Vietnam Impression

This morning, meet your guide in the lobby for your oriented touring to Hanoi’s essential sites. It’s good start in the former French quarter before beginning our exciting journey through a city humming with prospects for the future – and occasionally tripped up by the past. See the beautiful Temple of Literature, the iconic One Pillar Pagoda, and the grand and solemn mausoleum of Ho Chi Minh. Explore the fascinating Ethnology Museum where the art and culture of Vietnam’s Ethnic Minorities are lionized. Then wander the narrow streets in the Old Quarter to see its merchants’ shops, still bustling 600 years after dozens of guilds claimed different stretches of road to market their wares. Tonight, enjoy a traditional water puppet show if you wish. This water puppetry is a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history. Return to your hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.

After breakfast, embark on a three-hour morning hike through rice terraces and cornfields to a nearby Hmong’s village. With your local guide’s help, you will visit one of local’s homes to interact with the host. Get a chance to discover their unique culture and their ways of life. Say goodbye to the host to continue onto the winding road. Enjoy a two-hour drive up the mountains and over the famous Tram Ton Pass at 6,715 feet (2,047 meters), the highest mountain pass in Vietnam. Stop en-route for photos opportunities and enjoy the fresh mountain air. The views certainly don't disappoint, as from the pass you can see all the way out to the 10,311-foot (3,143-meter) Fanxipan Mountain, which is known as “the Roof of Indochina." In the afternoon, you arrive into Sapa Town, one of the most beautiful mountain towns in the country. Surrounded by steep slopes and terraced rice paddies, the town itself is full of colorful ethnic markets and buildings that are historic remnants of the French colonial era. Check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

After breakfast, depart from the town to head off into the Hoang Lien Son National Park. You'll hike along a narrow trail amid the terrace rice paddies and cross Mường Hoa River on your way to the Black Hmong village of Lao Chai. After walking along the river for a time, you'll cross a suspension bridge eventually arrive to Tavan village, home to Giáy people. Here you'll visit a fascinating collection of ancient rock carvings depicting everything from images of man to decorative patterns. Enjoy a delicious lunch in a local restaurant. Return to Sapa town in the afternoon and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Leave Sapa town in the morning to enjoy a scenic drive to Bac Ha, known for its colorful market. After three-hour drive, you arrive into Bac Ha town at noon. This quaint village comes alive once a week during its Sunday market, which is the largest ethnic-minority market in the region. Upon arrival in Bắc Hà, check into your hotel. Then get the blood pumping with an easy two-hour hike into the villages nearby for a glimpse into the ethnic minorities’ culture. After the hike, you'll be transferred back to your hotel. Enjoy your evening at leisure.

After breakfast, enjoy a leisurely walking tour of Sunday market where you see the Flower Hmong, Dzao, Phu La, Tay and Nung gather to sell their silverware and handicrafts. The market also offers the variety of local products, which could not be found in others areas such as pot-bellied pigs, cows, and buffalos. More than a marketplace, it's also a social gathering for the various ethnic minorities living in these remote highland villages. Here they meet up, swap stories, and enjoy a few drinks while trading their goods. All in all, it's a lively and colorful atmosphere. Of course, if your travel itinerary won't put you in Bắc Hà on a Sunday, in which case there is other nearby markets on Saturday, Thursday, Wednesday or Tuesdays Regardless, after experiencing some convivial local culture, you'll hop in a car for the six-hour drive to Hanoi. Upon arrival, check into your hotel and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

After breakfast, enjoy a scenic drive a driver to Lan Ha Bay, a part of the UNESCO-listed kart limestone of Hạ Long Bay. Upon arrival at the pier, you'll board a cruiser where you'll enjoy a welcome cocktail followed by a safety briefing. As the ship cruises the tranquil waters, you'll enjoy a delicious lunch on deck before arriving at one of the famous floating villages of the region. Here you'll disembark and have a chance to learn about the life of the residents, which naturally revolves around the fishing trade. This is followed by an optional water activity like a cruise on bamboo boat rowed or kayak excursion. As the boat sails towards to Cát Bà Island, the largest island in the entire archipelago, you can take a seat on the sundeck to admire the gorgeous sunset over the emerald water of the bay. In the evening you can even feel free to join in some local squid fishing. Overnight on board.

Wake up early and head to the upper deck to witness one of the bay's famous golden sunrises. Enjoy a morning Tai Chi class before having a cup of coffee or tea. You'll then enjoy breakfast/brunch while the boat sails back to the pier. Disembark then be transferred directly to the airport where you'll catch a 1.5-hour flight south to Da Nang. This waterfront city isn't your final destination, however. You'll then transfer another half-hour by car down the central coast to Hội An, which is one of the most well-preserved ancient cities in the country. After checking into your hotel, enjoy your free time for your own exploration of the old town. Walking Hội An's ancient streets you'll see why it's so celebrated. This UNESCO World Heritage port city boasts over 2,000 years of history, with its heyday occurring from the 7th-10th centuries when it was a major port in the spice trade with Indonesia. By the 1600s, Hoian was a thriving international port, and you can see remnants of this in its Chinese temples, Japanese merchant homes, and covered bridges.

Get ready for a special eco-tour around Hội An. You will be met by your local guide for the quick 30-minute drive to the countryside village of Vong Nhi. Hop on bicycles and embark on a four-mile (six-km) ride. During the trip, you'll pass many stunning and varied landscapes that range from green rice paddies to coconut forests lining the riverbanks and even fish and shrimp farms. Eventually, you'll arrive at the Thanh Dong, a three-acre organic farm that sustains 11 local families. The farm is unique in that it uses no chemicals—only all-natural materials. On a tour, the host tells you the family’s story and their traditional farming methods. Join in for some gardening activities like preparing organic fertilizer, raking the ground, sowing herb seeds, and watering/picking vegetables. After that, we leave the farm for a 30-minute boat ride down the Do River in traditional basket boats to a waterfront restaurant. Enjoy a short demonstration and fun cooking class before sitting down to a freshly prepared lunch. Return back to the town and spend the rest of the day at leisure.