Arrival in Hanoi. After meeting with our team, you will embark on a city exploration. In the morning, you will visit Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest in the Vietnamese capital, and the Temple of Literature, the country's first university. After lunch, you will venture into the Old Quarter of the 36 guilds. This walking and electric car tour will lead you to the French colonial district: the Post Office and Telegraph Office, the former Indochina Bank, the Residence of the Superior of Tonkin, the Metropole Hotel, the Opera Avenue, and the History Museum (exterior). Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel.

• Included in the day: Airport welcome by your guide, private vehicle rental for the day, services of a English-speaking tour guide, entrance tickets, lunch, overnight stay at the hotel.

The guide and your driver will pick you up from your hotel in Hanoi around 7:30 AM. You will then depart for the Ninh Binh province. The itinerary for this first day includes exploring the ancient capital of Hoa Lu and taking a boat ride at the eco-tourism site of Trang An. You will then rest at your accommodation in Tam Coc. Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel.

• Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, services of an English-speaking tour guide, car rental, entrance tickets, overnight stay at the hotel.

You will depart by car with your guide around 7:00 AM, heading to Cat Ba Island. The journey takes about 3.5 hours to reach the ferry terminal. The ferry will take you to the Island. You will then cross the Island on a motorbike (our colleagues on-site will drive you) to reach the Ben Beo pier at the southern tip of the Island. Lunch and sailing on our traditional junk (Quatre Saisons or Majonq). Kayaking and swimming in the afternoon. Dinner and overnight stay on board.

• Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, services of a Vietnamese-speaking guide, car and junk rental, entrance tickets to Lan Ha Bay, overnight stay on board.

We recommend waking up early to enjoy the sunrise from the upper deck of the boat! Breakfast will be served, and then you'll have a choice: a bike ride to the village of Viet Hai or a boat trip and swimming in a secluded cove in Lan Ha Bay. You will return to Cat Ba Island around 12:00 PM. The car will be waiting for you there. Return to Hanoi is planned for around 4:30 PM. You'll have free time in the late afternoon and evening for dinner before being taken to Hanoi railway station for your train to Lao Cai (Sapa). You will spend the night on the train.

• Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, services of an English-speaking tour guide, car and junk rental, bike rental, train tickets.

You will arrive in Lao Cai very early. You will be greeted by your guide and driver. Departure by car to Sapa. After breakfast in the town, you will set out to explore the surrounding villages. A walking tour from Lao Chai to the village of Ta Van (about 4 km) and a visit to the rock carvings site. Lunch at a local home. Stop at the village of Ban Ho before returning to Sa Pa for a visit to the church and its market. Dinner on your own and overnight at the hotel in Sapa.

• Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, private car transfers, services of an English-speaking guide, overnight at the hotel.

After breakfast at your hotel, you will head towards Bac Ha. You will pass through Can Cau to visit the market if this day is a Saturday. If it's a Sunday, you will depart early to go directly to Bac Ha. After lunch at the market, you will discover the old palace of the Hmong King Hoang A Tuong, with both Asian and European architecture. Then, you will visit the villages of Ban Pho and Nakheo. Dinner and overnight at a local host family's house.

• Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, private car rental with driver, services of an English-speaking tour guide, activities, overnight at a local host family's house.

After breakfast at your hosts' home, you will head to the market (if this day is a Sunday). You will then hit the road to Hoang Su Phi via Sin Man (if conditions permit), where the Viet, Tay, Dao, Meo, Nung ethnic groups live. You will pass through stunning landscapes of terraced rice fields. Numerous stops will be made along the way in villages and to admire the scenery. Arrival at your Panhou Ecolodge in Hoang Su Phi in the late afternoon. Dinner on-site and overnight in a bungalow.

• Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, private car rental with driver, services of an English-speaking tour guide, activities, overnight at the ecolodge.

After your breakfast at the ecolodge, you will embark on a half-day trek to discover the terraced rice fields. You will explore several Tay villages and have lunch with a local family. In the afternoon, you will hit the road to Nam Dam, a village near Ha Giang. Dinner and overnight stay with a local family.

• Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner, services of an English-speaking guide and a local guide, private car rental with driver, overnight stay with a local family.

Breakfast at the local home and then departure for the karst plateau of Dong Van. Panoramic view of Tam Son village with its Nui Doi ("Two Mountains"). Stop in Yen Minh and pass through Pho Cao, a village with houses surrounded by a wall of gray stones. Continue to Pho Bang, an ancient village where a Chinese community still preserves its customs. Proceed through the Sung La valley and visit the village of Lung Cam. Also discover an old Hmong house and the residence of the former king, an architectural blend of Hmong, Chinese, and French styles. Visit Dong Van with its old quarter composed of ancient houses and its market. Then, drive to Meo Vac (a Dao village) to reach the Ma Pi Leng Pass, recognized in 2010 by the Global Geoparks Network (GGN) for its geological significance. Dinner and overnight stay at the hotel in Meo Vac.

• Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, dinner, private car rental with driver, activities, services of an English-speaking guide, overnight stay at the hotel.

Drive to Cao Bang via Bao Lac. Numerous stops along the way to explore the villages of the Tays and Dzao ethnic groups. Arrival in Cao Bang by late afternoon. Dinner on your own in the city and overnight stay at the hotel.

• Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, private car rental with driver, activities, services of an English-speaking guide, overnight stay at the hotel.

Departure after breakfast, excursion to the spectacular Ban Gioc Waterfalls, a natural border between China and Vietnam. Along the way, visit villages of the Nung ethnic group specialized in blacksmithing and incense making. Return to Cao Bang. Dinner on your own and overnight stay at the hotel.

• Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, private car rental with driver, activities, services of an English-speaking guide, overnight stay at the hotel.

Return to Hanoi after breakfast. Along the way, visit the historical site of Pac Bo and the small village of Truong Ha commune, located at the confluence of two rivers, hence its name which means "source". Lunch on the way. Dinner on your own and overnight stay at the hotel in Hanoi.

• Included in the day: Breakfast, lunch, private car rental with driver, activities, services of an English-speaking tour guide, overnight stay at the hotel.

You can arrange additional visits with our team or take your time to do some shopping and enjoy your last day.

• Included in the day: Breakfast, car transfer to the airport