Customised holidayTRVN5E
Hanoi & Ha Long BayVietnam in 5 nights
- 6 Days · 5 Nights
- Vietnam · 4 Cities
- Easy pace
- Any date you choose
Hanoi (2N)Ha Long Bay cruise (1N)Ninh Binh (1N)Hanoi (1N)
View day-wise itinerary →Holiday includes
- Hotel
- Meals
- Sightseeing
- Transport
- FlightsOptional
- Visa
Private car and driver throughout, private airport transfers. Prafull plans and answers every message himself.
Holiday highlights
- Cyclo ride around Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter
- Temple of Literature and a water-puppet show in Hanoi
- Overnight cruise among Ha Long Bay's limestone islands
- Kayaking into a lagoon and a walk through a sea cave
- Rowing-boat ride through the river caves of Trang An
- Hang Mua viewpoint over the Tam Coc river
Itinerary (day wise)
A short, unhurried first look at northern Vietnam: Hanoi's Old Quarter, a night on a cruise among Ha Long Bay's limestone islands, and the river caves and rice fields of Ninh Binh. No drive is much over three hours, so it suits parents, families and first-time visitors. The route loops from Hanoi to the coast and back through Ninh Binh, so you fly in and out of the same airport.
Day 1Arrive in Hanoi (2 Nights)
About 30 km · 45 minutes–1 hour by road
Your driver meets you at Noi Bai arrivals with a name card and drives you into the city, over the Red River, to your hotel in or near the Old Quarter. After check-in and a rest, you climb into a cyclo, the pedalled rickshaw with the seat in front, for a ride around Hoan Kiem Lake and through the Old Quarter's narrow streets, many still named after the goods once sold there. Walk over the red Huc Bridge to Ngoc Son Temple on the lake. Dinner is at your own pace; Indian and vegetarian restaurants are a short walk away. Overnight in Hanoi.
- Hoan Kiem Lake
- Ngoc Son Temple and the Huc Bridge
- Hanoi Old Quarter by cyclo
- Note: Hotel check-in is usually from 2 pm; a guaranteed early check-in costs extra.
Prafull’s tipChange only a little money at the airport; exchange counters in the Old Quarter usually give a better rate for US dollars.
No meals included today
Day 2Hanoi
A full day with a private English-speaking guide and car. You start at Ba Dinh Square and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, then walk past the yellow Presidential Palace to the simple stilt house where Ho Chi Minh lived and the small One Pillar Pagoda. Late morning is for the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university, founded in 1070, with its quiet courtyards and stone tablets carried on tortoises. After lunch there's time to rest at the hotel. In the evening you watch a water-puppet show at the Thang Long theatre by the lake, a northern folk art played out on a pool of water to live traditional music. Overnight in Hanoi.
- Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
- Presidential Palace and stilt house
- One Pillar Pagoda
- Temple of Literature
- Thang Long Water Puppet Theatre
- Note: The Mausoleum opens only in the morning, is closed on Mondays and Fridays, and shuts for some weeks each year for maintenance; on those days you see it from the square.
- Note: Cover shoulders and knees for the Mausoleum and temples. No photos inside the Mausoleum.
Prafull’s tipBe at the Mausoleum by 8 am; the queue grows quickly, especially at weekends.
Breakfast
Day 3Hanoi – Ha Long Bay Cruise (1 Night)
About 170 km · 2.5 hours by expressway
Your driver collects you after breakfast for the expressway drive east, with one rest stop on the way. You board the cruise at the harbour around midday, and lunch is served as the boat moves out among the limestone islands. In the afternoon you kayak, or take a bamboo rowing boat if you'd rather not paddle, into a sheltered lagoon, and walk through one of the bay's large caves. Back on board there's time on the sundeck for sunset, often a cooking demonstration, then dinner. You sleep in a private cabin with its own bathroom. Overnight on board in Ha Long Bay.
- Ha Long Bay's limestone islands
- Sung Sot (Surprise) Cave or a similar cave
- Kayaking in a lagoon
- Sunset from the sundeck
- Note: The coastguard can hold boats in port during storms, most often between July and October; if that happens we rebook or switch you to a day cruise.
- Note: Leave your big suitcase at the Hanoi hotel, as you return there on day 5, and take an overnight bag on board.
Prafull’s tipTell us your veg or Jain needs when you book; we send them to the boat's kitchen a week before you sail.
Breakfast, Lunch & Dinner
Day 4Ha Long Bay – Ninh Binh (1 Night)
About 180 km · 3 hours by road
Early risers join a tai chi session on the sundeck as the sun comes up over the islands. After tea and a light breakfast there's usually one more short visit, to a cave or a pearl farm, then brunch as the boat sails back; you're ashore by about 11 am. Your driver takes you south-west to Ninh Binh, where rice fields lie between sheer limestone peaks. In the afternoon a local rower takes you by small boat along the river at Trang An, through low caves and past riverside temples, for about two to three hours. Overnight in Ninh Binh.
- Tai chi on deck at sunrise
- Trang An boat ride
- Ninh Binh rice fields and karsts
- Note: Trang An boats carry about four guests besides the rower. There's little shade, so bring a hat, sunscreen and water.
- Note: Some cave ceilings come close to the water; you'll be asked to bend low.
Prafull’s tipStart the Trang An boat after 2 pm, when most Hanoi day-trippers have left.
Breakfast & Lunch
Day 5Ninh Binh – Hanoi (1 Night)
About 95 km · 2 hours by road
Start early at Hang Mua, where about 500 stone steps lead up to a dragon carving on the ridge and a view over the Tam Coc river winding through the peaks. If you'd rather not climb, the lotus ponds at the foot are lovely in summer. On the way north you stop at Hoa Lu, Vietnam's capital in the 10th century, to see the temples of its first kings. You're back in Hanoi by early afternoon to rest, and in the evening a guide leads you on a street-food walk through the Old Quarter, with vegetarian stops arranged in advance. Overnight in Hanoi.
- Hang Mua viewpoint
- Tam Coc
- Hoa Lu ancient capital
- Old Quarter street-food walk
- Note: The Hang Mua climb is steep and takes 20–30 minutes up. Go before 9 am in the warmer months.
Prafull’s tipFor parents, the lotus ponds and the temples at Hoa Lu make a gentler morning than the climb.
Breakfast
Day 6Hanoi – Departure
About 30 km · 45 minutes–1 hour by road
After breakfast you have time for a last walk around Hoan Kiem Lake or a coffee in an Old Quarter café. Hanoi's egg coffee, whipped egg yolk over strong coffee, is the local favourite; if you avoid egg, coconut coffee is just as good. Check-out is usually by noon and the hotel holds your bags if your flight is later. Your driver collects you about three hours before an international departure for the transfer to Noi Bai airport. Your holiday ends here.
- Hoan Kiem Lake
Prafull’s tipAllow an extra 30 minutes for evening traffic on the airport road.
Breakfast
Tour details
Accommodation
Choose the hotel category. The same route and sightseeing in every category.
| City | Standard hotels |
|---|---|
| Hanoi2 nights | Mercure Hanoi La Gare / Silk Path Hotel Hanoi / Ibis Hanoi Centre / or similarDeluxe room |
| Ha Long Bay cruise1 night | Bhaya Classic Cruise / Ambassador Cruise / or similarDeluxe cabin with window and private bathroom |
| Ninh Binh1 night | Ninh Binh Hidden Charm Hotel & Resort / 3★–4★ hotel near Tam Coc / or similarDeluxe room |
| Hanoi1 night | Mercure Hanoi La Gare / Silk Path Hotel Hanoi / Ibis Hanoi Centre / or similarDeluxe room |
| City | Deluxe hotels |
|---|---|
| Hanoi2 nights | Hotel de l'Opera Hanoi – MGallery / Hilton Hanoi Opera / Pan Pacific Hanoi / or similar |
| Ha Long Bay cruise1 night | Paradise Elegance Cruise / Bhaya Legend Cruise / or similar |
| Ninh Binh1 night | Tam Coc Garden Resort / Aravinda Resort Ninh Binh / or similar |
| Hanoi1 night | Hotel de l'Opera Hanoi – MGallery / Hilton Hanoi Opera / Pan Pacific Hanoi / or similar |
| City | Premium hotels |
|---|---|
| Hanoi2 nights | Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi / Capella Hanoi / JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi / or similar |
| Ha Long Bay cruise1 night | Heritage Line Violet / Heritage Line Ylang / or similar |
| Ninh Binh1 night | Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh / Vedana Lagoon Resort & Spa / or similar |
| Hanoi1 night | Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi / Capella Hanoi / JW Marriott Hotel Hanoi / or similar |
Hotels are confirmed when you book. If a hotel is full, we give you one of the same category in the same area, and tell you before you pay.
Optional add-ons
Not in the price. Prafull can book them for you or you can pay locally.
| Experience | Approx. price |
|---|---|
| Lan Ha Bay cruiseA quieter bay next to Ha Long with fewer boats; the drive is a little longer. | On request |
| Vegetarian cooking class in HanoiA market visit and three or four dishes; Jain menus on request. | On request |
| Bai Dinh PagodaA vast modern Buddhist temple complex near Trang An; add about two hours on the Ninh Binh day. | On request |
Tour information
Read this to prepare for your holiday.
Tour inclusions
- 5 nights' accommodation: 3 in Hanoi, 1 on a Ha Long Bay cruise and 1 in Ninh Binh, in the hotels and cruise listed (or similar), twin sharing
- Daily breakfast; lunch and dinner on the cruise, and brunch on board before you disembark
- Private air-conditioned car with driver for all transfers and sightseeing: sedan for 2 guests, 7-seater for 3–4, 16-seat van for 5–8
- Private English-speaking guide for the Hanoi city day and the Ninh Binh day
- Cruise activities: kayaking or bamboo boat, cave visit, sunrise tai chi and cooking demonstration
- Cyclo ride in the Old Quarter and water-puppet show tickets
- Entry tickets: Temple of Literature, Ho Chi Minh's stilt house, Trang An boat, Hang Mua and Hoa Lu
- Guided Old Quarter street-food walk, with vegetarian stops arranged in advance
- Bottled water in the car every day
- Help with your Vietnam e-visa application; we check the form before you submit
- Prafull's day-by-day trip notes on WhatsApp
- 24/7 helpline while you travel
Tour exclusions
- Flights to and from India
- Vietnam e-visa fee (approx. US$25 for a single-entry e-visa, paid online)
- GST (5%) and TCS as applicable under current rules
- Lunches and dinners not listed, and all drinks on the cruise
- Spa treatments and paid extras on the cruise
- Travel insurance (strongly recommended)
- Tips for guides, drivers and cruise crew, at your discretion
- Early check-in and late check-out
- Personal expenses: laundry, minibar, phone calls and porterage
- Extra costs from cruise cancellations by the coastguard, flight changes or bad weather
- Anything not mentioned under inclusions
Good to know
- Indian passport holders need a Vietnam e-visa before travel. Apply at least two weeks ahead; your passport needs six months' validity.
- Hanoi and Ha Long are cool from December to February (roughly 12–20°C); pack a light jacket and layers.
- Walking is light. The Hang Mua climb is optional, and the cruise tender and Trang An boats need a careful step in and out; crew help older guests.
- Vegetarian food is called 'chay'. Buddhist vegetarian restaurants are common in Hanoi, and we pre-brief the cruise and hotels.
- The currency is the Vietnamese dong. Cards work in hotels and larger restaurants; carry some cash for markets, cyclos and tips.
- Vietnam is 1.5 hours ahead of India. Sockets take two-pin plugs; carry a universal adaptor.
When to go
October to April. Hanoi and Ha Long are cool and dry from October to April; Hoi An is best from February to August; the south is dry from December to April. October to December brings rain to the centre.
Our favourite months
Cancellation policy & payment terms
Payment terms
| To confirm your holiday | 25% of the package cost, or ₹25,000 per person, whichever is higher |
|---|---|
| 30 days before travel | Balance payment |
| Booking within 30 days of travel | Full payment at booking |
| Flights, trains and visa fees | Paid in full at booking, as the airline or authority requires |
Cancellation charges
| 45 days or more before travel | 10% of the package cost |
|---|---|
| 30–44 days before travel | 25% of the package cost |
| 15–29 days before travel | 50% of the package cost |
| 7–14 days before travel | 75% of the package cost |
| Less than 7 days, or no-show | 100% of the package cost |
- Cancellations must be sent in writing, on email or WhatsApp; the date we receive it is the cancellation date.
- Flights, trains, visa fees and non-refundable hotel or activity bookings are refunded only as their own rules allow.
- Date changes are free when made 30 days or more before travel, subject to hotel availability and any difference in price.
- Refunds are paid within 14 working days of us receiving them from the hotels and suppliers.
- No refund is possible for services not used during the holiday.
- Hotels may ask for a refundable security deposit at check-in, paid directly to the hotel.
Questions about this holiday
How much does the Hanoi & Ha Long Bay trip cost?
The 5-night Hanoi & Ha Long Bay journey starts at ₹34,000 per person on twin sharing in Standard hotels (about ₹46,000 in Deluxe and ₹64,500 in Premium hotels), land only. Flights are extra and quoted for your dates.
What is the best time for this Vietnam trip?
October to April. Hanoi and Ha Long are cool and dry from October to April; Hoi An is best from February to August; the south is dry from December to April. October to December brings rain to the centre.
Can this itinerary be changed?
Yes. Every TripRoutes trip is private, so we can add or remove nights, swap Hanoi or any other stop, change hotels, or adjust the pace.
Do Indians need a visa for Vietnam?
Yes — Indian passport holders apply online for an e-visa before travel. We help you apply and check the form, and confirm the current rules when you book.
How many days are enough for Vietnam?
Five nights for Hanoi and Ha Long Bay, seven to add Hoi An, and ten to travel from north to south.
Vietnam
Other ways to see Vietnam
7 nightsClassicHanoi to Hoi An
- Hanoi and a Ha Long Bay cruise
- Hoi An's lantern-lit old town
- Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge
10 nightsSignatureVietnam north to south
- Hanoi, Ha Long Bay and the imperial city of Hue
- Hoi An's old town
- Ho Chi Minh City and the Mekong Delta
Plan with Prafull
Make this holiday yours
Tell Prafull your dates and who is coming. He will send a revised plan and an exact price, usually within a few hours.
- WhatsApp +91 74800 66666
- Call +91 74800 66666
- prafull.pitale@triproutes.in
- 304, Kailash Plaza Business Park, Ghatkopar East