Compare 8 Days: Nature Forest Trekking, Tam Coc Rowing, Fishing, Mua Cave, Ha Long Bay Swimming, Kayaking, Cat Ba Island by Go Vietnam Travel vs Vibrant Vietnam by Culture Trip

Day 1: Hanoi – City Discover

Meals: Lunch

9:30 Please go to our office in 64 Hang Quat Street – Hoan Kiem District - Hanoi and start our Hanoi city tour for 1 hour rickshaw

11:00 Street food tour with local tour guide as your Lunch on itinerary.

14:00 Motorbike to discover Hanoi city with  Long Bien Bridge and Bat Trang Ceramic Village.

17:30 Cycling back to Hostel

Day 2: Hanoi – Mai Chau – Pu Luong

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

8:00 Hotel pick up for tour to Pu Luong Nature Reserve 

12:00 Stop in Mai Chau for Lunch in Pom Coong village (Thai Ethnic Village) 13:00 Walking tour in Mai Chau with Lac Village (Thai Ethnic Village)

14:00 We will come back to bus and heading to Pu Luong National Reserve 16:00 Check in Homestay in Don Village (Thai Ethnic Village) and start trekking through rice fields and stream in Don village 

18:00 Back to Homestay for Dinner

Overnight in Homestay

Day 3: Pu Luong Full Day Trekking Tour

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

8:00 Having breakfast 

8:30 Full day trekking to visit many mountainous village (Don village – Kho Muong Village – Nua village – Huou village)

12:30 Stop in Nua Village for picnic lunch

16:00 Stop in Huou village - Check in Homestay and then going out for shower in Huou Village Waterfall

18:00 Have dinner at Homestay

Overnight in Homestay

Day 4: Pu Luong – Ninh Binh

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

8:30 Breakfast - free time for you discover Huou Village with beautiful waterfall 9:30 Homestay check out and start our trip to see Water Wheel

13:00 Stop for lunch in local restaurant

14:00 Check in homestay in Tam Coc (Halong Bay on ricefield) – Ninh Binh

16:00 Bamboo boat to visit Tam Coc (Halong Bay on ricefield) 

18:00 Having dinner

Overnight at homestay in Tam Coc

Day 5: Ninh Binh Full Day Outdoor Activity

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

8:30 Having breakfast, and then start our cycling trip in Tam Coc - Mua Cave for hiking from peak of Mua Cave with overview of  Ngo Dong river 

12:00 Back to homestay in Tam Coc for Lunch and relaxing 

14:00 Start our fishing activity on rice field 

16:00 Go to shopping in local market in Tam Coc to prepare your dinner by yourself

18:00 Start cooking class and show off your  cooking skill 19:00 Having your dinner

Overnight in homestay in Tam Coc

Day 6: Ninh Binh – Halong

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

7:00 Having breakfast and then go to Halong bay directly

12:00 Check in Halong Bay Cruise

13:00 Having Lunch on Cruise

15:00 Visit Amazing Cave in Halong bay 

16:00 Go to Titop island for hiking, swimming and overview on top

17:00 Back our Cruise to take shower 

18:00 Having dinner on Cruise

Overnight on Halong Bay Cruise

Day 7: Halong – Lan Ha Bay - Cat Ba Island

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

7:30 Enjoy morning landscape in Halong with tea and coffee served then have breakfast on board

9:30 Change onto a smaller cruise to Lan Ha bay (belong to Cat Ba island) 

11.00 Get on a private small boat to go to a wild beach for swimming and enjoy the lunch on wild beach or on small boat (optional)

12.30 Go to Kayaking area for Cat Ba discovery and then visit local floating fishing village. You will have more understanding about real life of fishermen in Cat Ba.

15.00 Go to Viet Hai Island by same boat. Arrive to Viet Hai Harbor and check in homestay in Viet Hai village (Belong to Cat Ba Island).

Overnight homestay in Viet Hai Village

Day 8: Cat Ba – Hanoi

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

This morning check out homestay and come back our cruise –  cruising back to Habor and back to Hanoi Capital.

17:00 Drop you at your hotel in Hanoi. Tour ends in Hanoi.

From tonight you can take train, bus or flight to the Center of Vietnam such as Hue, Hoian and Danang as your plan. If you need more assistance in term of booking train ticket, air ticket, bus ticket please let us know soon. "

Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi

Accommodation: La Siesta Classic Ma May

Activities Included: Street food tour

Upon arrival in Hanoi, you’ll be transferred to the hotel where our Local Insider will help you check in. They will accompany the group throughout the trip. Feel free to explore the area or grab a drink at the bar before meeting your fellow travellers at 5.15pm. Kick off the evening by heading out to a local night market for your first taste of Vietnamese street food. Try delicacies such as bun cha (meatballs with noodles and herbs), pho (noodle soup) or goi cuon (fresh spring rolls), washed down with a cold Hanoi beer.

Day 2: Venture into the heart of Hanoi on foot

Accommodation: La Siesta Classic Ma May

Activities Included: Hanoi walking tour

Optional Activities: Cafe tour experience

After breakfast, set out on a walking tour of Hanoi. You’ll start at Ba Dinh Square, where president Ho Chi Minh read the Independence Declaration on 2 September 1945. Take time to appreciate the imposing marble mausoleum built in his honour. Next, stop by the Temple of Literature, a picturesque complex housing the oldest university in Vietnam, dedicated to the ancient Chinese scholar, Confucius. In the afternoon, join an optional guided stroll through the lively Old Quarter, finishing up at a cafe where you’ll be able to try a creamy egg coffee – a Hanoi speciality.

Day 3: Experience rural farm life in Mai Chau

Accommodation: Mai Chau Ecolodge

Activities Included: Farm experience

Today, you’ll swap the bustle of Hanoi for the tranquility of the Mai Chau, a lush valley 140km (87mi) southwest of the capital, inhabited by several ethnic minority groups in the mountains of Hoa Binh province. Following a lunch of local delicacies, you’ll cycle through rice fields to a White Thai village and experience farm life – including collecting food for buffalos and feeding them. Enjoy fresh fruit and honey tea with the indigenous people while embracing their slower pace of life. Come nightfall, you’ll dine at a homestay.

Day 4: Hike through the countryside and visit Na Chao village

Accommodation: La Siesta Classic Ma May

Activities Included: Walking tour

White Thai village visit

Bamboo-weaving class

This morning, you’ll take a short transfer to Bao La commune and continue from there to reach Na Chao village. Get a deeper feel for the Mai Chau countryside by following a short hiking trail and glimpse inside the traditional stilt houses built and lived in by local families. You’ll learn all about the history and culture of the White Thai ethnic group, who live in the area, and attend a class on weaving bamboo baskets at a White Thai house before returning to Hanoi in the afternoon.

Day 5: Embark on an overnight cruise to Lan Ha Bay

Accommodation: Jasmine Cruise

Activities Included: Halong to Lan Ha Bay cruise

Tien Ong cave visit

Cua Van village visit

Cooking demonstration

Arrive at Hon Gai pier in Halong where you’ll set sail for Lan Ha Bay – a quieter, lesser-known alternative to neighbouring Halong Bay. Expect similarly awe-inspiring seascapes, characterised by dramatic limestone karsts jutting out of emerald waters. After a buffet lunch, you’ll get the chance to explore Tien Ong cave and the serene fishing village of Cua Van. Hop back on the boat and unwind with a cocktail as the sun sets. Conclude the day by watching the chef prepare a selection of Vietnamese dishes for dinner.

Day 6: Swim, kayak and try tai chi in Lan Ha Bay

Accommodation: Overnight train from Hanoi to Hue

Activities Included: Lan Ha Bay to Halong cruise

Tai chi class

Kayaking

Swimming

Start the day by focusing the mind and body with a tai chi class on deck. After, a tender boat will take you to a pristine sandy beach from which you can swim and kayak in calm, clear waters. If you’re up for a challenge, why not climb the nearby hilltop for a view across the bay? After reboarding the ship, you’ll cruise slowly back to Halong. It’s time to bid farewell to the crew and return to Hanoi to board an overnight train to Hue. Be prepared – there are no showers on sleeper trains in Vietnam.

Day 7: Arrive in Hue and join a street food tour

Accommodation: Eldora Hotel

Activities Included: Hue cyclo food tour

Wake up in Hue, the capital between 1802 and 1945. After arriving at the station, check into the hotel and spend the afternoon at leisure. In the evening, you’ll join a street food tour by cyclo – a rickshaw-style form of transport, popular in Vietnam – and get an authentic feel for the city, stopping at a number of restaurants, markets and hidden eateries to sample a variety of Hue specialities – noticeably distinct from typical Vietnamese cuisine. Bun ho hue (spicy beef noodle soup), nem lui (pork and lemongrass skewers) and banh beo (steamed rice cakes with shrimps) are among the local favourites.

Day 8: Attend a cooking class and explore the ancient Hue Citadel

Accommodation: Eldora Hotel

Activities Included: Market visit

Cooking masterclass

Hue Citadel visit

Perfume River boat transfer

Royal tea ceremony

XQ Hand Embroidery Art Museum visit

Now you’re familiar with Hue’s food scene, it’s time to learn about the flavours and techniques behind the local delicacies by visiting a market and attending a cooking masterclass with gastronomy artisan, Ms Huy. After enjoying the fruits of your labour, head to the ancient Hue Citadel, where you can admire the lavish architecture of the royal palaces in the Imperial City. You’ll then sail along the Perfume River to the Thien Mu Pagoda and experience a royal tea ceremony in the style of the Nguyen Dynasty, finally stopping at the XQ Hand Embroidery Art Museum on your way back to the hotel.

Day 9: Learn qigong in a Zen house and arrive in Hoi An

Accommodation: La Siesta Hoi An Resort and Spa

Activities Included: Qigong session

This morning, you’ll attend a traditional qigong session in a Zen house, learning about this ancient Chinese meditative practice before tucking into a healthy breakfast, which will include numerous local specialities. After, continue on to the final stop of your trip, Hoi An, an atmospheric coastal town featuring a colourful mix of Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and French-colonial architecture, intersected by canals. The signature local dish, cao lau (spicy braised pork with rice noodles, bean sprouts and greens), is worth seeking out. There’s no shortage of excellent restaurants here.

Day 10: Kick back and explore Hoi An

Accommodation: La Siesta Hoi An Resort and Spa

Optional Activities: Cham Islands day trip

Fancy taking it easy today? Feel free to do so. But if you’re keen for an adventure, take a private speedboat to the Cham Islands, an archipelago consisting of eight granite outcrops 15km (9mi) off the Hoi An coast. A local fisherman, Mr Lau, will greet you on the main island (Hon Lao) and guide you around the biosphere reserve where you can snorkel and swim among flourishing coral reefs and marine life. Enjoy a seafood lunch and take a stroll through Bai Huong village before returning to the mainland.

Day 11: Take a guided walking tour of Hoi An

Accommodation: La Siesta Hoi An Resort and Spa

Activities Included: Walking tour and sightseeing

Farewell dinner

Optional Activities: Treasure hunt by bicycle

The final full day of the trip will begin with a guided walking tour of Hoi An. Soak up the ambience of the old centre as you meander the lantern-lit streets, passing striking historical landmarks such as the Chua Ong Pagoda, Phuc Kien Assembly Hall and Japanese Covered Bridge. The latter was built to connect the Japanese and Chinese districts back when Hoi An was a major trading port between the 15th and 19th centuries. In the afternoon, you’ll have the option to join a treasure hunt by bicycle – a memorable way to cap off your Vietnamese adventure.

Day 12: Depart from Hoi An

After one last breakfast, it’s time to pack your bags and checkout of the hotel. Bid farewell to your fellow travellers at midday and make your way to Da Nang International Airport via an included transfer to catch your flight home – or extend your stay in Vietnam.