The best of the North

Description

Tour type: combined private and joining tour

Class: standard - first class

Duration: 7 days
Arrival/ Departure: Hanoi / Hanoi.
Price: from US$354/person
Meals planned: B: breakfast; L: Lunch; D: Dinner
Group size: on request (2 - 15 persons)

Highlights: Hanoi and the Old Quarter, Sapa town and Bac Ha markets, Halong Bay - World Heritage and kayaking, etc.

Introduction: The exclusive tour covers the most fascinating places of the North. This is really the best choice for ones who have limited time to visit Vietnam. It is also the best choice for ones who not only want to discover the stunning scenery of the North West Mountains, but also the peaceful and poetic beauty of the Sea in the North East - the World Heritage of Halong Bay. Some qualified joining tours applied for small group will help reduce the price.

----------

Itinerary

Day 1: Arrival in Hanoi ()

Day 2: Hanoi City tour - Lao Cai (B, L)

Day 3: Lao Cai - Sapa - Y Linh Ho - Lao Chai - Ta Van- Sapa (B, L, D)

Day 4: Cat Cat - Sin Chai - Sapa - Lao Cai - Hanoi (B, L)

Day 5: Hanoi - Halong Bay (L, D)

Day 6: Halong Bay - Hanoi (B, L or brunch)

Day 7: Hanoi departure (B)

Note*: This is a typical tour made by Tuan Linh Travel. In any case, please contact us for details in accordance with your departure date or customized itinerary.

DETAILED ITINERARY

Pickup at the airport by private car. Transfer to your chosen hotel.
Overnight at the hotel.

We will pick you up at your hotel at 9:00 to start the visit to Ho Chi Minh complex, including Ba Dinh Square, Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum - the final resting place of Vietnamese great father - Uncle Ho, and his stilt house. Then visiting Ho Chi Minh's museum where tourists learn a lot about the President. The next place is One Pillar Pagoda a group of structures consisting of a pagoda and a tower built in the middle of a square pond.
Have lunch at a restaurant at about 12:00. After lunch, drive to Tran Quoc Pagoda on an island on West Lake - If it is the first or the 15th day of the Lunar month, you will see many many people coming there to pray for the luck and happiness. Then we continue with the historical site of the first university of Vietnam - the Temple of Literature and Quoc Tu Giam. The last place of the city tour is Hoan Kiem Lake (Restored Sword Lake) with Ngoc Son Temple. Back to the hotel or a place you want to visit by your own at about 5 PM. Free for dinner and relaxation until time to transfer to the station for the night train to Lao Cai.
Overnight on train.

Welcome at the station by a local guide and transfer to Sapa Town. After breakfast, start 6km of walking down to the south east of Sapa along the side of Muong Hoa valley to Y Linh Ho village of the Black H’mong. A 2km-trekking down to Lao Chai village, through terraced rice fields to Ta Van village of the Dzay minority people. Lunch at a local family, it gives you a worth chance for you to learn about the local house architecture which is full of their daily life styles and exclusive custom. Enjoy the landscapes…on the way. Get back to Sapa by jeep or motorbike.
Overnight at the hotel in Sapa.

Pickup at the hotel at 8:00. A walk down to the South-west of Sapa (around 4 km) to visit Cat Cat village of the Black H’mong. Relax at the food of the stunning waterfall and the vestige of a hydroelectric power station that was constructed by the French during the colonial time in Vietnam. Enjoy picnic lunch by the side of the river, and then next 6 km to Sin Chai, the village located at the foot of Fansipan Mountain, “the roof of Vietnam and Indochina”. From here you can enjoy huge stunning landscapes before climbing up on the way back to Sapa. Free until time for transfer to Lao Cai station for night train.
Overnight on the train.

Arrive the station in the early morning. Pick up at the train station to the hotel nearby for self-cleaning and short rest before a trip to Halong Bay.
At about 8:00-8:30 start driving to Halong Bay. 
12:00: Arrive in Halong and embark a cruiser. Guests are greeted and welcome lunch is served on board while the boat cruises the bay to enjoy the beautiful limestone seascape. After visiting Sung Sot Cave (Cave of Surprise), we stop at a floating house and go kayaking (optional) to Luon cave to enjoy the quiet atmosphere of the bay or relax on boat. Fresh fruit platter will be served followed by the dinner.
Overnight on board.

7:30: Sunrise breakfast and cruise around the clear & emerald water to another part of Halong bay with a close up view of stunning limestone peaks. You can watch the magical shape such as Evil’s face, Turtle islet, Drum cave…
9:00: Check out and keep on relaxing, boat goes further to Van Gia fishing village where you will have the opportunity to see the daily life of the fishermen. You enjoy relaxing and chatting with your fellow passengers. Have lunch on board with a variety of local foods, enjoying the rest of the boat trip.
11:45: Get back to Halong dock and disembark. Drive back to Hanoi. Drop off at the hotel at about 4:30 PM.
Overnight at the hotel.

Free until pickup for the departure flight by private car. Tour ends.

----------
Note*:

• Itinerary might be changed a little bit depending on the weather and joining tour.

• Joining tour in Sapa will be applied for group less than 4 persons

Quotation

Category	Net rate in US$/person in party of			Single room
	2 - 3	4 - 5	6 up
Standard	429	403	354	+125
Superior	481	455	406	+170
First class	595	559	410	+260

Note*: rates are not applied on New Year, National Holidays, festivals..

---------

Services

Inclusion:

• Local English speaking guide (not available on train).

• Private tour with meals and entrance fee as mentioned if not other specified. Joining group tour in Sapa if your group has less than 4 persons. Joining boat cruise in Halong Bay (2 persons/cabin).

• Accommodation at 2* - 4* hotels or boat with bed & breakfast. In the morning of Day 5, rest at Mango hotel or similar.

• Night train tickets in sharing 4 soft berth AC cabin for Hanoi – Lao Cai – Hanoi (1st class on Tulico train or similar).

• Transfer by private car. Sharing bus will be applied for transfer Lao Cai - Sapa - Lao Cai, Hanoi - Halong - Hanoi if the group has less than 4 persons.

See details of services we provide in our tours

Exclusion:

• Personal expenses.

• Drinks, tips

• Early check-in or late check-out

• Travel insurance

• Visa and flight tickets

• Services not mentioned above.

Packing list: Passport, towels, toiletries, flash light, change of clothes, sun block, sun glasses, sun hat, insect repellent, proper hiking shoes and rain coat.

-------------

Accommodation

Category	Cities	Hotels	Class	Room Type
Standard	Hanoi	Orchid Hotel	2*	Standard
	Sapa	Fansipan View	2*	Standard
	Halong cruise	Huong Hai	3*	Standard
Superior	Hanoi	Luxor Hotel	3*	Superior
	Sapa	Holiday Sapa hotel	3*	Standard
	Halong cruise	Bai Tho Junk	3*	Deluxe
First class	Hanoi	Flower Garden Hotel	4*	Superior
	Sapa	Chau Long Hotel	3*	Deluxe (New)
	Halong cruise	Victory Cruise	4*	Superior

Note*:

• Hotels and/or room type would be changed on your requests with surcharge/discount (if any).

• Similar hotels will be selected  in case pointed ones are full.

----------