Hanoi and Its surrounding tour 7 days 

Destination: Hanoi - Village around - Ninh Binh - Perfume pagoda - Ha Long

Code: B = Breakfast, L = Lunch, D = Dinner, G = Guide

Day 1: Arrival at Hanoi (D, G)

Arriving at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, you'll be met and driven to your hotel.

17.15: You'll be picked up to watch the Water Puppet show an art form unique to northern Vietnam, and a good, light-hearted introduction to its rural culture.

18.30: Your Welcome Dinner will be served at one of the best local restaurant.

You'll spend the night in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi city tour (B, L, G)

9.00: Pick up at your hotel

9.30 - 10.30: Visit Ho Chi Minh's Mausoleum, his simple stilt  house where he lived

10.30 - 11.00: You'll visit the Tran Quoc pagoda, the oldest pagoda located on West Lake

11.00 - 12.00: Visit Temple of Literature - the first university in Vietnam

12.00 - 13.15: Lunch at local restaurant

13.15 - 15.30: Visit the Ethnology Museum for an overview of Vietnam's 54 distinct ethnic

15.30 - 16.15: Visit Ngoc Son Temple and Hoan Kiem Lake, the heart of city.

16.15 - 17.15: You'll have around 1 hour to walk around the Old Quarter. You'll drive back to your hotel. You'll spend the night in Hanoi.

Day 3: Exploring villages around Hanoi (B, L, G)

8.30 - 10.30: Drive and guide will pick you at your hotel to visit Van Phuc village, a small village where families have specialised in weaving and dying silk over centuries.

10.30 - 12.00: Drive to Bat Trang - a village famous for its fine ceramics. You can stroll through the narrow streets to watch the manufacturing process and meet the craftspeople.

12.00 - 13.00: You'll have lunch box in the village.

13.00 - 16.30: You'll then be picked up to drive to visit the Dong Ho handicraft village, famous for its traditional paintings. You'll drive to visit Dong Ky village where most of the local families produce furniture inlaid with pearl.

You'll return to Hanoi to spend the night.

Day 4: Hanoi/Ninh Binh/Hanoi (B, L, G)

8.00 - 10.00: Pick up at your hotel and drive to Ninh Binh (110 km)

10.00 - 11.00: On your arrival in Hoa Lu, the former capital of Vietnam. You'll visit Dinh and Le temples, which dedicated to Emperor Dinh and a memory of Emperor Le. You'll follow by a brief visit to the remains of the Old Palace

11.00 - 12.30: You'll be driven to Tam Coc (three grottoes) and have lunch at the local restaurant.

12.30 - 14.30: You'll be rowed along a gentle river between paddy fields and through the Tam Coc, You'll enjoy a peaceful valley among limestone karst hills on the way.

14.30 - 17.00: Drive back to Hanoi for your overnight accommodation.

Day 5: Hanoi/Perfume Pagoda/Hanoi (B, L, G)

8.00 - 9.30: Pick up at your hotel and drive to Perfume pagoda

9.30 - 10.30: On arrival, you'll be rowed through rice fields along a gently flowing scenic waterway to the Perfume Pagoda, a complex of pagodas and shrines built into the limestone cliffs of the Mountain of Fragrant Traces.

10.45 - 13.30: You'll hike up to visit Perfume Pagoda and Huong Tich cave.

13.30 - 15.00:  You'll have a a picnic lunch and have a brief look at the Thien Tru Pagoda (Heaven Kitchen).

15.00 - 17.45: Take rowing boat back to Duc Harbour and and drive back to the city.

You'll spend the night in Hanoi.

Day 6: Hanoi/Ha Long (B, L, G)

7.30: You'll leave for Ha Long Bay, one of the most spectacular UNESCO World Heritage Areas and the world's largest marine limestone karst landscape.

9.00: You'll take a short break at Hong Ngoc Embroidery workshop.

9.30 - 11.00: You'll continue driving to Ha Long Bay.

11.00 - 16.00: On arrival, you'll board a traditional-style boat for five-hour cruise on the bay to visit the Amazing cave and a beach. Weather permitting, you'll be able to swim, and climb hills for an overview of the Bay's remarkable seascape. Your lunch will be served with seafood on the boat.

16.00 - 19.00: You'll return to Hanoi for your overnight accommodation.

Day 7: Hanoi departure

You'll be free to shop at some of the local market before being driven to the airport for your international departure flight.

Prices per person in US$: 

Valid until December 31, 2008

Surcharge for peak season of hotels are not inclusive in the prices above.

Contact Us for more details

Prices include:

• Breakfast and accommodation in twin or double room.

• Boats cruises as programme. 

• Travel by private, air-conditioned vehicle with an experienced, safe driver.

• Experienced English-speaking tour guide as indicated in the itinerary.

• Entry fees for all sightseeing as mentioned in the programme.

• Lunches and dinners, as above, in the local restaurants and on the boat in Ha Long Bay.

• Government Taxes.

Price do not include:

• Flight tickets and airport tax.

• Visas.

• Dinners except as specified above.

• Drinks, gratuities and personal expenses.

• Insurance.

Hotel list for Five Stars standard

• Hanoi: Sofitel Plaza Hotel (***** overlooking the West Lake) or similar

Hotel list for Four Stars standard

• Hanoi: Sunway Hotel (**** city centre) or similar

Hotel list for Three Stars standard

• Hanoi: Army Hotel (***city centre with swimming pool) or similar

Hotel list for Two Stars standard

• Hanoi: Nam Hai Hotel (** in the Old Quarter) or similar