Hanoi is the capital of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Large areas of present-day Hanoi were built during the French occupation, reflected in its French-inspired architecture, which come together to give the city a very distinctive charm.

This morning segment of the city tour begins with visits to Ho Chi Minh’s Stilt House, outside of the Mausoleum and the Presidential Palace, the One Pillar Pagoda, and Hanoi’s oldest place of worship situated on the shore of the West Lake: the thousand year-old Tran Quoc Pagoda.

Visit the Vietnam’s first university - the Temple of Literature; followed by an extensive Cyclo tour around Hoan Kiem Lake and through the lively streets and alleys of the Old Quarter.

Lunch at a local restaurant.

Night in Hanoi.

Depart for Ninh Binh city (2.5 hours by car). Visit Trang An Scenic Landscape Complex, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Board a small row boat and enjoy the spectacular natural beauty of “Ha Long on land” and its karst mountains – where the newly-released blockbuster Kong- Skull Island was filmed.

Situated near the southern margin of the Red River Delta, the Trang An Landscape Complex is a spectacular landscape of limestone karst peaks permeated with valleys, many of them partly submerged and surrounded by steel, almost vertical cliffs. Exploration of caves at different altitudes has revealed archaeological traces of human activity over a continuous period of 30, 000 years. They illustrate the occupation of these mountains by seasonal hunter-gatherers and how they adapted to major climatic and environment changes, especially the repeated inundation of the landscape by the sea after the last ice age. The story of human occupation continues through the Neolithic and Bronze Ages to the historical era. Hoa Lu, the ancient capital of Vietnam, was strategically established here in the 10^th and 11^th centuries AD.

After lunch, take a short row boat ride to visit Thien Ha Cave. Carved inside the Tuong Mountain which used to be a natural wall of the ancient Hoa Lu Capital, the cave is a complex of dry caves and an underground river. Archaeological excavation inside the cave found traces of shells, bone, stone tools of ancient Vietnamese people.  Admire the lustre of the lively stalactites during your exploration.

Return to Hanoi in the late afternoon.

Night in Hanoi.

Embark on a journey by coach to Ha Long Bay - a UNESCO World Heritage Site (4 hours).

Along the way, beautiful panoramic views of the rural villages and paddy fields of the Red River Delta.

Ha Long Bay is located 165 km east of Hanoi, in Quang Ninh Province. The site covers an area of 434 square km and comprises 775 limestone islets. Each islet has been marvelously carved by wind and water and, through time, stand as sculptures which decorate the vast expanses. Together they are a testament to the forces of nature and live up to the aptly named Bay of the Descending Dragon.

Midday arrival in Ha Long City, check-in on the cruise ship.

Seafood lunch-on-the-bay.

Spend the afternoon cruising around Halong Bay’s thousands of limestone islets and caves and see the sun setting over the calm waters. Visit a natural grotto with spectacular formations en-route.

Dinner and night on board the junk amidst the marvels of the bay.

In ideal weather conditions, a night squid session will be organized.

Wake up early to watch amazing sunrise over the bay in the morning. Continue cruising before returning to Hanoi. Disembark the cruise, transfer back to Hanoi.

Arrival in Hanoi, free time at your leisure in the Old Quarter. You might like to grab a glass of fresh beer “Bia hoi”, a local favourite. 

Transfer to Noi Bai International Airport for your return flight.