(No availability) 7 Day Vietnam Tour around Hanoi and Sa Pa with Culinary Highlights and Overnight Halong Bay Cruise
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Vietnam Highlights Tour
Crossing Vietnam Tour's mission is to provide a culinary tour that intimately connects you to the people and culture of Vietnam while providing guides that lead you on a true vacation. From the smallest details to the larger picture, they seek to share the Vietnam that Vietnamese people live, day in, and day out while making you feel like a special guest, in their home. Crossing Vietnam Tour now opens its doors to you, your family, and your friends while promising a culinary tour that invites you into the heart of Vietnam while ensuring each day has a special touch to remind you: this is your holiday.
Highlights
- Enjoy a street food walking tour and a unique egg coffee class
- Experience a water puppet show and a cyclo ride
- Explore Y Linh Ho, Lao Chai, Giang Ta Chai, Ta Van, and Sang Toi Cave
- Overnight Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay cruise
- Have an onboard cooking demonstration
- Daily breakfast and lunch will be provided, as well as some dinners
- 6 nights accommodation
Accommodation
You will be staying in shared double/twin rooms.
Hanoi
- Ken 3-star hotel or similar
- Leah Silk 4-star hotel or similar
Sa Pa
- The View 3-star hotel or similar
- Charm 4-star hotel or similar
Overnight cruise
- Le Journey 3-star cruise or similar
- La Pandora 4.5-star cruise or similar
Note: Special honeymoon set-up in rooms is possible (if noted upon booking). For more information, please send an inquiry.
Program
Day 1: Hanoi arrival (Street food walking tour and unique egg coffee class)
Welcome to Vietnam! Upon arrival in Vietnam, they will pick you up at the airport and transfer you back to your hotel in the Old Quarter. Leave the luggage and have some rest. Then, you will take a 3-hour guided walk through Hanoi's old quarter with a local guide. Get an insight into the traditions of Vietnam’s food culture. Start your tour at the meeting point at No.47 Hang Bong Street (if your hotel is within the Old Quarter, our guide will pick you up), and head to a traditional restaurant specializing in entrees such as shrimp cake, and fresh spring rolls. Have a taste of some popular and classic Vietnamese dishes.
Then head over to the nearby St. Joseph’s and stop for some pictures of the late colonial French architecture. Along the way make sure to stop at local food stalls to try Vietnamese Bun Cha.
Moving to the next place, let’s try the famous Vietnamese Banh Mi (with pork/chicken/egg). It’s really a harmonious combination of ingredients (chicken/egg, different herbs and vegetables and sauces).
Next, enjoy Pho (mixed version), which is Vietnam’s most famous dish. Try both the beef and chicken versions. Definitely don't miss out on a Vietnamese traditional dessert called Chè (sweet soup). There are both hot and cold versions for each season.
Afterward, reach the coffee shop to explore the famous Vietnamese egg coffee. Meet the teacher who will introduce everything to you, from the history to the culture. Roll up your sleeves and prepare the ingredient. Step by step, you'll be instructed carefully and thoroughly on how to make your coffee.
Here are some of the recipes you will discover:
- The internationally famous egg coffee. Labor-intensive and easily satisfying enough to make it well worth the work. Learn the magic.
- Hanoi-style espresso-strength milk coffee. Several small details make it great!
- Saigon-style milk coffee. A tad sweeter than Hanoian, with three secret drops.
After class, feel free to stay to enjoy and compare your creations on the balcony or open front sidewalk area and compare your various creations as you plan your next adventure; if you need any of the making materials for take-home, they carry everything and can set you right up pronto.
Day 2: Hanoi city tour (Water puppet show)
Get picked up by your friendly guide and start to explore Hanoi City. Arrive at Tran Quoc Pagoda located on Golden Fish Island in West Lake. It is the oldest pagoda in Ha Noi, built in the 6th century.
Visit the Ho Chi Minh complex, where you'll have a chance to see the embalmed body of Ho Chi Minh then walk around the garden to see 2 houses where he lived and worked from 1954 to 1969.
Then visit One Pillar Pagoda where people come to worship the Goddess of Mercy – it is the most unique padoga in the world. Visit Vietnam Ethnology Museum to learn about the culture of 54 ethnic groups living in the whole country of Vietnam.
Have lunch at a restaurant. Enjoy Vietnamese cuisine with 8 delicious dishes. Continue to visit the Temple of Literature – the first university of Vietnam, established in the 11th century.
Head to Hoa Lo Prison Museum which was originally used by the French colonists in Indochina for political prisoners, and later by North Vietnam for U.S. prisoners of war during the Vietnam War. Get dropped off at the Water Puppet Theater and enjoy the show for about an hour.
- You should dress modestly by covering from shoulders to knees when visiting Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, temples, pagodas, etc.
- Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed on Mondays and Fridays.
- Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum is closed for at least two months (15th June -15th August) for the annual maintenance, but you can still take pictures of the Mausoleum and visit that area.
At 17:10, you'll be dropped off at the Thang Long Water Puppet Theater. Enjoy your Water Puppet show for about 1 hour. End of tour! Overnight in Hanoi hotel. Please note: the itinerary may change according to your arrival flight time.
Day 3: Hanoi - Sa Pa - Y Linh Ho - Lao Chai
- Morning
A limousine will pick you up at your hotel in Hanoi at around 6-7 a.m., then depart for Sapa, it takes about 6 hours, and you'll have two stop points for restroom or a light meal in case you're hungry. You’ll arrive at the restaurant first, have lunch, check-in at your hotel, and rest until the tour guide picks you up to start the trek.
- Afternoon
Arrive in Sa Pa and take a walking tour to visit the local market and meet ethnic minority Black H’mong and Red Zao people in traditional costumes. Trek through the Muong Hoa Valley after lunch. Brave the suspension bridge to Y Linh Ho village, where you can watch the H’mong people go about their daily lives.
Continue up the mountain to Lao Chai village and then check into your homestay, where you can learn about the mountain life of the Dzay ethnic minority people. Then get to the homestay to rest, and you will have a chance to join a cooking class with a local host to learn more about the local lifestyle and recipes to cook foods. Overnight in homestay.
Day 4: Ta Van - Giang Ta Chai - Sa Pa - Hanoi
- Morning
After having breakfast, you'll start trekking from Ta Van village and see the terraced rice fields, small hamlets, and bamboo forests of the Hoang Lien Son mountains. Continue to the Red Zao village of Giang Ta Chai and get beautiful views of the Muong Hoa River.
- Afternoon
Around 2 p.m., return to your hotel and pack your things. Say goodbye and prepare to leave Sa Pa, get on the limousine back to Hanoi at 2:30 p.m.
- Evening
Around 9-10 p.m., drop off at your hotel in Hanoi.
Day 5: Hanoi - Halong Bay - Lan Ha Bay (Cooking class on the cruise)
- At Approximately 08:10 - 08:35, you will be picked up at your hotel in Hanoi's old quarter. Start the 2.5-hour road journey via the 5B highway on a private car
- Approximately 11:45 - 12:00, arrive at Tuan Chau marina, transferred by a speedboat to Stellar of the Seas. Welcome aboard your cruise. Refresh with a welcome drink. Meet the captain and crew on your cruise, join the briefing, and learn safety instructions.
- Set sail as lunch is served.
- 12:30 - 17:00 Join a typical lunch in the luxury dining room with an indoor or outdoor dining area. Check-in your cabin. Time to refresh and unwind. Continue cruising through Con Vit islet, Thumb islet, and Gia Luan harbor, which belonged to the Cat Ba area. Discover a natural lagoon area belonging to Lan Ha Bay. Drop anchor for kayaking or swimming, or sunbathe on your cruise (private, wild, and fresh air). Head back toward the sleeping area.
- Early evening: Gather around the sundeck to watch the sunset and enjoy the sunset party with a complimentary cocktails demonstration. It’s the ideal time to make acquaintance with new friends, share your traveling experience, watch the sunset.
- 18:00 Join a short class of cooking demonstration. The chef will guide you on how to make famous traditional Vietnamese spring rolls. Here you will understand the culinary culture of the Vietnamese
- 19:00 BBQ dinner is served with a fresh menu outside the swimming pool area.
- After dinner, reward yourself with a large selection of cocktails at the panoramic bar with a seasonal pool view, at the wine and cigars cellar, or take one of the onboard activities: board games, movies, or relax with massage services. Overnight on board.
Day 6: Halong Bay - Tai Chi - Sang Toi (Dark and Bright) Cave - Hanoi by private car
- 06:30 Join a Tai Chi session on the sundeck for an early riser. Tai chi helps focus the mind and condition the body; joining a Tai Chi session or doing the exercise at the fitness area to fully charge your energy for the new day.
- 07:00 - 07:45 Local light breakfast is served
- 08:00 Mingle yourself in the stunning views of the bay and its dramatic limestone islets as you sail through the calm emerald waters heading to Dark and Bright Cave (Hang Sang and Toi). Take your option; either explore the cave by yourself on a kayak or comfortably on a local boat rowed by the locals.
- 09:30 Check-out of the room
- 10:00 Vietnamese cuisine is served
- 12:00 Disembark from the cruise as the crew says farewell, back to Tuan Chau Marina by a speedboat
- Transfer back to Hanoi
- Arrival back at your hotel at approximately 15:00
- Overnight in a Hanoi hotel
Day 7: Hanoi departure
Have breakfast at a hotel. Then free and easy to get ready for the transfer to the airport for your flight back home. Hope you had a great time in beautiful Vietnam and get home safe!
Location
Hà Nội
The oldest and one of the most attractive capital cities in Southeast Asia, Hanoi exudes a rare sense of gracious charm and timelessness. At its core exists a 600-year-old ancient quarter, augmented by a century-old colonial city. Today, the rich cultural heritage blends in perfect harmony with growing modernization, as Hanoi claims its position as the heart of Vietnam.
Hanoi, the “City within the River’s Bend,” was founded by Emperor Ly Thai To in AD 1010, near Co Loa, the ancient capital of the first Viet state dating back to the 3rd century BC. Ly Thai To structured this city, then known as Thang Long, around the massive citadel. To the east of this, a settlement of guilds was established to serve the needs of the royal court. By the 16th century, this area had developed into Hanoi’s celebrated Old Quarter.
The arrival of the French in the 19th century marked a period of reconstruction, as they tore down parts of the citadel and some ancient temples to make way for the new European quarter. However, this cultural vandalism was compensated for, to a large extent, by the magnificent colonial architecture they bequeathed in the city.
During the first Indochina War, the city’s central districts escaped largely unharmed, and subsequently, in 1954, Hanoi proclaimed the capital of independent Vietnam. Sadly, this was not the end of its violent history as it was then plunged into conflict-ridden years against the US. Hanoi entered the 21st century a little run down yet structurally sound despite the years of warfare. The Opera House is still grand, as is the Sofitel Metropole Hotel.
Today, Hanoi is emerging as an elegant, cultured, and affluent city where museums and galleries coexist with chic shops and fashionable restaurants. In a few minutes, one can wander from the narrow streets of the Old Quarter to the imposing mansions and buildings lining the leafy boulevards of the former French Quarter. Hanoi’s past has also ensured a superb culinary legacy, where French and Chinese cuisines blend marvelously with Viet traditions. The same is true of Hanoi’s lively arts scene, which is among the most sophisticated in Southeast Asia.
- Geography
Hanoi is located in the Red River Delta, in the center of North Vietnam. It is encompassed by Thai Nguyen, Vinh Phuc provinces to the north, Hoa Binh and Ha Nam to the south, Bac Giang, Bac Ninh, and Hung Yen provinces to the east, and Hoa Binh and Phu Tho to the west. Hanoi means "the hinterland between the rivers" (Ha: river, Noi: interior).
Hanoi's territory is washed by the Red River (the portion of the Red River embracing Hanoi is approximately 40 kilometers long) and its tributaries. Still, other rivers flow through the capital, including Duong, Cau, Ca Lo, Day, Nhue, Tich, To Lich, and Kim Nguu.
- Hanoi tourism
Throughout the thousand years of its eventful history, marked by destruction, wars, and natural calamities, Hanoi still preserves many ancient architectural works, including the Old Quarter and over 600 pagodas and temples. Famous sites include the One Pillar Pagoda (built in 1049), the Temple of Literature (built in 1070), the Hanoi Citadel, the Hanoi Opera House, and President Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum...
Hanoi also characteristically contains 18 beautiful lakes, such as Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake, and Truc Bach Lake, which are the city's lungs, with their surrounding gardens and trees providing a vital energy source.
Many traditional handicrafts are also practiced in Hanoi, including bronze molding, silver carving, lacquer, and embroidery. Hanoi has many famous traditional professional handicraft villages such as Bat Trang pottery village, Ngu Xa bronze casting village, Yen Thai glossy silk, etc.
Sa Pa
It is most likely that Sa Pa was first inhabited by highland minorities of the Hmong and Yao groups, as well as by smaller numbers of Tày and Giay, these being the four main minority groups still present in the Sa Pa district today. The Kinh (lowland Vietnamese) never originally colonized this highest of Việt Nam’s valleys, which lies in the shadow of Phan-Xi-Pǎng (Fansipan, 3143 meters), the highest peak in the country.
In general, Sa Pa’s climate is quite good around the year. It rains less, and the humidity is lower than in other Northern Vietnam cities. The best weather extends from September to May, with temperatures ranging from 15 to 30 degrees Celsius.
It can be quite cold during winter from November to the end of February. From June to September, it has a monsoon with stronger breezes and higher humidity. The temperatures are warmer at this time, varying between 25 and 35 Celsius.
Ha Long
Ha Long Bay, situated in the Gulf of Tonkin, includes some 1600 islands and islets forming a spectacular seascape of limestone pillars. Because of their precipitous nature, most islands are uninhabited and relatively unaffected by human influence.
The geomorphology of Ha Long Bay is known as a drowned karst landscape due to the exceptional combination of its limestone karst features which have been subject to repeated regression and transgression of the sea over geological time. The limestones of Ha Long Bay have been eroded into a mature landscape of fengcong (clusters of conical peaks) and fenglin (isolated tower features) karst features, modified by sea invasion at a later stage.
The smaller islands are fenglin towers of 50 to 100 meters high with a height. Many have vertical walls on all or most sides, and these continue to evolve by rock falls and large slab failures.
Marine invasion of Ha Long Bay has added an extra element to the normal process of lateral undercutting of the limestone towers and islands. The most conspicuous feature is the main notch cut into the rocky coastline. Notches are a feature of limestone cliffs worldwide, but those of Ha Long Bay are exceptionally well-developed and, at many sites, extend into arches and caves.
This process of undercutting and subsequent erosion maintains the steep faces of the fenglin karst towers and thereby perpetuates the spectacular nature of the landscape. A distinctive feature of Ha Long Bay is the abundance of lakes within the larger limestone islands.
Extensive limestone caves represent another important feature of Ha Long Bay, with three main types able to be identified: old phreatic caves formed below the water table of the time, old karstic foot caves formed by lateral undercutting of cliffs at a base level, and marine notch caves formed at sea level where rock structures are powerfully eroded and eventually reduced to a wave cut platform.
Food
Day 1: Hanoi arrival
- Street food walking tour
- Unique egg coffee class
- Lunch is included
Day 2: Hanoi city tour
- Breakfast and lunch are included
Day 3: Hanoi - Sa Pa - Y Linh Ho - Lao Chai village
- Homestay cooking class
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included
Day 4: Ta Van - Giang Ta Chai - Sa Pa - Hanoi
- Breakfast and lunch are included
Day 5: Hanoi - Halong Bay - Lan Ha Bay
- Cooking class on cruise
- Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are included
Day 6: Halong Bay - Hanoi
- Typical Vietnamese cuisine
- Breakfast and lunch are included
Day 7: Hanoi departure
- Breakfast is included
The following meals are included:
- Breakfast
- Lunch
- Drinks
The following drinks are included:
- Water
The following dietary requirement(s) are served and/or catered for:
- Regular (typically includes meat and fish)
What's included
- Street food walking tour
- Unique egg coffee class
- Water puppet show and a cyclo ride
- 6 nights accommodation with daily breakfast
- All meals, as mentioned on the schedule
- Roundtrip airport transfers and tours in air-conditioned vehicles as per the program
- Sightseeing and entrance fees as specified
- Local English-speaking guide as per the program
- All boat trips, as mentioned in the program
- 24-hour supporting hotline
- Bottle of cold water per day
- Halong Bay overnight cruise trip (Fully equipped en-suite cabin with multi A/C, private bathroom, tender/speedboat transfer, welcome drink, Tai Chi, games, beach activities such as kayaking, bamboo boating, and caving, internet Wi-Fi in the cabin)
What's not included
- All international air tickets
- Other meals, drinks, personal expenses, tips, travel insurance, etc
- Other things not mentioned as included
- International bank transfer commission
- Personal expenses
- Single supplement for single traveller
How to get there
Recommended Airports
Noi Bai International Airport
20 km
Transfer included
Cancellation Policy
- A reservation requires a deposit of 14% of the total price.
- The deposit is non-refundable, if the booking is cancelled.
- The rest of the payment should be paid 30 days before arrival.
