Hanoi Ha Long Bay and Ninh Binh 5D4N

Arrive at Noi Bai International Airport, Hanoi. Complete customs and immigration, then meet your private guide and driver. Transfer to your hotel in Hanoi (approximately 45 minutes) and check in. Enjoy some free time to freshen up before the guide takes you to the Hanoi Old Quarter for a walking tour and a taste of the city's famous street food.

Dinner at a local restaurant in the Old Quarter.

Breakfast at the hotel, then check out. Transfer to Ha Long Bay, approximately 160 km or 3.5 hours from Hanoi. The drive takes you through the Vietnamese countryside, offering a glimpse of rural life where farming remains the livelihood of most communities. A rest stop is included along the way. On arrival at Ha Long City, board your wooden junk cruise and set sail into Ha Long Bay.

Explore Ha Long Bay by boat, visiting Thien Cung Cave, Dog Island, Ga Choi Island, and the Sail Islands. Enjoy a fresh seafood lunch served on board during the cruise. After approximately four hours on the water, disembark and spend free time at leisure, visiting the local market and beach.

Dinner at a local restaurant in Ha Long.

Breakfast at the hotel, then check out. Enjoy some free time to explore Ha Long before your driver and guide return you to Hanoi. The route includes a stop at a shopping centre midway between Ha Long and Hanoi, where you can shop, sample traditional local food, or simply relax.

Lunch at a local restaurant in Hanoi. Begin your city tour of the historic Ba Dinh district. Visit Ba Dinh Square, where President Ho Chi Minh declared Vietnamese independence on 2 September 1945, and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (closed Mondays, Fridays, and throughout October and November; photo stop from outside during those times). Continue to the One Pillar Pagoda, built in the early 11th century during the reign of King Ly Thai Tong.

Then visit the Temple of Literature, Vietnam's first university, and the Museum of Ethnography (open Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday). Finish the afternoon with an optional massage or nail spa at your own expense.

Return to your hotel in Hanoi.

Breakfast at the hotel. Drive to Ninh Binh and visit Bai Dinh Pagoda, one of the largest temple complexes in Vietnam. The pagoda is home to the country's largest bronze Buddha statue and is set amid stunning natural scenery. Explore the complex by tram, taking in the blend of culture, history, and magnificent karst landscapes.

Lunch at a local restaurant. Board a traditional sampan for a river journey through Trang An, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Glide along the river through a series of enormous karst limestone caves, past rice paddies and towering limestone peaks. The boat ride is included in the tour.

Dinner at a local restaurant before driving back to Hanoi. Enjoy the night market on your return or join an optional night tour of the city.

Breakfast at the hotel, then check out. Transfer to Noi Bai International Airport for your departure flight back to Singapore.