Northern Vietnam Explorer 9 days

Day 01: Ha Noi - Arrival

On arrival at Ha Noi Airport, you are greeted by our guide and taken to your hotel by private transfer.
Ha Noi – The capital of Vietnam, also known that “The cradle of Vietnam’s culture”. Lies besides modern constructions are many hidden gems that still retain their charm and culture from thousands years ago.

Depending on your arrival flight schedule, you either have the opportunity to rest at your hotel if the room is available (please note the check-in time is at 14.00 pm) or take your own exploration of the town.
Overnight in Ha Noi.

Day 02: Ha Noi - City discovery (B) 

Today, we start our exploration of Ha Noi, seeing the most notable landmark of Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (close on Mon. and Fri. and Oct. to Nov). This imposing marble and granite monument was built towards Ba Dinh Square. We follow the footpath to the One Pillar Pagoda rising from the center of a square lotus pond, ascending on a single pillar and resembling a blossoming lotus flower.

The next place will be the fascinating Ethnology Museum (closed Mondays), which is both a research center and a public museum exhibiting the ethnic groups of Vietnam. As an alternative to the Ethnology Museum, visit the highly acclaimed Hoa Lo Prison which was once known as “Ha Noi Hilton”

We continue the trip to the Temple of Literature - Vietnam’s first university, constructed in the 11th century, the gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a relaxing glimpse into Vietnam's past.

After that, visit Ha Noi’s Old Quarter also known as the ‘36 streets’. Take a walking tour through charming Hang Be Market and around Hoan Kiem Lake. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It's a great place to explore with plenty of photo opportunities.

The final touch of the day is a Water Puppet show. This is a uniquely northern Vietnamese art form depicting scenes from rural life and episodes of national history

Day 03: Ha Noi – Mai Chau (B/L/D) 

Depart Ha Noi in early morning for an approximately 4-hour drive to Mai Chau located about 150 km southwest of Ha Noi. Just an hour beyond Ha Noi, after Hoa Binh Town, the road weaves through mountains, fertile valleys, and traditional villages.

Arrive in Mai Chau at lunchtime. Check into your accommodation, take a short break, and then set on a leisure walk through picturesque mountain and rice field scenery. 

Your guide will facilitate interesting chats with local hill tribe villagers for an overview of their traditional customs and daily activities including planting rice, herding buffalos, building traditional houses, handicrafts, etc.
This evening enjoys a traditional Thai performance of music and dance. The Thai ethnic group has inhabited this area for centuries and much of their lifestyle and traditions have remained unchanged over the years.
Overnight in Mai Chau.

Day 04: Mai Chau – Pu Luong (B/L) |Hiking information: easy, 4km (uphill and downhill)

Wake up among the peaceful and beautiful mountainous setting and enjoy breakfast. Have a leisure walk on the silent village paths, saying hello to friendly villagers along the way. 

Transfer to Pu Luong on a 1-hour drive via a breathtaking mountain pass with panoramic views of the valley. Spend some free time to explore the beautiful retreat. 

Lunch will be served at local restaurant. Then, transfer to a suspension bridge over the Cham River and begin a easy trekking from 3 to 5km in search of stunning water wheels. 

Get up close to each wheel and discover how water is moved from river to handmade bamboo aqueducts via simple constructions of all sizes. 

Transferred back to your hotel for dinner.
Overnight at Pu Luong. 

Day 05: Pu Luong – Ninh Binh - Trang An (B/L) 

Depart Pu Luong this morning at 08.00 for 3.5 hours drive to Ninh Binh province, one of the most beautiful parts of Vietnam with its dramatic scenery and historical temples. The rice fields here are beautiful and the mountains have earned the area the nickname ‘Ha Long Bay on land’, a moniker borne out by the limestone karsts which dominate the landscape. 

Upon arrival, enjoy a late lunch before hopping aboard for a boat trip in Tam Coc, meaning three caves, was created by the river of Ngo Dong flowing through a mountain. A boat tour will take you through these caves amid towering mountain views, via beautiful waterways lined with rice paddies.

Overnight in Ninh Binh.

Day 06: Ninh Binh – Van long Natural reserve  (B/L)

After breakfast, depart to the peaceful Van Long Nature Reserve. On arrival, hop on your bike and cycle through peaceful and lush green villages, passing by rice fields, fish ponds and local markets. Stop anywhere that interests you, and chat with friendly locals to learn more about their lifestyle.

Visit a local family, and follow farmers (if possible) to their field for catching fish & crabs, and bailing out water to rice fields. After lunch, we ride to the boat quay for a row boat trip to explore the stunning wetland of Van Long Nature Reserve. If you are lucky, you may see a lot of birds and monkeys. 

En-route, visit to Hoa Lu ancient capital, the heart of the first three centralized feudal states of Vietnam: the Dinh, Le, and Ly dynasties before driven to the hotel

Overnight in Ninh Binh.

Day 07: Ninh Binh – Ha Long Bay – Cruise (B/L/D)

After breakfast, depart to Ha Long Bay, one of the World Natural Heritages recognized by UNESCO with thousands of spectacular limestone islands rising from the clear, emerald sea in the Gulf of Tonkin.

 Upon arrival, welcome aboard. Enjoy a welcome drink before check-in your cabin. While the boat is passing many rocky islets, caves, floating villages and beaches, a tasty lunch will be served on board with fresh seafood. 

Relax on the sundeck. Later on, the boat moves to a quiet area to dock for an overnight stay. Lunch and dinner with Vietnamese food is served on board.

Overnight stay on board.
Note: The itinerary of boat in Ha Long may change without prior notice depending on the situation.

Day 08: Ha Long– Ha Noi (Brunch)

The boat cruises around Ha Long Bay, passes by many islets named by their shapes such as Dog, Incense Urn, Fighting Cock, Finger, etc. Breakfast or brunch is served while the boat then continues cruising towards the wharf.
After disembarkation, travel back to Ha Noi city. Check-in your hotel and enjoy free evening. Overnight in Ha Noi city.

Day 09: Ha Noi -  Departure trip (B) 

After breakfast at the hotel, the rest of the day is free to rest or to make a personal discovery of the city as well as to do your last shopping until the transfer to Noi Bai International Airport (Ha Noi) for the outgoing international flight.

1. Climate in Vietnam 

The climate of Vietnam is very different and characteristic from one end of the country to the other because of its latitude differences. The geographical peculiarities of the country make it possible to have a nice trip to Vietnam every season. Indeed, when a region is humid or suffocating, another one presents a sunny and very temperate climate.

+ December to February:

The north and central regions of the country are in the winter.  The average temperature varies between 15°C and 23°C. It is quite cool and humid with irregular rainfall, especially in the mountains where the temperature often drops below 10°C. This period is characterized by a frequent drizzle that the Vietnamese call "rain dust". There is very little sunshine.

The south of the country is considered an ideal period because it is the dry season with 1 to 2 days of rain in a month. It is also the time when the temperature is pleasant, varying between 22°C and 33°C. The vegetation is very green offering you great opportunities to take beautiful pictures.

+ March to May:

This period is known as the most beautiful season of the year for an ideal stay in Vietnam. During this period, the climate is very pleasant. It is the dry season in all the 3 regions of the country but also the period where vegetation is lush, green rice fields offering you great opportunities to take beautiful pictures.

The North is in the spring when the weather is mild. This region benefits from the cool wind with an average temperature of 15°C to 25°C. During this period, this region has a lot of sunshine but rarely rains.

It is also the best time in the center for visits. The climate is rather favorable and tropical. The weather becomes sunnier with a nice rise in temperature between 25°C and 32°C.

The South is considered a good period. The climate is dry and very sunny. However, the heat can be unpleasant, as the average temperature is between 28°C and 34°C and can rise to 41°C. However, frequent short rains bring some coolness.

+ From June to September:

This is the 3rd season of tourism in the country. On the whole, the climate is pleasant from the North to the South to travel in Vietnam.

The north of the country is in summer. The climate carries a hot characteristic with an average temperature of 25°C to 33°C. The rains in this season have a strong characteristic (earlier showers) but are short in the duration of about 30 minutes to 1 hour. For the mountainous region, it is also hot, the rains are frequent but also strong and fast. The sky is blue and sunny and the weather is the clearest of the year while the rice terraces are green. It is ideal for short hikes to ethnic villages.

The center is in a good period to visit this region which is not affected by the summer monsoon. The weather is good with often a heat haze, the temperature can climb to 40°C. The frequency of rains in this region is however less important than in the north. However, if you are located in the seaside resorts of the center, the beach will be your greatest ally to refresh you.

The south has a tropical climate with an average temperature of 25°C to 33°C. It is the rainy season, but the rains are often in the form of heavy showers very fast (about 15 to 30 minutes), after the rain, there is immediately a generous sun under clear weather, and the vegetation is also very green.

+ October to November:

Overall, the month of October to November is considered a very nice season to travel in Vietnam.

The North is in autumn with a very pleasant climate, it is cool and dry with an average temperature of 15°C to 23°C.

The center has a pleasant temperature between 20°C and 28°C. This is the period that also corresponds to the stormy season with heavy rainfall that would lead to flooding more or less important on the coastal strip. This region also knows the heavy rains, despite being present, do not last long.

The south has a tropical climate, with average temperatures ranging from 24°C to 32°C. The sun and heat are always present. During this period, heavy rains (in the form of short but almost daily torrential downpours) come to refresh the atmosphere. Be aware, however, that the heavy rains usually come at the end of the day and should leave you free to explore the area.

Our last advice on the weather 

• Vietnam is located in the path of typhoons and tropical storms and is particularly affected between mid-July and mid-November. With the modernization of infrastructure and weather warnings, there is no major danger.
• The rainy season is not synonymous with all-day rainfall, hence the monsoon season seems to be a more appropriate term, and contrary to popular belief, these rains are nourishing and synonymous with life in Vietnam, a land of water!

2. Accommodation  

The hotels proposed by Horizon Vietnam Travel are classified from 02 to 05 comfortable stars with all the required services.   It is according to your budget and your wishes that we will submit you concrete proposals. It should be noted that a 5-star hotel can cost ten times more than a 2-star hotel. Furthermore, two hotels of the same category may not have the same price, because the quality varies.

The hotels proposed in our offers have been checked by ourselves. Cleanliness, quality of welcome, location, charm and tranquility are our selection criteria. When we have the choice, we prefer hotels of human size and work less with international chains.

Apart from hotels, we have developed fair tourism, through contact with the local population, the possibility of sleeping in the homes of local people, and sharing their daily life. The conditions of these accommodations that we offer are well insured and with the best possible conditions.

Good to know: Please note that during the high season (October to April), hotels can quickly become full. Do not hesitate to book well in advance to avoid any worries about availability.

3. Visa

To travel to Vietnam you must have a valid passport valid for at least 6 months after your return date.

The Government of Vietnam issues the Resolution on Visa Exemption for Entry to Vietnam for citizens of five European countries which are the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Spain, and Italy. This exemption is applied for a maximum duration of 15 days regardless of passport category and purpose of entry into Vietnam and is valid until June 30, 2021.

For any stay longer than 15 days, or for multiple entries stay in a period of fewer than 15 days, a visa is required. A period of 30 days is required after the last exit from Vietnam to benefit from the visa waiver measure again for a stay not exceeding 15 days.

4. Vaccine

First of all, according to the General Administration of Tourism of Vietnam, vaccination is not mandatory for a trip to Vietnam. We confirm that our country has a tropical climate and therefore there are mosquitoes. However, the case malaria exists only in remote and isolated areas in high mountains. According to our experience, the vaccine will be necessary for trekking trips in isolated areas of high mountains, in forests, lasting from 1 to 3 weeks. While this type of cultural tour will take you through areas where conditions are safe enough.

Usually, our travelers only use anti-mosquito products which are very effective and practical. So it is enough and there is no need to worry about it. However, we will advise you to buy some from home because, in Vietnam, it is difficult to find good quality products. Apart from these anti-mosquito products, it is better to prepare a long jean that can cover your legs completely while walking through rice fields.

Nowadays, all hotels apply very effective treatments against mosquitoes while mosquito nets are well prepared when staying at a local's house.

Note: If you are fragile and sensitive in contagious diseases, we strongly advise you to consult your doctor.

5. International flight

Our offer does not include international flights between your country and Vietnam for two reasons:

International flights from your country are more expensive if purchased in Vietnam. It is, therefore, more advantageous for you to buy them from a ticketing agency in your country.

The payment and booking conditions of international flights are strict while it is difficult for us, a local agency to apply the same conditions (full payment before the trip). Since international financial transactions involve significant bank charges, you will be required to pay unnecessary surcharges.

• Airlines that our travelers recommend :

Direct non-stop flights:

- Vietnam Airlines: https://www.vietnamairlines.com/vn/en/Home

- Air France: https://www.airfrance.fr/

Flights with stopovers :

Qatar Airways: https://www.qatarairways.com/fr-dz/homepage.html

Air Asia: https://www.airasia.com/en/gb

Cathay Pacific: https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/fr_FR/travel-information/oneworld.html

Malaysia Airlines: https://www.malaysiaairlines.com/uk/en.html

Singapore Airlines: https://www.singaporeair.com/en_UK/vn/home#/book/bookflight

Thai Airways: https://www.thaiairways.com/

Turkish Airlines: https://www.turkishairlines.com/

Lufthansa: https://www.lufthansa.com/vn/fr/homepage

Please note that our tour offers are always adaptable according to your arrival and return dates. So buy the tickets on the dates that suit you, and we will adapt the programming of your tour.

On our part, we are always at your disposal to do free research from a date or an airport if you wish. If you are interested in this proposal, we invite you to go directly to the airline's website to book the ticket, which will allow you to take advantage of the best flight rates.

List of our hotels:

The hotels offered by Horizon Vietnam Travel are classified from 02 to 05 stars at the international standard, and comfortable with all the required services.

+ Standard Category: 2 stars. The rooms are correct, clean, and equipped with a bathroom, satellite television, and air conditioning.

+ Superior category 3 stars. The rooms are generally spacious, and the services and facilities are more numerous.

+ First class category: 4 stars. The rooms are luxurious and spacious and have a wide choice of quality services.

+ Deluxe Category: 4-5 stars. Hotels are of excellent comfort and have a wide range of excellent services. (swimming pool, spa, jacuzzi…).

+ On the other hand, we have developed fair tourism, through contact with the local population, the possibility of sleeping with the locals and sharing their daily life. The conditions of these accommodations that we offer you are well insured and with the best possible conditions.

Our services include:

• Private transportation with air-conditioned vehicle
• Accommodation in the planned hotels or similar in the program with daily breakfast as mentioned 
• Meals are provided in local restaurants of typical Vietnamese cuisine (B=breakfast, L=lunch, D=dinner included)
• The English-speaking guide for each city.
• All entry fees to tourist sites
• All the permission to enter the tourist areas
• Boat tours as described in the program
• 02 bottles of mineral water of 0,5 (l)/person/day
• Other services as mentioned in the program (bicycle, boat trip, etc...)
• All fees for all other services as clearly described in the program above.

Our services exclude:

• Airfare on all domestic and international flights (quote separately)
• Drinks and surcharge for special requests on foods and meals
• Entrance fees, guide service during free time & other personal expenses
• Surcharge for public holidays (if any)
• Surcharge for other language-speaking tour guides (upon request)
• Travel insurance 
• Vietnam visa stamping fees 
• All other services are not stated in the program.

More information:

Horizon Vietnam Travel gives you an estimated price per person on our website for the group of six people in low season with standard 2 and 3-star hotels.

The price of this trip varies according to the services chosen (category of accommodation, activities during the trip,...), the tourist seasonality of the year (Christmas and end of year holiday, Lunar New Year holiday in Vietnam), the booking delays and especially the number of participants of your group you wish to travel with.

Please note that Horizon Vietnam Travel only organizes private "tailor-made" trips for groups from 2 persons. We generally propose an offer including all the services on the spot from your arrival until your departure.

Depending on your wishes and your budget, this tour can be adapted and modified in terms of duration, content and departure date.

HORIZON VIETNAM TRAVEL calculates its prices as closely as possible in order to guarantee you the best price/quality ratio.

Our advice: the earlier you book, the better your chances of getting good rates, especially for air services, think about it!

Note: The price of international flights is not included in this estimate.

Please note that this tour is only a first draft and you can also customize it according to your wishes. We remain at your disposal to build your trip perfectly to your expectations and your budget

To obtain a detailed and personalized estimate, please contact us to request an estimate.