HANOI – HALONG BAY – NINH BINH

Upon arrival in Hanoi, you will be warmly greeted by driver.

Transfer hotel to check in and rest.

In the evening, you will be free on your own to walk around the city center to get acquainted with the liveliness of this city, visit Hoan Kiem walking street by night.

Note: Night market is available from Friday to Sunday.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Breakfast at the hotel.

08h00-08h30: We will pick you up from your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter or Hanoi Opera House. In the morning, we will visit:

• Tran Quoc Pagoda located on an east side isle of the West Lake (Tay Ho district), It is considered as the most ancient pagoda in Thang Long - Ha Noi with its historical progression in 1500 years. It has a harmonious combination between the majesty, hoariness architecture and peaceful landscape of the West Lake. From the period in the Ly and Tran dynasties, it had become the Buddhist center of Thang Long.
• Visit the complex of president Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum (Mausoleum and Stilt house) - Where the great leader lived and worked until the last years of his life. Here, you will have the opportunity to learn about Uncle Ho's simple life. In addition, you will stop by One Pillar Pagoda to admire one of the 4 symbols of Hanoi.
• Note: with departure days on Monday and Friday, Mausoleum Management Board will carry out maintenance of the mausoleum, you will visit only outside of Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, stilt house and One Pillar Pagoda.
• Vietnam Museum of Ethnology: This is the most recent yet probably the largest and undoubtedly the most interesting Museums in Hanoi and Vietnam. There are both indoors and outdoors sections, while the in - housed exhibition is particularly informative, the outdoors display and activities make the museum stand out from the rest. There are a number of houses modeling after the traditional architecture of ethnic minorities, especially those who live in Northern and Central highlands.
• On Monday, the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology is closed, instead of the Vietnamese Women Museum.
• Noon: Return to the Old Quarter to have lunch at the restaurant. After lunch, you will see 36 streets from the car and listen to the guide tell stories about the streets of the ancient urban marketplace.

Afternoon: We will visit:

• The temple of literature (The first university in Vietnam): Being an ancient school of Thang Long and the first university in Vietnam, Temple of Literature is acknowledged as an ancientOvernight in Hanoi
• Hoa Lo prison: Built in 1899. The French held mainly political prisoners here, along with those awaiting sentencing at the nearby Court of Justice, as well as American pilots who had been shot down and captured as prisoners of war. The pilots sarcastically called it the "Hanoi Hilton. John McCain was held here at various times during his five and a half years as a POW.

Breakfast at hotel.

07:15: Get picked up by our friendly guide then depart for NinhBinh province.

09h15: Have a short break for 15 – 20 minutes to relax.

10h15: Visit HoaLư ancient capital of Vietnam between 968 and 1010. You have a chance to learn about Vietnamese history in the feudal system under Dinh, Le, and Ly Dynasty.

Here, we go cycling around the village for sightseeing & discovering the life of the local people.

12h00: Have the buffet lunch at NinhBinh Excursion Restaurant designed with 5 stars-style with many local foods options such as goat meat, spring-rolls, fish, chicken, fried rice & vegetable salad….Vegetarian foods are always available in the buffet lunch.

13h30: Visit Tam Coc by 1.5-hour bamboo boat. You will be surprised by the charming beauty here with paddy fields, river, water, cloud, sky and a stunning cave system during the boat trip. All make a masterpiece that Vietnamese people called “Ha Long Bay on land”.

15h00: Get on the bus to return to Hanoi.

17h30 – 18h00: Get dropped off at Hotels in Hanoi.

Overnight in Hanoi.

08:00 Pick-up at hotel.

11:00: Upon arrival at Tuan Chau harbour, then starts a trip to discover the World Heritage.

Stop at Bo Hon Island. Our tour guide will take you to Sung Sot Cave/Surprising Cave, the largest and the most beautiful cave in Halong Bay. After about 200 steps under forest canopy, the entrance of the cave shows up. A paradise of appear in front of you. You will discover the cave in about 45 minutes before getting back to the cruise (For other tourists whom can’t walk much, you can stay on cruise, chilling out on the sundeck).

Say goodbye to Sung Sot Cave, cruise heads to Luon Cave. In this area, it’s time for you to heat up with kayaking (about 30 minutes kayaking).

15:00: Stop at Titov Island. On this small island, you can climb halfway up the mountain to enjoy a panoramic view of Ha Long Bay. Looking down from high above gives you a wonderful sensation; at the same time offers you a spectacular view of every corner of the bay.

16:00: After that, you will get back to cruise.

On the way back, cruise will pass by Hoa Cuong area, one of the most beautiful spots in the bay.

17:30-18:00: Arrive in Tuan Chau port. End of the trip.

Overnight in Hanoi.

Transfer to the airport for the flight to the next destination.

It’s time to say thank you for coming here and hope to see you again!!