Explore Hanoi Vibes (IPV22)

Arrival at Hanoi’s Noi Bai International Airport, collect your luggage process through custom. Your private tour guide and driver from Indochina Pioneer will be waiting for you outside the baggage claim/ customs area to transfer you in a private vehicle to the hotel downtown. While every effort is made to have your room available upon arrival, check-in time is at 02:00 pm; your room may or may not be ready before this time. Your tour guide will provide additional details regarding your stay, and you will be able to ask any questions you may have. Have a rest before the exciting evening food adventure and nightlife experience at 17.00.

17.00 – 20.30
Your private guide will collect you at the hotel and take you out for the Evening food tour.
We’ll wander past street stalls and quiet residential lanes, where we can observe local life that has changed little since Hanoi was founded over 1000 years ago. This will bring us lots of sights and sounds of the evening in Hanoi.
During our walk, we will have plenty of opportunity to interact with the locals and sample various street food such as Banh Cuon (Vietnamese Steam Rice Rolls), Banh Mi (Vietnamese baguettes), Nom Du Du (Papaya Salad with beef), Bun Cha (grilled pork with vermicelli) and especially the amazing Egg Coffe. You’ll also venture down a small alley to join in the local tradition of feasting on fresh fruit served in a cup and smothered with crushed iced – this specialty is one not to be missed!

Overnight in Hanoi
Meals: (_/_/Dinner) – Halal Food Available Upon Request

At 5:00 am, your tour guide will greet you at your hotel. From the hotel, we will travel by taxi to the famous flower Quang Ba market, where hundreds of different kinds of flowers are being sold in bulk to the flower shop keepers. From there, we’ll transfer to Long Bien bridge, where underneath is one of the biggest and busiest fruit markets in the country. Both these markets are only seen in the early morning!

Next, we will travel on foot and see the Old Quarter begin to wake up. You will see street side markets preparing for the morning. We’ll make our way to Hoan Kiem Lake to witness, and maybe even take part in, people, young and old, exercising, doing tai chi, and jogging. As the sun rises, the light becomes perfect, take every opportunity to snap some of the best photos of your trip!

Finish the tour at your hotel around 8:00 am. Have breakfast and a rest before the half-day trip to Bat Trang & Van Phuc handicraft villages.
Bat Trang Pottery Village is located in the south-east of Hanoi, passing Chuong Duong Bridge turns right and go about 10 km along the dike of Red River. You will have the chance to soak deep into the local life. On the basis of tradition pottery technique, Bat Trang pottery workers have taken abused-propagated greatly the progress of science technology into every stage in making pottery. It has made many types of top-class pottery, that is useful and beautiful and it upgrades the sense of pottery art. You will also have time for shopping before transferring to Van Phuc village, which has been well-known for its “Lua Van” or silk weaving craft. The silk of Van Phuc is of high artistic value. Drive back to Hanoi in the late afternoon.

Overnight in Hanoi
Meals: (Breakfast/_/_) – Halal Food Available Upon Request

Around 8:00
Meet your tour guide at your hotel and start a 2-hour road trip toward Ninh Binh Province.

Around 10:00 am, you will arrive at Hoa Lu. Here you will visit the Ancient Capital with the remaining two temples of Dinh King and Le King. This visit offers you a chance to learn more about part of feudal dynasties in Vietnamese history, as well as the old feudal architecture of Vietnamese Temples.

11:30
Leaving Hoa Lu you proceed to Tam Coc. Lunch will be served at a local restaurant (service local specialties. Vegetarian meal is upon request).

13:30
After lunch, you will take a 5-minute walk to the docks to embark on a 3-hour boat trip to visit Tam Coc (you will sit on a sampan boat with local rower). Known as “Halong Bay on land”, Tam Coc are three limestone caves stretching along the splendid Ngo Dong River. During the boat trip, you will enjoy the majestic and impressive natural landscapes reflexing from the spectacular Limestone Mountains, rice paddies, and temples. You also explore three caves including Hang Ca (first cave), Hang Hai (second cave) and Hang Ba (third cave).

16:00
After returning to the docks, you will enjoy a leisure bicycle ride through the village lanes. Arrive at a mountain where you will climb a few hundred steps to visit Mua Cave and a small temple of Quan Am (the Goddess of Mercy. From the top, you can enjoy the panorama view of the amazing rice paddies and the Ngo Dong River below. A perfect spot for Facebook Portrait.
After the tour, you will drive back to Hanoi where your great day trip ends at around 18:00

Overnight in Hanoi
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_) – Halal Food Available Upon Request

08:00
After breakfast, you will be collected and transferred for 4 hours (140km) from Hanoi to Halong City and port. As Halong Bay is so popular, there is usually a crowd of boats at the docks – please be reassured that the cruise itself will be scenic and relaxing.

12.00 – 12.30 approx
Arrive at Tuan Chau Marina. Welcome aboard the cruise. Refresh with our welcome drink. Meet the captain, crew in the cruise briefing. Check into your cabin. Time to refresh and unwind.
Set sail as lunch is served.
Join us for a typical local lunch in the dining room or at the outdoor dining area. Mingle yourself in the stunning views of the Bay and the dramatic limestone islets as we sail through the calm emerald waters heading to Maze cave.
In the late afternoon, we will arrive at the Amazing cave (hang Sửng Sốt), explore the cave and find out how the cave was named Amazing.
Reach the peak point of the cave for a breathtakingly panoramic view of the bay.
Back to the boat, our cruise will take you to a stunning tranquilizing isolated lagoon for swimming or just simply relaxing on the boat with our spa service and mingle in the picturesque seascape.
Heading back toward the sleeping area.

In the evening, watch the sunset from the summit on the sundeck while enjoying our pre-dinner local wine appetizer. It’s ideal time to make acquaintance with new friends, sharing your traveling experience or simply watching the sunset.

19:00
A dinner with an authentic Vietnamese menu will be served.
After dinner, reward yourself with a large selection of cocktails at our bar, or take on one of our onboard activities: book reading, games, movies, and squid fishing…

Overnight on board
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/Dinner) – Halal Food Available Upon Request

7:00 – 8:00
Local breakfast will be served on board.

8:00
– Mingle yourself in the stunning views of the Bay and the dramatic limestone islets as we sail through the calm emerald waters heading to Luon Cave (Hang Luồn)
– Take your option of either exploring the cave yourself on a kayak or comfortably on a bamboo boat rowed by the locals.

9:00
Check out the cabins, at your leisure while your cruise taking you to pass by other beautiful highlights in the bay.

10:00
You will join a short class of cooking demonstration, learning how to make spring rolls before an early lunch is served.

12:00
Return to the shore and disembark from the cruise as our crew says farewell. Wind your way back to Hanoi with a stop en route for refreshment.

17:30 – 18:30
Return to your hotel for some rest before your guide will take you on a walking and shopping tour of the Old Quarter. Along the iconic Hoan Kiem lake and the most exciting shopping part of the Old Quarter, including Hang Gai– Hang Bong – Nha Tho street, the best place to pick up some high quality, fashionable silk items, lacquerware, embroidered goods, and ethnic-minority crafts; Hang Dau (Shoes street), where hundreds of shoe-sellers lining. Most of the footwear consists of brand names made at Vietnamese factories that have been rejected as seconds, making them a great purchase with usually only a small imperfection. There are also plenty of fake North Face, Samsonite bags where Hang Dau Street meets Lo Su.

18.30 – 21.30
Picked up by the private car for a 20-minute drive to Japanese retail giant AEON Shopping Mall. Here you can spend 1 – 2 hours at the huge Japanese food court, shopping for local brand clothes (Cafina, The Blue Exchange and Bata, etc.) at a remarkably good price, as well as households and other stuff. Get back to the hotel at about 21.00.

Overnight in Hanoi
Meals: (Breakfast/Lunch/_) – Halal Food Available Upon Request

Today will be at your own leisure. Breakfast will still be included and check out will be at mid-day.
Depending on your departure time, a private driver will collect you from the hotel and transfer you back to the airport for your departure flight.

Meals: (Breakfast/_/_) – Halal Food Available Upon Request