When you arrive at Noi Bai airport, we will pick you up there and transfer to centre for relaxing and overnight. Meals: B

08:00 AM – Pick up from your hotel, we'll start the day with a visit to the Ho Chi Minh Complex: which includes the Ho Chi Minh Museum, and his modest stilt house which provide valuable insights into the life and times of one of the most successful leaders of the 20th century. After that, you'll drive to the excellent Ethnology Museum for an overview of Vietnam's 54 distinct ethnic groups and enjoy the water puppet show. After lunch, there's time for a visit the lovely Temple of Literature - Vietnam's first university, which was established in 1070. From the temple, we start a short walk along the railway and you'll see how closed to the rail it is possible to live, simply impressive. We stop there, right next to the rail, at a local café for a refreshing drink. Back to your hotel on foot or local taxi if you’d wish to. Meals: B, L

8:00 - Depart from Hanoi for a 3.5 hours drive to Halong City through the Red River Delta. Upon arrival, get on board of the Treasure Junk. Start cruising from Hon Gai pier to the boundaries of Halong bay while lunch with fresh seafood is served (vegetarian and kids menus available). After lunch, just make yourself at ease and relax. We are slowly getting off the classic cruising routes, far from the usual clichés of this busy tourism spot. Limestone rock formations will parade all around us for about 2 hours before our first stop. We reach the perfect spot, remote and scenic, where the waters of Halong and Bai Tu Long hit and wave together. Let's get ready for serious things. Swimming suits, ok. Kayaks and tender boat, ok. Paddles and gears, ok. Let's get closer to the water and explore the bay in depth. After one/one and a half hour kayaking, we get back on board to refresh and start the aperitif on the sundeck. The boat cruises to its anchorage area. Dinner is served either inside or outside depending on weather conditions. Overnight on board in a cozy air-conditioned cabin with en-suite bathroom facilities. Meals: B, L, D

We will be back at the pier about 11am, and driven to Hanoi with an expected arrival time about 4pm. The day will be short so let’s wake up early to take the maximum of it. 6:30 - Coffee, tea and cakes will be served. Wake up smoothly while witnessing the silence of beautiful misty bay. A 30-minute Tai Chi session will be organized, energize your body and soul or just allow yourself some farniente time on a sunbath with a cup of coffee. About 7.45am, we hop on bamboo boats to go visiting a secluded floating village surrounded by the mountains. We trace our way between numerous floating houses and small rowing boats that serve the everyday life as vehicle, itinerant shops, fishing utility, sometimes overnight shelter. Back on treasure before 9am, we start cruising back to the pier. From 9.30am, a brunch will be served. Take a last glance at the rocks, standing still as the eternal guardians of a kingdom, we are about to reach the pier. Once on land, we sit in a small café to wait for our overland vehicle. Our driver will take you back to centre for an overnight in Hanoi. Note: • Tides and weather conditions may alter the times of meals and other activities. • In line with our responsible vision of tourism, please note that we do not include the most popular caves of the bay in our program. We consider that they are an insult to heritage preservation. • For your convenience, and if you can arrange smaller backpacks, please leave your big suitcase at Handspan's secure storage. • On the way to Halong and back to Hanoi, we will stop at a place with food, beverages and souvenirs for sale. This is not to trick you and that will be the only times of the whole trip you may feel in the tourism mass. But that is the only place on the way, where you, your driver and your guide can use clean toilets without being forced to buy anything. Thanks for your understanding Meals: Brunch

In the morning, free time for shopping until transferring to Hanoi airport for departure flight. Meals: B