Northern Vietnam in Depth

Begin your journey through Vietnam in the vibrant city of Hanoi, where your personal escort will assist you through customs and visa procedures. Your guide and driver will welcome you and bring you to your hotel, the Sofitel Legend Metropole. Built in 1901, this French colonial hotel is one of the finest in Vietnam, with luxurious rooms and welcoming service. Settle in and recharge before your adventure begins tomorrow.

Begin your day like a local with a warm, crusty bánh mì and a strong Vietnamese coffee before setting out to explore. Wander without direction through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, a labyrinth of narrow lanes, silk shops, and sizzling street stalls. Then retreat for a short rest before boarding the overnight train north to Sapa, where mountain adventures await. Enjoy a peaceful night’s rest in your private berth cabin.

Travel north to Sapa, where mist-shrouded mountains are threaded with trekking routes that wind through rice terraces and shadowy forests to reach remote hill-tribe villages. Your home base here is Topas Ecolodge, a rustic yet elegant hilltop hideaway where you can decompress with spa treatments, locally sourced food, and infinity pool dips, all surrounded by the mountains of Hoang Lien National Park. 

Connect with the Red Dao, a minority ethnic community, on a guided journey through a less-visited part of Sapa. Trek along a mountain trail marked by deep valleys, green rice fields, and thundering rivers and waterfalls to reach two small villages far from the usual tourist trails. Share a cup of tea with local people, learn about their agrarian lifestyle, and discover their traditional handicrafts, including making rice paper, crafting silver jewelry, and sewing colorful embroidery for traditional costumes.

A scenic hike to Silver Stone Mountain offers yawning views of Sapa’s postcard scenery, with deep valleys and emerald rice terraces. Arrive at the Red Dao village of Lech, where you’ll enjoy a traditional lunch in a community home. You’ll also stop by a local school and meet students from the Red Dao and Hmong minorities, who share a single classroom. Continue on the trail as it climbs up toward green mountain peaks with views of the Muong Bo River far below.

Spend the morning soaking up a few final mountain views. A private driver will pick you up for your transfer back to Hanoi. Upon arrival, you’ll be driven back to the Sofitel Legend Metropole where you can relax for the night.

Today you’ll set off on a bicycle tour from Hanoi into the countryside. You’ll start by riding past Quang An Flower Market and into the nearby gardens to explore fields of flowers and orchards of kumquats, strawberries, and Vietnamese apples. Ride across the historic Long Bien Bridge, weave through narrow residential lanes, then board a local boat to cross the river. Savor an authentic lunch before pedaling to ancient Co Loa Citadel, a cultural landmark dating back to the 3rd century BC.

This morning, fly south toward Dong Hoi, then drive into the lush limestone landscape of Phong Nha Ke Bang National Park. Your base is Phong Nha Lake House, set beside peaceful Dong Suon Lake, where calm water reflects jungled hills. Settle into your room, enjoy the slower pace, and watch the sun set over the lake. Tomorrow, your active Northern Vietnam trip continues underground, into some of Asia’s most fascinating caves.

When the largest cave in the world, Son Doong, was discovered in Phong Nha in the 1990s, it thrust the sleepy riverside town into the spotlight. This adventure hub is full of caving expeditions that will fuel your wonder and adrenaline. Spend a day exploring Paradise Cave and Dark Cave, marveling at their shimmering stalagmites and stalactites, and then take an exhilarating zipline ride before swimming and mud bathing in the caves’ shadowy passages.

On a second day in Phong Nha, you’ll pedal your way through the peaceful Bong Lai Valley past rice fields and small villages to reach a local restaurant for lunch. Then, board a traditional dragon boat and cruise along the Son River to Phong Nha Cave, where you’ll weave through the dark underworld before exploring the last 300 meters on foot.

After a final breakfast in Phong Nha, your guide and driver will pick you up to begin the drive to your next destination, Hue. Many travelers skip this part of Vietnam, but we think that’s a mistake. History lovers will swoon for the city’s imperial past that dates to the Nguyễn dynasty, the last to rule before Vietnam became a French protectorate. Check in to your private villa at the elegant Ancient Hue Garden Houses and enjoy a night at leisure.

Immerse yourself in Hue’s grandeur with a dose of rural charm on a cycling tour through the ancient village of Thuy Bieu. Stop by historical landmarks such as the Roman Amphitheatre, the Elephant Temple-Cemetery, dedicated to the kings’ loyal elephants, and a bronze casting village, where artisans have honed their craft for generations. Then, kick back as you cruise down the Perfume River, stopping at the iconic Thien Mu Pagoda and the 19th-century Purple Forbidden City.

After a hearty breakfast on your last morning, a hotel transfer will bring you to the airport for your return flight to Hanoi. Upon arrival, you will connect to your international flight back home, enjoying fast-track service to ensure a smooth transition.