Essence of Vietnam 16 days

Day 1: Arrive Hanoi (D)
Warmly welcome on arrival Hanoi airport. Transfer to hotel. At leisure. Afternoon private walking city tour to visit local market. Evening enjoy water puppet show. Welcome dinner at local restaurant. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour - Lao Cai (B/L)
Full Day City Tour in Hanoi - Vietnam 's artistic and intellectual capital. Explore the fascinating Old Quarter and its hundreds of specialty shops selling silk clothing, lacquerware, embroidered linens, furniture, bamboo, cooking utensils, ceremonial objects and more.

Enjoy people watching at stylish cafes. Shop for impressive modern art in the city's many galleries. Also visit Hanoi 's main cultural attractions, including the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, his House on Stilts, the One Pillar Pagoda, the Fine Arts Museum and the Temple of Literature. Your adventure trip to Sapa begins with an overnight train from Vietnam 's capital city to the border town of Lao Cai. Overnight on train.

Day 3: Arrive Lao Cai - Sapa (B/L)
Early arrives at Lao Cai station at approximately 6:00 am. There will be a vehicle waiting to transfer us to Sapa. The drive to Sapa is only 33 km but it takes around 1.5 hours.

Once at Sapa, we will check-in hotel (Early check-in subject to availability). Have breakfast at the hotel restaurant then enjoy a free time to explore around town. At 10 a.m. from the hotel there will be a walking tour to the hill tribe villages of Cat Cat, home to the H'mong hill tribes minority peoples. As we walk to the villages nestled in the valley below Sapa, we will meet some of the local minority people on their way to and from Sapa. Here we have the opportunity to share cultural experiences with the families that live in the area. Overnight in Sapa.

Day 4: Sapa (B/L)
Following breakfast at we explore the Sapa daily market and then set out on our 3-4 hour trek that will take us along buffalo paths and trails and through several hilltribe villages of Lao Chai and Tavan, home to H'mong, and Dzay people. This is an absolutely spectacular walk through stunning scenery inhabited by some of the friendliest people you can meet. Picnic lunch on the way at a family in Ta Van village. Overnight in Sapa.

Day 5. Sapa - Lao Cai -Train back to Hanoi (B
Following breakfast, we drive to explore the Bac Ha Sunday market - the most interesting hill tribe market in Asia. Visit some villages of H'Mong people before we transfer back to Lao Cai for the train journey back to Hanoi. Overnight on train.

Day 6: Lao Cai - Hanoi - Cooking Class (B/D)
Early arrive Hanoi . Pick up and transfer to hotel. Free. At leisure. 
In the afternoon taking part in a cooking class and enjoy dinner prepared by you. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 7: Halong Bay Excursion (B/L)
In the morning you will drive to Halong Bay City, approximately 3 hours away. Once at Halong Bay City you are welcome on board for a four-hour cruise on the the stunning bay, stopping along the way to visit one of the limestone caves in the area. As you are cruising, the boat crew will serve you a sumptuous local seafood lunch. After 4 hour navigation you sail back to harbor and rejoin car back to your hotel in Hanoi. Overnight in Hanoi.

Day 8: Hanoi - Danang - Hoi An (B)
Free until transfer to airport for flight to Danang. Pick up and Hoi An. Afternoon tour of Marble Mountains and Cham Museum or ruins in My Son. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 9: Hoi An (B)
Enjoy a free day at leisure in Hoian. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 10: Hoi An (B)
At leisure or optional tour to the former Imperial Capital Hue. Overnight in Hoi An.

Day 11: Hoi An - Nha Trang (B)
Transfer and flight to Nha Trang for three-night stay. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Day 12: Nha trang (B)
Free at leisure. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Day 13: Nha trang: (B)
Free at leisure. Overnight in Nha Trang.

Day 14: Nha trang - HCMC (B)
Transfer and flight to HCMC for two-night stay. Afternoon private city touring by cyclo. Overnight in HCMC.