Northern Vietnam & Hoi An

Today marks your departure from your selected airport. You’ll be heading to Vietnam’s enchanting capital, Hanoi, with connecting flight(s) along the way. 

You will land at Hanoi’s international airport, Noi Bai, where you’ll pass through immigration control and collect your luggage. Your guide will be waiting outside the arrivals hall beyond the exit doors. The guide will be wearing a TourCompass uniform and holding a TourCompass sign, so you can easily find him or her.

You’ll then head to your hotel and, after checking in, you’ll have the rest of the day free to explore your first impressions of Vietnam’s fascinating capital on your own.

We can highly recommend heading out to explore the narrow, lively alleyways of the Old Quarter, where each alley offers scents, sounds, and glimpses of everyday Vietnamese life. You can also take a relaxing stroll around the peaceful Hoan Kiem Lake, where shady trees and the local city life together create a popular oasis in the heart of the city.

Today, an exciting city tour awaits, taking you to some of Hanoi’s most iconic sights.

Your guide will collect you from your hotel, and the day begins with a Vietnamese coffee at a local café overlooking Hoan Kiem Lake, the city’s green heart and a natural meeting place for Hanoians of all ages.

From here, stroll across the iconic The Huc Bridge to Ngoc Son Temple, set on an islet in the beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake. The bridge’s name means “place touched by the morning sun’s rays”. Here, you’ll hear the legend of the emperor, the magical sword, and the giant turtle, and discover how the lake got its name and special significance to the city.

You’ll then be driven to the Temple of Literature, a tranquil complex founded in the 12th century by disciples of the Chinese philosopher Confucius. With almost a millennium of history, the temple is a rare, beautifully preserved example of traditional Vietnamese architecture, complete with colonnades, ponds, and leafy courtyards where young students still come to pray for luck in their exams.

Afterwards, you’ll enjoy a traditional lunch at a local restaurant. 

The tour will then continue by traditional cycle rickshaw – known locally as a cyclo – through the maze of narrow lanes and lively commerce in the Old Quarter. This historic neighbourhood is famous for its 36 streets, originally named after the goods once traded here: bamboo, silk, paper, and tin. Many of those street names survive today, and the atmosphere brims with local charm, as Hanoians still shop, chat, and serve steaming bowls of pho from their street kitchens. 

After an exciting cyclo ride, you’ll visit the historic Long Bien Bridge, an iconic landmark from the French colonial era, built in the early 1900s. The distinctive iron bridge spans the Red River and was heavily damaged during the Vietnam War, yet today it stands as a powerful symbol of Hanoi’s resilience and history. From the bridge, you’ll get a vivid glimpse into everyday life in Hanoi, with locals riding scooters to and from work alongside cyclists and pedestrians. Look down from the bridge and you’ll see the bustling Long Bien Market, alive from the early hours, while the river views offer a calm counterpoint to the city’s pulse. The bridge is a favourite subject for photographers and travellers keen to capture Hanoi’s soul.

Round off the day’s sightseeing with a performance at a water puppet theatre, a centuries-old Vietnamese tradition where puppets dance on the water’s surface to live music and classic storytelling.

After a full and fascinating day, you’ll be driven back to your hotel, and the evening will be yours to spend as you please.

Today you will have plenty of time to explore Vietnam’s vibrant capital. Set your own pace – perhaps you’ll be tempted by one of our Optional tours, or maybe you’d rather discover the city independently.

Hanoi is a feast for the senses. Spend a few hours around the beautiful Hoan Kiem Lake, where narrow lanes and French colonial buildings conceal little shops, cosy cafés, and colourful art galleries. Settle in with a Vietnamese coffee and watch the world go by, or stop by the iconic Train Street, where the train passes extremely close to the cafés lining the track.

For lunch, hunt down Hanoi’s famous street food. Try a steaming bowl of pho, savour the aroma of grilled bun cha, or grab a crisp banh mi to take away.

When night falls, Hanoi truly comes alive. The streets glow with the light of the street kitchens, and the scent of grilled meat, fresh coriander, and spiced broth wafts through the narrow alleys. You can wander the Old Quarter and get swept up in the atmosphere, or head to a rooftop bar to enjoy views over the city’s vibrant life.

Today you will leave Hanoi and head for rural life in Mai Chau, one of Vietnam’s most beautiful valleys. You’ll be picked up from your hotel and driven through the northern Vietnamese countryside. The journey takes around 3½ hours on well-maintained roads. Along the way, you’ll make a short stop to stretch your legs and enjoy the view.

Upon arrival, the valley opens out to green rice fields, dramatic limestone mountains, and small villages where ethnic minorities still live by age-old traditions.

After checking in at the hotel, a traditional and delicious lunch awaits.

In the afternoon, you’ll borrow a bicycle from the hotel and set off with your guide along small paths through the valley’s peaceful scenery. The route is flat and covers about 10–12 km. The lanes wind between hamlets and green rice paddies where water buffalo graze. The air is filled with the sounds of children at play and clucking chickens as everyday life unfolds around you. En route, you’ll visit villages such as Pom Coong and Na Phon, gaining an insight into the daily life of the Thai people, one of the largest ethnic groups in the area. You’ll also pass a local market where the stalls are piled high with just about everything you can imagine. Soak up the local atmosphere and enjoy some time at your own pace to browse. You’ll then cycle back towards the hotel, passing fields and watching local farmers at work as the sun slowly sinks. 

Back at the hotel, you can enjoy the peace and quiet on your veranda with a good book.

After breakfast, you’ll leave Mai Chau and will be driven to our social sustainability project in Quyet Thang, set up by our local partner. The drive takes about 1½ hours, winding through beautiful, rolling countryside where rice fields, small villages, and verdant mountain slopes give way to one another.

Quyet Thang lies in the southern part of Hoa Binh Province and comprises 23 small villages, home among others to the Muong people. Families here mainly make a living growing cassava and maize on depleted soil, and the challenging road conditions make it difficult to transport and sell their crops. At the same time, traditional Muong customs are under pressure as many young people leave to seek work in larger cities.

Upon arrival, you’ll be welcomed by a local representative from the village. Together, you’ll stroll through the village and experience everyday life up close. You’ll pass fields and traditional stilt houses, greet families, and meet village children who will shyly wave to you. You’ll also see the community hall, where residents hold meetings and children can come to do their homework. 

You will then reach a tranquil river, where a peaceful ride on a traditional bamboo raft awaits. You’ll be given a life jacket and, as the raft moves against the current, you can help paddle if you wish.

After the boat trip, you’ll visit a local village home, where you will join your hosts in preparing traditional dishes. Lunch is served at a beautifully set table laden with local specialities, shared together and offering an authentic insight into the region’s culinary traditions. There’s also time to chat with your hosts and learn more about the everyday life, culture, and traditions of the Muong people.

Next, you’ll visit an elderly couple and gain an insight into the age-old craft traditions of the Muong people, including weaving and bamboo basketry, passed down through generations. The luong bamboo species is used to make, among other things, baskets, fish traps, and mats. Each pattern and technique reflects a part of the Muong cultural heritage, and the products serve both as sustainable alternatives to modern materials and as unique souvenirs. You’ll also have the chance to try your hand at the craft and weave your own small basket to take home.

By joining this excursion, you’ll help make a difference for families in Quyet Thang. A percentage of your tour price goes directly to the project and is used, among other things, for education and to improve infrastructure, for example by building roads and installing solar-powered lampposts. You can read more about the project here.

After a day full of meaningful encounters and insights into local life, you will continue to your hotel in Ninh Binh. Along the way, the landscape changes, and the green mountains gradually give way to a flat delta of mirror-still rivers and dramatic limestone mountains rising vertically from the paddy fields. Upon arrival at the hotel, you’ll check in, and the rest of the day is at your leisure.

If you fancy it, you can head into the centre of Tam Coc, where life unfolds along the main street, with small cafés, local restaurants, and a handful of shops. 

After breakfast, you will drive towards the Gia Vien district, where today’s cycle ride of around 14 km begins. Here you will hop in the saddle and pedal at a leisurely pace along small lanes past green rice fields and local villages en route to the Van Long Nature Reserve. There’s time for photo stops on the way, including at a local Catholic church, before the route continues through the open countryside. The area around Van Long is known for its tranquil wetlands, striking limestone cliffs, and abundant birdlife, which provide a beautiful backdrop to the ride.

The ride continues to a local family in the village of Mai Trung, where you’ll be welcomed into their home. Here you’ll gain an insight into rural life as you take part in seasonal activities such as working in the rice fields, gardening, or feeding fish and poultry. Activities vary with the time of year and offer an authentic picture of everyday life in Vietnamese agriculture.

Afterwards, the family will invite you into the kitchen for an informal cooking class, where you’ll be introduced to Vietnamese cuisine and get hands-on with the preparation. The experience is rounded off with a home-cooked lunch, enjoyed in relaxed surroundings.

You will then cycle back to the starting point. It’s just a few minutes’ ride. Here you’ll leave your bike before being driven to the Trang An caves, a spectacular natural area of dramatic rock formations and hidden caverns. You’ll board a traditional sampan and glide quietly along the calm river through a network of caves, including Lam Cave, Vang Cave, Dai Cave, and Thanh Truot Cave. Along the way, you will also pass the temples of Cao Son, Suoi Tien, and Vu Lam, as well as Skull Island, which was used as a filming location for the 2017 film “Kong: Skull Island”.

After a two-hour boat trip, you’ll be driven back to the hotel, and the rest of the day is at your leisure.

From Ninh Binh, you’ll be driven to Ha Long Bay for a mini-cruise with two days of sailing and one night on board. The drive takes around four hours, with a stop en route to stretch your legs and grab a drink.

Ha Long Bay is one of Vietnam’s most distinctive natural landscapes. Hundreds of verdant limestone outcrops rise sheer from the sea, which shifts in hue through the year from deep blue to jade green. The largest island, Cat Ba, is home to several villages, while some of the smaller islets shelter little fishing communities. For travellers, Ha Long Bay is first and foremost a world-class natural wonder; for Vietnamese people, it is also a place steeped in legends of dragons and drama. The bay spans roughly 1,500 km² and was added to the UNESCO world heritage list in 1994.

You will arrive at Tuan Chau Marina for check in, and before boarding your mini-cruise ship, you can relax in the lounge.

Once on board, you’ll be welcomed with a refreshing drink and the crew will give a short briefing on the adventure ahead. Then, you will settle into your cabin and get ready for a delicious lunch featuring Vietnamese specialities alongside international dishes. Meanwhile, the boat glides gently out into the emerald-green waters, and you can take in views of some of Ha Long Bay’s most iconic rock formations, such as Incense Burner, Dog Stone Islet, Fighting Cock Islet, and Three Coconuts Island.

Later, the boat will moor at a local pearl farm, where you’ll gain an insight into traditional pearl cultivation. You’ll also have the chance to hop into a kayak and paddle quietly through the scenic seascape.

The trip continues to Sung Sot Cave, the largest and most impressive limestone cave in Ha Long Bay. Inside, you’ll be rewarded with a magical underground landscape of stalactites and stalagmites formed over millions of years. We recommend sturdy, closed-toe shoes, especially in wet weather.

Back on board, enjoy a drink at the bar.

In the evening, a lovely dinner is served – a selection of traditional dishes prepared by the ship’s chefs.

The rest of the evening is yours to spend as you wish. Unwind on deck and watch the sunset paint the sky, or try your hand at squid fishing from the stern. When you’re ready, retire to your cabin and drift off to the gentle lapping of the waves against the hull.

Please note: In the event of bad weather, including storms, the Vietnamese authorities reserve the right to suspend cruising in Ha Long Bay for safety reasons. This only happens a few times a year. In such cases, the mini-cruise will be replaced with a hotel stay and an excursion.

Begin your day as Ha Long Bay emerges in the soft light of the morning mist. If you’re an early riser, you can join an optional tai chi session on the sun deck and let your senses awaken to the calm, the views, and the fresh sea air, before a light breakfast is served in the ship’s restaurant.

After breakfast, you’ll head to Ti Top Island, a small limestone islet with one of Ha Long Bay’s finest sandy beaches. Here you can take a dip in the emerald-green water or climb to the island’s summit for a breathtaking view over the bay.

Back on board, there’s time to pack and get ready to check out before lunch is served. Meanwhile, the boat will glide quietly back towards the harbour, and you can savour the final glimpses of the bay’s otherworldly scenery from the deck.

You’ll disembark at Tuan Chau Marina, where your guide and driver will be ready to take you to Hanoi’s Noi Bai airport. From here, you fly to Da Nang in central Vietnam – a flight of around 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Your guide will be waiting just outside the arrivals hall, beyond the exit doors. They’ll be wearing a TourCompass uniform and holding a TourCompass sign, so you can find them easily. From here, you’ll be driven to your hotel in Hoi An.

After about an hour’s drive, you’ll arrive at your hotel in Hoi An, and after check-in, the rest of the day is at your leisure. 

Hoi An is an experience in its own right and a city that’s easy to fall in love with. The old town, on the UNESCO world heritage list, is renowned for its well-preserved architecture, proud silk-making heritage, and talented tailors. Time seems to slow here, and history is felt in every street, façade, and little shop.

The Thu Bon River flows through the heart of the city, a thriving hub of international trade in the 17th and 18th centuries. Today its banks provide a beautiful, peaceful backdrop to daily life and to the many small boats that still glide along the water.

Beyond the river lies a labyrinth of atmospheric lanes. Here, a colourful blend of Japanese wooden houses, Chinese assembly halls, French colonial buildings, and characteristic merchant houses await. Strings of colourful lanterns hang like garlands above the streets, creating a special ambience, especially when night falls. Shops, street food stalls, cafés, and little restaurants line the streets, inviting relaxed moments and curious discoveries.

Although Hoi An attracts many visitors, it still retains its calm, authenticity and warm atmosphere. This is due in no small part to cars and motorised traffic being banned in the historic old town, allowing you to wander in peace and simply soak up the ambience.

The days are yours to spend as you please, and Hoi An offers endless possibilities, whether you’re seeking relaxation, adventure, or cultural experiences.

Fancy a leisurely day by the sea? Hire a bicycle and pedal out to one of the nearby beaches, Cua Dai or An Bang, where soft sands and swaying palms set the scene for relaxation and a dip in the warm sea. You can also choose to explore Hoi An’s charming streets and alleyways, home to unique boutiques, cosy cafés, and colourful markets. You might even be tempted to be measured by a local tailor and have a garment made to take home as a keepsake.

If you’re curious about the area around Hoi An, you can choose one of our exciting optional tours, which you can read more about below.

Today marks the end of your Vietnam adventure—for now. You will be collected from your hotel and driven to Da Nang airport, where you’ll catch your flight back to Europe with connecting flight(s) along the way. 

You will arrive at your selected airport after a wonderful tour through northern and central Vietnam, bringing home a suitcase full of brand-new memories.