Northern Vietnam adventure tour

Welcome to Hanoi, an ancient capital with more than a thousand years of history and the starting point of your Vietnam adventure tour. Upon arrival, you will be met and transferred to your hotel for check-in.

Begin your Vietnam travel experience with a relaxed orientation walk through the Old Quarter, where historic temples stand alongside bustling markets, traditional workshops, modern cafés, and contemporary galleries.

In the evening, you may join a street food walk to sample local favorites and experience Hanoi’s lively streets.

Start the day with a private tour through Hanoi’s colonial boulevards, lakes, and Old Quarter streets. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, the One Pillar Pagoda, and the Temple of Literature to learn about Vietnam’s history and architectural traditions.

In the afternoon, explore the Museum of Ethnology and its extensive cultural displays. Then take a cyclo ride through the Old Quarter’s narrow alleys and traditional tube houses for a glimpse of everyday street life, before ending the day with a water puppet show rooted in Red River Delta traditions.

Travel from Hanoi to Mai Chau in Hoa Binh Province on a scenic four-hour drive into wide valley landscapes and the stilt-house villages of the White Thai community. Often listed among the best places to visit in Vietnam for rural culture and natural scenery, Mai Chau offers a relaxed introduction to life in northern Vietnam’s countryside.

After arrival, enjoy a walk or cycle to Lac Hamlet, then continue riding through rice paddies and quiet villages. Along the way, meet White Thai families and learn about rice farming, buffalo herding, and daily life in traditional stilt houses with insights from your local guide.

After breakfast, drive to the H’Mong hamlet of Xa Linh in the surrounding hills. Continue your Vietnam adventure tour with a gentle two-hour hike along mountain paths, enjoying fresh air and views of rural landscapes while learning about local customs.

Along the way, visit Pa Co Market or Pa Co Primary School for a glimpse of everyday village life.

Return in the afternoon for free time at the retreat, or take a peaceful walk or bike ride through Pom Coong and Lac villages to meet local families and see traditional handmade crafts.

Depart Mai Chau after breakfast and travel through mountain valleys, with stops at local markets and stilt-house villages along the way.

Arrive in Ninh Binh, known for its striking karst landscapes, where you can explore the countryside by bicycle through rice fields and quiet rural paths, visit nearby temples, or join an optional cooking class with a local family.

Later, take a peaceful sampan ride along the Tam Coc River, often called “Ha Long Bay on Land.” A local boat rower guides you past rice paddies and towering limestone cliffs, passing through three natural caves before returning to the dock and continuing your journey.

Leave Ninh Binh in the morning for a scenic drive to Ha Long Bay, passing rural landscapes and local villages along the way, a memorable transition in your Vietnam itinerary. On arrival, board the elegant Capella Cruise and set sail through Lan Ha Bay and the emerald waters of the Gulf of Tonkin.

Cruise among towering limestone pillars, forested islets, and hidden caves, with time for guided cave visits, kayaking, and swimming in quiet coves.

In the evening, enjoy an optional cooking demonstration and sunset drinks on deck before spending the night on board in a peaceful bay.

Wake to the gentle movement of the bay aboard the Capella Cruise in Lan Ha Bay. As part of your Vietnam adventure tour, begin the day with breakfast on board before heading out for a guided bike ride through Viet Hai Village on Cat Ba Island, where you can meet local residents and learn about rural island life.

Return to the cruise for lunch before spending the afternoon at Three Peach Beach. The clear water and quiet setting offer time for swimming or kayaking before heading back on board to relax and enjoy the peaceful scenery of the bay.

Wake to gentle waves and fresh sea air aboard the Capella Cruise in Lan Ha Bay. Begin the morning with a sunrise tai chi session on deck, followed by breakfast with tea or coffee while limestone karsts and floating fishing villages pass by.

Later, complete the cruise in Ha Long and disembark before transferring back to Hanoi, with flexible timing and optional stops along the way.