Exotic North of Vietnam

Upon arrival at Noi Bai international airport in Hanoi, welcomed by our guide and transferred to your hotel in the city center to check in. Relax after a long journey. Overnight stay in Hanoi.

Breakfast at hotel.
Free time in the morning.
Optional Morning tour to a Farmer family in Hanoi outskirt  
Want to have a refreshing escape from the bustle of Hanoi? Today, we will drive to Hanoi’s surroundings, to a peaceful village planting vegetable. Wander around village market, walk to vegetable farms produce varied vegetable for Hanoi, chat with friendly farmers about farming, cultivation techniques are interesting experiences you will have when being here. Also, you will cook Vietnamese traditional dishes together with the hospitable host. Lunch is served with fresh food, fruit, and traditional dessert.
Included: Transfers by private vehicle, English speaking guide, visiting fee, bottled water
In the afternoon, we visit Ho Chi Minh complex including the Mausoleum (view from outside only), Ba Dinh Square, Ho Chi Minh’s stilts house, Presidential Palace (see from outside). Visit Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam (Temple of Literature & Vietnam’s first university). Constructed in 11th century, the gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam's past. Stop at Hoa Lo Prison - was built in Hanoi by the French, in dates ranging from 1886 – 1889 to 1898 to 1901, when Vietnam was still part of French Indochina. The French called the prison Maison Centrale - a traditional euphemism to denote prisons in France. Overnight stay in Hanoi. 

You will leave Ha Noi for Mai Chau. Our driver will take you through a beautiful mountainous province of Hoa Binh which is located in the Southwest of the capital of Viet Nam. Four hours on the way, you’ll see gorgeous scenery dotted with limestone and rice paddies while passing several small villages of Muong, Thai, H’Mong, and Dao people.   
Descending the last 14km of your first day of the tour on a steep mountain road into the stunning valley of Mai Chau, you will reach village of Thai Ethnic people. 
After check in your hotel, take a short rest, then take an easy walk of 1-2 hours around the village and valley.  Have dinner and enjoy folk dance performance with charming Thai ladies. Overnight stay at Mai Chau Eco-lodge.

After breakfast at your homestay, we will enter Pu Luong Nature Reserve by road via a breath- taking mountain pass giving you a panoramic view of the whole valley. You arrive at your accommodation in time for a delicious lunch, followed by free time to explore the beautiful retreat, with its captivating panoramic views and tranquil setting.
Water wheels walk and rafting | 2.5 km easy walk – 1.5 hours | 2 km rafting – 1.5 hours 
The afternoon, you will be transferred to a suspension bridge over the Cham River, where you begin your walk in search of stunning water wheels. Get up close to each wheel and discover how water is moved from river to handmade bamboo aqueducts via simple constructions of all sizes.
Arriving at a local fisherman’s house, you have a short rest to gear up for the rafting adventure with Dinh and his team. Float along the calm river and enjoy the views, in between learning how to paddle and steer your handcrafted rafts. Arriving at scenic Tan Lap Bridge, disembark and drive back to Pu Luong Retreat for dinner. Overnight stay at Pu Luong Retreat

Enthralling trekking routes | 4 km easy walking – almost 3 hours 
Get up early to hear the sound of nature and breathe the fresh air. After breakfast at the Lodge, we continue to descend into the beautiful valley facing the Retreat where you’ll walk around tumbling rice terraces. Trek through small paths shrouded in vegetation to slowly reveal a picturesque village sitting at the base of a towering mountain. Continuing to the base of the valley, weave between roads and farmland, villages and wild fields, ponds and rivers, mountains and open land. Savoir the ever-changing scenery as you trek to a beautiful spot and numerous chances to interact with the locals. Then you will be transferred back to Puluong Retreat for lunch. We drive back to Hanoi on the Ho Chi Minh road. Check-in your hotel in Hanoi for overnight. 

Breakfast at your hotel. Be picked up by shuttle bus driver at your hotel, depart for Ha Long Bay – UNESCO World Natural Heritage – where thousands of spectacular limestone islets and grottoes rising from the clear emerald Gulf of Tonkin. Upon arrival at the port, check in procedure. Enjoy welcome drink on board before having lunch. Relaxing time while the boat is cruising through many stone islets, floating villages, small beaches. Visit a floating fishing village, talk and meet with local villagers prior to your swimming or free time at your own on the sundeck. Dinner would be ready at the time the boat anchors off at a quiet designated overnight area. Overnight stay on board in Halong Bay.
Note: Itinerary is subject to change without prior notice according to weather conditions or local administration regulations.  

Halong Bay, designated a UNESCO world heritage site for its limestone rock formations, is home to about thousands of isles and islets of different shapes and sizes, creating a truly breath-taking seascape. Halong Bay is also attractive for beautiful beaches on the small islands. Awake early and join the Tai Chi session on the sundeck or enjoy the breath-taking views of the bay while the boat cruises leisurely in Halong Bay.  
Cave excursion after breakfast. Then go back to your cabin for freshen up and check out of your room. Enjoy brunch on board while cruising toward the pier, and disembarking around noon time. 
Transfer back to Hanoi for overnight. 

Optional: Home hosted dinner
Instead of having dinner in a fancy restaurant with perfect service, now tourists can choose to visit a typical imperfect Hanoian family, enjoy the atmosphere of a Vietnamese traditional home, sample traditional Vietnamese food and get to know the culture of Hanoian people. Hanoi Home Visit is designed to give tourists an in-depth understanding of Hanoi culture and an authentic experience that could not be found alone. 
Duration: around 3 hours 
Pick up time: 18.00 – drop off time: around 21.00
Pick up/drop off place: At your hotel in Ha Noi downtown. 
Includes: Transportation (Car/minivan or motorbike), English speaking guide, home dinner with 01 soft drink, tea or coffee.