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Day 01: Arrive Hanoi (D)

Arrive in Hanoi. Free time to discover around the Old Quarter or just relax. Lotussia Travel  guide and driver will warmly welcome you at your hotel lobby and escort you to a local restaurant for trip briefing and dinner. Overnight at hotel in Hanoi [Hanoi Hotels ].

Day 02: City tour in Hanoi – Overnight train to Lao Cai (B,L,D)

After breakfast, drive to visit Ho Chi Minh’s mausoleum (outside only), Ho Chi Minh’s house on stilt,  One Pillar Pagoda and then the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university constructed in1070, its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam's past. Continue to lunch at the Brothers café for a buffet style feast – an interesting fusion of Viet and western flavours, housed in a beautiful old style Vietnamese building with traditional music. In the afternoon drive to the Museum of Ethnology, Hanoi’s best and most interactive museum. Transfer toward Thanh Nien road and stop to visit Quan Thanh temple (Taoist, dating from the Ly Dynasty) and the Buddhist Tran Quoc Pagoda on West Lake (one of the oldest in Vietnam). Spend one hour on foot or by cyclo with a guided orientation stroll around the Old Quarter. Meet later to drive to the Thang Long Theater for a showing of the famous water puppets. From here drive to dinner in a small restaurant in Hanoi with good Vietnamese food. Following the dinner, transfer to Hanoi railway station in Le Duan Street for boarding on a night train to Lao Cai . Overnight on SUPERIOR train.

Day 03: Lao Cai – Muong Khuong district – Colorful market day – Sapa (B,L,D)

Arrive Lao Cai approximately 5h30 am. Lotussia Travel local team will meet the group at the station. Enjoy breakfast at a local restaurant in Lao Cai.

Transfer to Muong Khuong district and enjoy beautiful scenery along the ride until Lung Khau Nhin or Cao Son market on every Wednesday or Thursday. The market locates inside a small border quite modern town which is frequented by Flower Hmong, Tu Di, Pa Di, Tay and Giay ethnic minorities. They come to buy and sell local products such as food and material for agriculture and fabric. After spending the whole morning exploring the market, you will have lunch in a local restaurant nearby. You will then visit a village of Dao or Nung people, where you have opportunity to explore their daily life. You can make a stop nearby a waterfall before you get on the car heading back to Sapa. Check in hotel and free time for relax or discover this very small town. Dinner in town and overnight in hotel in Sapa .

Day 04: Sapa – Ma Tra – Ta Phin – Overnight train to Hanoi (B,L,D)

Leisure breakfast at hotel. Check out your room and start your moderate trekking day at 09h00. You will be heading toward Tram Ton direction around five kilometers from Sapa and going  by foot while passing through several minority villages along the way. The walk under the shadow of pine trees on other side of the Sapa town is very enjoyable. Continue through beautiful rice paddy and a local water flowing system by bamboo. Stop on the way to Ma Tra village of Black H’mong for lunch at a hill top then walk down hill to Ta Phin village of Red Dao. Arrive in Ta Phin in the afternoon and free time to communicate with local villagers and admire their perfect hand embroideries. Red Dao people is a master of medicinal plants and you can try a herb bath inside the village. Return to Sapa for shower and dinner before transfer to Lao Cai station and get the night train back to Hanoi. Overnight on board the superior train.

Day 05:  Hanoi - Halong half day cruise (B, L, D)

Our driver will pick up the group at the Ha Noi train station and drive toward a local  restaurant for breakfast. Driving time 3 – 3.5 hours to Halong city. Depart 08.00 arrive 11.30am. The route out to Halong City is newly upgraded. Learn about ancestor worship and the importance of the family in Vietnamese life, and how Vietnamese people bury their dead. Learn too about the rotation of rice crops compared with Southern Vietnam. Photo stop with some nice farmlands of the Red River Delta and the scenery of rice fields, water buffalo and everyday Vietnamese village life. Arrive in Halong and embark on the traditional comfortable junk. Fresh seafood lunch served on board whilst the junk will weaves through strange-shaped rock formations that invite comparisons from fighting chickens to dragons and even General de Gaulle’s nose. Visit the Sung sot (Surprise Grotto) with its great views. Free time on the Titop or Soi Sim beaches. Fresh sea food dinner and overnight on board.

Day 06: Halong half day cruise - Hanoi (Brunch or B & L. Dinner is not included)

Continue to cruise the Bay. The karts outcrops that you will sail by were formed from sediment that settled on the seafloor in prehistoric times. They rose to the surface through geological upheaval and erosion. When exposed to rainfall, the striking limestone formations weathered into their current strange, remarkable shapes. Gradually meander back towards Halong city with brunch or lunch served on board (depending on your choice of junks, meals will be organized differently). Check out time will be 11h00 – 11h45. Transfer by your car toward Bac Ninh province. If time permitted, visit Phu Lang pottery village in Que Vo district and learn how to make a product from a piece of land to a picture or vases. Continue to Hanoi and free time at hotel.
Overnight at hotel.

Day 07 : Hanoi – Departure (B)

LOTUSSIA TRAVEL l Active Vacation
Business Registration No. 0104002011; International Travel License No. 01039/TCDL-LHQT
33B Pham Ngu Lao, Hanoi
2/62 Ngyen Chi Thanh, Hanoi
Phone: +84.4.22494668
Fax: +84.4.37668617
E-mail: info [at] lotussiatravel.com or lotussiatravel [at] gmail.com
Website: www.lotussiatravel.com