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Low sun and soft mist over a mountain valley with golden rice terraces and a small village near Sapa.

Vietnam in 7 days: Hanoi, the mountains and the bay

7 days, 6 nights · Hanoi → Sapa → Hanoi → Lan Ha Bay

A week is enough for one region done well, not the whole country: rice terraces in the mountains and a night on the water, with Hanoi either side.

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The route

  1. Hanoi

    2 nights, from day 1

    Typical hotel: Apricot Hotel or La Siesta Premium Hang Be

  2. Sapa

    2 nights, from day 3

    Typical hotel: Sapa Jade Hill Resort & Spa or Topas Ecolodge

  3. Hanoi

    1 night, from day 5

    Typical hotel: Apricot Hotel or La Siesta Premium Hang Be

  4. Lan Ha Bay

    1 night, from day 6

    Typical hotel: Halong Capella Cruise (Lyra Cruise Collection) or Heritage Cruises Binh Chuan Cat Ba Archipelago

Day by day

7 days, 6 nights

Built from our Northern Escape journey. Times are approximate; every day can change in the builder, where it opens on your own dates.

  1. 1

    Day 1: Arrive in Hanoi

    Noi Bai airport to Hanoi · about 45 minutes by private car

    Afternoon:
    Your driver meets you at Noi Bai airport and takes you into the city.
    Evening:
    An easy evening and an early night before the days ahead.

    Overnight: Hanoi

    A cyclo is pedalled along a quiet, sunlit Hanoi street, casting long shadows beneath an old railway bridge.

  2. 2

    Day 2: Hanoi on foot

    Morning:
    A long walk through the Old Quarter, the lakes and the Temple of Literature with your guide.
    Afternoon:
    Free to rest or explore on your own.

    Overnight: Hanoi

  3. 3

    Day 3: Up into the mountains

    Hanoi to Sapa · about 5½ hours by road, with stops

    Morning:
    The drive north, climbing into the Hoang Lien Son range.
    Afternoon:
    A short walk in the late afternoon to stretch the legs.

    Overnight: Sapa

    Low sun and soft mist over a mountain valley with golden rice terraces and a small village near Sapa.

  4. 4

    Day 4: A day in the valleys

    Morning:
    A full day of walking through the Muong Hoa valley, between rice terraces and the villages of the Black Hmong and Red Dao people.
    Afternoon:
    Lunch on the way; the car meets you at the end of the trail.

    Overnight: Sapa

  5. 5

    Day 5: A morning walk, then back to Hanoi

    Sapa to Hanoi · about 5½ hours by road

    Morning:
    A shorter walk to a quieter valley.
    Afternoon:
    The drive back down to Hanoi.
    Evening:
    Dinner close to your hotel.

    Overnight: Hanoi

    A cyclo is pedalled along a quiet, sunlit Hanoi street, casting long shadows beneath an old railway bridge.

  6. 6

    Day 6: To Lan Ha Bay

    Hanoi to the coast · about 2½ hours by road

    Morning:
    The drive to the coast to board a small cruise ship on Lan Ha Bay.
    Afternoon:
    Kayaking or a small boat among the limestone islands.

    Overnight: Lan Ha Bay

    Steep, wooded limestone islands rising from calm green water in Lan Ha Bay under a soft grey sky, small boats in the distance.

  7. 7

    Day 7: Sunrise on the bay and depart

    The coast to Noi Bai airport · about 2½ hours by road

    Morning:
    An early morning on deck and brunch on board.
    Afternoon:
    The drive back to Noi Bai airport for your onward flight.

    Overnight: none (departure day)

Make it yours

The builder opens with these days on real dates: change the length, the pace, a day or a hotel, then book the pieces yourself with partners, or send it to us and a person fine-tunes it with you, free.

Customise this itinerarySee the Northern Escape journey and its tiers

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