7-Day Northern Vietnam Retreat Tour: Ninh Binh, Mai Chau & Pu Luong
Overview
Destination: North Vietnam
Duration: 7 - 10 days
Travel Style: Relax & Wellness
Theme: Couple
Tour Highlights
Value of the package
This 7-day northern Vietnam retreat is a private trip for travellers who want countryside rather than crowds. After a day in Hanoi, you head south to the limestone landscape of Ninh Binh, then west into the valley of Mai Chau and the terraced hills of Pu Luong, staying in a resort, an ecolodge and a nature retreat along the way. Your guide and driver look after every transfer from your arrival to your departure at Noi Bai.
- Hanoi in one full day. Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Ba Dinh Square, the One Pillar Pagoda, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Train Street, the Temple of Literature, the Old Quarter and a water puppet show at the end of the day.
- Trang An by sampan. A local rower takes you for two and a half to three hours along the waterways and through the cave tunnels of this UNESCO World Heritage Site.
- Short drives, slow days. The longest drive before the last day is about 3–3.5 hours, and most days end at your lodging by mid to late afternoon.
- Village life in Mai Chau. Cycle or walk with your guide between the rice fields to Thai villages, where women weave brocade beneath their stilt houses.
- Two nights in Pu Luong. Easy walks through a Thai village, the terraced valley and small hamlets, and a visit to the bamboo water wheels that irrigate the fields.
- Straight to the airport. On the last day you drive from Pu Luong directly to Noi Bai International Airport, about 5 hours, timed to an afternoon or evening flight.
Included in the package
- Airport pick-up and drop-off at Noi Bai International Airport (Hanoi) with your guide
- 6 nights’ accommodation – Hanoi (2 nights), Ninh Binh (1 night), Mai Chau (1 night) and Pu Luong (2 nights)
- 6 breakfasts and 5 lunches, as listed day by day
- Private car and driver throughout
- English-speaking guide on sightseeing days
- Entrance fees and the activities in the itinerary, including the Hanoi city tour, the water puppet show, the Trang An sampan ride, the Mai Chau village visit and the Pu Luong walks
- 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 & EASY
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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 at Noi Bai International Airport with a name sign and take you to your hotel in the Old Quarter, about 45 minutes away.
Evening
Rest after your flight, then wander the Old Quarter at your own pace – a maze of narrow streets, each once named after the trade practised there. Pull up a plastic stool for street food, browse the small shops and join the evening stroll around Hoan Kiem Lake as the lights come on.
DAY 2: HANOI FULL-DAY CITY TOUR
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Overnight: Tirant Hotel, Hanoi | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch · Dinner on your own | Guide: Full day guide
Morning
Your guide and driver meet you at your hotel around 8:00 AM and you head for Ba Dinh Square, where the marble Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum stands.
Wander past the yellow Presidential Palace to his simple stilt house and the One Pillar Pagoda, rising from its pond like a lotus. The mausoleum opens in the morning and closes on Mondays, Fridays and during its yearly maintenance; on those days you see it from the square.
Next come Tran Quoc Pagoda, the city’s oldest, its red tower rising above West Lake, and Train Street, where the railway runs a few steps from front doors and tiny cafés.
Midday
Lunch around midday brings a taste of Hanoi’s cooking at a local restaurant.
Afternoon
At the Temple of Literature, Vietnam’s first university, founded in 1070, shaded courtyards lead past a lotus pond to stone stelae carved with the names of doctoral laureates.
Then wander the lively Old Quarter and the shores of Hoan Kiem Lake.
Evening
Around 5:00 PM, lacquered puppets glide across the water to live folk music at a water puppet show, an art born in the rice fields of the north. You are back at your hotel by about 6:30 PM, free for dinner at your own arrangement.
DAY 3: HANOI TO NINH BINH NATURE RETREAT
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Overnight: Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh, Ninh Binh | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch · Dinner on your own | Guide: Full day guide
Morning
After breakfast and check-out, your guide and driver meet you in the lobby around 8:00 AM for the drive of about 2 hours south to Ninh Binh. Limestone peaks begin to rise from the rice fields, and by around 10:00 AM you are stepping into a wooden sampan at Trang An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. For the next two and a half to three hours a local rower guides you along quiet waterways between the karst mountains and through cool, dripping cave tunnels, with green paddies running alongside the river.
Midday
Back on land, lunch around 1:00 PM is at a local restaurant in Ninh Binh, a short drive from the pier.
Afternoon
Around 3:00 PM you arrive at your resort in the quiet countryside of Ninh Binh. Spend the rest of the afternoon by the pool, or cycle along the rice fields as the evening light turns the peaks gold.
DAY 4: NINH BINH TO MAI CHAU VALLEY ESCAPE
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Overnight: Mai Chau Ecolodge, Mai Chau | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch · Dinner on your own | Guide: Full day guide
Morning
After breakfast, your guide and driver meet you at the resort around 9:00 AM. The drive to Mai Chau takes about 3–3.5 hours, with a rest stop on the way, as the karst plains give way to rolling green hills and small villages.
Midday
Lunch around 12:30 PM is at a local restaurant in Mai Chau.
Afternoon
In the afternoon, cycle or walk with your guide along the narrow paths between the rice fields to the Thai villages of the valley. Wooden stilt houses stand above the fields, and in the shade beneath them women work their looms, weaving brocade in bright patterns passed down through generations. Along the way you glimpse the unhurried rhythm of farming life in the valley.
Evening
Around 4:30 PM you check in at your lodge. As dusk falls, the valley settles into a deep, green quiet.
DAY 5: MAI CHAU TO PU LUONG RETREAT
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Overnight: Pu Luong Retreat, Pu Luong | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch · Dinner on your own | Guide: Full day guide
Morning
Enjoy a slow breakfast, then set off with your guide and driver around 9:00 AM. The mountain road to Pu Luong takes about 1.5–2 hours, winding past terraced fields and limestone peaks, with a new view at every bend.
Midday
Lunch around midday is at a local restaurant in Pu Luong.
Afternoon
In the afternoon, take an easy walk through a Thai village among the rice terraces. Paths lead past stilt houses and rustling bamboo groves, and the views open out across the nature reserve, where forested mountains fold into one another.
Evening
Around 4:00 PM you arrive at your retreat. Sit back and watch the light fade over the valley as evening falls.
DAY 6: PU LUONG SLOW NATURE DAY
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Overnight: Pu Luong Retreat, Pu Luong | Meals: Breakfast, Lunch · Dinner on your own | Guide: Full day guide
Morning
Your guide meets you at the retreat around 8:30 AM, after breakfast. At an easy pace, you walk the paths through the terraced valley, past small hamlets and fields that change colour with the seasons – brilliant green as the rice grows, gold before the harvest. Out here, the loudest sounds are birdsong and running water.
Midday
Lunch around midday is at a local restaurant in the valley.
Afternoon
In the afternoon, follow the stream to the bamboo water wheels. Creaking slowly as they turn, these simple wheels, built by the Thai people, lift water from the river into bamboo channels that feed the fields, a clever design that needs no engine at all. You are back at your retreat by about 3:30 PM, with the rest of the day to relax.
DAY 7: RETURN TO HANOI – DEPARTURE
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Overnight: — | Meals: Breakfast · Lunch and dinner on your own | Guide: Guide dropoff
Morning
Enjoy a last breakfast with a view over the valley, then check out. Your guide and driver take you north through the hills and across the plains, about 5 hours with a rest stop, straight to Noi Bai International Airport. The departure from the retreat is timed to your flight, so an afternoon or evening flight home fits this day.
Departure
Your guide accompanies you to the airport for your flight home. Thank you for travelling with HYNA – we hope Vietnam stays 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 · 5 lunches
Transport: Private car, sampan boat
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. Does the tour price include airfare?
No. International and domestic flights are not included in our tour prices. Where a route uses a domestic flight, the itinerary shows it so you can plan your bookings.
2. Can you arrange vegetarian or other special meals?
Yes. Tell us about your dietary needs when you send your enquiry and we will arrange the included meals accordingly.
3. Can I change the itinerary?
Yes. Every itinerary can be tailored to your travel dates, pace and interests. Tell us what you would like to add, remove or swap when you ask for a price.
4. What is your cancellation policy?
Our cancellation policy is flexible, and the terms depend on your travel dates and the services booked. Ask us for the full terms before you book.
5. When is the best time to take this tour?
The weather in Vietnam differs a lot between the north, the centre and the south. The best months for this route are shown under "Best time to go" in the Trip facts on this page. Tell us your travel dates and we can suggest the best way to plan the route for that season.
6. Is travel insurance included?
Travel insurance during the tour is included, as listed under "Included in the package". We also recommend your own international travel insurance that covers medical care and flight changes.
7. Is airport pick-up included?
Yes. Your guide and driver meet you at the airport on the first day and take you to the airport for your departure on the last day, as shown in the itinerary.
8. What documents do I need to travel to Vietnam?
You need a passport valid for at least six months from your arrival date and a Vietnam visa or visa exemption, depending on your nationality. The Vietnam visa fee is not included in the tour price.
