Halong Bay & Hanoi: 8 Days in Northern Vietnam
Northern Vietnam in full: the ancient city, the bay of dragons, and the dry Halong on land
From
£2,195pp
About this tour
Northern Vietnam contains two of the world's most extraordinary natural landscapes within a few hours of each other — Halong Bay, where 1,969 limestone islands rise from emerald water in UNESCO-protected majesty, and Ninh Binh, known as the "dry Halong Bay," where the same limestone karst formations rise from rice paddies and river channels in an inland landscape of haunting beauty. This eight-day private journey — guided throughout by Clara Nguyen — pairs four nights in Hanoi (long enough to understand and enjoy the city, not just tick its highlights) with two nights aboard a private junk in Halong Bay and a final night at the Emeralda Resort in Ninh Binh. It is northern Vietnam in its full complexity, at a pace that allows genuine appreciation rather than itinerary completion.
“Designed by Clara Nguyen, our Vietnam specialist with 12 years of northern Vietnam expertise.”
Why this works for travellers over 50
- Two nights on a private junk — the minimum required to experience Halong Bay properly
- Four nights in Hanoi — long enough to fall in love with the city
- Ninh Binh is one of Vietnam's most underrated destinations — beautiful and crowd-free
- Clara Nguyen's northern Vietnam knowledge is unmatched in our guide network
- No flights required — all travel by private vehicle and boat
- Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh is set on a private lake in the karst landscape
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Price per person — based on two travelling together.
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Your journey
Day-by-day itinerary
1Arrival in Hanoi
Hanoi
Arrival daySofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Arrival in Hanoi
Hanoi
Airport transfer and welcome dinner at the Metropole's Spices Garden.
2Old Quarter & Temple of Literature
Hanoi
ModerateSofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Old Quarter & Temple of Literature
Hanoi
Morning in the 36 Streets with Clara. Temple of Literature and Hoan Kiem Lake. Afternoon free.
3Ho Chi Minh Complex & Free Afternoon
Hanoi
GentleSofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
Ho Chi Minh Complex & Free Afternoon
Hanoi
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum, stilt house and One Pillar Pagoda. Long afternoon at leisure.
4Hanoi to Halong Bay — Boarding the Junk
Hanoi → Halong Bay
Active afternoon on waterPremium Private Junk, Halong Bay
Hanoi to Halong Bay — Boarding the Junk
Hanoi → Halong Bay
Drive to Halong Bay. Board private junk at noon. Afternoon sailing, kayaking, cave exploration. Sunset and five-course dinner on deck.
5Halong Bay — Full Day on the Water
Halong Bay
Active morning, relaxed afternoonPremium Private Junk, Halong Bay
Halong Bay — Full Day on the Water
Halong Bay
Dawn on deck. Morning tai chi and cooking class. Kayaking to a hidden lagoon. Afternoon swimming and fishing with the crew. Sunset cocktails.
6Halong Bay to Ninh Binh
Halong Bay → Ninh Binh
Travel morning, gentle boat afternoonEmeralda Resort Ninh Binh
Halong Bay to Ninh Binh
Halong Bay → Ninh Binh
Dawn on the bay. Return to shore by 10:00. Drive south to Ninh Binh (2 hours). Check in to the Emeralda Resort on its private lake. Afternoon: boat tour through the Trang An Grottoes — a UNESCO World Heritage Site of river channels threading between karst cliffs.
7Hoa Lu Ancient Capital & Bich Dong Pagoda
Ninh Binh
ModerateEmeralda Resort Ninh Binh
Hoa Lu Ancient Capital & Bich Dong Pagoda
Ninh Binh
Morning at Hoa Lu — Vietnam's capital in the 10th and 11th centuries, now a complex of ancient temples in a dramatic karst valley. Continue to Bich Dong Pagoda — three cave temples carved into the side of a limestone mountain with river views. Afternoon free at the Emeralda.
8Ninh Binh to Hanoi — Departure
Ninh Binh → Hanoi
Departure day
Ninh Binh to Hanoi — Departure
Ninh Binh → Hanoi
Final morning at leisure at the Emeralda. Drive back to Hanoi for onward flights. Clara accompanies you to Noi Bai Airport.
Like what you see?
Our specialists can tailor every day to your preferences.
Fitness & mobility
Pacing & accessibility
Northern Vietnam's highlights explored at a genuinely relaxed pace. Afternoons frequently free. No rushed temple-to-temple schedule.
Walking
Hanoi days 3–5km. Bich Dong pagoda has optional steep steps. Halong Bay and Ninh Binh boat days minimal walking.
Transport
Private vehicle throughout. Two days on private junk. No flights required.
Altitude
All at sea level or very low altitude. Bich Dong steps are the most challenging moment (60 steps, avoidable).
Heat / Climate
October–April ideal. Northern Vietnam winters (December–February) can be cool and misty — bring a light layer.
Accommodation
Your hotels
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi
★★★★★French Quarter, Hanoi · 3 nights
Vietnam's most storied hotel, open since 1901. Graham Greene wrote The Quiet American here. Heritage Wing rooms and a legendary bar.
- Open since 1901
- Graham Greene connection
- Spices Garden restaurant
- Bomb shelter cocktail bar
- French Quarter location
Premium Private Junk, Halong Bay
★★★★★Halong Bay · 2 nights
Private charter junk with en-suite cabins, sundeck, kayak platform and a crew dedicated exclusively to your group.
- Completely private charter
- En-suite cabins
- Five-course dinners
- Kayaking platform
- Sunrise on deck
Emeralda Resort Ninh Binh
★★★★★Van Long Nature Reserve, Ninh Binh · 2 nights
Set on a private lake within the Van Long Nature Reserve, the Emeralda offers bungalow accommodation in French-Vietnamese colonial style with karst mountain views on all sides. One of Vietnam's most atmospheric boutique resorts.
- Private lake setting
- Van Long Nature Reserve
- Karst mountain views
- French-Vietnamese colonial bungalows
- Rare langur monkeys visible from the resort
Enhance your trip
Extra Ninh Binh Night
+£245
Extend by one night at the Emeralda to include a sunrise cycling tour through the Tam Coc rice paddies.
per person supplement
Pricing
Holiday pricing
All prices are per person, based on two people sharing. We arrange departures throughout the year to suit your preferred dates.
Starting from
£2,195
per person · 2 sharing
Solo traveller supplement: +£595 pp
Travelling solo?
Single supplement: +£595 pp · Single supplement waived November 2025 for solo travellers
Full details
What’s included & not included
Included in your price
- 7 nights accommodation (Hanoi Metropole 3n, Halong Bay private junk 2n, Ninh Binh Emeralda 2n)
- Private guide Clara Nguyen throughout
- Two nights on private junk in Halong Bay — all meals included on board
- Trang An Grottoes UNESCO boat tour
- Hoa Lu Ancient Capital and Bich Dong Pagoda
- All private road transfers
- All entrance fees
- Daily breakfast; additional meals as noted
- Welcome dinner at the Metropole
- ATOL financial protection
Not included
- Travel insurance (required)
- Meals not listed
- Personal expenses and gratuities
- Vietnam e-visa
Your specialist
Who will plan your holiday
Clara Nguyen
Clara was born in Hoi An and studied Art History at Hanoi University. Former UNESCO conservation programme guide. 12 years of Vietnam experience. Speaks English and French.
Tailor-made
Like this tour but want it adapted?
Extra nights, alternative hotels, private transfers — our specialists will build your perfect itinerary from scratch.
What our guests say
Guest reviews
Two nights on the junk was exactly right
“One night wouldn't have been enough. Two nights gave us the dawn light, the cooking class, the hidden lagoon kayak and a full relaxed evening. The Emeralda at Ninh Binh was an unexpected joy — completely beautiful and almost entirely unknown to British travellers.”
Timothy & Joan Bellamy
Kent · 2025-01-06
Northern Vietnam perfected
“I didn't want to rush the whole of Vietnam in one trip. Spending eight days in the north was exactly right for me. Clara's knowledge of Hanoi — its colonial history, its resistance history, its food — was extraordinary. The Metropole is a dream.”
Caroline Sutherland
Edinburgh · 2024-12-02
The best trip I've taken in 15 years of travelling
“Ninh Binh is the secret of this itinerary. I'd never heard of it before booking. The Emeralda on its lake, the Trang An boat through the caves, the karst mountains at sunrise — I genuinely could not believe this was Vietnam and not somewhere completely undiscovered. Clara explained why it remains relatively unknown (most tourists fly straight to Halong Bay and skip it entirely). Their loss.”
Alan Brookes
Bath · 2025-03-10
Before you go
Practical information
Visa requirements
E-visa required. Apply at evisa.xuatnhapcanh.gov.vn. US$25. 3 business days.
Currency
Vietnamese Dong (VND). ATMs in Hanoi and Ninh Binh town. Carry cash for markets.
Tipping
Clara: £10–15/day. Junk captain: £20–30 for two nights. Boat rowers at Trang An: 30,000–50,000 VND.
Electricity
220V, mixed sockets. Universal adaptor.
Health & vaccinations
Hepatitis A, Typhoid recommended. Tap water not safe. Low malaria risk in tourist areas.
Flights
Fly London to Hanoi (HAN) via Gulf hub. No internal flights required for this tour — all travel by private vehicle and boat.
Local transport
Private vehicle throughout. No flights. Two nights on private junk. Rowing boats at Trang An and Tam Coc included.
Travel with like-minded people
Join a Small Group Departure
Prefer to travel with a small group of fellow over-50s rather than as a couple or solo? Our fixed-departure group tours put you alongside eight to twelve like-minded travellers with a dedicated tour manager for the entire journey.
- Maximum 12 travellers — intimate by design
- Dedicated tour manager throughout
- Social dinners and shared discoveries
- Single supplement waived on selected departures
- Like-minded over-50s travellers
- No single friends needed — just arrive and enjoy
Register Your Interest
Tell us your preferred dates and travel companions — we’ll match you with the right departure and send full details.
Our team will respond within 1 working day.
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Common questions
Frequently asked questions
Why is Ninh Binh called "the dry Halong Bay"?
The same limestone karst geology that created Halong Bay's islands also formed Ninh Binh's landscape — but here the karst towers rise from rice paddies and river channels rather than the sea. The scenery is remarkably similar in its dramatic beauty but entirely different in character, and because it's less famous, visitor numbers are a fraction of Halong Bay's.
What happens if it's foggy or rainy on Halong Bay?
Fog and mist are actually common on Halong Bay and many guests consider them more beautiful than bright sunshine — the islands emerging from low cloud have an extraordinary atmosphere. Rain is an occasional feature, particularly in summer months. The junk has a covered sundeck area. We do not cancel or refund due to weather, but we make the experience work in all conditions.
Can I combine this with the Hoi An & Hue tour?
Yes — many guests combine the Halong Bay & Hanoi 8-day with the Hoi An & Hue 7-day to create a 15-night northern and central Vietnam journey. We can connect the two itineraries with an included Hanoi–Da Nang flight.
Is Ninh Binh suitable for guests with limited mobility?
Yes — the Trang An Grottoes boat tour is seated throughout. The Emeralda Resort is flat. Bich Dong's upper pagoda steps can be skipped. Hoa Lu is flat and gentle. Ninh Binh is actually more accessible than Halong Bay, where the junk gangway can be steep.
What wildlife can I expect at Ninh Binh?
The Van Long Nature Reserve adjacent to the Emeralda is home to the world's largest population of Delacour's langur — a critically endangered black-and-white monkey visible from the resort and from the Trang An boats. Water birds (egrets, kingfishers) are abundant. Clara can advise on the best wildlife-spotting times.
Is the drive from Hanoi to Halong Bay comfortable?
It is a 3.5-hour drive on a modern motorway in a private air-conditioned vehicle. Clara accompanies you in the vehicle and the time passes very pleasantly. We stop for coffee approximately halfway. Many guests find the journey through the Red River Delta rice paddies itself beautiful.
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