Vietnam Unveiled: Halong Bay Cruise, Pu Luong & Ancient Towns

What's Included

Meeting and pickup

Itinerary

Day 1
Hanoi Arrival – Welcome dinner
1 stop
1
Noi Bai International Airport
Settle in & savour your first Vietnamese flavours • Private airport transfer to your boutique hotel in Hanoi's historic Old Quarter • Time to settle in, freshen up, and absorb the energy of the streets below • Welcome dinner at a curated local restaurant — a gentle introduction to Vietnam's delicate, herb-forward cuisine • Optional evening stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake (just minutes away)
1 day • Admission ticket free
Day 2
Hanoi Unhurried — Street Life, Flavours & Hidden Alleyways
1 stop
2
Old Quarter
A relaxed morning, then the city opens up for you • Leisurely morning at your own pace — sleep in, enjoy breakfast, explore at will • Afternoon: a 60-minute cyclo ride through the Old Quarter's 36 ancient guild streets — the best way to absorb the city's rhythm without exhausting yourself • Curated street food walk with your English-speaking guide: taste 6–8 iconic Hanoi dishes including pho, banh mi, bun cha, and egg coffee • Learn the stories and history behind each dish — not just what you're eating, but why it matters
4 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 3
Mai Chau — Into the Valley of the White Thai
1 stop
3
Mai Chau
• Scenic 3.5-hour drive through northern Vietnam's changing landscapes — mountains, rice paddies, and small market towns • Arrive in Mai Chau, a lush valley home to the White Thai ethnic minority, largely untouched by mass tourism • Afternoon: gentle cycling (flat terrain, suitable for all fitness levels) through emerald rice fields and bamboo groves • Visit traditional Thai stilt houses — meet a local family and see how daily life has changed little in generations • Overnight in a carefully selected local lodge or eco-resort in the valley
1 day • Admission ticket free
Day 4
Pu Luong — Vietnam's Best Kept Secret
1 stop
4
Where rice terraces meet water wheels, and time slows to a whisper • Journey deeper into Pu Luong Nature Reserve — one of Vietnam's most spectacular and least-visited highland regions • Winding mountain roads reveal panoramic views of cascading rice terraces, often wreathed in morning mist • Easy afternoon walk through Ban Hieu or Hieu village — wander at your own pace, watch farmers tend their fields • See traditional water wheels still in daily use — an extraordinary sight that feels centuries old • Overnight at a boutique eco-lodge set among the terraces
1 day • Admission ticket free
Day 5
Nature & Adventure – Trekking and Bamboo Boat Ride
1 stop
5
A day of gentle exploration that stays with you • Morning soft trek (5–7 km, flat and gentle — suitable for all fitness levels) through terraced villages and forest paths • Visit a local waterfall hidden within the reserve — cool off and take in the stillness • Meet local Muong or Thai families in their homes — genuine exchanges, not staged performances • Afternoon at leisure: rest, read, or simply sit and watch the valley from your lodge terrace • This is the kind of afternoon that reminds you why you travel
1 day • Admission ticket included
Day 6
Silk, Stories & the Road Back to Hanoi
1 stop
6
• Morning visit to a Thai household renowned for traditional silk weaving — witness the remarkable process from silkworm cocoon to finished textile • Try your hand at the loom — even a few minutes reveals the extraordinary skill and patience behind every thread • Purchase directly from the artisan family if you wish — a meaningful souvenir with a real story behind it • Afternoon scenic return journey to Hanoi — comfortable private vehicle • Evening free in Hanoi: revisit a favourite café, explore the Night Market, or simply rest
4 hours • Admission ticket included
Day 7
Ha Long Bay — UNESCO Magic on the Water
1 stop
7
Halong Bay
• Morning transfer to Ha Long Bay — approx. 3.5 hours with comfort stop • Board your boutique cruise — small vessel, personal service, beautiful design • Afternoon kayaking through limestone karst caves and hidden lagoons — paddling at your own pace • Swimming stop in a secluded bay (life jackets and guides on hand) • Sunset on deck with drinks as 1,969 limestone islands glow gold around you • Dinner on board — fresh seafood, Vietnamese dishes, extraordinary setting • Overnight on the bay — fall asleep to the gentle sound of water
1 day • Admission ticket included
Day 8
Halong- Hoi An
1 stop
8
Hoi An
Morning on the water, afternoon in the ancient port city • Final morning cruise — breakfast on deck as the bay comes alive in morning light • Return to harbour and transfer to Da Nang airport (included) • Short domestic flight to Da Nang — all arrangements included in your package • Private transfer to Hoi An — a 30-minute drive through coastal scenery • Check in to your Hoi An accommodation and evening at leisure • First impressions of the ancient town — lanterns, tailor shops, riverside cafés
1 day • Admission ticket free
Day 9
Walking tour ancient town
1 stop
9
Hoi An
A UNESCO World Heritage town that earns every superlative • Morning guided walking tour of Hoi An Ancient Town — Japanese Covered Bridge, merchant houses, Fujian Assembly Hall • Your guide reveals the layers of history: Japanese traders, Chinese merchants, French colonists — all left their mark on these lanes • Free afternoon to wander, browse the silk and tailor shops, or enjoy riverside coffee at your own pace • Sunset: board a traditional basket boat on the Thu Bon River • Release a flower lantern into the river as dusk falls — an ancient tradition of wishes and remembrance • A quietly profound evening that many guests call the highlight of their entire trip
5 hours • Admission ticket free
Day 10
Memories show
1 stop
10
Hoi An Memories Land
A Show Unlike Any Other. Vietnam's most celebrated cultural performance, right at your doorstep • Relaxed morning — sleep in, explore the morning market, enjoy a cooking class (optional) • Afternoon at leisure in Hoi An — this is a town made for slow wandering • Evening: 'The Memories of Hoi An' — a spectacular open-air cultural performance set against the backdrop of the ancient town • 500 performers, traditional music, light and water effects telling 500 years of Hoi An's history • Return transfer to your hotel included • A cultural centrepiece that puts everything you've experienced into extraordinary perspective
1 hour • Admission ticket included
Day 11
To Da Nang- Beach Relax
1 stop
11
Da Nang
• Comfortable transfer from Hoi An to Da Nang — approximately 30 minutes • Check in to your beachfront or sea-view hotel on My Khe Beach — one of Asia's most beautiful urban beaches • Afternoon at the beach — swim, walk the shoreline, or simply sit with a cold drink and a good book • Optional: visit the Marble Mountains (a short drive) for caves, pagodas, and panoramic coastal views
1 day • Admission ticket free
Day 12
Beach Relax
1 stop
12
Da Nang
• A completely free day — the ultimate luxury after 11 days of rich experiences • Sleep in. Walk the beach at sunrise. Try a sunrise yoga session (optional) • Optional: Dragon Bridge, Han Market, or a day trip to the Ba Na Hills cable car and Golden Bridge • Alternatively: indulge in a Vietnamese massage or spa treatment — Da Nang has exceptional options at very reasonable prices • Late afternoon: watch fishermen bring in the daily catch on the beach
1 day • Admission ticket free
Day 13
Fly home
1 stop
13
Da Nang
• Final morning at leisure — a last coffee, a last walk, a last look • Settle any personal purchases and pack the memories alongside the souvenirs • Private airport transfer to Da Nang International Airport • Board your flight home — richer in stories, perspectives, and a deep appreciation for one of Asia's most extraordinary cultures • Vietnam has a way of staying with you. We hope to welcome you back.
1 hour • Admission ticket free

Additional info

• Public transportation options are available nearby
• Not recommended for travelers with poor cardiovascular health
• Suitable for all physical fitness levels

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