You have the entire day today to visit Vietnam’s attractive capital, with its broad tree-lined boulevards, French colonial buildings, tranquil lakes, and ancient oriental pagodas. Hanoi is a diverse city with something for everyone. The Ho Chi Minh Complex (Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum and stilt home), the neighboring One Pillar Pagoda, the Presidential Palace, the Temple of Literature, the Quan Thanh Temple, the serene Tran Quoc Pagoda, West Lake, and your pick of one of the city’s museums will be included in your city trip (either the History Museum or the Ethnology Museum). Enjoy a late afternoon traditional Water Puppet Performance – a unique Vietnamese Art form hailing from Southeast Asia’s wet-rice culture.

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Hanoi.

Your guide and driver will greet you at the hotel and take you on a 2.5-hour trip to Halong Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Spend nearly 24 hours on a traditional junk cruise around the beautiful bay, natural beauty of jutting limestone islands, and brilliantly blue seas. Arrive at the pier at 12:00 p.m. and board the boat. As we sail out into the magical bay, have a sumptuous meal of fresh seafood onboard. Cruise around several of Halong’s numerous islands in the afternoon, including Dinh Huong and Ga Choi. Visit one of the bay’s three major caverns along the route (Thien Cung, Dau Go, or Sung Sot). Stop at a secluded white-sand beach in an isolated cove. Take a plunge in the warm waters of the Gulf of Tonkin if the weather permits. Spend the night on the boat, lulled to sleep by the rhythmic swaying of the peaceful seas.
Alternate: The 25-minute seaplane scenic flight and ship combined excursion leaving from Tuan Chau Habour is recommended by Travel Vietnam. It will be “love at first sight” when you gaze out the window at Halong Bay’s spectacular beauty and panoramic perspective. More than 1,900 gorgeous islets and limestone pillars await your gaze. (Not included in the tour package; contact your travel adviser for the best deal!)

Please keep in mind that the following schedule is subject to change without notice and is dependent on weather conditions. The itinerary is representative of our basic service on a three-star junk/cruise. Our luxury cruise lines offer more routes aboard the Violet, Jasmine, Hera, Signature, Sealife, Au Co, or Paradise… Please contact us for additional information.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner.
Accommodation: Overnight on cruise.

Wake up early and practice Tai Chi on the top deck, or simply relax and watch the dawn over the bay’s towering islands. Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea in the morning before rowing out to explore the local islands. Return to the boat for brunch, then relax on the sundeck as you sail back to Halong City, where your driver will meet you at the pier and carry you to Ninh Binh through the Red River Delta (about 4 hours). Check in to your hotel and spend the evening at your leisure.

Meals: Breakfast, Brunch & Dinner.
Accommodation: Hotel in Ninh Binh.

After breakfast, tour historic temples and climb a hundred stairs to the summit of the mountain for a breathtaking view of Hoa Lu, Vietnam’s old capital city under the Dinh Dynasty (between 968 and 1009 AD). Some of the shrines and tombs have been preserved and may be visited today. Aside from its historical significance, the area is also endowed with breathtaking natural beauty, including limestone peaks whose magnificence is sometimes compared to that of Halong Bay. Take a relaxing boat to Trang An, a natural reserve comparable to Tam Coc but less crowded. Trang An is a complex of cultural, historical, and natural heritage assets that was designated as the world’s first mixed heritage site by UNESCO in 2014. Limestone hills around a tranquil river that flows through a succession of caverns (one which takes 15-minutes to pass through in darkness). It is an “eco-tourism” environment, with just the sound of birds and the gentle paddling of the oar on the crystal blue river as disturbances.

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Ninh Binh.

After breakfast, depart Ninh Binh for Quang Binh, a province on Vietnam’s North Central Coast.
Check into the Sun Spa Resort, which is set on the banks of the famed Nhat Le River and along the gorgeous white sand Bao Ninh Beach.

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Quang Binh.

Option: Tu Lan cave system (Tan Hoa – To Mo – Tan Hoa).
Operating: from November to September (closed in October).
Availability: Daily, except Thursday.
Adventure Level: Easy (8 km) for physically active guests (swimming is necessary).

With only one day, you will be able to explore the wild forest and limestone mountain region of Tu Lan Cave System. This is well-known as the setting for the Hollywood blockbuster film “Kong: Skull Island (2017),” which ABC News named the greatest war film of the year.
“The world will pay attention because they will realize how beautiful this area is; they will travel, explore, and fall in love with it as I did,” stated Jordan Vogt-Roberts, the director of Kong: Skull Island.
After an early breakfast, travel 110 kilometers (two hours) via Phong Nha and across the Da Deo Mountain Pass to Tan Hoa, an ethnic minority settlement, and the Oxalis Headquarters.

The day adventure begins with a 2 km trek past peanut and buffalo farms to reach the Rao Nan River, following a safety lecture, checking gear, and completing the Release Form.
After crossing the river, you’ll arrive at the spectacular Hang Chuot (Rat Cave), where you may explore the huge formations for up to 280 meters. Return to the river in a different direction, then travel across Hung Ton Valley to Hung Ton Cave. Explore this wild cave by descending a 15-meter ladder with a safety line, then swimming 50 meters down the cave and following an underground river to To Mo Valley, where a great BBQ meal awaits you.

After bathing in the waterfall, hike up Hung Ton Mountain (1 km), through Hung Ton Valley (500 m), and down another short hill to Rao Nan River (500m). Finish the day by returning (2.5 km) via peanut and buffalo farms to the Oxalis Headquarter, where a refreshing drink and shower await you.
Your driver will return you to your resort at 10:00 a.m.
This day tour will offer you a taste of Tu Lan, but if you want the whole experience, we recommend spending the night in the jungle on our Tu Lan Cave Encounter (2 days) or adding another night sleeping in a cave on our Wild Tu Lan Cave Explorer (3 days) (3 days)

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch.
Accommodation: Hotel in Quang Binh.

Make use of your free day any way you see fit! Enjoy spa treatments at the hotel or simply relax on a lovely beach.
An extraordinary Son Doong Cave Expedition of four days and three nights in Quang Binh will allow you to explore the world’s largest cave and escape via the Great Wall of Vietnam. This is supposed to be your once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Inquire with your travel agent for additional details!

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: Hotel in Quang Binh.

Have breakfast at the hotel then drive to Dong Hoi Airport to catch your flight to Hanoi’s Noi Bai Airport. Your adventure ends here.

Meals: Breakfast.
Accommodation: N/A.