Inspiration for your own tailor-made trip
Vietnam - Hanoi - Ha Giang - Pu Luong - Tam Coc
100% customisable for you
Passports at the ready: your Vietnam adventure begins today. Head to the airport, speed through security and enjoy some pre-flight nibbles in the lounge before boarding your overnight flight to Hanoi. With a quick stopover, the flight will take around 15 hours, so settle in, have your neck pillow to hand and try to grab some shut-eye before you land tomorrow morning.
When you touch down, you’ll be met and privately transferred to Hanoi’s historic centre, where you’ll be staying for the next three nights. Check in, freshen up and spend the rest of the afternoon as you please, whether you’d rather head out to explore your new surroundings or simply soak up the views over the city while lounging poolside.
This evening, head out for your first taste of Vietnamese cuisine – our clued-up Concierge is on hand to recommend some hidden gems.
We’re firm believers that one of the best ways to understand a new place is through its food, so what better way to begin your holiday than with some street food? This morning, meet your private guide for a tour of one of Hanoi’s most vibrant neighbourhoods, where locals stop to snack and socialise.
As you meander through the bustling streets, sample Vietnamese dishes, from well-known classics like pho (beef noodle soup) and bahn mi (filled-to-the-brim baguettes) to Hanoi favourites like cha ca (fried catfish with dill).
This afternoon, either waddle back to your hotel for a food-coma nap or, if you’re not too full, take part in a Vietnamese cooking lesson, learning how to craft traditional dishes with a local chef.
This morning, dive deeper into Vietnam’s culture with a visit to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology. As you wander to the museum with your guide, pause to admire the majestic Ngoc Son Temple, which blends Taoist, Confucian and Buddhist influences, before crossing into the ‘36 Streets’ district. In the past, each of this lively neighbourhood’s 36 streets was divided by trade, transforming this corner of Hanoi into the city’s cultural heart.
Continue to the Vietnam Museum of Ethnography, a modern building complete with a generous garden. This fascinating museum documents the history and cultures of the 54 ethnic groups in Vietnam, with thousands of objects and pictures featuring traditional dress, instruments and ceremonies.
Finish up the tour in one of Hanoi’s bustling cafés – we’d recommend trying a traditional Vietnamese egg or coconut coffee if you’d like to switch things up.
Today, swap bustling city streets for off-the-beaten-track outposts as you begin a four-day trip around the beautiful Ha Giang region. Meet your driver-guide, bundle the bags into the car and set off on the journey to Xuan Hoa, a rural village in the northern Lao Cai Province.
The journey takes around four-and-a-half hours, but don’t worry – you’ll have a chance to stretch your legs with stops in tiny towns and villages to visit quiet markets, enjoy a tasty lunch and meet native Viet communities, including the San Chay and Dao peoples.
Later, arrive at Xuan Hoa and check into your guesthouse for the night, a comfortable family home surrounded by rice, tea, peanut and cinnamon plants. Head out on foot to soak up breathtaking views over the terraced crops and lush rice paddies before enjoying a delicious dinner under the stars – pure bliss.
Begin the day with a visit to nearby Thon Tha, a peaceful village inhabited entirely by the Vietnamese Tay community. Marvel at the lush greenery, wander past thatched wooden houses on stilts and meet friendly locals, soaking up the flavour of life in Vietnam’s rural north.
After lunch in a local restaurant, hop back in the car for the private transfer to Nam Dam, a one-and-a-half-hour drive away. Keep cameras at the ready: along the way, you’ll be treated to views over magnificent mountain landscapes and verdant valleys.
Later, arrive in Nam Dam, a Dao minority village set just a few miles from Ha Giang City, where traditional customs and ways of life remain deeply rooted. Check into your local guesthouse, drop your bags and head out to meet the village chief, who’ll introduce you to the local culture as you wander amid the serene rice fields.
Enjoy a tasty breakfast this morning before hopping back in the car for the drive through the spectacular Dong Van Karst Plateau. Pass through the Quan Ba Heaven Gate, a majestic mountain pass, into this UNESCO-listed Global Geopark, gazing out of the window at dramatic peaks, vast canyons and tiny villages.
After around four hours, stop at Pho Cao, a majority Hmong village complete with ochre stone houses, grey stone walls and, of course, even more rice paddies. Visit a couple of local workshops, where artisans craft colourful textiles, metal goods and baskets, then drive another hour to the Vuong Family Mansion, a 20th-century fortified home built by the powerful Vuong family.
Later, hit the road again to Meo Vac, just an hour-and-a half drive away. Check into your home away from home, set at the entrance of the village, and enjoy a tasty dinner and a restful evening, ready for more adventuring tomorrow.
You’re in luck: today is market day. Rise bright and early and head out to Meo Vac Market, where over 14 different minority groups gather in traditional dress to buy and sell rural products, textiles and agriculture. Wander along rows of vibrant stalls, stopping to try local delicacies, grab an authentic souvenir or simply chat with friendly sellers.
This afternoon, pack your bags and meet your private driver for the four-hour journey to Ha Giang City, stopping for lunch in Lung Tam, a Hmong village known for its brocade crafts.
When you arrive, check into your homestay and spend the rest of the day soaking up views over the surrounding mountains – best done with an ice-cold drink in hand, of course…
Today, wave goodbye to the Ha Giang loop as you set off for Hanoi, just under six hours away. Bundle your bags into the car, hit play on one of our curated destination playlists and gaze out at sprawling rice paddies, traditional villages and water buffalo grazing on riverbanks.
When you arrive in the city, check into your hotel and head straight out for some dinner. Evenings in Hanoi are all about neon lights, bustling streets and thriving bars, so whether you’re after a little more street food or would rather have a sit-down meal, you’re sure to be won over by its charm.
Whichever you choose, be sure to stop at the Quang Ba flower market. Open only at night, this vibrant market offers colourful bouquets, sweet aromas and friendly sellers while the rest of the city sleeps.
This morning, leave Hanoi behind as you meet your driver for the four-hour journey to the Pu Luong Nature Reserve. Set in the Thanh Hoa province, this hidden gem features over 17,000 hectares of tropical forest, mystical waterfalls and terraced rice paddies.
When you arrive, check in for two nights in a hotel to the east of the park. Spend the rest of the afternoon soaking up the views over the mist-topped mountain or lounging poolside before enjoying a delicious dinner al fresco – it doesn’t come much better than this.
Today’s all about discovering your new surroundings. If you’re a wildlife enthusiast, you’re in luck: the Pu Luong Nature Reserve is a hotspot for flora and fauna alike, with geometric rice terraces, large swathes of rainforest and orchid fields making the perfect home for monkeys, squirrels, buffalo and the extremely rare Delacour’s langur.
Spend today hiking with a knowledgeable guide, winding along forest paths and past postcard-perfect waterfalls. As you trek through the greenery, keep your eyes to the canopy for a chance to spot indigenous birds, from silver pheasants and scarlet minivets to golden roosters.
After one last jungle breakfast, hop back in the car for the private transfer to Tam Coc, a two-and-a-half-hour drive away in the northern Ninh Binh province.
When you arrive, check in for two nights in your guesthouse. The rest of the day is yours for the taking, whether you’d rather do some laps in the pool, indulge in a treatment at the spa or simply sit back and relax on your terrace, looking over the dramatic landscape.
If Hanoi’s known for its bustling streets and lively atmosphere, the province of Ninh Binh is known for its spectacular scenery. Today, head out to explore this pretty province with a private guide, discovering the natural landscapes that earned it the affectionate title of ‘Halong Bay on Land’.
Begin at the impressive Phat Diem Cathedral. Nicknamed the ‘Cathedral of Stone’ for its grand marble base, this 19th-century Catholic cathedral complex is one of Vietnam’s most famous, thanks to its blend of Western and Vietnamese architecture.
Later, continue to the UNESCO-listed Bich Dong Pagoda, one of the oldest in the region. Wander through its natural caves and grand buildings before finishing up the day at the Thung Nham Bird Garden, an ornithological reserve home to storks, night herons and the Oriental magpie-robin.
Back in Tam Coc, head out for one last taste of Vietnamese cuisine – our clued-up Concierge is on hand to recommend the best places to celebrate your final night.
It’s sadly time for your Vietnamese adventure to come to an end. After one last tasty breakfast, you’ll be privately transferred back to Hanoi (last time, we promise) for your direct flight back to the UK.
You’ll be in the air for around 13 hours – leaving you plenty of time to scroll through your holiday snaps, make sure your travel journal is up to date and begin planning your next getaway…
Everything in this itinerary is entirely customisable, down to the smallest details. Here are some more suggestions of what could be included
Each of our trips is entirely tailor-made with originality, quality and cultural immersion in mind. Our team of destination specialists will craft itineraries based on your tastes, using their first-hand knowledge and the help of our in-country team of Concierges and guides. All trips are accompanied by a wide range of additional services, including a 24-hour helpline, the Original Travel app, fast-track airport services and much more.
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Our team of destination experts will get to know you and your unique requirements for your holiday
We work with you to build an ultra-personalised holiday itinerary with your choice of accommodation, experiences and activities
All of our holidays include little extras designed to make a big difference to your trip, from checking you in for your flights to our network of local Concierges
