doing other things you are interested in before transferring to the airport in Hanoi for your flight back home. |
