VIETNAM

Meals: N/A – Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Welcome to Hanoi – Vietnam’s historic and charming capital. Your driver and tour guide will meet you at Noi Bai International Airport and take you to your hotel in the city center.

Meals: Breakfast at hotel, Lunch at local restaurant.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Today you have a full day to explore the capital of Vietnam. You will start with the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the Presidential Palace, Ho Chi Minh’s stilt house at the back, the One Pillar Pagoda in its vicinity, the Temple of Literature – the first University of Vietnam, and the delightful scene around West Lake at the heart of Hanoi, including the well-preserved Tran Quoc Pagoda and Quan Thanh Temple. Learn more about Vietnamese people with a visit to Ethnology Museum that houses a fabulous presentation of Vietnam’s ethnic minorities, featuring well-presented tribal art, artefacts, and everyday objects gathered from across the nation, and miniatures of traditional village houses.

Accommodation: Hotel in Cao Bang
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner in local restaurant

Our tour guide will pick you up by car at your hotel around 7:30-8:00am, transferring you to Lang Son. We will start by driving in the direction of the Chinese border for about 3 hours, before stopping at Chi Lang Pass – a 20-km-long gorge created from a narrow valley between two mountains. This place occupies an important position in Vietnamese history, being the place of many victories against various Chinese invasions over the centuries and millennia, as far back as 981AD. As such it bears the reputation of Vietnam’s strongest citadel and bastion. Here you will have roughly an hour to walk around and explore the area around the Quy Mon Quan Gate, which translates as “The Gate of Monsters”, named for the many invasion forces that would spill through the pass over the course of history only to be beaten back by stalwart Vietnamese defenders. After lunch at a local restaurant in Dong Dang, you will continue your trip into the pass, stopping to visit Mother’s Temple and Dong Khe – an important historical site where The Battle of Dong Khe was fought during the First Indochina War. In fact, this was the very first battle of the Indochina Wars, and the fighting here took place through September and October 1950, ending in a resounding victory for the Viet Minh. In the evening you will get to enjoy dinner and overnight rest in a hotel in Cao Bang city.

Accommodation: Mr Linh’s Homestay (Double Room)
Meals: Breakfast & Dinner at homestay; Lunch in local restaurant

After enjoying breakfast at the hotel, you will depart for TrungKhanh which lies right on the border with China. Here you will have another chance to meet and interact with the localNung people living in the village of Phuoc Sen, a mountainous village famous for its traditional blacksmithing. The farming tools made here are an integral part of the lifestyle which is evident in the surrounding rice paddies and fields. Nestled amongst these amazing landscapes is the breath-taking Ban Gioc Waterfall which spans over 300 meters, split half and half between Vietnam and China. You’ll get some time here to simply take in the amazing atmosphere surrounding the falls, which presents an excellent opportunity for some fantastic photography. Once you’ve finished at the falls, it’s time to head over to NguomNgao Cave, for a very different, but no less impressive natural wonder. The cave stretches for 2,144 meters underground and is brimming with incredible stalactites and stalagmites. You will then return to Cao Bang town and head down the “snake pass” to Ba Be Lake, where you will stay overnight in a homestay constructed in traditional Tay fashion and owned and operated by a local Tay family. Here you can relax and unwind from the day and enjoy a delicious and authentic home-cooked meal.

Highlights and activities

Ban Gioc Waterfall, NguomNgao Cave, Ethnic Villages, a 2 – 3 km trek

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast at homestay. Lunch in local restaurant

After breakfast we’ll kick the final day of the tour by boarding a boat and setting off onto the lake. It’s up to you how to spend your time on the boat, whether it’s relaxing and enjoying the views or going for a swim in the cool waters to refresh yourself. The views consist of stunning karst formations all around you covered with patches of wild vegetation and a rich wildlife.
The boat will then continue along the Nang River, giving you a chance to explore the caves of Puong Grotto where you can marvel at the stalactites and stalagmites created through river erosion, as well as observe the thousands-strong bat colony that lives here.
Now that you’ve reached the end of your tour, you’ll be driven the roughly 230 kilometres back to Hanoi, with a stop at a tea plantation nestled among rolling hills. Once we arrive in Hanoi it is time to say farewell, having made lifelong memories and connections.

Highlights and activities

Ba Be Lake, Boat trip, Puong Cave, Tay ethnic villages

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast at hotel.

Today you will be free to relax and explore the city by your own way

Accommodation: On cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner on Cruise.

09:00 HRS: Pick-up at the hotel and transfer to Halong (2.5 hours by road)

12:00 – 12:30 HRS: Embark on Lavender Cruise followed by a short cruise briefing and enjoy welcome-drink. Check in the cabin.

13:15 HRS: Enjoy lunch with sampling regional fresh seafood while cruising on exquisite water, passing Incense Burner Island, Fighting Cock islet, Stone Dog… Lavender Cruise will bring you to explore Halong Bay on the most wonderful route where just a few cruises go through

15:00 – 16:30 HRS: Do kayaking through the magnificent landscape with Limestone Mountains in Luon Cave, visit Titop Island or just relaxing on the sun-deck for fantastic views at The Bay.

1. Back to Lavender Cruises and join sunset party
2. Join our Cooking Class in the restaurant. Let’s see how to make the fresh/fried spring rolls and mix fish-sauce.
3. Pass by Soi Sim beach, “Rang Dua” Island to sleeping area near The Surprising Cave.

19:30 HRS: Under the magnificent night sky, our set-menu dinner is served with a variety of Vietnamese and Asian foods.

Evening activities:

1. Join squid fishing on boat with our crews. You can enjoy the squid cooked with assistance from our chef, Playing card, karaoke…. Or Laze yourself with our happy-hour drinks at the bar.
2. Overnight on Lavender Cruise.

Accommodation: On cruise
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

06.15 HRS: Tai Chi lesson on the Sun-deck.
07.15 HRS: Have breakfast with Coffee, tea and Bakeries on board.
08:00 HRS: Visit the Surprising Cave (Hang Sung Sot) discovered by the French in 1901. Opened for tourists since 1936, now it is a must-to-see and a symbol for geology value of Halong.
09:30 HRS: Check out time. Then relax on the sun-deck or inside the restaurant to enjoy the bay’s scenery.
10:15 HRS: Enjoying a traditional Vietnamese lunch while cruising back to the pier.
12:00 HRS: Check out cruise. Our car will be at your disposal to pick you up then drive back to Hanoi.
15:00 HRS: Arrive in Hanoi. Overnight in Hano

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast at hotel.

Today you will be free to explore the city by your own way.

Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi
Meals: Breakfast at hotel.

Today you will be free to relax & explore the city by your own way.

Meals: Breakfast/Accommodation: NA

There is no activity planned for today, so you are free to enjoy your free time shopping for souvenirs until getting transferred to the airport for your onward flight.

Tour Ends