9-Day Northern Vietnam Adventure Tour: Ha Long Bay, Ha Giang Loop & Sapa
Overview
Destination: North Vietnam
Duration: 7 - 10 days
Travel Style: Adventure & Nature
Theme: Friend
Tour Highlights
Value of the package
This 9-day northern Vietnam tour brings together three of the country’s most loved landscapes in one private trip: the limestone islands of Lan Ha Bay, the mountain passes of the Ha Giang Loop and the rice terraces of Sapa. Everything between your arrival and departure in Hanoi is arranged for you, so you can spend your days looking at the view instead of planning the next leg.
What makes this package worth it
- Three regions in nine days. Two of the long journeys – Hanoi to Ha Giang and Ha Giang to Sapa – are made on overnight sleeper buses, so the daylight hours are kept for the bay, the loop and the mountains.
- A night on the bay, not just a day trip. On La SEN of the Bay Cruise you kayak and swim at Lan Ha Bay, join the cooking demonstration and sunset party, and visit Dark & Bright Cave by rowing boat the next morning.
- Three full days on the Ha Giang Loop. Ride pillion behind an experienced easy rider, or go by jeep or car, over Quan Ba Heaven Gate, Tham Ma Pass and Ma Pi Leng Pass, with a boat trip on the Nho Que River.
- Two nights with local families. Homestays in Yen Minh and Dong Van put you in the heart of the mountain communities.
- Sapa from the top and on foot. The mountain train and cable car take you up Fansipan, the 3,143 m Roof of Indochina, you walk through the H’Mong village of Cat Cat, and a village trek leads from Lao Chai to Ta Van between the rice terraces.
- Guided where it matters. Your English-speaking guide accompanies you on sightseeing days, with a private car and driver for the transfers.
Included in the package
- Airport pick-up and drop-off in Hanoi with your guide
- 6 nights’ accommodation – Hanoi (2 nights), La SEN of the Bay Cruise, homestays in Yen Minh and Dong Van, and Sapa – plus 2 nights on the overnight sleeper bus
- 6 breakfasts, 7 lunches and 1 dinner, as listed day by day
- Private car and driver, sleeper bus tickets, and motorbike with easy rider or jeep on the Ha Giang Loop
- Entrance fees and the activities in the itinerary, including the cruise programme, the Nho Que River boat, the Fansipan train and cable car
- Drinking water on tour days, travel insurance, VAT and service charges
Not included: international flights, Vietnam visa fee, meals not listed, personal expenses, and tips for your guide and driver.
Download the detailed day-by-day itinerary (PDF) and ask us for a price using the box on this page, on WhatsApp +84 345 827 501 or at booking@hynatravel.com. Your price depends on your travel dates, group size and hotel choice.
Itinerary
DAY 1: HANOI ARRIVAL & FREE TIME
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Overnight: Tirant Hotel, Hanoi | Meals: Lunch and dinner on your own | Guide: Guide pickup
On arrival
Welcome to Vietnam. Your HYNA guide and driver wait for you in the arrival hall of Noi Bai International Airport with a name sign and take you by private car to your hotel in Hanoi, the hum of motorbikes drifting in through the window.
Evening
Check in and rest after the flight. When you feel ready, wander down to Hoan Kiem Lake, where locals stroll beneath the willows, and let the narrow lanes of the Old Quarter pull you in – or simply stay in and recharge.
DAY 2: HA LONG BAY: OVERNIGHT CRUISE ON LA SEN OF THE BAY
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Overnight: La SEN of the Bay Cruise, Lan Ha Bay | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner | Guide: Shared guide
Morning
Your driver meets you at your hotel in Hanoi around 8:00 AM, for the drive of about 2.5 hours to Ha Long, with a short rest stop, as the city gives way to rice fields. Late in the morning you check in at Tuan Chau Marina and ride the tender out to La SEN of the Bay Cruise. A welcome drink is waiting, the crew say hello and the cruise guide gives a short safety briefing.
Midday
Lunch is served on board around 1:00 PM – Vietnamese dishes and fresh seafood – as the boat slides past the Con Vit islets and the first limestone towers rise straight out of the green water.
Afternoon
The cruise reaches Ong Cam, a quiet corner of Lan Ha Bay ringed by karst walls, where you hear little but birdsong and lapping water. Paddle a kayak between the islets, or slip into the clear water for a swim.
Evening
Back on board, the anchor drops for the night. Pick up a few tricks at the cooking demonstration, then climb to the sundeck for the sunset party with local wine and fresh fruit while the peaks turn gold, then violet. After dinner in the restaurant, try squid fishing or settle in at the bar.
DAY 3: HA LONG BAY SUNRISE, RETURN TO HANOI & NIGHT BUS TO HA GIANG
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Overnight: Overnight sleeper bus | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch · Dinner on your own | Guide: Shared guide
Early morning
Wake early to watch the sun come up over the bay as mist lifts off the peaks, with coffee, tea and a light breakfast. Then board a local rowing boat for Dark & Bright Cave, the oars dipping in a slow, steady rhythm as you glide beneath the rock into a still lagoon.
Morning
Back on the cruise, relax and check out. Brunch is served around 10:00 AM while the boat sails slowly towards the marina and the karsts drift past one last time.
Afternoon
Around midday the tender brings you ashore at Tuan Chau Marina, where your driver is waiting for the ride back to Hanoi.
You arrive in the middle of the afternoon, and the rest of the day is yours to spend in the Old Quarter, with dinner on your own – a steaming bowl of noodles, a coffee on a low plastic stool.
Overnight
Your guide sees you off on the overnight sleeper bus to Ha Giang, which departs around 9:00 PM. Stretch out in your berth for the journey of about 6–7 hours to the far north of Vietnam, where the mountains are waiting.
DAY 4: HA GIANG LOOP BEGINS BY MOTORBIKE OR JEEP
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Overnight: Local homestay, Yen Minh | Meals: Lunch · Breakfast and dinner on your own | Guide: Full day guide
Early morning
The sleeper bus pulls into Ha Giang in the small hours. Your guide meets you there, and you have time to rest, freshen up and find breakfast in town before the loop begins.
Morning
Around 8:00 AM you set off on the Ha Giang Loop – riding pillion behind an experienced easy rider, or by jeep or car if you prefer four wheels.
The road climbs over Bac Sum Pass, the air growing cooler with every bend.
At Quan Ba Heaven Gate the land suddenly opens: far below lies the Tam Son valley, with the famous Twin Mountains rising softly out of the rice fields.
Midday
Lunch around midday at a local restaurant in Quan Ba, your first taste of the food of the northern highlands.
Afternoon
Winding roads lead on through pine forests and karst valleys to Yen Minh, with stops at viewpoints where the ridges fold one behind another into the distance.
Evening
You reach your local homestay in Yen Minh by about 4:30 PM. Dinner is at your own arrangement, followed by a quiet night in the mountains.
DAY 5: HA GIANG LOOP: MOUNTAIN PASSES & ETHNIC VILLAGES
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Overnight: Local homestay, Dong Van | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch · Dinner on your own | Guide: Full day guide
Morning
After breakfast at the homestay you are back on the road around 8:00 AM, climbing onto the Dong Van Karst Plateau, a UNESCO Global Geopark of grey stone and steep slopes.
Below you, the hairpin bends of Tham Ma Pass coil down the hillside – one of the most photographed roads of the whole loop.
Further on, stop in Lung Cam, a H’Mong village in the Sung La valley where earthen houses, stone fences and small cornfields sit between the mountains, and see how local families live and farm.
Midday
Lunch around midday at a local restaurant in Dong Van.
Afternoon
The road runs north to Lo Lo Chai, home of the Lo Lo people. Their yellow clay houses glow warmly against the green hills, and the village is known for its colourful traditional costumes, stitched in bold bands of pattern.
Evening
You reach your homestay in Dong Van by about 5:00 PM. Spend the evening at your own pace in the old town, where the day ends slowly and the mountain air turns crisp.
DAY 6: HA GIANG LOOP: NHO QUE RIVER & NIGHT BUS TO SAPA
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Overnight: Overnight sleeper bus | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch · Dinner on your own | Guide: Full day guide
Morning
You leave Dong Van after an early breakfast, around 7:30 AM, for the most dramatic stretch of the loop.
The road clings to the cliffs of Ma Pi Leng Pass, one of Vietnam’s great mountain passes, while far below the Nho Que River threads through the gorge like an emerald ribbon.
Head down to the boat pier by the river and take a boat into Tu San Canyon, where sheer limestone walls close in on both sides and the engine’s hum echoes off the rock.
Midday
Lunch around 11:30 AM at a local restaurant in Meo Vac.
Afternoon
The long ride back through Yen Minh towards Ha Giang town takes most of the afternoon, with short stops for photos as the valleys you crossed two days earlier appear in a new light. You reach town at about 5:00 PM, with time to freshen up and have dinner at your own arrangement.
Overnight
Your guide sees you off on the overnight sleeper bus to Sapa, which departs around 7:30 PM and winds through the mountains for about 7 hours.
DAY 7: SAPA ARRIVAL: FANSIPAN PEAK & CAT CAT VILLAGE
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Overnight: Silk Path Grand Resort & Spa Sapa, Sapa | Meals: Lunch · Breakfast and dinner on your own | Guide: Full day guide
Early morning
The sleeper bus reaches Sapa in the small hours. Your guide meets you on arrival and takes you straight to your hotel, where you can sleep for a few more hours before a late breakfast.
Morning
Around 9:00 AM you board the Muong Hoa Mountain Train, rolling down the valley to the cable car station.
From there the cable car lifts you over ridges and forest to Fansipan, at 3,143 m the Roof of Indochina. The Hoang Lien Son range spreads out in every direction as you climb the stone steps past pagodas and the Great Buddha statue, incense drifting on the cool air, all the way to the summit marker.
Midday
A buffet lunch at Fansipan around 12:30 PM, then the cable car and train carry you back down to Sapa.
Afternoon
In the afternoon, walk through Cat Cat, a Black H’Mong village at the foot of the mountains. The path winds past wooden houses, terraced rice fields and handicraft workshops to the rush of the Cat Cat waterfall, and along the way you learn about the daily life of the community. You are back at your hotel by about 5:00 PM to rest after the night on the road.
DAY 8: LAO CHAI – TA VAN TREK & RETURN TO HANOI
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Overnight: Tirant Hotel, Hanoi | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch · Dinner on your own | Guide: Full day guide
Morning
After breakfast and check-out, your guide and driver collect you around 8:30 AM and take you to the start of the trek in the Muong Hoa valley.
For about 8–9 km you follow village paths between the rice terraces, from the Black H’Mong village of Lao Chai down to Ta Van, home of the Giay people. Bamboo groves rustle beside the trail, small farms dot the slopes, and the Muong Hoa stream runs below you, catching the light.
Midday
Lunch around 12:30 PM at a local restaurant in Ta Van village, a well-earned rest after the walk.
Afternoon
Your driver picks you up in Ta Van for the drive back to Hanoi, about 5.5–6 hours on the expressway with a rest stop on the way, the mountains gradually flattening into the green plains of the Red River Delta.
Evening
You are back at your hotel in Hanoi by about 7:30 PM. Dinner is at your own arrangement.
DAY 9: HANOI DEPARTURE
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Overnight: — | Meals: Breakfast · Lunch and dinner on your own | Guide: Guide dropoff
Morning
Take your time over breakfast and enjoy a little free time, perhaps a last Vietnamese coffee, depending on your flight schedule.
Departure
Your HYNA guide accompanies you by private car to Noi Bai International Airport for your flight home. Thank you for travelling with HYNA – we hope the mountains, the bay and the people you met stay with you long after you leave.
Children Policy
Children under 5 years old Children from 5 to 9 years old Children 10 years old and above Charged at 100% of adult tour price Note: Children’s age is calculated based on the start date of the tour, not the booking date.
PRICE ON REQUEST
Your price depends on your travel dates, group size and hotel choice. Tell us your plans and we will send you a quote.
Meals: 6 breakfasts · 7 lunches · 1 dinner
Transport: Private car, overnight sleeper bus, motorbike with easy rider or jeep, cruise
Or email us at booking@hynatravel.com
All Reviews
Why HYNA's Travel?
Local Expert Team
A Vietnam-based team that plans every route on the ground and knows each region first-hand.
Honest & Transparent
Clear itineraries, clear inclusions and no hidden surprises, from your first message to your last day.
24/7 support
24/7 support throughout your journey.
Customized Itineraries
Every itinerary can be tailored to your travel dates, pace and interests.
Price and policy
Flexible cancellation policy.
FAQ
1. What services are included in the tour?
The tour includes all expenses for entrance fees, meals, accommodations (hotel or homestay depending on your preference), transportation between destinations, and a tour guide. Specific details are included in the itinerary we have sent.
2. Does the tour price include airfare?
The current tour price does not include airfare. However, we can assist you in booking flights at a discounted rate. You can also choose a package that includes airfare if needed.
3. Is vegetarian meal support available?
Yes, we offer vegetarian meal options. Please inform us in advance so we can arrange a menu that suits your needs.
4. Can I modify the tour itinerary?
You can adjust certain parts of the itinerary based on your preferences, but this depends on the flexibility of each destination. We will assist you with the arrangements if possible.
What is the cancellation and refund policy?
Our cancellation policy depends on the notice period. If canceled before X days, you will receive a full refund. From Y to Z days, a partial refund will be provided, and no refunds are available after Z days. We will send detailed terms via email.
6. What is the weather like at the destination?
The weather at the destination is generally stable during your travel period. However, we recommend checking the weather forecast closer to your departure date for accuracy. Additionally, we will send suggestions on what to pack based on current weather conditions.
7. Does the tour include travel insurance?
You can adjust certain parts of the itinerary based on your preferences, but this depends on the flexibility of each destination. We will assist you with the arrangements if possible.
8. What payment methods are available for the tour?
We accept payments via credit card, bank transfer, or in-person payment at our office. If you have special requirements for payment methods, please let us know, and we will assist you.
9. Is airport pickup service available?
Yes, we offer an airport pickup service. Simply provide your flight information, and our team will be waiting for you at the airport with a name sign.
10. Are there any special documents I need to prepare?
You will need to bring your passport, visa (if required), and other personal documents. We will send you specific instructions via email before your departure to help you prepare.
