• 8:00 AM – After breakfast, your guide will pick you up from your hotel in Hanoi’s Old Quarter (or meet at the LVP Travel Guide office) to begin a full-day cultural exploration of Vietnam’s capital.

• Start with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Complex, a pilgrimage site for many Vietnamese. Here, you’ll see Ho Chi Minh’s Mausoleum, the solemn final resting place of the beloved revolutionary leader, affectionately known as Uncle Ho. Next, explore his modest stilt house, where he lived from 1958 to 1969, surrounded by lush gardens that reflect his humble lifestyle. The Ho Chi Minh Museum offers deeper insight into his life, philosophies, and the profound impact he had on the Vietnamese people and beyond.
• 9:30 AM – Continue your journey to the nearby One Pillar Pagoda, an iconic Buddhist structure that appears to float gracefully on water—symbolizing a lotus blossom, a sacred flower in Vietnamese culture. Next, head to the tranquil shores of West Lake to visit Trấn Quốc Pagoda, Hanoi’s oldest Buddhist temple, dating back over 1,400 years.
• Then it’s on to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first national university. Originally built in 1070 and dedicated to Confucius, this temple complex is a beautiful example of traditional Vietnamese architecture and a tribute to learning and scholarly dedication.
• 12:30 PM – Enjoy a delicious Vietnamese lunch at a local restaurant in the Old Quarter.
• In the afternoon, revisit Hoàn Kiếm Lake, the heart of Hanoi, and reflect on the legend of the magical sword as you take in the peaceful views once more.
• Wrap up the day with a visit to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology, a fascinating showcase of the country's 54 ethnic groups. This engaging museum features interactive exhibits, traditional homes, colorful costumes, and even short films documenting rituals and festivals. Don’t miss the Black Thai stilt house reconstructed in the garden—a window into rural life in Vietnam’s northwest.
• As the sun sets, your Hanoi adventure winds down—but the journey continues. After dinner on your own, you’ll transfer to Hanoi Railway Station to catch the overnight sleeper train to Lào Cai, gateway to the stunning mountain landscapes and diverse cultures of northern Vietnam.

• On arrival at Lào Cai Railway Station, you'll have breakfast, then hop in a car for the drive up to Sapa. The route is jaw-droppingly scenic. During the 30 km long drive, you'll pass winding rivers and gorgeous mountain valleys dotted with rice and cornfields, gardens, bamboo forests, and humble villages populated by Vietnam's ethnic minorities. You'll stop along the way in Sa Seng, a village home to one such group, the Black Hmong people. You'll know them by their traditional dress of colorful turbans, blouses, leg wraps, aprons, and scarves, which are all made by hand, often from hemp cloth.

• After a stop in Sa Seng, you'll continue to another Black Hmong village called Hang Đá. Here you'll enjoy a picnic lunch followed by a tour of the village with your guide. Then you can work off the meal with some hiking to different vantage points offering panoramic views of the fertile green Mường Hoa Valley.

• Finally, you'll get back in the car and drive the rest of the way to Sapa. This alpine town is surrounded by rich green forest and is set amid steep mountains with terraced rice fields carved into the slopes. Sapa is particularly beautiful during mornings when blankets of mist settle around the mountains. After checking into your hotel, you'll have the rest of the day free to head out and explore the night town on foot.

• Wake up early morning for a half-day hike through the breathtaking Sapa Valley. From town, you'll head down the mountain on a road passing along terraced rice paddies and green forest. The scenery will likely be even more stunning due to a thin layer of morning mist, which makes an ethereal quality to the Sapa countryside. You'll hike along a narrow trail amid the fields, then cross Mường Hoa River on your way to the Black Hmong village of Lao Chai. After walking along the river for a while, you'll cross a rustic bridge and arrive at another village, Tả Van Giáy. Here, you'll visit a fascinating collection of ancient rock carvings depicting everything from images of man to decorative patterns.

• After seeing the rock carvings, you'll stop in at a village home for a traditional lunch. Then the hike continues through a bamboo forest to Giang Ta Chai, another small country village, this one home to Red Dao people. The Red Dao are one of the oldest ethnic minorities in Vietnam, dated in the 18th century even before the Hmong people.

• Today, short discovering the picturesque waterfall. You'll rest here for a bit before embarking on an uphill hike to a road where a car will be waiting to transfer you back to Sapa. From there, you'll transfer to the Lao Cai Railway Station to catch an overnight train to Hanoi.

• Your experience today is Halong Bay exploring. This UNESCO World Heritage Site is one of the true natural wonders of the world. In this sweet spot where the land meets the Gulf of Tonkin, over 1969 karst islets rise above emerald waters. Legend has it that these islands originated as precious jewels that were sprayed into the water by a giant dragon who was doing battle with invaders in Hạ Long Bay centuries ago. Mythology aside, you can't deny the otherworldly beauty of the seascape here. 

• On arrival, you'll board a boat that will depart from the port for an unforgettable tour of the bay. Not only will you enjoy fresh seafood for lunch and dinner, but you'll overnight aboard the ship as well. This will give you an opportunity to see the sunset over the water.

Hạ Long Bay Highlights: Sunrise, Floating Villages & Life on the Water

Begin your day in one of the most breathtaking settings imaginable—with a sunrise Tai Chi session on the deck of your boat. As the first golden rays break across the emerald waters and limestone karsts of Hạ Long Bay, you'll move mindfully through ancient postures, gently awakening your body and mind. It’s the perfect way to restore balance and harmony while enhancing your qi—your life energy.

After a refreshing session, enjoy a leisurely breakfast on board, surrounded by the bay’s calm beauty. Then, your cruise continues toward the remarkable floating village of Cửa Vạn.

Nestled in a secluded corner of Hạ Long Bay, Cửa Vạn is home to around 1,000 residents who live in floating houses that drift gently with the tides. Though the village rests on water, life here mirrors that on land—residents go to school, work, and gather with friends, all via small boats instead of cars. It’s a truly unique way of life that feels worlds away from modern cities.

You’ll have the chance to explore this floating community by kayak or rowboat, gliding past colorful homes and waving to locals as they go about their daily routines. Later, stop at a nearby pearl farm, where you’ll witness the intricate process of pearl cultivation and learn how local artisans nurture and harvest these oceanic treasures.

By late morning, your boat returns to the harbor. Take in the final scenic moments of Hạ Long Bay as you disembark and begin your drive back to Hanoi, arriving around 3:00 PM.

• After breakfast at the hotel, you'll transfer to the airport in Hanoi to catch your flight home. Leave some comments and review for your trip during time to the Airport ! Thanks and hope to see you again in the nearest future !