Itinerary
Vietnam luxury tour: South to North
A highlight-hitting tour of Vietnam made extraordinary through personal connections
Political, poetic, and artistic, Hanoi is Vietnam’s cultural heart – a place that holds its past close to the present. It’s also just an extraordinary scene to sit in.
Loud and lively, Hanoi stokes the senses without abandon or apology. Motorbikes sputter and beep along traffic-choked streets; sidewalks stage makeshift restaurants; the scent of fresh-baked baguettes renews each morning. Without orientation, Hanoi feels like bedlam. (Felt most acutely the first time you attempt to cross the street.) With Extraordinary Journeys, a luxury Hanoi tour cracks open a door and beckons you in, to experience the city not as an overwhelmed bystander, but as a guest. Interpreted and shared by expert guides who call it home, your visit feels grounded in meaning rather than chaos. And if we've done our job right, you'll leave feeling that Hanoi was knowable, welcoming, and surprising in the best possible ways.
Hanoi trip itineraries
Use these itineraries as a starting point, or as inspiration to create your own journey.
Key travel information for Hanoi
The best time to travel to Hanoi
The best time to visit Hanoi is October through November, when clear skies and golden light make it easy to spend hours outdoors, wandering Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter's streets. Spring, from March through April, is a solid second option, though a fine, persistent mist can roll in on cooler mornings. Winter, from December through February, turns surprisingly chilly and grey, atmospheric in its own way, but worth packing layers for. If you're heat-averse, avoid summer. From May through September, heat and humidity build, with afternoon downpours and occasional typhoons.
Best
Oct
Nov
October - November
Good
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
Sep
Dec
January - April
September - September
December - December
Our favorite things to do in Hanoi
Meet a former fighter pilot and pore over his photo albums, listen to firsthand accounts, and learn how he reconciled with the man who shot him down.
Venture into the fray of Hanoi’s Old Quarter for insight into Indochine architecture, Vietnamese culinary identity, and historic trade guilds.
Visit Hanoi’s railway tracks, a unique part of the city where homes sit just a few nerve-racking feet from the tracks.
Sip velvet-rich egg coffee (unique to the north), eat life-changing bánh mì (Vietnam’s beloved baguette sandwich), and slurp phở in its likely birthplace.
Tour St. Joseph's Cathedral to trace how Hanoi fell under French colonial rule — until more recently than you think.
Learn about Confucian traditions at the Temple of Literature (circa 1070), where members of the royal court once studied.
A privately narrated tour of Hoa Lo Prison (the “Hanoi Hilton”) portrays Vietnam War history from the local perspective: the American War.
Participate in a Vietnamese tea ceremony with Hoàng Anh Sướng, reviving the way tea was served to the royal court.
Explore the nearby Red River Delta by bike, following rural roads to Bat Trang pottery village and the ancient But Thap Pagoda.
Enter the personal workshop of Mr. Nguyen Huu Qua, one of a handful of true masters still practicing Dong Ho folk painting—an art form in perilous decline.
Hanoi travel FAQs
Other areas to explore
A visit to Hanoi puts you within easy reach of many other beautiful and fascinating parts of Vietnam.
Ha Long Bay
This UNESCO World Heritage site is painted in rich greens and blues: emerald waters, lush limestone islands, and iconic karst formations rising from tranquil bays.
Sapa
Dive deeper into the nature and culture of Vietnam by journeying north to Sapa.
Hue
Hue is the former capital of the 19th-century Nguyen Dynasty, and the vestiges of the country’s last feudal kingdom span its forested hills and riverbanks.
Hoi An
If travel to Vietnam makes you wistful for lantern-lit alleyways, vibrant markets, and beautiful architecture, Hoi An can’t be missed.
Why book with Extraordinary Journeys?
We go deep
We value depth over breadth. While we have broadened our map, our intimate expertise runs deep—from understanding each locale's hidden rhythms to cultivating relationships with exceptional guides.
We keep it honest
Seasoned travelers know that places change, authentic experiences migrate. We'll listen to your hopes and passions, but push back when we know something will better resonate with you.
We’ve got it covered
Traveling to wild places asks something of us— a quality of attention and presence. From behind-the-scenes logistics to bespoke culinary experiences, our team has thought of everything.
We know it’s personal
There will undoubtedly be extraordinary unscripted moments: hippos emerging at sunset, the impossible blue of Arctic ice. We know that meaningful memories often live in personalized details.
We go deep
We value depth over breadth. While we have broadened our map, our intimate expertise runs deep—from understanding each locale's hidden rhythms to cultivating relationships with exceptional guides.
We keep it honest
Seasoned travelers know that places change, authentic experiences migrate. We'll listen to your hopes and passions, but push back when we know something will better resonate with you.
We’ve got it covered
Traveling to wild places asks something of us— a quality of attention and presence. From behind-the-scenes logistics to bespoke culinary experiences, our team has thought of everything.
We know it’s personal
There will undoubtedly be extraordinary unscripted moments: hippos emerging at sunset, the impossible blue of Arctic ice. We know that meaningful memories often live in personalized details.