Hanoi, Sapa, Ta Phin, Bac Ha tribal market, Halong Bay 8 days/ 7 nights

After breakfast this morning, we start our full day tour of Hanoi including Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the national leader whose memory is honored here. We will also visit The House on stilts behind where Ho Chi Minh lived on and off from 1958 to 1969, as well as to see the Hanoi landmark - one pillar Pagoda, a symbol of purity, rising out of a sea of sorrow. We’ll visit the Temple of Literature, where Vietnam’s first university was established here in 1076. After lunch at local restaurant, continue our city tour with visit to the Museum of Ethnology, where we'll learn about the fascinating cultural diversity of this ancient land, Hoan Kiem Lake, Opera House. Then take an hour cyclo (trishaw) tour for visiting the Hanoi’s Old Quarters. We’ll see Vietnam’s history reflected in the French-influenced lakes, public parks, and tree-lined boulevards. After dinner at local restaurant, transfer Hanoi station to board an express night train to Lao Cai. The train will arrive in Lao Cai station next early morning. 

Arrival in Lao Cai station in early morning, we will be picked up and transferred to Sapa town, 1500m elevations above the sea level. Enjoy the picturesque scenery-a mountainous area of stunning natural beauties and colorful ethnic minorities along the way. Arrival in Sapa, check into hotel and have breakfast. And remaining time in the morning at leisure to relax and discover by yourself around Sapa town, talking with the Black H’Mong kids who could amaze you by the fluently spoken English ability, or visit Sapa market in the central town. After lunch at local restaurant, start walking from Sapa town to Cat Cat village, Black H’Mong ethnic. You will see how the H’Mong people weave, dye the fabric, make decoration and embroider amazing dress–the most colorful costumes and good chance to get man-made souvenirs. Walk back to the town for dinner. 

After breakfast at hotel, pick up and drive directly to Lao Chai village. Along the road you will see many H’Mong, Dzay, Dzao ethnic people dressed in their traditional colorful costume. After lunch in Lao Chai, continue trekking to Ta Van, two hours trekking through a terrace paddy field and discover lifestyle of the Dzay minority. This is a spectacular day would show you a different understanding of Black H’mong and Dzay minorities. Seeing how the local weave fabric, dye and embroider their dress, hard work on the terraced fields… Get back to Sapa for refreshment. Dinner tonight is on your own. 

Spending 75km road from Sapa to Bac Ha views the Sunday market full of hill-tribe people from surrounding villages (held on Sundays). They dress their most colorful costumes and head to the market to exchange goods or sell self-made souvenirs. Have lunch at local restaurant. In the afternoon walking tour at an ethnic minority village nearby until time drive back to Lao Cai and board on the train of LC8 to Hanoi. The train will be arrival Hanoi at 06h00 next coming day 

Early arrival in Hanoi, we drive directly to Ha Long Bay of Vietnam, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. We arrive in the early afternoon and transfer to pier for a cruise on spectacular Halong Bay. With its clear, emerald waters and mountains dropped in velvety cloaks of vegetation, “The bay of the descending dragon” is dotted with more than 3,000 mountain islands rising from the clear emerald waters of the Gulf Tonkin, many of them containing beautiful grottoes. Our vessel is of particular interest – we board a junk, a wooden sailboat in the traditional Vietnamese style. We drop anchor at an island pierced with surreal grottoes, then enjoy lunch on board. We resume our cruise in the afternoon and also enjoy dinner on our boat, where we will spend the night.

Rising early you may have a chance to see the sunrise in Halong Bay. We continue our cruise of beautiful Halong Bay this morning before returning to Hanoi. After seafood lunch on board, return to Hanoi for refreshment. Dinner tonight is on your own. After dinner, we attend a water puppet show at Thang Long puppet Theatre.