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4.53 (15 reviews)
28
Group Tours
18
City Explorer
17
Private Tours
When do you want to go?
2026
I'm flexible
Passengers
Adults (18+)
Children (0 - 17)
The capital sits at the start of every northern Vietnam tour. It offers access to the French Quarter's boulevards and the Old Quarter's 36 trading streets. Ba Dinh Square holds the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. The Temple of Literature marks Vietnam's oldest university from the 11th century.
Ninh Binh in Vietnam lies 95 km south of Hanoi. Sampan boats row through Trang An's flooded caves and the remains of Hoa Lu's 10th-century capital rest beneath karst peaks. Halong Bay is around 165 east of Hanoi, explored by traditional junk-boat cruises and kayak paddles into secluded grottoes.
Ban Gioc Waterfall in Vietnam drops 300 metres along the Chinese border in Cao Bang province. The remote northeast circuit includes Ba Be National Park's rainforest lake and Ha Giang's Dong Van Karst Plateau. Sapa's Muong Hoa Valley holds terraced rice fields worked by Black Hmong and Red Zao communities.
The former imperial capital Hue stands approximately 660 km south of Hanoi. The Citadel's Purple Palace and royal tombs of Nguyen emperors line the Perfume River below Thien Mu Pagoda. Hoi An's UNESCO-listed Old Town preserves merchant houses, the Japanese Bridge and Chinese Assembly Halls.
The Hanoi to Hoi An classics cover imperial Hue and coastal Da Nang over 8 to 12 days. Ninh Binh and Halong Bay tours from Hanoi focus on UNESCO karst landscapes in 4 to 7 days. The table sets every northern Vietnam tour side by side.
From $260
25 toursThese short breaks target Hanoi and a single karst region. Three days allow for either Halong Bay's junk-boat cruise or Ninh Binh's sampan rides through Trang An. Some itineraries reach Ba Be National Park's rainforest lake and Puong Cave kayaking. City Explorer stays keep guiding partial, leaving afternoons free for street-food walks. Four-day itineraries add Hoa Lu's 10th-century temples or a second night in the capital.
From $390
19 toursAn 8-day Vietnam itinerary typically pairs Hanoi with both Halong Bay and Ninh Binh. Tours then continue south to Hue's Citadel and Hoi An's Old Town. Five to seven days focus on the capital and nearby bays. Some itineraries add Sapa's Fansipan cable car and terraced rice fields. Eight-day active treks spend several days hiking Pu Luong Nature Reserve. Remote adventures reach the Dong Van Karst Plateau's Ma Pi Leng Pass.
From $2,880
3 toursEleven and twelve-day trips add Sapa's mountain region to the Hanoi-to-Hoi-An core. Tours allow time for Fansipan summit views and village treks through the Muong Hoa Valley. The longer itineraries include overnight train journeys and cycling through Ninh Binh's rice paddies. Tours also include cooking classes in Tra Que and cruises to Hue's Thien Mu Pagoda.
Northern Vietnam tours tend to fall into four groups. Hanoi to Hoi An journeys take in imperial Hue and the ancient port over 8 to 12 days. Short escapes pair the capital with Halong Bay or Ninh Binh in 4 to 7 days. Remote adventures venture to Ba Be's rainforest lake and Ban Gioc's border waterfall. Active treks explore Mai Chau and Pu Luong's terraced valleys.
8 to 12 days
The core loop
These trips link the capital with the ancient trading port, calling at Halong Bay and Hue's Citadel. The itineraries allow time for sampan rides through caves.
You cruise Halong Bay on traditional junk boats, kayak into limestone grottoes and visit the royal tombs of Nguyen emperors outside Hue.
Hoi An sits around 780 km]] south of Hanoi. It falls outside the strict northern region. Most itineraries treat it as the natural endpoint.
Hanoi to Hue covers 660 km and typically involves an overnight train or short flight, with most tours choosing the train for the experience.
4 to 7 days
Short breaks
Short stays focus on the capital and two UNESCO-listed karst regions. You visit Hoa Lu's 10th-century temples and cruise Halong Bay by junk boat.
You explore Hanoi's Temple of Literature and cruise Halong Bay. You row through flooded rice fields near the capital.
Some itineraries add Sapa's terraced rice fields and the Fansipan cable car, though seven days leaves little margin for weather delays in the mountains.
Ninh Binh lies 95 km south of Hanoi, a two-hour drive. Halong Bay is 165 km east, typically three to four hours by road.
3 to 8 days
Remote provinces
These adventures head into seldom-visited provinces along the Chinese border. You visit Ba Be's natural lake and Ban Gioc's 300-metre waterfall.
You kayak through Puong Cave and trek ancient rainforest. You cross the Dong Van Karst Plateau, encountering ethnic minority villages.
Roads in Ha Giang and Cao Bang provinces can close after heavy rain, and some itineraries involve serious physical activity on rough terrain.
Ba Be National Park sits 210 km north of Hanoi, around six hours by road. Ha Giang is 300 km north, typically a seven-hour drive.
8 days
Active adventures
Active trips spend eight days trekking through terraced rice fields and bamboo forest. You visit White Thai villages in Mai Chau and Pu Luong.
You walk village trails and learn traditional rice-paper making. You cycle through Tho Ha and row a sampan through Van Long.
The trek from Mai Hich to Cun Village involves steep climbs, and wet-season trails can be slippery; minimum age is 14.
Mai Chau is 135 km southwest of Hanoi, around three and a half hours by road. Pu Luong lies a further hour south through mountain passes.
4.53 (15 reviews)
Our guide (Hung) was fantastic. he did an excelent job. I think he needs a pay rise.
MatthewThe pace of the tour was a bit of a surprise but hugely enjoyable; Our tour guide Hung Doh was the most fantastic tour guide ever!
CatherineAbsolutely loved every minute of this tour. The cruise on hou long Bay was way better than expected. The guide for ho chi minute city was so understanding when the heat got to me a bit. Also the cave guide on the cruise was so encouraging when I was very slow
MichelleThank you so much for such an incredible experience. Jorja and I felt comfortable, safe and included in all the adventures of the group! Sy our tour guide was amazing always going above and beyond for each and everyone of us and his knowledge and love for his country was passed on to us! So grateful
NatalieMy favorite moment of the trip was taking the bike ride to the village and preparing the garden and making pancakes.
LeratoHa long Bay was amazing, the bike tour was a really good opportunity to see the country side and learn about the Vietnamese way of life and the guide was very knowledgeable and upbeat (Tuan)
RYANThe overall tour was highly impressive and educational
JacobThe sighting of a monkey from the coconut boat was exciting. Cave tour was beautiful. The only thing that was disappointing was that the hotel did not know of our reservation. It would have been nice to feel more welcome upon arrival.
North Vietnam tours packages split into small group and private formats. Some City Explorer short stays offer partial guiding in Hanoi and the nearby bays.
From $260 · 28 tours
Shared costs across travellers
Group tours bring together up to 24 travellers on fully or partially guided itineraries. Routes run from Hanoi to Hoi An.
Meet solo and like-minded travellers
Eight group tours range from three to twelve days. You visit Trang An caves and Sapa's Muong Hoa Valley. The remote reaches of Ba Be National Park welcome fellow travellers.
Set departures year-round
Guaranteed departures run throughout the calendar, with minimum ages from 5 for family tours and 18 for backpacker-style adventures through Hanoi, Halong Bay and Sapa.
Not ideal for flexible schedules
The itinerary and pace follow a fixed route designed for the group. Travellers seeking custom stops or extended free time may prefer a private format.
From $95 · 17 tours
Just your party and guide
Three private tours cover seven-day loops through Hanoi and Halong Bay. Some venture west to Mai Chau Valley's White Thai villages. Itineraries are partially guided with minimum age 5.
Depart on your chosen date
Private trips run on any date with availability, allowing families to align the itinerary with school breaks or special occasions without waiting for group departures.
Pace suits families
The seven-day routes include sampan rides through Trang An's caves and junk-boat overnights on Halong Bay. You visit Hoa Lu's ancient temples. Pace is medium with no maximum group size.
Not ideal for group dynamics
Solo travellers miss the built-in camaraderie of a shared departure, though private tours suit couples or families who value exclusive guiding and vehicle use.
North Vietnam welcomes travellers year-round, though October to March brings cooler, drier conditions. The monsoon peaks July to September with heavy rainfall affecting coastal areas. Winter months offer clear skies across the region.
Temperatures range from 5-15°C (41-59°F) overnight in the mountains to 28-35°C (82-95°F) in the capital during summer. A northern Vietnam escape requires layering for high-altitude treks.
Day 1
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Day 8
Three to four days cover Hanoi and a single karst region. You cruise Halong Bay by junk boat or row through Trang An caves. Five to seven days allow time for both bays plus the capital, with some itineraries adding Sapa's Fansipan cable car or Mai Chau's terraced valleys. Eight to twelve-day tours complete the Hanoi-to-Hoi-An route, calling at Hue's Citadel and the ancient port's UNESCO-listed Old Town.
October to December combines cooler temperatures, minimal rainfall and clear skies. These conditions suit Halong Bay cruising and mountain trekking. January to March extends the dry season with comfortable conditions across the capital and bays. April and May offer pleasant spring weather before summer heat arrives. June to September brings the monsoon with heavy rainfall peaking July to August, along with hot, humid conditions and occasional typhoons affecting coastal areas.
City Explorer short stays offer four to five-day itineraries with partial guiding in Hanoi and nearby bays. Group tours bring together up to 24 travellers on fully or partially guided trips from three to twelve days. Active tours involve serious trekking through Mai Chau and Pu Luong over eight days with smaller groups of up to 15. Duration, trip style and route remoteness all influence cost.
Cruising Halong Bay aboard a traditional junk boat remains the defining northern Vietnam experience. Overnight trips allow time to kayak into limestone grottoes and watch sunrise over thousands of karst islands. Sampan rides through Ninh Binh's flooded caves at Trang An offer a quieter alternative. Ascending Fansipan by cable car delivers panoramic views across the Muong Hoa Valley.
The Hanoi-to-Hoi-An classics deliver UNESCO-listed landmarks and colonial architecture on fully guided itineraries. Halong Bay and Ninh Binh lie within easy reach of the capital for short escapes. Group tours provide 24/7 support throughout the journey. City Explorer trips offer partial guiding with afternoons free to explore Hanoi's Old Quarter.
Eight group tours range from three to twelve days with up to 24 travellers. Tours run on shared junk boats and overnight trains from Hanoi to Hoi An. Three private tours cover seven-day loops through the capital, Ninh Binh and Halong Bay with minimum age five. Two City Explorer short stays offer four to five days of partial guiding in Hanoi and nearby bays.
Group and private tours include accommodation, most meals, entrance fees and transport from Hanoi to Ninh Binh and Halong Bay. Junk-boat cruises cover overnight cabins, kayaking equipment and onboard meals. City Explorer trips provide partial guiding with selected meals and activities. International flights, visa fees, travel insurance, some meals and optional activities remain excluded.
Hoi An sits around 780 km south of the capital on the central coast. The journey from Sapa to Hoi An covers over 1,000 km via overnight train to Hue or direct flight. Eight to twelve-day tours link Hanoi with Hoi An via Halong Bay and Ninh Binh. Tours allow time for sampan rides through Trang An's caves and visits to Hue's Thien Mu Pagoda.
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