GREEN STOPOVER

Welcome to Hanoi!

The guide of Threeland will be welcoming you at Noi Bai airport. It takes you 35 minutes to drive to the centre of Hanoi. Let’s start our city tour from Ba Dinh Square - the biggest square in Hanoi where all biggest cultural, political events of the cities, especially demonstrations, take place. Visit the Complex of Ho Chi Minh located by this square. Have a visit to Ho Chi Minh’s house-on-stilts, his fish pond and the One-Pillar Pagoda before strolling around the Old Quarter of Hanoi by pedicabs. Check-in hotel. Lunch at your own arrangement for flexibility.

Afternoon continue to visit the city with stops at Ngoc Son Temple, the Sword Lake, which is considered the centre and the soul of the city. Visit History Museum, one of the two best Museum in town, and the Temple of Literature, the very first High School of Vietnam built in 1070. Evening enjoy a show of Water Puppetry, a unique stage art created by the Vietnamese peasants. Overnight in Hanoi. 

Threeland’s note:

- The Program will be adjusted to suit the Arrival flights.
- The Mausoleum is closed on Monday and Friday and all museums closed on Monday. Alternatives will be recommended accordingly.

At 08.00 in the morning, the Shuttle bus of the Halong Cruise will pick you up at the hotel in Hanoi to transfer to Halong Bay, the pride of the Gulf of Tonkin, a Natural World Heritage as designated by UNESCO in 1994. The road will pass by the Red River delta with green paddy fields in summer crop and rural villages, where hard-work farmers are busy with their farming jobs, planting seedling or taking care of the growing green rice. After more than 3 hours, we will arrive in Halong and board our big boat to cruise the Bay to discover the magnificent beauty of this “Descending-dragon” area, created by thousands odd-shaped limestone rocks and karsts grottoes. After a lunch of fresh seafood on board, we can visit the Surprising Grotto (alternatively Thien Cung Cave), stop for swimming or kayaking, passing floating villages and approach islets to enjoy their beauty in close distance. Back to the boat for dinner late afternoon. Evening attend activities on the boat or relax at your own leisure. Overnight on the boat near Titov Beach. (Tour guide on board only)

Join the crew in their morning yoga or taichi-quan exercises at dawn on the sundeck before having breakfast. This morning will be for us to continue to visit Bai Tu Long Bay, another area of Halong, before heading back to the Wharf of Halong passing by a densely area with many rocks with inspiring names of Cock-Fighting, the Sails, Incense Burner or Sea Dog. Arrive at Halong Wharf around 11.00. Return to Hanoi with stopover en route for refreshment. Checkin hotel. Pick-up at night for a delicious Dinner at local restaurant, overnight in Hanoi.

The guide and vehicle of Threeland will meet you at the hotel for another exciting trip to Ninh Binh. To day, a 90km drive south of Hanoi will lead you to the site of a former capital city of ancient Vietnam before Hanoi took over this leading role a millenium years ago (in 1010). The area is featured by lots of well-known sceneries, which include Tam Coc Caves and Hoa Lu ancient capital with the old temples dedicated to King Dinh & King Le reigned in 10th century. The visit in Ninh Binh starts by a boat trip in Tam Coc where spectacular limestone karsts jut out from the green paddy fields reminding about Guilin (China) and Halong Bay of Vietnam, which gives this scenery the name "Halong-bay-on-land". After lunch at your own account), we will cycle from Tam Coc to Hoa Lu thru tranquil villages to enjoy the daily life of people in Ninh Binh until reaching the shady temples with many dedicated wood relieves of King Dinh and King Le, which have been built on the foundation of their former palace. Late afternoon we will be back to Hanoi for overnight.

It is your own time today. At leisure for relaxation or shopping until your guide come and transfer you to the Noi Bai airport for your onward flight.
 
Threeland’s note: Check-out time is 12.00