Journey · 4 days
Classic discovery
Hanoi and Hạ Long Bay, the essentials in four days
The perfect first taste of Vietnam: the temples and lakes of Hanoi, then a night on a cruise among the limestone islands of Hạ Long Bay.
- Duration
- 4 days
- Route
- Hanoi · Hạ Long Bay · Hanoi
- Ideal for
- Short stays, first visits, add-on to a longer trip
- Meals
- As noted for each day
Highlights
What stays with you
Hanoi in a day
Ba Đình Square, the Temple of Literature, the Old Quarter and Hoàn Kiếm Lake.
A night in the bay
Cabin cruise among some of the 2,000 karst islands of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On the water
Kayak or bamboo boat through a floating village, and a hidden cave.
Hands-on
A Vietnamese cooking class on board, and Tai Chi at sunrise.
Hanoi in a day
Ba Đình Square, the Temple of Literature, the Old Quarter and Hoàn Kiếm Lake.
A night in the bay
Cabin cruise among some of the 2,000 karst islands of a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
On the water
Kayak or bamboo boat through a floating village, and a hidden cave.
Hands-on
A Vietnamese cooking class on board, and Tai Chi at sunrise.
Itinerary
Day by day
Hanoi
- Our guide and driver welcome you at the airport and take you to your hotel in central Hanoi.
- Free time to explore and soak in the atmosphere of the city.
- Overnight in Hanoi.
Good to knowHanoi sits on the banks of the Red River, with around 8 million inhabitants. It was the capital of French Indochina from 1902 to 1954, and became the capital of the unified country in 1976. Its Old Quarter, lakes and tree-lined boulevards keep a rare balance between tradition and modern life; in 2010 the city celebrated 1,000 years of history.
Hanoi · breakfast and lunch
- Ba Đình Square, where President Hồ Chí Minh proclaimed independence, and his mausoleum.
- The One Pillar Pagoda, then the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university.
- Lunch of traditional dishes at a local restaurant.
- Walk through the Old Quarter to Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple on its little island.
- Free afternoon.
- Optional: the water puppet show, a northern art more than a thousand years old (book one day ahead).
Hanoi to Hạ Long Bay · breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Pick-up at the hotel and drive to Hạ Long Bay; welcome drink and cabins on board.
- Buffet lunch as the cruise sets sail.
- Afternoon by kayak or bamboo boat through a floating village.
- Visit to a pearl farm.
- Vietnamese cooking class, then dinner anchored in the bay.
Good to knowHạ Long means “descending dragon”. The bay covers 1,500 km² of the Gulf of Tonkin with more than 2,000 karst islands. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.
Hạ Long Bay to Hanoi · breakfast and lunch
- Tai Chi on the deck at sunrise for early risers.
- After breakfast, a hidden cave before returning to port.
- Drive back to Hanoi; free afternoon and overnight.
Day 1Hanoi
- Our guide and driver welcome you at the airport and take you to your hotel in central Hanoi.
- Free time to explore and soak in the atmosphere of the city.
- Overnight in Hanoi.
Good to knowHanoi sits on the banks of the Red River, with around 8 million inhabitants. It was the capital of French Indochina from 1902 to 1954, and became the capital of the unified country in 1976. Its Old Quarter, lakes and tree-lined boulevards keep a rare balance between tradition and modern life; in 2010 the city celebrated 1,000 years of history.
Day 2Hanoi · breakfast and lunch
- Ba Đình Square, where President Hồ Chí Minh proclaimed independence, and his mausoleum.
- The One Pillar Pagoda, then the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university.
- Lunch of traditional dishes at a local restaurant.
- Walk through the Old Quarter to Hoàn Kiếm Lake and Ngọc Sơn Temple on its little island.
- Free afternoon.
- Optional: the water puppet show, a northern art more than a thousand years old (book one day ahead).
Day 3Hanoi to Hạ Long Bay · breakfast, lunch and dinner
- Pick-up at the hotel and drive to Hạ Long Bay; welcome drink and cabins on board.
- Buffet lunch as the cruise sets sail.
- Afternoon by kayak or bamboo boat through a floating village.
- Visit to a pearl farm.
- Vietnamese cooking class, then dinner anchored in the bay.
Good to knowHạ Long means “descending dragon”. The bay covers 1,500 km² of the Gulf of Tonkin with more than 2,000 karst islands. It became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1994.
Day 4Hạ Long Bay to Hanoi · breakfast and lunch
- Tai Chi on the deck at sunrise for early risers.
- After breakfast, a hidden cave before returning to port.
- Drive back to Hanoi; free afternoon and overnight.
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