Northern Vietnam off the Beaten Track - 10 Days

Welcome to Hanoi, where your journey through Vietnam begins. Your private driver will meet and welcome you at the airport, then take you to your hotel or accommodation. Settle in and recover from your flight. If you choose to stroll through the Old Quarter, you will discover the city's historic charm, French architecture and variety of goods and food. For a coffee break, we recommend one of the small local cafés rather than a familiar chain.

Meals are at your own expense, followed by an overnight stay at the hotel.

Overnight at a hotel in Hanoi.

Leave the hotel and travel via historic Ba Dinh Square, where President Ho Chi Minh proclaimed Vietnam's independence in 1945. Discover the distinctive architecture and atmosphere around the square, then reach Lenin Garden, a shared public space for local residents. This is an ideal opportunity to watch people and gain a sense of their daily activities. Continue through Hanoi's small lanes, where sewing workshops have remained in family hands for generations, and observe residents maintaining traditional ways of life. Bring your camera to record this distinctive experience. Continue your walk to the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first national university, built in the late 11th century, and explore its role in the country's past.

Then visit the fascinating Museum of Ethnology, closed on Mondays. It serves both as a research centre and as a public museum presenting Vietnam's ethnic groups.

Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant before walking through Hanoi's charming Old Quarter and its maze of lanes. Continue on foot to a lively street where numerous food and vegetable sellers offer their goods each day.

Overnight at a hotel in Hanoi.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch

After breakfast, leave Hanoi and travel through northern Vietnam's attractive mountain scenery to Mai Chau. The approximately 3.5-hour journey passes green valleys, small villages and striking views of the surrounding mountains.

Set among rice fields and limestone mountains, Mai Chau is home to the White Thai ethnic community. On arrival, check in at Mai Chau Ecolodge, which blends into its natural surroundings and offers wonderful valley views.

After lunch, explore the area by bicycle. Follow quiet paths through White Thai villages, passing traditional stilt houses, rice and maize fields, and small gardens. Along the way, discover local daily life and gain insights into the community's culture and traditions.

In the evening, enjoy a traditional dance performance by village residents. Local rice wine, “Ruou Can”, is served and traditionally shared from large earthenware jars.

Overnight in Mai Chau.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch

After breakfast, travel to Sam Khoe village, the starting point for an easy walk through northern Vietnam's striking scenery. Surrounded by the foothills of the Tonkinese Alps, explore remote villages and gain insights into local life. Meet villagers going about their daily work, observe traditional crafts and experience the relaxed atmosphere of rural Vietnam.

Then transfer to Pu Luong for lunch at a local restaurant.

In the afternoon, discover the natural surroundings of Pu Luong Nature Reserve on a leisurely walk. First, travel to Ban Cong and begin a walk of approximately 2.5 km. Cross a suspension bridge to reach one of the region's most picturesque villages beside a stream. Along the way, enjoy views of rice terraces, traditional homes and Pu Luong's lush landscape. Particularly striking are the large waterwheels used by local ethnic communities for generations to irrigate their fields.

At Chieu Lau Dam, take a relaxing bamboo-raft ride. Glide along the river with local people through peaceful scenery, seeing the region from a fresh perspective.

On the other side of the river, continue walking along small paths through rice fields and villages. Meet your driver and return to your accommodation in the late afternoon.

Overnight at Pu Luong Retreat.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch

Set off in the morning on a varied walk through the impressive scenery of Pu Luong Nature Reserve. The route leads downhill for approximately 6 km through a beautiful valley of extensive rice terraces and lush vegetation. Narrow paths reveal changing views of the surrounding mountains and unspoilt countryside.

Pass the small villages of Uoi and Lan, set among rice fields and palm groves. Gain further insights into traditional local life and enjoy the peaceful mountain atmosphere. The changing scenery offers plenty of opportunities for memorable photographs.

Pause at a particularly scenic viewpoint for a picnic lunch in natural surroundings. Afterwards, return to your accommodation and spend the rest of the day at leisure.

Overnight at Pu Luong Retreat.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch

After breakfast, travel to Ninh Binh province, one of Vietnam's most scenic regions. Huge limestone mountains rise from green valleys, creating the dramatic backdrop that has earned the area the nickname “Halong Bay on Land”.

On arrival, continue to Tho Ha village in the Nho Quan area. Take a relaxed bicycle ride through the countryside, approximately 5–15 km according to your preference. Pass small villages, rice fields and peaceful scenery that offer an insight into rural life.

Continue to Dong Tam hamlet, where you join local people in traditional farming activities. Depending on the season, you may catch crabs, collect fish from ponds or help plant and water vegetables.

Afterwards, return to the village for a cooking class with a local family. Together, prepare regional specialities such as sweet-potato cakes and grilled fish, then enjoy a home-cooked lunch featuring the dishes you have made.

In the afternoon, take a rowing boat from Nha Le pier to the impressive Galaxy Cave, Dong Thien Ha. The cave's remarkable stalactite and stalagmite formations shimmer in the light. As you glide quietly through the cave, listen to the oars dipping into the water, drops falling from the rocks and the sounds of the resident bats.

Transfer to your hotel in the late afternoon.

Overnight at Tam Coc Retreat Resort.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch

After breakfast, meet your local guide and travel to Nam Dinh for a day of cultural encounters, traditional crafts and striking natural scenery.

Begin in Hong Quang village, one of Vietnam's best-known water-puppet villages. Watch local artisans making traditional water puppets and learn about the origins of this distinctive art form and how it has been passed from generation to generation.

Continue to Giao Thuy district and Xuan Thuy National Park. Travel by boat deep into the extensive wetlands to the shellfish farms. Enjoy a rustic lunch in a traditional shellfish-farming hut, surrounded by fresh sea air and coastal scenery.

At around 14:00, leave the national park and travel to EcoHost Hai Hau. After checking in, relax in the accommodation's green garden.

In the afternoon, explore Pham Phao village by bicycle. It is known for its woodcarving, traditional trumpet making and impressive Pham Phao Church.

Beside the church is Hai Minh painters' village. Visit some local artists and gain insights into their creative work. Around 40 painters live and work in the village, and their works are regularly exhibited in Hanoi galleries.

On the return journey, stop at the covered bridge of Luong Pagoda in Hai Anh commune. Built in the 16th century, the bridge is an architectural gem reflecting the charm of rural Vietnam. You will also gain insights into village life and traditions of ancestor worship and spiritual rituals.

Optional: visit a local family who make traditional twig brooms, an essential household item in Vietnam. If you wish, try making a broom yourself with guidance. This hands-on experience offers an insight into traditional craftsmanship.

After the visits, return to EcoHost for a soothing herbal foot bath and a relaxing pause for body and mind.

In the evening, enjoy a home-cooked dinner and a peaceful overnight stay in the countryside.

Overnight at EcoHost Hai Hau.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

After breakfast, check out and travel towards Halong alongside the Red River and emerald-green rice fields. On arrival, check in aboard the boat, cruise among the bay's limestone formations and explore its karst caves. After a busy morning, enjoy a delicious lunch of fresh seafood. Following a visit to a well-known limestone cave, there is an opportunity to swim or kayak in Halong Bay. You will also get a closer view of floating villages and shops.

Return to the boat for an early dinner. Afterwards, enjoy free time to take in the sea air or join the activities organised on board.

Overnight in a private cabin aboard Peony Cruise.

Meals included: breakfast, lunch, dinner

Enjoy breakfast and a moment to relax in the fresh sea air and admire the sunrise before exploring another cave. Remember to capture photographs of the bay's distinctive scenery.

Around midday, disembark and begin the return journey to Hanoi, where you will check in at your hotel.

Overnight at a hotel in Hanoi.

Meals included: breakfast / brunch

Your final day in Hanoi begins with a healthy breakfast. After checking out and completing the formalities, you can explore the city independently and shop for souvenirs. Later, your driver will collect you and take you to the airport for your flight home.

Your return flight marks the end of this ten-day journey through northern Vietnam.

Meals included: breakfast