Tailormade Trips - Vietnam: Northern Loop (8-12 days)

This wonderful introduction to the best of northern Vietnam includes the bustling city of Hanoi, a mountain retreat near Mai Chau (with options for kayaking and a village- and paddy-field walk), a wetland escape in Ninh Binh (fishing and crab-catching, cycling, cooking class, bird-watching), and Halong Bay (overnight junk-boat cruise among karst cliffs and floating villages).

The standard itinerary is 8 days (7 nights); additional nights can be added at each of the stops.

Day 1

Hanoi Arrival (TBA, Own Tickets) – Transfer to Hotel (approx. 45 minutes – 1 hour)

Upon arrival at Noi Bai Airport, either Domestic or International arrival, after clearing all customs procedures, please proceed to exit gate and look for your guide who will be waiting at the lobby, holding a signboard with your name on it, if you cannot locate your guide, please go to the Airport Information counter situated in the middle of Domestic and International arrival lobby (inside the terminal) and call the emergency numbers for assistance. Your guide will come to meet you up and transfer you to hotel.

The regular check-in time is at 14:00; early check-in is NOT included and subject to availability.

Day 2

Hanoi Full-Day City Tour with Old Quarter Cyclo Ride

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• 08:00 Meet up with your guide at the hotel’s lobby.
• Explore the charming city of Hanoi, often referred to as the ‘Paris of the East’, with its yellow ochre colonial buildings, tree-lined boulevards and scenic lakes.
  • Visit the historic Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, an imposing monument of marble and granite built to house the preserved body of beloved Vietminh leader Ho Chi Minh, affectionately known to the Vietnamese as “Uncle Ho”.
  • Visit the One Pillar Pagoda, a Buddhist temple built in 1049 out of wood in the shape of a lotus blossom and set on a single stone pillar.
  • Continue on to Ho Chi Minh’s House nearby, a simple wooden house in a tranquil setting where Ho Chi Minh lived and worked. Some of his belongings are on display and visitors can walk up the steps to see his bedroom.
  • Next, visit the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first national university built in the late 11th century. The picturesque temple is an example of well-preserved traditional Vietnamese architecture and is featured on the back of the 100,000 Vietnamese dong banknote.
  • In the afternoon, visit the fascinating Museum of Ethnology (closed on Mondays) which houses an extensive collection of traditional costumes and artefacts from Vietnam’s 54 ethnic minority groups.
  • Drive back to central Hanoi for a 1hr cyclo tour through the famed Old Quarter known for its ‘36 streets of 36 wares’ named after the original 36 artisan guilds that date as far back as the 13th century. Explore the fascinating maze of back streets, fronted by narrow houses known as “tunnel” or “tube houses”, built to avoid taxes based on the width of their frontage onto the street, a wonderfully eclectic glimpse into Hanoi street life.
  • Conclude the day by watching an entertaining water puppet performance, a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form said to have originated in the flooded rice fields of the Red River Delta. The show uses colourful wooden puppets to depict scenes of rural life and episodes of national history set to music.

NOTES

∙ Approximate durations: approximate 1 hour 15 minutes of total round transfer, 6 hours and 45 minutes of total experience).
∙ Inclusion: meal is not included, but there will be time for your lunch ∙ The Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum is closed every Monday, Friday, and all afternoons.

Day 3

Hanoi – Mai Chau (approx. 4 – 5 hours) – Full Day Kayak Escape with Lunch

• 08:00 Meet up with your guide at the hotel’s lobby and depart for Mai Chau.
• Upon arrival in Ngoi Village (Mai Chau), head out to the water and soak into the scenic mountain vistas in our top-notch kayaks.
• Departing from a quiet, small local wharf, row your boat into the beautiful scenery of Ba Khan Lake. Afterwards, you can relax, unwind, and enjoy some time to take it all in and feel the serene presence of nature. The feeling of freedom is a worthy reward after 120 minutes of rowing.
• Then, depart for Avana Retreat. The estimated arrival time is 16:30.

NOTES

∙ Duration: 8 hours
∙ Experience: Private
∙ Difficulty level: Intermediate (10km kayaking)

• Upon arrival, process check-in and relax at your hotel.

Day 4

Half Day Local Village Walk

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• For guests seeking a private exploration of Mai Chau, this pleasant walk will give you a memorable experience of some of the most peaceful countryside scenes. With a guide walking alongside, you will slowly meander through ethnic villages, deserted country roads, and a hanging bridge, and stretch your legs in rice paddy fields. Along the way, your guide will provide an insight into the lives of local people and the region’s picturesque landscape.

NOTES

∙ Duration: 2.5 hours
∙ Difficulty level: Easy
∙ Number of kilometers: 6km
∙ Difference in height: From the height of 100m up to 300m above the sea level ∙ Scheduled: On Request (08:30 – 11:00; 14:00 – 16:30)

Day 5

Mai Chau – Ninh Binh

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• 08:30 Meet up with your guide at the hotel’s lobby.
• After breakfast, drive to Ninh Binh, a spectacular landscape of limestone karst peaks permeated with valleys, some of which are submerged, and surrounded by vertical cliffs.
• On arrival, enjoy lunch in rustic yet cozy setting.
• In the afternoon, transfer to Van Long – the largest natural reserve of wetlands. It is also home to 32 stunning grottos named after their different shapes. In the dry season, Van Long is the wintering place of migratory birds from the North.
• Later sit on a small row boat and float through the picturesque scenery with spectacular mountain ranges.
• Overnight in Ninh Binh.

NOTES

∙ Duration: 6 hours

Day 6

Ninh Binh

• Breakfast at the hotel.
• 09:00 Meet up with your guide at the hotel’s lobby.
• After breakfast, enjoy a short drive to Tho Ha village in Nho Quan for a leisurely biking trip ranging from 5 km to 15 km (depending on your wish) passing by sleepy villages and picturesque countryside sceneries.
• Then head to Dong Tam hamlet to take part in some fun agricultural activities such as catching crab, fishing, transplanting and watering plants and more.
• After an hour or so, return back to the hamlet to join a cooking class where you can learn how to prepare local treats such as sweet potato cake and toasted fish.
• After lunch, keep riding to Nha Le boat pier and enjoy a rowing boat to Galaxy Grotto, which is lined with thousands of sparkling stalactites.
• Return to your hotel in the late afternoon.
• Overnight in Ninh Binh.

NOTES

∙ Duration: 6 hours

Day 7

Ninh Binh – Halong / Embark on Heritage Line Ginger

• 08:00 Meet up with your guide at the hotel’s lobby.
• Depart for a 4-hour journey to Halong Bay.
• After meeting at Heritage Line’s welcome lounge at the Tuan Chau Marina, we take a tender boat transfer to your luxurious floating home before starting our unique journey to explore one of the wonders of nature – Lan Ha Bay and its main island of Cat Ba.
• The first highlight of the cruise is lunch, which we serve in Ginger’s nearly 360-degree light-flooded restaurant. Our live cooking in the open kitchen is a one-of-a-kind experience – enjoy the culinary display along with fantastic panoramic views of the passing scenery.
• Relax on the terrace deck or on your private balcony and soak in the enchanting aura which emanates from the surreal seascape. While we cruise along in the early afternoon, there is time to enjoy our unique facilities on board. Take a plunge in the pool with infinity-like vistas or let us pamper you with a selection of fine treatments and massages in the beautiful Ginger Spa.
• As we reach the shore of a small lagoon on Cat Ba Island, we hop on bicycles (electric cart transfers are also available) for a tour along small paved roads towards Viet Hai village. Little has changed in Viet Hai since the ancestors of the 80 households settled here centuries ago. Situated in a valley within Cat Ba National Park and surrounded on all sides by forest and mountains, the locals are isolated from the island’s other villages and towns. The community is self sufficient, as the residents provide for themselves by working the farms, fishing, or collecting rain water for drinking.
• Here you have the opportunity to meet the local inhabitants, learn about the fruits and vegetables grown in the valley, have a glimpse of local households and try some homemade liquors.
• Back on board, our chef is prepared for an interactive cooking class in the restaurant’s open kitchen. Learn about local ingredients as well as the preparation of classic Vietnamese dishes.
• As the sun sets, we arrive at a tranquil anchor spot for the night. Here, you can revel in the memories of the day’s adventures with a cocktail under the stars. After a delicious dinner, you may like to unwind at our bar with a digestif or watch a movie in the evening cinema which is set up in the dining area later on. Otherwise, join our team and have some fun fishing for squid before retiring to your room.
• Overnight onboard (Lunch, Dinner).

Day 8

Halong – Hanoi Airport / Hanoi Departure

• Wake up early and join our Tai Chi session on the terrace deck to ease your mind and muscles with the first rays of the sun touching the water.
• Coffee, tea and breakfast pastries await you in the dining room to start the new day.
• Then it is time for Ginger to lift her anchors and cruise to Frog Lake, a secluded spot which is perfect for our morning excursion.
• Go for a refreshing “bay swim” or explore this captivating marine landscape via kayak. The cliffs stretch vertically out of the water and you feel a sense of freedom while meandering through this green medley of water and tree-topped islets.
• Back on board, we serve a hearty breakfast while cruising back to our mid-bay anchoring spot, from where we will transfer you back to the welcome lounge at the pier. Savour the last moments of this unique journey while relaxing on comfy sun beds on the terrace deck.
• Have a private transfer to Hanoi airport (with a guide) for your flight to next destination.

NOTES

∙ All flight times are local.
∙ Flight times and the daily order of sightseeing are subject to change.
∙ Vietnam Airlines allow for advance seat assignment on some domestic and regional flights (those departing Hanoi/Danang/Saigon airports only) with advance seat assignment within 24 hours before departure by check-in online.
∙ Transfer times are approximate and subject to local conditions at the time of travel. ∙ Please refer to the pre-departure guide which has been provided with this proposal.

PAYMENT

∙ 20% of the total tour cost to be deposited upon commitment of the tour. This deposit is non-refundable.
∙ 80% of the total tour cost to be paid 46 days prior to arrival date.
∙ 100% of the total tour is required 45 days prior departure or within 24 hours of confirmation if travelling within 45 days from departure.

CANCELLATION

∙ Any cancellations must be made in witting.
∙ Non-refundable deposit 20% for all confirmed booking.
∙ 21 – 15 days prior to arrival date: 50% of the total tour cost.
∙ 14 – 8 days prior to arrival date: 75% of the total tour cost.
∙ 7 days or less prior to arrival date: 100% of the total tour cost.
Special conditions: Depending on airlines, hotels, cruises’ cancellation policies, the above conditions may be modified.