North Vietnam, Authenticity of East Tonkin

Hanoi arrival / Walks (-)

Arrival at Hanoi airport, depending on your flight and schedule, welcome and transfer to the city center to join the group. Rooms will be available from 2 PM.

Hanoi retains its unchanged charm for decades. It is certainly the most charming city in Vietnam, with its authenticity, wide shaded avenues, numerous lakes, and well-maintained gardens. Transfer and check-in at the hotel.

Meals at leisure. Overnight in Hanoi.

Hanoi, day of visits and walks / discoveries (B,L)

After breakfast, meet the team at 08:30 AM for a day of visits and walks in Hanoi:

The day will begin with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, located on Ba Dinh Square, as well as his stilt house to better understand the life of President Ho Chi Minh. Then, discover the One Pillar Pagoda, known for its original 11th-century construction.

Then, visit the Temple of Literature dedicated to Confucius and his disciples. This complex was the first Vietnamese University. Lunch at a restaurant in Hanoi city.

In the afternoon, a visit to Tran Quoc Pagoda (Buddhism) and Quan Thanh Temple (Taoism).

At the end of the day, a walk towards Long Bien Bridge (also called Paul Doumer Bridge during the French era) and admiration of the "Train Street" if allowed for the day of the visit before returning to the hotel for rest. Overnight in Hanoi.

Hanoi - Ba Be Lake by road (B,L,D)

Breakfast at the hotel. Departure for Ba Be Lake, passing through a road lined with superb landscapes.

Lunch upon arrival at Ba Be Lake.

Ba Be Lake, one of the most unique and magnificent natural tourist attractions in Vietnam, was formed by geological structural changes that occurred millions of years ago, creating limestone mountains and caves.

Then embark on a motor sampan cruise to discover Ba Be Lake and the surrounding mountains, covered with lush forests. You will sail on the lake to the famous Dau Dang waterfalls.

Dinner with locals. Overnight with locals, in a stilt house.

NOTE: This house offers simple but clean comfort, with private dormitory rooms for tourists, equipped with mats, mattresses, clean sheets and pillows, as well as a fan. Each bed is separated by opaque curtains and equipped with a mosquito net. A shower room with washbasin and private toilet is also available.

Ba Be - Cao Bang - Ban Gioc Waterfall (B,L,D)

Breakfast with locals. Head for Ban Gioc waterfall, located about a 5-hour drive via Cao Bang city.

Make stops for photos and visit Cao Bang market along the way.

Arrive at Ban Gioc, visit Truc Lam Pagoda at the top of the mountain for a panoramic view of the waterfall.

Dinner and overnight with locals - Tay ethnic group. House built at ground level, with traditional materials such as stone.

Ban Gioc - Phia Thap village - Cao Bang (B,L,D)

After breakfast, visit Vietnam's most beautiful waterfall, then discover Nguom Ngao cave before heading to Cao Bang.

Along the way, make stops to visit attractive destinations:

• Phia Thap village, through beautiful mountainous landscapes
• Khuoi Son village for pretty photos.
• Beautiful spot with the holed mountain - the sacred eye.
• Phuc Sen village for drilling.
• Vermicelli making village near the city.

Lunch at a local restaurant en route. Dinner and overnight in Cao Bang city.

Cao Bang - LoLo Noir - Meo Vac (B,L,D)

After breakfast, take the road towards Meo Vac, a district in the far North of Vietnam, through magnificent mountainous landscapes and superb passes.

Stop to visit and meet the inhabitants of the Lo Lo Noir ethnic village, well-known since the report "En terre inconnue".

Lunch en route.

Continue the road to Meo Vac to rest, then dinner and overnight there.

Meo Vac – Tu San Canyon and Ma Pi Leng Pass - Dong Van (B,L,D)

In the morning, set off to discover Tu San canyon, a unique experience in Vietnam.

A beautiful hike before embarking on a boat to approach the canyon, then take the road again towards Dong Van, passing through Vietnam's most beautiful mountain pass. Then, you will reach the superb Ma Pi Leng Pass, with stops for photos from the summit.

Arrive in Dong Van, lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, stroll through the suburban village to meet local ethnic groups. Dinner and overnight at the hotel.

Dong Van / Visits (ethnic market) - Royal Palace - Quan Ba (B,L,D)

After breakfast, you will join the ethnic groups to go to Dong Van market which takes place every Sunday. If you are not there on a Sunday, we will take you to discover another traditional market along the road.

En route to Ha Giang city, with stops to visit and take photos in ethnic villages:

• Hmong King's Palace (Dinh Vua Meo), dating back nearly 100 years.
• Lung Cam village, famous for its hemp and linen weaving.
• Pho Bang village, mainly populated by members of the Hoa ethnic group, immigrants from China.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

Continue the road towards Quan Ba district. Along the way, visit Quan Ba Pass and Quan Ba town with its famous Fairy Twin Mountains (Nui Co Tien).

Dinner and overnight in a homestay.

Quan Ba / walks - Ha Giang - Hoang Su Phi (B,L,D)

After breakfast, a 2-hour walk in Nam Dam village before heading to Hoang Su Phi, renowned for its magnificent terraced rice fields in northern Vietnam.

Stops along the way for photos and visits to interesting sites.

A beautiful walk through the famous terraced rice fields of Hoang Su Phi.

Dinner and overnight in a bungalow.

Hoang Su Phi / walks and visits (B,L,D)

After lunch, enjoy a day of beautiful walks through the terraced rice fields.

The trek leads you to discover ethnic villages: Nam Khoa village, inhabited by the Dzaos Man Ta Pan, and Nam Son village, where the Dzaos with long tunics adorned with silver jewelry reside.

Dinner and overnight in a bungalow | 5-6 hours of walking for the entire day of exploration.

Hoang Su Phi - Tuyen Quang – Hanoi (B,L)

After lunch, a walk in the village to meet people and take photos. If time permits, you will also have the opportunity to admire the sunrise.

On the way back to Hanoi, lunch at a local restaurant.

Arrival in Hanoi, direct transfer to the hotel for rest.

Dinner at leisure and overnight in Hanoi.

NOTE: From this day on, those who wish to extend their stay or explore on their own have the option to leave the group and go on an extension to destinations of their choice.

Hanoi - Halong Bay / cruise (B,L,D) Overnight on Junk

After breakfast, meet at 08:00 for departure to Halong Bay, made famous by the film Indochine. This site is known for its 1969 karst islands, a UNESCO World Heritage site, making this destination a must-see during a trip to Vietnam.

If Hanoi was once called Thang Long, "Ascending Dragon," Halong Bay is nicknamed "Descending Dragon," in reference to its strange and chaotic landscape. The rock formations evoke the play of a mythical dragon, master of the waters, with its rocky peaks piercing the horizon and its mysterious caverns swallowed by the waves. The karst hills seem to float on the calm water, creating an almost unreal scene, only disturbed by the cry of a seabird.

You embark on a traditional junk for an unforgettable cruise through this unique environment. Several stops and visits, including one by sampan (traditional boat), punctuate your itinerary.

During the navigation in Halong Bay, which spans over 1,500 km² and has nearly 3000 islands and islets, we witness one of Asia's most sumptuous landscapes. Lunch on board.

You cross landscapes that served as the backdrop for the film "Indochine," with its remarkable islets such as the Teapot and the Demon's Face.

Visit one of the most beautiful natural caves in Halong Bay before returning on board to enjoy a superb panorama of the bay at sunset.

Dinner will be served on board the junk, followed by a peaceful night on the calm waters of the bay.

To end the day beautifully, a night fishing session can be organized if weather conditions permit.

NOTE: The itinerary and visits may vary depending on each junk's program, as well as tides and weather conditions.

Halong Bay / cruise - Ninh Binh (B,L,D)

Breakfast is served on board the junk, as the day breaks over Halong Bay, revealing the silhouettes of limestone peaks emerging from the waters. An optional Tai Chi session is offered on the boat deck, according to your cruise program.

Continuation of the bay visit. Brunch on board.

Then, you will head to Hoa Lu, the country's first capital from 968 to 1009, under the reign of the Dinh dynasty. Sheltered by numerous rocky peaks, the site was ideal for protecting the capital from Chinese invasions.

On the way, visit Pho Minh pagoda and a local market. Pho Minh pagoda is located in Tuc Mac village, 4 km north of Nam Dinh city and 94 km south of Hanoi. Initially built under the Ly dynasty, it was expanded in 1262 and subsequently by the Tran kings.

Dinner in Ninh Binh. Overnight at the hotel.

Ninh Binh / walks and visits – Hanoi (B,L)

After breakfast, meet at 08:00 for a day of walks and visits on site:

Bike ride or vehicle ride for those who prefer or cannot pedal to discover the authentic village of Thung Nang, Bich Dong pagoda and Thai Vi temple.

Lunch at a local restaurant where you can savor regional specialties.

In the afternoon, a sampan ride in the preserved site of Thung Nham, with a visit to Galaxy cave (or Trang An site), passing through caves carved into the limestone mountain.

Return to Hanoi. Dinner at leisure and overnight in Hanoi.

Hanoi - free day – departure (B)

Breakfast included.

Free day with check-out around noon.

Meet for transfer to the airport for the return flight.

This free day offers the opportunity for those who wish to consider an extension:

• To the central region of Vietnam.
• To beach destinations such as Mui Ne or Phu Quoc island.
• To other Indochinese countries such as Cambodia, Laos, Thailand or others.