Vietnam Custom Tour (Hanoi-Sapa-Cat Ba Island-Halong-Hoi An-Nha Trang-Saigon)

Arrival in Hanoi. Transfer to the hotel and check-in. Short walk to the Ho Hoan Kiem “Lake of the Retributed Sword”. We visit the jade hill with the red wooden bridge, one of Hanoi’s main attractions. Welcome-diner in one of the many In-restaurants.

A morning bus trip brings us the capital’s most important and most interesting locations: the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, Uncle Ho’s house (from here Ho Chi Minh led governmental affairs), the One-Column-Pagoda (Chua Mot Cot), the Temple of Literature (Van Mieu, Vietnam’s first university) and the Maison Centrale (a prison dating from the French colony). We have lunch at KOTO, a restaurant managed by former street kids. In the afternoon we are ridden around the old French quarter in cyclos (Vietnamese bicycle-rickshaws). The literary expression for Hanoi is “City of the 36 alleys”. In the tree-lined alleys we have a look over the shoulder of the local craftsmen. In the evening we depart for the highlands, home to countless ethnic minorities. A longer train ride alongside the Red River to Lao Cai, the town at the Chinese border (compartment for four people with A/C).

Bus transfer to Sa Pa at 1560 m above sea level, at the foot of Phan Si Pan Mountain (Vietnam’s highest peak at 3143 m). After checking into the hotel, we explore the town that was turned into a mountain health resort by the French in the 1920s. Today Hmong and Red Dzao people grow vegetables, tea and cinnamon. We walk the four kilometers to Cat Cat village, home to the Black Hmongs, famous for their indigo-dyed dresses. After a good look into their everyday life (dying and weaving of hemp cloth), we walk down to the water fall. We find an old, defunct power plant from the French. On our return trail we pass by rice terraces and browsing water buffalos. Motobike taxis bring us back to the hotel.

We get on the bus. The first hiking tour in this breath-taking scenery takes us to the minority village of Ta Van. Here we get a feel for the hard lives of the Giay and Hmong. The three-hour hike leads us through villages and rice terraces and over the May Bridge where we can cool off our feet in the chilly mountain river. Return by bus. In the afternoon, jeeps bring us to Ta Phin, the village of the Red Dzao. The women with their red head headscarves are famous for their elaborate embroidery. We stroll through rice paddies, visit a cave and chat with the locals.

Free time. In the late afternoon a bus takes us down to the valley. Short visit of the Sino-Vietnamese border bridge. Return trip by night train to Hanoi.

Early morning arrival. Transfer to the hotel. This is a day to relax. After sleeping in we head for the West Lake. Here we visit Hanoi’s most important Taoist temple, Den Tran Vu. To round off the day we watch an evening performance of the water puppet players.

A very early morning bus brings us to Haiphong where at 9 am, a speed boat (hydrofoil) brings us to Cat Ba Island in only 45 minutes. After check-in we spend the afternoon at the beach: swimming, strolling, relaxing or having a massage at the beach. Prior to diner, we tour the harbor in small basket boats. We observe amazingly how people can live as crammed together as here.

Our today’s trek (12 kilometres, partly on motobikes, partly on foot) in the national park takes us to countless natural wonders of this one-of-a-kind island: bizarre rock formations, frog ponds, traditional hamlets and a longer hike to a panorama mountain at the end. In the late afternoon, Honda drivers bring us to awesome Bai Tam Beach (relaxing, swimming, hiking).

After breakfast, our spectacular boat journey (private boat) through the breath-taking scenery of 2000 limestone islands begins. Now and then we stop for a swim. Our private boat passes by small floating villages. Before diner we visit an impressive cave and later we ascend the Ti Tov panorama mountain. We stay the night on a traditional boat (called a junk), (double room with toilet and bathroom, A/C).

On goes our trip through this magic world. Taking a row boat we advance into the interior of a laguna grotto. After a rich meal our boat slowly returns to Bai Chay harbor. Upon arrival, return trip to Hanoi. On our way we stop at the Van Phuc silk weaving workshop where physically handicapped children work as apprentices.

Today we depart on a trip that provokes goose bumps with every photographer. After breakfast we go by bus to Ninh Binh (the dry version of Halong Bay), arguably the most beautiful landscape in Vietnam. In small sampan boats we explore the beautiful scenery and arrive at the Tam Coc Grottos (length of the biggest and longest grotto is 160m). This beautiful route against the background of bizarre sugar loaf mountains takes about two hours. The following bicycle tour through the rice fields leads to Hoa Lu, the former imperial city of the Dinh Dynasty. Visit of its renovated ancient temples. We stay overnight in Ninh Binh.

Today we visit the Perfume Pagoda (Chua Huong), a must-see for fans of nature and art. The trip to Huong Tich (Mountain of the Fragrant Traces) takes two hours and can only be done by boat. This important place of pilgrimage consists of a a complex of pagodas, temples and shrines, carved into grottos, caves and cliffs. The two-hour hike leads us through limestone cliffs and lush vegetation up to the peak of Huong Tich with the main Grotto of the Scenting Traces, the final destination of the pilgrimage. Return to Hanoi.

After breakfast we transfer to the Airport. Short Vietnam Airlines flight to Danang. After visiting the Cham museum, the bus brings us to Hoi An, the old port town of the Cham. On the way we stop at the Marble Mountains. After a steep hike we arrive at the Rock Pagoda. We have a fantastic panorama of the other four Marble Mountains and China Beach. We explore various caves that have been important places of worship since the Cham period. Hotel check-in in Hoi An.

Walking the old city: Japanese Bridge, merchants houses from the 16th and 18th century, wood workshops, Chinese temples and community houses. We have lunch at a mobile soup kitchen. In the afternoon we go on a three-hour river tour. Exciting boat trip to Kim Bong Island (known for having the best wood carvers) and visit to the pottery village Thanh Ha.

Half-day trip by bus. The journey goes overland, passing by picturesque rice paddies to My Son. Visit of the Cham temple compounds from the 7th, 11th and 13th century. At noon we return to Hoi An. Free time.

Transfer to the main train station of Danang. After lunch we board the “Reunification Express”. After a ten-hour train ride along the coast and rice fields, we reach Nha Trang, probably the most beautiful beach spot in Vietnam. Taxis bring us to the hotel.

After breakfast we go on a city tour on motobikes: Yersin Museum, Big White Buddha, Long Son Pagoda, Po Nagar Cham Towers, Hon Chong Rock. In the afternoon we have time to kick back at the kilometers-long white sand beach.

On a motorbike tour to the beautiful location of the Suoi Do Pagoda we see the rural surroundings of Nha Trang. Most probably, the nuns invite us to a vegetarian lunch. After a siesta we visit the oldest traditional house of the province. Short walk through fruit gardens (mango, durian, papaya, cacao, lemon, orange, rambutan, banana and pineapple trees, depending on the season). Return and short stop at a mattress factory.

Free time. Afternoon flight with Vietnam Airlines to Saigon. Transfer to the hotel.

In the morning we explore the city partly on foot, partly on cyclos: Notre Dame Cathedral, Main Post Office, Opera House, City Hall. Transfer to the airport in the afternoon and return flight home.