Legends Of Northern Vietnam - 9 Days:

Hanoi Street Food & Old Quarter Experience

(Vietnam Tours – Vietnam Adventures – Vietnam Tour)

Overview

In Hanoi, food is more than just a meal – it’s a way of life. The streets are alive with sizzling woks, fragrant broths, and bustling vendors serving up dishes passed down through generations. This walking food tour takes you into the heart of Hanoi’s Old Quarter, where you’ll sample authentic street foods, explore hidden alleyways, and soak up the vibrant atmosphere. End the evening with a traditional water puppet show, a unique Vietnamese art form dating back centuries.

🌟 Highlights

• 🍜 Sample delicious Vietnamese street food just like the locals do

• 🚶‍♂️ Stroll through hidden alleyways and bustling markets in the Old Quarter

• 🍤 Try local specialties influenced by French and Chinese cuisine

• ☕ Savor Hanoi’s famous egg coffee with views over Hoan Kiem Lake from a secret café

• 🚲 Enjoy a cyclo ride through the 36 ancient streets of the Old Quarter

• 🎭 Watch the iconic Water Puppet Show, a must-see cultural performance

✅ Inclusions

• 🗣 English-speaking tour guide

• 🍽 6–8 street food vendor stops with 10 tastings

• 🥤 Drinks: 1 bottle of water, 1 cup of fresh local beer, rice wine, egg coffee, and local dessert

❌ Exclusions

• 🚫 Additional drinks and extra food portions

• 💰 Tips for local guide

🗓 Schedule Details

• Duration: 3 hours walking (approx. 2.5 km)

• Evening plan: After the street food tour, enjoy free time exploring the Old Quarter before attending the Water Puppet Show – a centuries-old craft unique to Vietnam.

Overview

Hoa Lu – Tam Coc offers the perfect blend of history, culture, and nature for a one-day getaway from Hanoi. Step back into Vietnam’s 10th century at the ancient capital of Hoa Lu, where two temples honor the kings who defended the nation during a turbulent era. Then, glide along the peaceful Ngo Dong River on a traditional sampan boat to admire the stunning karst landscapes of Tam Coc – often called “Ha Long Bay on Land”. Cap off the day with a leisurely cycle to Bich Dong Pagoda, passing rice fields, rivers, and limestone peaks.

🌟 Highlights

• 🏯 Explore Hoa Lu – Vietnam’s ancient capital and historic temples of the Le & Dinh Dynasties

• 🚣 Enjoy a scenic boat trip through Tam Coc’s limestone caves and lush countryside

• 🚴‍♀️ Cycle to Bich Dong Pagoda along peaceful rural paths

• 🌄 Witness epic northern Vietnam landscapes with a professional guide

• 🚌 Convenient round-trip hotel transportation (Hanoi Old Quarter area)

• 💪 Suitable for all fitness levels

🗓 Itinerary

AM (8:00 – 8:30) – Pick-up at your hotel in Hanoi Old Quarter. Depart for Hoa Lu (approx. 2.5 hrs). Visit the historic capital of Vietnam and the ancient temples dedicated to Kings Le and Dinh.

12:30 PM – Transfer from Hoa Lu to Tam Coc for a Vietnamese lunch.

PM – After lunch, enjoy a boat trip on the Ngo Dong River to admire Tam Coc’s towering limestone formations and hidden caves. Continue with a cycling trip (approx. 5 km) through villages, rice paddies, and rivers to Bich Dong Pagoda.

Late afternoon – Return to Hanoi, arriving around 18:30–19:00.

Evening extension: After returning, rest at your hotel lobby before being transferred to the train station for an overnight train to Sapa – a unique Vietnam travel experience. Alternative transport options such as bus or private car are also available.

Overview

Experience the breathtaking landscapes and vibrant ethnic cultures of Sapa with a guided trek through the Muong Hoa Valley. This journey takes you from the bustling town of Sapa into the heart of the countryside, visiting Y Linh Ho, Lao Chai, and Ta Van villages. Along the way, you’ll walk through terraced rice fields, meet local families, and discover the traditions of the Black H’Mong and Dzay minorities.

🗓 Itinerary

06:30 – Arrive at Lao Cai Train Station, meet your tour guide and driver, and transfer by shared tourist bus to Sapa (approx. 1 hour). Along the way, enjoy stunning mountain views and impressive rice terraces.

Upon arrival in Sapa, check in early if rooms are available. If not, refresh in a basic room before breakfast.

09:30 – Begin your trek with a 6 km walk downhill to Y Linh Ho Village, home to the Black H’Mong people. Continue with a 3 km trek to Lao Chai Village, where you’ll stop for a simple local lunch and explore the village.

After lunch, continue trekking through terraced rice fields to Ta Van Village, home of the Dzay minority. Learn about their unique culture while surrounded by breathtaking landscapes.

At the end of the trek, transfer back to Sapa by vehicle.

Trekking Details

• Trekking level: moderate

• Distance: 10 km trekking, 8 km driving (from Ta Van back to Sapa)

• Accommodation: Homestay in Ta Van / 3 star hotel in Sapa

Around 09:30Am, after having had a restful night and enjoyable breakfast, it is time to take an 8 km walk to visit 2 villages of the red Dzao people, the H’mong who are located in Giang Ta Chai Su Pan villages. Situated at the edge of Muong Hoa Valley, Giang Ta Chai is gaining popularity as one of the most scenic and interesting locations for visitors who enjoy experiencing the colorful traditional customs and costumes that are always on show here. While Supan is considered as a less travelled and more withdrawn village because of its small population base.

There are breath taking and beautiful landscapes throughout this mountainous area, including a stunning waterfall, rattan bridges, and some exquisite ferns and orchids that drape from the overhanging branches of so much lush vegetation. After Giang Ta Chai and Su Pan visits, it is hard to have to leave this area, but we again have opportunity to do more exploration in Sapa town, so the bus ride allows some recovery time... and lots of photos and stories will no doubt be told on the brief ride back. Tour ends at around 15:30 or 16:00. Overnight in Sapa.

• Trekking level: 5/10

• Trekking: 10Km

• Accommodation: Hotel in Sapa

After breakfast around 9.00am, we start explore the village a little bit further to the South-west of Sapa (around 4 km) to visit Cat Cat village of the Black H’mong. This trek offers some stunning views of the waterfall and the vestige of a hydro-electric power station which was built in the early 20th century. Also here you will have the opportunity to see the villagers working on the paddy rice fields, their children playing around, and the animal such as water-buffaloes, pot-bellied pigs and chickens. After crossing a village, you will arrive at the picturesque waterfall which is an ideal place for resting & taking pictures. Enjoy your lunch and the mountainous scenery.

Later, continuing to hike to Sin Chai village (3km) that situated on the bottom of Fansipan Mountain, also well-known as ‘the roof of Vietnam and Indochina”. There you will enjoy huge stunning and sleeping landscape before heading off to Sapa town.

• Trekking level: 4/10

• Trekking: 7KM trekking, 3Km driving from Cat Cat back to Sapa.

• You will get overnight bus back to hotel in Ha Noi.

Coming to Bai Tu Long Bay, you will be charmed by its wild beauty with stone mountains, caves, long sandy beach and lovely fishing village. With our Cruise experience, an elegant designed and well-furnished cruise, we are provided you a unique and unforgettable trip.

07h30: Pick up from your hotel in Hanoi. Drive to Ha Long City through the green fields in the Red River Delta.

10h00: Stopover on the way for a refreshment break.

12h00: Embark at Ha Long wharf – Break and photography time

12h30: Boat Cruises on Halong, enjoy a welcoming drink and cruise briefing.

13h30: Have lunch while cruising in Bai Tu Long Bay, admiring the fascinating rock formations in the bay.

15h30: Transfer by tender to Thien Canh Son cave. Our tour guide will take you to a huge cave with many interesting stalactite and stalagmite in different amazing shapes …. After about half an hour visiting, you will go back to tender and return to the boat. Then return to cruise for your leisure or join sunbathing, enjoy swimming in the crystal clear water. Join with cooking class by our chef.

19h00: Vietnamese style set dinner is served on board.

21h00: Take some leisure time to enjoy chatting at the bar or enjoy some night fishing. Stay overnight on boat.

07h30: Have breakfast and enjoy sunrise on the bay.

09h00: Visit ancient Vung Vieng floating village you are not only be immersed in the quiet and peaceful atmosphere, but also be surrounded by the rocky mountains by small bamboo boat for an hour in to the ancient village then return to cruise for relaxing and check out the room.

10h30: Have lunch while cruising back through Ha Long Bay to the pier

11h30: Disembark at Ha long wharf, time to say goodbye to the crew.

12h00: Return from Ha Long to Hanoi.

14h00: Stopover on the way for a refreshment break.

16h00: Arrive in Hanoi. End of the trip.

Breakfast at hotel, there is no activities for today, till our driver take you to airport for flight to home. Trip ends