DAY 01: HANOI CITY TOUR (L,D)
This morning you will be picked up at your hotel and start your Hanoi City tour
Your first stop of Hanoi city tour will be the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum (closed every afternoon & on Monday & Friday and Oct to Nov for annual maintenance). Here is known as the final resting place of Ho Chi Minh, the most iconic and popular leader of Vietnam.
In the same complex, you will see the One Pillar Pagoda, founded by King Ly Thai To in 1049. This structure has become an important symbol for the people of Hanoi and is one of Vietnam’s most iconic temples.
Continue your Hanoi city tour day trip with Temple of Literature was built in 1070 to worship Confucius, the founder of Confucianism. In 1076 Quoc Tu Giam (Royal’s sons school) – Vietnam’s first university, also referred to as Van Mieu, was established within the temple to educate Vietnam Royalty, mandarins, and members of the elite. The university functioned for an incredible 700 years and its gardens and well-preserved architecture offer a fascination glimpse into Vietnam’s past.
You will complete a day with a water puppet show that is the unique performance with the puppets and the water
Overnight in Hanoi
DAY 02: HANOI – HA LONG (B,L,D)
Breakfast at hotel
8.00 am depart your hotel for Halong Bay, a World Heritage with thousands of limestone and dolomite islands and islets. The drive will take about 4 and you will see a lot of countryside with rice fields, vegetable farms and beautiful villages on the way.
Around 12.00 am you will arrive Halong harbor, get on board and start to explore the Bay of Halong “descending dragons”. While the junk is passing many rocky islets, caves, floating villages and beaches, your lunch will be served on board with fresh seafood. Visit Thien Cung & Dau Go Caves – the most beautiful among the thousands caves of the bay.
Sitting on the upper deck we can enjoy the breath – taking the beauty of the rocky islands rising from the crystal-clear water of the Bay. We can hear the voice of the birds, of the wind and of the water is lapping on our boat.
Embark the dock late in the afternoon for driving back Hanoi.
DAY 03: HANOI – NINH BINH (B,L,D)
Breakfast at the hotel
Take a 2 hour-drive southward of Hanoi via the highway one you will arrive in Hoa Lu – Ninh Binh city. Hoa Lu was the capital city of Dai Co Viet and Dai Viet (now Vietnam) in late of the 10th century and early of the 11th century before it was transferred to Hanoi. The old palace is mostly ruined after thousand of the year, but historically and culturally values still remain. Visit the Dinh and Le temples were built since the 17th century, dedicate to King Dinh Tien Hoang, and King Le Dai Hanh, the Kings had significant contributes to Vietnam history, gained independence from China.
After visiting the temples, transfer to Tam Coc. Having lunch at the local restaurant before taking two hours boat trip. Tam Coc is renowned for unusual limestone formations that jut from surrounding paddy fields in breathtaking scenery similar to that of Ha Long Bay, known as Ha Long on Land or Died Ha Long Bay. Visitors take small reed boats (Sampan) through the Ngo Dong River, which is a series of large canals that winds through rice paddies.
Continue to Bich Dong Pagoda is a highlight of today. Bich Dong pagoda is on the short drive to the South of Tam Coc, it was built on the Truong Yen limestone mountains range, Hoa Lu district, Ninh Binh province. Bich Dong pagoda includes three palaces on three levels: Lower, Middle and Upper pagoda.
Late in the afternoon drive back to Hanoi.
DAY 04: HANOI – DEPART HANOI (B)
Breakfast at the hotel
Visit Ha Noi’s Old Quarter also known as the “36 streets of Thang Long”. Take a walking tour through charming Hang Be Market and around Hoan Kiem Lake. This bustling area of narrow streets and alleys is home to literally thousands of small businesses and shopkeepers. It’s great place to discover with plenty of photo opportunities all around. If you are worried about traffic in Hanoi you can take a Xich Lo tour, it is also a great experience to discover the city’s charms.
Transfer to Hanoi airport for your departure flight.
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