Northern Discovery from Hanoi – 4 Days

GENERAL INFORMATION

Tour Route: Hanoi – Bai Tu Long Bay - Ninh Binh - Trang An - Hoa Lu - Hang Mua - Ninh Binh
Duration: 4 Days/ 3 Nights
Departure Date: Any Time You Wish
Start/ End: Hanoi/ Ninh Binh

BRIEF ITINERARY

Day 1: Hanoi – Bai Tu Long Bay – Overnight on cruise (L, D)
Day 2: Bai Tu Long Bay – Hanoi – Ninh Binh (B, Br, D)
Day 3: Ninh Binh – Motorbike to Cuc Phuong – Cooking with homestay owner (B, L, D)
Day 4: Ninh Binh Tour with Motorbike – Trang An – Hoa Lu – Hang Mua – Noi Bai Airport (B, L)

FULL ITINERARY

Day 1: Hanoi – Bai Tu Long Bay – Overnight on cruise (L, D)

Morning
08:20 – 08:45: Pick up at your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter.
11:30: Arrive at Indochina Junk Office, take a rest at the Waiting Lounge before transferring to Cruise.
11:50 – 12:15: Go to the port by a buggy, where the crew and staff will welcome you and assist with the check-in process onto the cruise ship.

Afternoon
12:30 – 13:00: After boarding the cruise ship, you will enjoy tea and listen to an introduction about the itinerary and safety information for the journey, as well as check-in to your cabin.
13:15: Have lunch at the onboard restaurant, featuring seafood dishes from Quang Ninh. The cruise ship will start its journey to explore Bai Tu Long Bay, passing through limestone islands and beautiful scenery
along the bay.
14:30: The tour guide will take you to visit Thien Canh Son Cave, where you can explore the natural beauty of the cave with unique stalactites formed over thousands of years.
15:00: Relax on Hon Co Beach and join a kayaking excursion to discover the limestone islands in the bay before returning to the cruise ship.
16:15: Back to the cruise ship and enjoy a sunset cruise on Bai Tu Long Bay.
17:15: Join a Vietnamese cooking class.

Evening
19:00: Rest and have dinner in a quiet and romantic atmosphere on the bay.
20:00: Free time to relax and you can also join the experience of squid fishing. Spend the night at Bai Tu Long Bay

Day 2: Bai Tu Long Bay – Hanoi – Ninh Binh (B, Br, D)

Morning
07:00 – 07:15: Morning view of the Bay’s landscape with a cup of tea or coffee. Breakfast is served on the cruise ship.
07:45: Transfer by bamboo boat to visit Vung Vieng fishing village, where you can explore the unique way of life and the beautiful scenery of the fishing village amidst the natural heritage.
08:45: Back to the cruise ship for relaxation and leisure time.
09:45 – 10:00: Check-out and enjoy some leisure time to relax and capture memorable moments as the cruise ship journeys through the stunning limestone island area.
10:15: Enjoy a Set Menu Lunch while the cruise ship continues its journey on the bay.
11:30: The cruise returns to the International Port of Ha Long. Drive to Yen Duc village in Dong Trieu province for a short break in this typical Vietnamese agricultural village which is rich in culture and traditions.

Afternoon
13:00 – 13:45: Enjoy a water puppet show performed by local artists.
16:00: Arrive in Hanoi. Trip ends.

NOTES
On the return, you will have a short break at Yen Duc Village – a typical Vietnamese agricultural village which is rich in culture and traditions. This is a great chance to visit the charming fields while wandering narrow alleyways in the odorous fresh air and enjoying the Water Puppet Show there. This itinerary might be subject to change due to the weather or tide conditions without prior notice. On your arrival in Hanoi, we take the limousine and transfer to Ninh Binh in the next 2 hours. Check-in hotel and have dinner here.

Day 3: Ninh Binh – Motorbike to Cuc Phuong – Cooking with homestay owner (B, L, D)

Having a breakfast in Tam Coc, we will drive to Cuc Phuong National Park – the oldest national parks in Vietnam established since 1962. The park boasts an engaging cultural, wildlife heritage, and enchanting scenery. Covered in a dense forest, this landscape forms the habitat for some of Asia's rarest animal and plant species. The ancient forest harbours over 2234 vascular and non-vascular plants, 122 species of reptiles and amphibians, and 135 mammals. There are also an incredible 308 documented bird species.

On arrival at the park, we will check in our Guesthouse at the Park’s Head Quarter and have short time to relax in the nature. In the afternoon, we will visit the Visitor Center where we can learn more about the park from the pictures and models on display. Later, we visit the Endangered Primate Rescue Center where we can observe some of the rarest primate species in the world. After the tour, we return back to the homestay, we will have a dinner with the homestay’s owner.

Day 4: Ninh Binh Tour with Motorbike – Trang An – Hoa Lu – Hang Mua – Noi Bai Airport (B, L)

After the breakfast at the hotel, we will take a pleasant boat rowing in Hoang Long River to visit Trang An Eco-Tourism complex. The complex is surrounded by picturesque landscape with thousands of hectares with more than 100 caves which can be explored by boat. It is also home of 600 kinds of flora and over 200 kinds of fauna that many of them in the Red book of Vietnam. It is also a gathering of 31 valleys, 48 cross-water caves and we will visit 3 to 6 of them. On the rowing boat, we can enjoy the fresh air, clean and clear water with under water grass. Experience ourselves the feeling and emotion when we are on the water caves… After the tour, we will eat lunch in the local restaurant.

In the afternoon, we will visit Hoa Lu Ancient Capital dated back from 10^th and 11^th centuries. The area is one of rice fields broken by picturesque limestone mountains. It features history monuments, including King Dinh and King Le Temple & Tombs… Then, we will spend time to visit Hang Mua – Dancing Cave is where you can get the impressive panoramic view of Tam Coc and Ninh Binh city when you reach the top point of Ngoa Long mountain (about 500 stone steps).

The tour will finish at the homestay and from here, we take the shared limousine and transfer directly to the airport. Trip ends. Thank you for choosing Hanoi Tours for your Northern Vietnam adventure!