Day 1 : Hanoi Arrival
Welcome to Hanoi! A transfer is included from Noi Bai International Airport to the landmark Sofitel Metropole Hanoi, your home for the next two nights, close to the historic Old Quarter and other notable attractions in Vietnam's capital city. Meet your Tour Guide and your fellow adventurers at our welcome cocktail reception and dinner at Garden Restaurant this evening.

Day 2. Explore Hanoi
After breakfast this morning, we board cyclo-rickshaws as we begin our full-day tour of Hanoi. Stretching along the banks of the Red River, Vietnam’s charming capital retains much of its French colonial character. As we ride through the Old Quarter, we’ll see Vietnam’s history reflected in the French-influenced public parks and tree-lined boulevards. We’ll also stop for a visit to the Temple of Literature.

After lunch at local restaurant, we continue our tour of Hanoi with a visit to the house of Ho Chi Minh, the national leader whose memory is honored here. We’ll also see the distinctive One Pillar Pagoda.

Afterwards, we enjoy dinner at a local restaurant.

Day 3. Bat Trang Ceramic Village tour
This morning, we drive to a rural village and visit a ceramics workshop for an opportunity to speak with the hard working, friendly people who work here. We’ll also experience a ride around the village on a cart drawn by a water buffalo, a traditional means of transport. We’ll also walk the village and mingle with the locals. It’s a great opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of rural life in Vietnam.

This afternoon is free for independent exploration of this fascinating city. Because Hanoi was isolated from Western development after 1954, it has a uniquely preserved concentration of French and Chinese colonial-era architecture. With other members of the group, or on your own, you may want to stroll to interesting traditional and contemporary art galleries. Hanoi’s other attractions include beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake, West Lake, Quan Thanh Temple, and the Opera House.

Day 4. Overland to Halong Bay/Embark junk
After breakfast we set off for Halong Bay—the Emerald Bay of Vietnam—a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Some of the roads to the bay are rough, but the journey offers quiet views of the flat green countryside dotted with rice paddies and small villages. We arrive in the early afternoon and transfer to a pier for our overnight cruise.

With its clear, emerald waters and mountains draped in velvety cloaks of vegetation, it’s little wonder that Halong Bay has been the inspiration for generations of Vietnamese poets. Resting peacefully across the Gulf of Tonkin near the Chinese border, this region—literally “the bay of the descending dragon”—is dotted with more than 3,000 mountain islands, whose jagged profiles seem to rise out of nowhere.

Against the backdrop of this lush landscape—of innumerable caves, beaches, soaring cliffs, and grottoes—the Vietnamese go about their daily lives, fishing and harvesting, reaping the riches of the land and sea. Vietnamese fishermen nimbly navigate in lacquered and woven-wood coracles—lozenge-shaped, rudderless vessels that resemble an oversized tub. Oar-propelled fishing boats, or sampans, abound as well, many occupied by whole families—parents, children, and grandparents.

The western end of Halong Bay is now a national park and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The region offers one of the most diverse ecosystems in Vietnam, with its lush forest and marine spectacle showcasing steep spines of mountains, narrow valleys, cascading waterfalls, and golden beaches.

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 onboard ship. We resume our cruise in the afternoon and also enjoy dinner on our boat, where we will spend the night.

Day 5. Cruise Halong Bay
Today we continue our cruise of Halong Bay, enjoying all our meals aboard the boat. We’ll stop on an island this morning for a short walk and a visit to one of the bay’s many limestone caves. You’ll have the option to paddle a kayak if you like. Then we’ll return to our junk for lunch onboard and an afternoon of cruising the sparkling waters.

Day 6. Driving back to Hanoi City
This morning we disembark the boat and drive to back to Hanoi, where we’ll spend a final night before our departure to next destination or your home.

Day 7. Depart for next destination or your home.

Vietnam Royal Tourism’s remarkable Your tour ends today. A transfer from the Hotel to International Airport is included. Please allow 3 hours for airport check-in formalities. We wish you a safe and pleasant journey home.