Explore North Vietnam
Trip Overview
7 days / 6 nights
Take 7 days to venture through northern Vietnam’s most jaw-dropping landscapes. Experience the world-class hospitality of Topas Ecolodge, hike through rice terraces in Sapa, visit remote ethnic minorities and listen to the sounds of nature at Topas Riverside Lodge. Finish by and cruising through the magnificent Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay
Please note, as with all Topas tours, this itinerary can be tailored to your travel style and duration, so please contact us to arrange the ideal Vietnam experience for you.
Active
Moderate
Standard
Tour Price
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Highlights
- Staying at the world-renowned Topas Ecolodge high in the hills of Sapa
- Hiking through terraced rice fields, mountains and jungles deep in northern Vietnam and seeing minority villages
- Discovering the capital of Hanoi and beautiful Halong Bay
This Tour is Perfect for
- Exploring Northern Vietnam’s highlights and lesser visited mountain areas
- Relaxing after the travel restrictions due to Covid 19!
- Diving into the local culture of the Vietnamese as well as ethnic minorities
Detailed Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi and head to Topas Riverside Lodge
Day 2: Explore around the village. Hike to Nam Pa hut for a BBQ lunch.
Day 3: Hike to surrounding villages. Transfer to Topas Ecolodge
Day 4: Free time at Topas Ecolodge
Day 5: Morning at your leisure at the lodge, then Topas Mountain Express back to Hanoi
Day 6: Halong Bay day cruise.
Day 7: Transfer to Noi Bai airport for your departure.
Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi and head to Topas Riverside Lodge near Sapa (-/L/D)
Upon arrival at the airport, our driver will pick you up with a private car, then transfer you directly to Topas Riverside Lodge in the hidden Red Dao minority village of Nam Cang. Here you can either simply relax on the riverfront veranda or enjoy a dip in the cool waters after your journey, or talk to the team about exploring the surrondings. Dinner is served in traditional Vietnamese style in the evening.
Overnight at Topas Riverside Lodge
Day 2: Explore Nam Cang village (B/L/D)
Enjoy a good breakfast before starting a hike today. Meet your local tour guide in Nam Cang Village to gain some in depth knowledge of the intriguing Red Dzao community on our Red Dao Discovery experience.
As your guide acts as your interpreter and window to the Red Dao way of life, you will visit a silversmiths and see paper being made from bamboo. Find out why embroidery is such an important skill for women to learn and how they use generations of familial knowledge to concoct herbal remedies. You will then take a majestic 8km hike into a hidden valley. Steep mountain sides are covered in dense jungle and soon below you will see your destination – the Nam Pa BBQ hut on the edge of rice paddies by a white-water river and waterfall.
Enjoy the area and the suspension bridge (if you dare!) while your private BBQ lunch is prepared by your Red Dao host.
After lunch, return to the lodge to relax to the sound of the river rushing by the peaceful veranda. A Vietnamese dinner with fresh local produce is served in the lodge restaurant.
Overnight at Topas Riverside Lodge
Day 3: Cultural Encounters and to Topas Ecolodge (B)
Dive into the exquisite culture of northern Vietnam and meet Red Dzao and Blue H’mong communities on this pleasant hike through iconic rice terraces.
Meet with Blue H’mong families on the other side of the Hoang Lien Mountain Range and learn about their daily lives, farming and dying hemp fabric. Then, continue to Nam Nhiu village where you will quickly recognize the attributes of the Red Dzao, with beautifully embroidered outfits and shaved eyebrows. You will then meet our driver for a transfer to Topas Ecolodge.
Check in to your private bungalow and enjoy the afternoon at leisure at this certified Unique Lodge by National Geographic.
Overnight at Topas Ecolodge
Day 4: Topas Ecolodge (B/-/-)
The day is yours at leisure to enjoy the lodge. You may simply like to relax and enjoy the pools, sample delicious cuisine at the different restaurants and breathe in the fresh mountain air from your own private balcony. Or, to get more active you can talk with the team about hiking and biking options around the lodge.
After that, you may like to indulge in some locally inspired treatments at the wonderful spa on site.
You can also take a scheduled shuttle bus to Sapa to visit the town, or book a half-day tour to explore the highest peak of Indochina, Mt. Fansipan (3.143m) by the cable car.
Overnight at Topas Ecolodge
Day 5: Back to Hanoi (B/L/-)
Enjoy the morning at the lodge relaxing, taking a tour to local villages, or even climb a nearby mountain with a guide. Let us know what you would like to do and we can help arrange it!
At 14:00, you will have a Topas Mountain Express transfer back to Hanoi and arrive in the evening.
Overnight at Hong Ngoc Dynastie Hotel
Day 6: Explore Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay (B/L/–)
In the morning you will be picked up at your hotel for your day trip to Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay. Here, alongside cruising on your small ship, you will be paddled through caves in a smaller boat and also stop on a quiet beach. Lunch will be served on board and you will also reach Lan Ha Bay – a quieter version of the more famous Halong Bay.
If you wish, you can join a cooking class and enjoy Vietnamese tea, coffee, fresh fruit, and little cakes to keep you satisfied until you return to Hanoi. While the sun starts to drop and the sky fills with deep reds, purples, and yellows, enjoy the return sail back. Dock at the harbor, then get back onto the bus for transfer back to your hotel in Hanoi.
Overnight at Hong Ngoc Dynastie Hotel.
Day 7: Hanoi and your onward travel (B/-/-)
You are free to explore Hanoi on your own until time for transfer to Noi Bai airport for your departure- unless you wish to extend your tour. Please talk to us about the options to suit your personal preferences.
Tour Includes
Tour Excludes
- Private car and driver pick up from airport to Topas Ecolodge
- Covid Test
- Private English speaking guide and driver during hiking excursions in Sapa
- Shuttle bus transfer from Topas Riverside to Thanh Phu bridge
- 2 nights stay at Topas Ecolodge (twin shared Premium Executive bungalow)
- 2 nights at Topas Riverside lodge (twin shared Standard room)
- 2 nights at Hong Ngoc Dynastie Hotel (twin shared Superior room)
- Full day exploring Halong bay (group tour)
- Meals as indicated above (B = breakfast, L = lunch, D= Dinner) *
- All entrance fees to the indicated places
- Private car and driver for airport drop off
- Drinks and meals not mentioned in the detailed program
- Visa and international flights with airport taxes
- Personal insurance and personal expenses
- Tips for tour guide and driver
- Any other services not indicated above
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Hanoi: 1B Alley 12/2/5 Dang Thai Mai St. Tay Ho District
Sapa: 15 Le Van Tam Street
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