Culture · 12D | 11N
Hanoi, Hue & the Imperial North
Twelve days from the Red River delta to the Cham ruins: village crafts around Hanoi, the bay, the Nguyen citadel at Hue, Hội An's merchant houses, and the Thai valleys at Mai Châu.
- Best time
- October to April
- Route
- Hanoi · Ha Long Bay · Hue · Hội An · Mai Châu
Day by day
12 days, planned in full
Twelve days from the Red River delta to the Cham ruins: village crafts around Hanoi, the bay, the Nguyen citadel at Hue, Hội An's merchant houses, and the Thai valleys at Mai Châu.
Day 1
Arrive in Hanoi
Into a heritage hotel in the old quarter, with an evening walk to the Bach Ma temple, the oldest thing in the city.
- Night
- Hanoi
- Meals
- Dinner
Day 2
A thousand years of capital
The Thang Long citadel's dig, the Temple of Literature, and the fine arts museum's lacquer and silk rooms.
- Night
- Hanoi
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 3
Delta villages
Bát Tràng's kilns for a morning at a wheel, then Vạn Phúc's silk looms, and the water puppet theatre in the evening.
- Night
- Hanoi
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch
Day 4
West to Mai Châu
Three hours into the White Thai valleys, staying in a stilt house on the valley floor with rice fields all round it.
- Night
- Mai Châu
- Meals
- Breakfast, dinner
Day 5
Looms and villages
Cycling between Lac and Pom Coong, a brocade weaving session on a backstrap loom, and a village dance in the evening.
- Night
- Mai Châu
- Meals
- Breakfast, dinner
Day 6
East to the bay
A long drive across the delta to Ha Long and aboard a junk for the night, with a cave and a kayak before dinner.
- Night
- Aboard
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Day 7
The bay, then Hanoi
Dawn on deck, a floating village, and ashore by midday for the drive back to Hanoi and the evening flight to Hue.
- Night
- Hue
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch
Day 8
The citadel
A full day in the Forbidden Purple City and the imperial enclosure, with a Nguyen dynasty guide and lunch at a royal cooking house.
- Night
- Hue
- Meals
- Breakfast, lunch
Day 9
Tombs, and the Perfume river
Tu Duc's and Minh Mang's tomb complexes, the Thien Mu pagoda by dragon boat, and a garden house dinner in the old quarter.
- Night
- Hue
- Meals
- Breakfast, dinner
Day 10
Over the pass to Hội An
The Hai Van coast road south, the Marble Mountains' cave shrines, and a hotel in the old town's lanes.
- Night
- Hội An
- Meals
- Breakfast
Day 11
My Son, and the merchant houses
The Cham temple complex at dawn, then Tan Ky's merchant house, the Fujian assembly hall, and lanterns on the river after dark.
- Night
- Hội An
- Meals
- Breakfast, dinner
Day 12
Fly home
Forty minutes to Da Nang and the connection through Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City.
- Meals
- Breakfast
What's included
- 11 nights in heritage hotels, a junk cabin and village homestays
- Return economy airfare and the internal Hanoi–Hue and Da Nang legs
- Private car and a cultural guide for nine of the twelve days
- Ceramics, silk and brocade weaving workshops with materials
- Junk cruise with all meals, cave entries and kayaks
- All citadel, tomb, museum and My Son entries
- Royal cooking house lunch at Hue and the water puppet show
Not included
- Vietnamese e-Visa
- Meals not named in the itinerary
- Travel insurance
- Bicycle hire beyond the Mai Châu day
Other ways to go
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5 other routes through Ha Long Bay, from ₹94,900 per person.
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Luxury11D | 10NThe Private Junk
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The Private Junk — Ha Long Bay, 11D | 10N, from ₹2,49,900Per person, starting from*
₹2,49,900, reduced from
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Adventure10D | 9NKarst, Cave & Motorbike
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Karst, Cave & Motorbike — Ha Long Bay, 10D | 9N, from ₹1,09,900Per person, starting from*
₹1,09,900, reduced from
₹1,56,100
*Per person on twin sharing. Prices move with season and availability — we confirm yours in writing before anything is booked.
Plan this trip
Make Hanoi, Hue & the Imperial North yours.
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