On arrival, you’ll be met at the airport by a private driver and taken directly to the Peridot Grand Boutique Hotel, a sensational hotel in the heart of Hanoi’s bustling Old Town. The rooftop’s gorgeous bar is THE place to see the spectacle that is Hanoi at night, a sea of blazing lights and buzzing streets. 

At 5:30 this evening we’ll take a lively street food tour sampling Vietnamese specialities at 6-7 local spots. Your senses will come alive as we navigate a maze of backstreets, alleyways, and bustling markets. Hear, touch, taste and smell the authentic essence of Hanoi. Along the way delicacies, strange food items and an explanation of Vietnamese food practices will be given. These busy eclectic markets are alive with the sights and sounds of Hanoi and are the essence of Vietnamese culture.

 Continue through the streets of the Old Quarter to Dong Xuan market to sample some local treats such as pho (beef or chicken noodle), bun cha (grilled pork with noodle), Hanoian sandwich, and green papaya Salad. Our guide will explain the routine of Vietnam meal times and indigenous/unusual ingredients eaten. Keep walking deeper to the inner of the Old Quarter and its bustling 36 streets, stop at a famous dessert shop to taste che, fresh fruit or bean is cooked with sugar, mixed with jelly and ice. We’ll finish our street food journey with an egg coffee, Vietnamese cappuccino, or a draft beer (bia hoi) in the old quarter.

Wake up early this morning and walk to the nearby Hoan Kiem Lake. Locals are practicing tai chi, zumba, and ballroom dancing, or playing chess, jogging or gossiping over cups of Vietnamese coffee. On weekends the streets around the lake are pedestrian only, allowing you to stroll easily around the broad leafy roads. 

After breakfast we’ll visit the Hanoi Hilton, where John McCain was imprisoned after landing in Hanoi’s West Lake (Ho Tay). We’ll also have a guided tour of the venerable Temple of Literature, built in 1077 and dedicated to students of Confucius. This walled compound with five separate courtyards is the country’s first university. 

Afterwards we’ll have lunch before we discover the secrets of traditional Vietnamese pottery.

 In this half-day pottery class, we’ll learn how to make clay creations from a master artisan direct from Bat Trang, one of the country’s oldest ceramics villages. Get personalized guidance and answers to all your questions in this private session. 

This morning we’ll walk together to the Vietnamese Women’s Museum of Vietnam below the lake’s southern shore. Focused on the contribution of women to Vietnam's history and culture, this museum highlights their roles in the country’s many military conflicts as well as in commerce, including features on female street vendors, women's role in the family, and more recently, single mothers in Vietnam. Its noble mission is to promote gender equality and the progress of women. 

We’ll do a little shopping on the walk back: one of my favorite places is Collective Memories for great Vietnamese kitsch as well as home decor. Tired City apparel shop is also a sweet spot for t-shirts and hoodies with original artwork by local graphic designers. There’s also Lennin, a skateboard brand, that has some hip merch, right across the street from Pasteur Street Brewing, if you’d like to sample some fantastic local beer. My fave is the Jasmine IPA. Or is it the Passion Fruit Wheat? 

Around the corner is perhaps the best banh mi in town, at 57 Ly Quoc. We can stop by for a chicken and egg baguette or the more traditional paté. 

This afternoon you're free to explore the stalls of Old Town where you’ll no doubt find many, many goodies to bring home, including great North Face and Columbia knockoffs. Before dinner we’ll take in a water puppet show at the Thang Long theater. This is a unique Vietnamese art form that depicts scenes from rural life. From there I suggest we walk to my favorite restaurant in Hanoi: Pizza 4Ps. Silly name but divine pies, crab curry pasta and Western-style salads. It’s a must.

After breakfast we’ll head to the northern highlands and the town of Sapa (5.5 hours). Though the first part will be on smooth, paved highways, the latter portion crosses through the agricultural province of Yen Bai, which is full of rice terraces - the most famous of which is at Mu Cang Chai - and beautiful lakes and dams. En route we’ll stop for lunch, then arrive in Sapa by early evening.

We’ll spend four nights at the lovely, centrally located KK Sapa Hotel. Here we’ll enjoy dinner before hitting the sack! 

Sapa town stands at the head of a deep valley of magnificent rice terraces that are still farmed today as they have been for centuries. Backdrops don’t get much more spectacular. Enticing ribbons of road lead the eye down to the valley floor, white-water rivers rush among rice fields, and lush green mountains stretch into the distance as far as the eye can see. The highest peak in the region, Mount Fansipan, crowns the ragged ridge line high above town. Nestled in the misty mountains, this rice terrace region is quite different from the rest of hot, humid Vietnam. In fact in November we can expect chilly weather! 

Northwest Vietnam is famous for its stunning natural landscapes, lush terraced rice fields, diverse culture of different minority groups, especially unique bustling local markets. For those who love to explore the ethnic culture, learn more about the local daily life and enjoy nature beauty by visiting one of the eight best local markets. 

This morning we’ll visit the Bac Ha Hill Tribes Market where Red Dzao, Flower H'Mong, Tay and other ethnic minority people converge from the surrounding countryside to sell their silverware and handicrafts, and to buy provisions. Dip yourself into the happy atmosphere of this market, which is very simple but really meaningful to the local people. 

Every Sunday the Bac Ha market bursts into life, as hundreds of traders from the Dzao, Han, Xa Fang, Tay and Thai tribes descend on the market, decked out in traditional garb. Expect a riot of color and excited haggling.We’ll have lunch at a local restaurant and then visit Ban Pho Village, H’mong King House before returning to Sapa. 

After breakfast, we’ll meet our H’mong guide and transfer by bus to the path leading to Y Linh Ho Village. We’ll start our moderate trekking route from there (approx. 7 miles--though a bus is available for anyone who would like to depart the trek early!).

We’ll visit the Y Linh Ho and Lao Chai villages of the H’mong minority. After lunch at a local family in Lao Chai or in a drinking shop nearby the river bank, we keep on hiking to Ta Van village of the Dzay minority people. We’ll return to Sapa for a free evening. 

Today we’ll visit Silver Waterfalls and take in panorama views of Hoang Lien Son Mountain, Tram Ton Pass from Heaven Gate. Return to Sapa town for lunch at a local restaurant. 

In the afternoon, a short trek to the gate of Cat Cat village which is home of Black H'mong ethnic people and is located near the bottom of a deep valley at the foot of Fansipan Peak. Our local guide will show you the daily life activities of the locals and we'll trek down to the valley bottom to the waterfall where the French built a Hydraulic Power Station; stop for photo with bridge and waterfall then we’ll walk uphill where our bus will take us back to Sapa town. Trekking distance is about 3.5 kms and it lasts for 2 hours. We’ll return to Sapa around 3pm. Remainder of day at leisure. 

During free time in town be sure to stop by the Sapa market. It’s open every day for people to buy and sell products; its most impressive feature is its unique brocade products in vibrant colors, and subtle patterns of the H’Mong, Dao Do, and Giay.  

We’ll check out of the hotel this morning and make a seven-hour drive south to Ninh Binh, a playground for adventurers, and an oasis for nature lovers. We’ll have ample time to stop and stretch, including a lunch break in the Yen Bien province. We should arrive at our hotel by 4pm. 

Vietnam’s first capital was established in Ninh Binh, and today the area is a protected UNESCO World Heritage Site, full of mossy pagodas, striking limestone karsts, and surreal landscapes. Our hotel for two nights is Le Clos du Fil.

During our stay here we’ll have the opportunity to visit the family-run embroidery atelier and witness intricate details on items of clothing come to life through delicate artistry and fascinating traditional techniques, each piece boasting a fine balance between classic patterns and refined modernity.

At our unique boutique hotel, we’ll find a perfect mixture of rustic, quaint and private comfort along with high-quality services while being surrounded by breathtaking natural beauty and fascinating local culture. Because at Le Clos du Fil, a stay is more than just a visit: it’s a source of inspiration.

Some of Ninh Binh’s best scenery can only be accessed by boat, so this morning we’ll enjoy a paddleboat tour in Trang An. Gliding along the gentle current, in the shadow of enormous, jungle-covered karsts, the boats stop at temples and drift underneath grottoes along the way. We’ll cruise through five of these grottoes with beautiful stalactites and row from long dark caves into green picturesque canals. 

We’ll return to the boat quay in Tam Coc and have lunch at a local restaurant. 

This afternoon we have a leisurely craft adventure when we join an embroidery class at our hotel, famous in the region for its intricate stitching and designs. 

This morning we’ll bicycle to Bich Dong Pagoda, a complex of three structures which emerge from the cliff face set into the edge of a mountain. Its name translates to Pagoda of the Emerald Grotto and is believed to have come from Nguyen Nghiem, the father of a famous Vietnamese poet. It is clear to see where he took his inspiration from as the greenery that clings to the mountain is reflected in the mirror-like water, creating an emerald glow around the pagodas. 

Located at the foot of a large mountain, Bich Dong Pagoda’s ornate gate is one of the most iconic sights in Ninh Binh. We’ll bike here from our hotel, a lovely, easy route. Just beyond the gate is a tranquil courtyard and a traditional Buddhist temple. Follow the stairs up and around the mountain for stunning views, then look for two other temples embedded in the mountain, dating back to the 18th century. 

This morning we’ll travel one hour to the bay to board our luxury cruise, the Dragon Legend or another vessel. Activities begin with lunch on board, followed by two days of kayaking to a cave, cooking demonstration, squid fishing, and cycling on shore in Bai Tu Long. All meals included.

Activities planned by boat staff, including kayaking, biking, squid fishing, tai chi and more! 

After disembarking from our cruise we’ll set have another leisurely drive through the Vietnamese countryside when we head back towards Hanoi (3.5 hours). En route we will stop in the town of Yen Duc where we’ll enjoy a water puppet show, a Vietnamese tradition! 

We’ll check back into the Peridot Grand (maybe we can leave a few bags behind when we leave earlier!) This evening is free but I recommend a crazy seafood fest at a restaurant down the block--all you can eat sushi, fish, clams, steamed crabs and other peelable crustaceans--for $25. 

The place rocks with loads of Hanoi 30-somethings and is quite simply a marvel! As a fond farewell to this city we should head to the Majesty Sky Bar for a multi-story view over the Hoan Kiem Lake and toast our trip with an exquisite craft cocktail! 

This morning we’ll head back to Hanoi’s airport to begin our journey home. Have a farewell pho at breakfast!