Xin Chao and welcome to Vietnam! Upon arrival to Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport, a Topas representative will welcome you to the land of the ascending dragon before heading straight to your hotel in the heart of the city. The day is at leisure to discover Hanoi on your own, wandering the crooked alleys of the iconic Old Quarter and the promenade around Hoan Kiem Lake.

Included meals: N/A
Distance and Activities: 45’ transfer

Hanoi by Vintage Motorcycle is a fun way to experience the sights, smells, and tastes of Hanoi… and we mean the real Hanoi, not just the run-off-the-mill tourist sites. The tour takes you to places you would be unlikely to see otherwise, through a maze of narrow, zigzagging backstreets, through the old French boulevards and even some off roading along the Red River! You will taste the most delicious dishes that Hanoi offers and also visit some of the must-see landmarks along the way.

Included meals: Breakfast and Lunch
Distance and activities: 4,5 hours sightseeing

Depart Hanoi after a leisurely breakfast for a 2-hour drive east to the port city of Hai Phong. From Hai Phong, board your cruise for an epic voyage through Lan Ha Bay, the pristine little sister of the popular (and crowded) tourist destination, Halong Bay.

Check in to your cabin and get accustomed with your cruise ship. Tuck into an onboard lunch while sailing between the limestone karst formations the region is known for. Spend the afternoon deep within Cat Ba National Park, hiking through Trung Trang Valley to Trung Trang cave, a 2000-year-old cavern filled with stalactites and stalagmites.

Return to the ship for some downtime, enjoying a traditional Vietnamese cooking class and a delicious dinner onboard before retiring for the night in your comfy cabin.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance and Activities: 2h drive – Sightseeing walk

As the sun rises over the bay, join the ancient practice of Tai Chi on the sundeck, a martial art known for its health benefits and meditational use. After working up an appetite, sit down for a delectable breakfast as the boat docks at Viet Hai pier. This is the only way to reach Viet Hai Village as there are no roads connecting it to the rest of Cat Ba Island.

Cycle along well-made paths for 3.5 km to reach the village. Spend time getting to know the history and traditions of the Vietnamese people who live there, enjoying a lunch before setting off for Van Boi, a secluded beach area where you have time to swim, sunbathe, and kayak.

After dinner on the ship, retire to your cabin or stay for a showing of Top Gear: Vietnam Edition, to see a familiar site at the episode’s finale.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance and Activities: 3.5km cycling – Full-day swimming and kayaking

Enjoy your last morning in the Gulf of Tonkin with an excursion via bamboo boat to the Dark and Bright Cave, one of Halong Bay’s most atmospheric water caves. Look out for monkeys on the tree-lined shores, sometimes visible on the rock faces or swinging from the branches, before returning to the cruise ship for last-minute photos.

Return to Hanoi for an afternoon at leisure until your overnight train departure to the valleys and mountains of Sapa. Settle into your cozy bed and let the clickety-clack of the railroad tracks lull you to sleep.

Included meals: Brunch
Distance and Activities: 2h transfer – 8h overnight train ride

Your train arrives to Lao Cai Station in the early morning hours, around 5am. From here, a car will transfer you the remaining 30 minutes up the mountain to the hill-station of Sapa, where you will have breakfast.

Then, the fun really begins! Trek downhill from Hang Da, a Black Hmong Village, taking in the beautiful mountain vistas on the way to Hau Chu Ngai, another Black Hmong Village. Browse their hand-embroidered textiles and visit their homes before moving on to Thanh Phu of the Tay minority group in the valley. The trek continues to My Son, where the Xa Pho, one of the most isolated groups in Sapa, live. The trek ends in Nam Cang, a Red Dzao Village, which is also where the accommodation for the night is, the boutique homestay styled Topas Riverside Lodge.

The Red Dzao are noted as great healers, so this is a great opportunity to try traditional methods such as herbal baths made with herbs plucked from the mountainside, either before or after dinner.

Note: Due to the high altitude, the morning walk may shift to the lower valley of Lao Chai and Ta Van if the weather is too foggy to see anything.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Distance and Activities: 13 km trek – 45’ transfer

Discover the jungle on a gentle hike this morning. See where the villagers plant cardamom along with other herbs and spices that can fetch a good price in the local markets, and make your way to the local stream, dipping your toes in or going for a final swim.

Enjoy the scenery, which is notably wilder than yesterdays, before heading back to the lodge through the forest for lunch. Then, say good-bye to your host family and depart for Topas Ecolodge by private transfer. Enjoy the afternoon at leisure at this certified National Geographic lodge.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Distance and Activities: 8km jungle hike – 30’ transfer

The day is yours at leisure until a mid-afternoon departure for Hanoi via the Topas Mountain Express. Sunbathe and splash in the pools, sample delicious cuisine at the restaurant, breathe in the fresh mountain air from your bungalow’s balcony, or indulge in some locally inspired treatments at the wonderful spa on site.

Check-in to your Hanoi hotel in the early evening, then you are free to discover Hanoi on your own.

Included meals: Breakfast
Transfer Distance and Activities: 5.5h drive

Spend your day at leisure until a late afternoon flight to central Vietnam’s Hue. Upon arrival, check in to your hotel and explore the city independently.

Included meals: Breakfast
Distance and Activities: 45’ transfer – 1h20’ flight

Start your morning with a calm cycling tour down colonial Le Loi Head boulevard, looking out for colonial mansions before crossing the iconic Truong Tien bridge, built by none other than Gustave Eiffel (who also built the Eiffel Tower). Park your bike to roam the grand Hue Citadel, a walled city of parks and lakes as well as a traditional garden house where you can enjoy lunch.

Spend the afternoon gliding down the Perfume River on a colorful dragon boat to two different tombs on UNESCO’s list for preservation due to their cultural and historical significance. First, explore the rural setting of Emperor Tu Duc’s mausoleum, with its spacious fields and lotus ponds. Then, wander the immaculately landscaped gardens and ornate temples of Emperor Minh Mang, the final resting place of one of the Nguyen Dynasty’s staunchest Confucians.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Distance and activities: 2h cycling – 3h boat ride

Not only is Hue a wonderful place to discover because of its legendary history, but also because of the lush scenery that surrounds it. Leave the sleepy city on a day excursion to Bach Ma National Park, one of Vietnam’s least-visited protected reserves.

Spend the morning hiking to Hai Vong Dai for a panoramic overview of Lang Co Beach, Cau Hai Lagoon, and even the Hai Van Pass. Then, push through the verdant rainforest to the picnic lunch stop beside the ethereal Five Lakes, a group of interconnected bodies of water-colored stunning shades of green and blue. Rest in the shade or take a swim through the refreshing waters in order to have enough energy for the final stop of the day, Do Quyen Waterfall. Watch the waters plunge from off a 300m cliff before making your way back to the car for the return drive to Hue.

Included meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Distance and Activities: 3h round-trip transfer – 12km trekking

Enjoy your last morning in Hue before your transfer to the airport for your onward flight.

Included meals: Breakfast
Distance and Activities: 20’ transfer