Sapa and Halong Bay

Tours in the North of Vietnam: The life of urban, suburban, country side and hill tribes Vietnam people. The beautiful landscape of North Vietnam

Day 1: Hanoi arrival  (D).

Our guide will meet you at Noi Bai airport and escort  you to a hotel in the center of Hanoi.  The tour will start in the afternoon with 2 hours cyclo tour around the Hoan Kiem Lake, Ngoc Son Temple and Old Quarter streets. You are then attend the Water Puppets show. Enjoy welcome dinner and over night in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi- Ha Long bay (B/L/D)

8:00 our car will drive you to Halong. 12h30: Welcome on board of Halong Boat and set sail through bay while lunch is serverd. Please into the magical bay, where thousands of sculpted limestone islands rise from the waves like dragons’teeth. Opportunity to visit beautiful limestone grotto, go swimming or sunbathing. Enjoy cocktails while watching sunset and later unwind at  restaurant. If weather permits a short night cruise could bring you a nice discovery of the sea life by night.

Day 3: Halong- Hanoi (B/L)

7:30: Breakfast. After breakfast, a short trek to a nearby summit.  9h30: Return on board for a final glimpse of the Halong Bay while cruising back to the dock. Drive back Hanoi.
In late evening, our guide will come to your hotel, we will take the night train to Lao Cai – Sapa.

Day 4: Lao Cai- Sapa (B/ L)

You will arrive at Lao Cai at about 6:30. Short car trip to Sapa of about 40km from Lao Cai. Check in a hotel in Sapa. Relax or optional visit in the morning. In the afternoon, 2 hours trekking to visit Catcat village, home of a Black H’mong hill tribe, which is just 7 km from Sapa town. Overnight in Sapa.

Day 5: Sapa (B/ L) 

In the morning, trek to Lao Chai – Ta Van village, Home of Dzay and Black Mong hill tribes. While trekking around the village, meeting and talking with local hill tribes to learn more about their daily life, customs and traditional habits. Optional visit around Sapa town or take a rest before taking car/bus trip back to Lao Cai train station. Get on the train return to Hanoi.

Day 6: Hanoi (B)

5:30 A.M. arrive at the station of Hanoi. Get your own taxi to the pre-booked hotel in the old town of Hanoi. Early check in. After breakfast, take a bath and relax at a budget hotel for a while (check-out time is at noon) before the car will take you to airport for departure home or more visit the South of Vietnam.

Type of tour: – Private tour – Easy/Adventure tour -

Departure:  Any day

PRICE in USD per person

Size of Group	2 pax	3 – 4 pax	5 – 8 pax	9 – 12 pax	Single Supplemental
5 May-  30 Aug
Mid-range (3+*)	470	462	440	429	82
Superior (4*)	509	495	473	462	126
Deluxe (5*)	646	605	583	572	187
Premium (5+*)	764	726	704	687	242
01 Sep – 4 May
Mid-range (3+*)	500	489	451	440	88
Superior (4*)	533	528	517	495	132
Deluxe (5*)	715	682	660	649	269
Premium (5+*)	836	814	792	770	286

Accommodation	Mid-range (3+*)	Superior (4*)	Deluxe (5*)	Premium (5+*)
Hanoi hotels	Platinum2, Majestic Salute	Sunway, Movenpick, Zephyr	Sofitel Plaza, Melia, Horison	Sofitel Metropole
Halong Junks	Bien Ngoc Cruise, Bai Tu Long	Phoenix Cruise	Lagoon Explorer, Red Dragon	Ginger Cruise, Indochina Sails
Sapa hotels	Mountain View (deluxe), Royal	Bamboo/ Royal View	Victoria hotel	Victoria hotel

Includes:  

- Hotel accommodation as specific or similar, base on twin sharing – with early check in room in Hanoi on day 6
- Boat accommodation on Halong Bay (overnight on the traditional junk)
- Transportation
- Train ticket (Soft sleeper, AC)
- All entrance fees – English speaking guide. Other languages can be arranged upon request.
- Meals as per program (B = breakfast, L= Lunch, D= dinner)

Excludes: 

- Drinks, except otherwise mentioned
- International flight and international airport tax on departure
- Insurance
- Personal expenses & Tips
- Taxi from Hanoi station to your hotel (about 3 USD/taxi)
- Vietnam Visa – this can be done with First Choice Travel

Sapa and Red Dragon Cruise

Northern Vietnam Tour: Based on many requests from the customers, First Choice will launched a popular travel packages: Halong Bay & Sapa.
With the success of the Red Dragon Cruises on Halong Bay (www.reddragoncruise.com), many customers come to us with an extensions to Sapa, the hill tribe town in Northern Vietnam.

After Halong Bay with Red Dragon, First Choice will arrange the combined trip to Sapa by overnight train
First Choice will use first-class trains like King Express, Livitrans, Orient Express and Hara Royal Trains.
We set up an excellent accommodation in Sapa like Bamboo, Chau Long Hotel (new wing), Victoria Resort & Spa. Home-Stay is also a good choice for travelers to gain another experience.

TRAVEL ITINERARY

The night before: 19.45 pm transfer to the Hanoi train station for boarding at 21:10. You will be in shared AC soft sleeper cabins to travel North to Lao Cai town.

Day 1: Hanoi – Lao Cai – Sapa, trek to Ta Phin (~ 14 km)

Today’s morning: The train arrives at about 6:30 am; look for your name sign when you exit the train station, as our guide will pick you up. Then take a morning drive through the clouds by car / van to Sapa (~ 1 hour). When you arrive in Sapa you will be taken to a local restaurant for a morning shower & breakfast.  We will then take short ride from Sapa to our trekking base where we start our trek up and down hills through terraced rice fields, bamboo ranges and many minority villages. Lunch break before we keep hitting the road to Ta Phin village. Our Dao host family will welcome you to their traditional home where we will share in an ethnic style dinner and stay the night.

Day 2: More in Ta Phin, back to Sapa, then Lao Cai for night train to Hanoi

At the first gleam of daylight, you will see and hear the sounds of morning village life. You can join your host family in some of their activities like feeding the animals, cleaning the houses, gardening or preparing breakfast. After breakfast, we could take a short morning wander around the village or resulting in more time spent with the host family.  You will be then supported by our car / van back to Sapa (30 minutes). When we arrive back in Sapa. Take a rest and pause for lunch on your own. At 14:30 we will take an easy walk (~ 5km) to Cat Cat village, homeland of Black H’mong hill tribe and to take part in a traditional ethnic music performance put on by the ethnic minority people. We will then be picked up at Sapa town for our ride to Lao Cai. Dinner on your own well before the train leaves for Hanoi. Arrive in Hanoi at about 5:00 A.M. Please find your own way back to your hotel.  Note: The music show in Cat Cat is closed on Wed afternoon, an alternative will be arranged.

Day 3: Hanoi – Ha Long, welcome on the boat

Arrival in Hanoi in the early morning at around 5:00 am. Please find your way by foot back to a mini hotel near the Tran Quy Cap station gate to have shower and basic set menu breakfast.  Depart, 8:00 – 8: 30 am on a shared van from your hotel to Halong city. After 3.5 hours driving and viewing simple, country side, rice paddy life, we arrive at the at port. At 12.00, the junk crews welcome guests on board at Hon Gai Wharf. Check- in, enjoy welcome drink & cruise briefing. Lunch with fresh local seafood while cruising to Bai Tu Long bay via Indochina film studio, Teapot islet, Blockhouse islet, Goat Head islet. Stop for swimming, visit mysterious Thien Canh cave. Relax at a wild beach, swim & kayak to explore the bay. Back to junk to enjoy relaxing or the sunset. Dinner and overnight on board nearby Vong Vieng village or Trinh Nu cave.

Day 4: Explore the tranquil scenery in Bai Tu Long bay, back to Hanoi.

Early risers can enjoy the sunrise and the quiet breath-taking beauty of Bay’s landscape. From 7.30 to 8:00 am have breakfast in the fresh air then visit Vong Vieng fishing village by a rustic row-boat. Meet the locals, visit floating school & fish farms. More time to swim in the middle of the bay. From 10: 15, we serve on a La-Carte-Menu, you can order any dishes in the menu whenever you want for breakfast and lunch. Continue cruising through the bay, along the way seeing more of the fascinating formations. 11: 45 check out cabin while cruising back. By noon at 12:00, we will be ashore then hit the road back to Hanoi at around 4:00 pm. Tour ends at your hotel in Hanoi.

PRICE in USD per person

Group	1 pax	2 pax	4 pax	6 pax	8 pax	10 pax up	Single Supp.
Price	588	395	350	335	325	315	+125

Includes  

Train tickets Hanoi- Lao Cai- Hanoi  Guide
Car & transportation  Meals as mentioned
Entrance fees
Homestay
Cruise with full meals on board
Minivan Hanoi- Halong- Hanoi

Excludes

Drink
Tips to guide
Taxi to hotel in Hanoi (morning after Sapa train)
Hotel for morning before Halong Tour

Notes:
- Sleeper Train to Sapa: Livitrans, Orient Express
- Homestay condition: Very basic
- Meals: Vietnam food
- Halong Bay tour: We share mini – van, deluxe Red Dragon or Prince Junk with maximum 10 people and twin shared cabin aboard.
- Car / Van Quality: Using new AC car or van depending on your group size
- Tour guide: English speaking guides (on site).
- The trek time is just approximate and depending on speed and weather.
- Please be aware that flight times, trains, hotels and other services are subject to availability. Where flights/trains are cancelled or delayed First Choice will endeavor to secure alternative arrangements of similar value,
- Train’s details will be updated at time of booking confirmed (your email of confirmation)
- Check – in: 14:00; out: 12:00 noon. Early check in if it is subject to availability.
- This itinerary and supplementary information has been complied in good faith and was accurate at time of writing

For more details, click on our Sapa Travel officical website http://www.travelsapa.com/sapa-and-red-dragon-cruise/