Embark on a 4-day adventure through Northern Vietnam, experiencing the vibrant energy of Hanoi, the stunning landscapes of Ninh Binh, and the mesmerizing beauty of Halong Bay on a memorable overnight cruise. This meticulously crafted tour blends vibrant culture, breathtaking scenery, and tranquil moments, showcasing the rich heritage and natural wonders of Northern Vietnam.
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Highlights
Explore the charming Old Quarter with a cyclo ride, visit Hoan Kiem Lake and Ngoc Son Temple.
Trang An Boat Ride: Explore the serene beauty of Trang An complex and Mua cave
Learn about its rich history and cultural significance of Hoa Lu ancient town and enjoy spectacular views and onboard activities
Kayaking and swimming, explore hidden caves and grottoes.
Morning Tai Chi, explore its stunning stalactites and stalagmites.
Is Essence North Vietnam Discovery the right route for your group?
The current Vietnam Story itinerary summary covers Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Halong bay. Keeping this route within one region can reduce travel days, but ask whether activities are easy-paced or intensive. Use our guide to North Vietnam route planning when deciding how many places to visit. The named sights are part of the published outline, but the booked dates and supplier availability determine the final itinerary.
Before paying, confirm exactly which hotel nights, intercity transfers and sightseeing tickets are part of the package. If the route mentions a bay cruise, ask whether it includes only a day trip or an overnight cabin, and which vessel and port are confirmed. Read about choosing a Ha Long Bay day or overnight cruise.
What we would clarify for travellers from India
Flight timing: share your departure city in India and inbound/outbound flight schedule; international airfare is not automatically included.
Hotel and transport: check room sharing, domestic flight or train tickets, vehicle capacity, pickup time and any baggage limits.
Meals: a vegetarian option is not a guarantee of strict Jain preparation. Provide exact restrictions for written confirmation.
Price and changes: ask for a dated quote covering entrance tickets, extras, public holiday supplements and cancellation conditions.
Build the itinerary with Vietnam Story: Send our Vietnam-based team your dates, India departure city, group size, traveller ages, desired pace and any dietary needs. We can compare this route with the Vietnam tour package collection and confirm written inclusions/exclusions before booking.
OUR BELOVED CUSTOMERS
Hear From Travelers Who Experienced Vietnam With Vietnamstory.in
Posted on Tripadvisor
Sunshine03762139442
October 28, 2026
Verified
One of our best experiences ever!
What a trip to Vietnam?! One of our most beautiful holidays. Special thanks to Ivy for the way she organised our tour. So flawless & amazing! Can’t wait to do this again!
Posted on Tripadvisor
SLMunnings
October 28, 2026
Verified
Aussies in Vietnam
this is our 5th TAD adventure. When booking you know where you are going but from experience we know it’s the Tour Leader that will make or break the trip. Tom greeted us and started with setting up a What’s App, a great idea, it is more than just helpful, it brings the team together, sharing & caring. it didn’t take long for everyone to jump onboard adding info, asking questions and adding /sharing photos. Tom sorted our rooms, handed out our keys, had Water everyday, paid ahead for entry to excursion destinations, organised for laundry etc which certainly ment less headaches for everyone ( upgrade) Organising the bus to save walking or taxi/uber ride (upgrade) With Tom’s wide smile, warm personality & good English we knew we were in good hands, always happy to help out and deal with our issues (they happen) As a tour leader we rate him AAA. If every tour guide followed his lead they would be a winner for their company & everyone taking their tour Thank you Tom for making our trip so enjoyable and stress free Sharon & Matt 🙏🫶
Posted on Tripadvisor
T V
October 26, 2026
Verified
Great experience
5 Stars – Excellent Tours and Wonderful Guides! We had an absolutely fantastic experience during our recent visit to Hanoi, Vietnam! We booked two private tours, and both exceeded our expectations. A very special thank you to our wonderful tour guides, Hung and Cathy, who made our time in Vietnam truly memorable. Both were incredibly knowledgeable, friendly, professional, and passionate about sharing the history, culture, and beauty of their country. Everything was exceptionally well organized, and the attention to detail throughout both tours was outstanding. Our guides went above and beyond to ensure everyone was comfortable, enjoying themselves, and getting the most out of each experience. We especially appreciated their warm hospitality, flexibility, and willingness to answer all our questions. Their enthusiasm and personal touches made the tours even more enjoyable. Vietnam is a beautiful country with amazing people, and Hung and Cathy were wonderful ambassadors for it. We cannot thank the entire team enough for making our visit so special. We highly recommend their services to anyone visiting Vietnam and would absolutely book with them again! Thank you, Hung and Cathy, for the wonderful memories and exceptional hospitality!
Posted on Tripadvisor
Prasanna T
October 23, 2026
Verified
Excellent support
Excellent customer service and co ordination. Prompt and proactive support by Ms Ivy who made the experience more enjoyable.
Posted on Tripadvisor
FarAway10075616666
October 23, 2026
Verified
Nina is the best customised tour planner
Absolute fun and wonderful planning as per our liking. Not too tight schedule, relaxed, yet covered important places. Had good stay. Good time at beach, had fun parties, the cruise was wonderful. Nina helped us plan everything perfectly. Thanks nina.
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Paul H
October 23, 2026
Verified
Lical expeeience in Hoi An
On a Trip A Deal tour, our local tour guide in Hoi An Dung was from this company and she wad amazing. Always going the extra mile to make our trip perfect.
Posted on Tripadvisor
Karen A
October 23, 2026
Verified
Ninh Binh day trip
Fabulous day trip to Ninh Binh with guide Hai Nguyen. Incredible experience for my first trip to Vietnam….. wonderful climb and then traditional row boats trip. Very informative and brilliant way to get to know a bit more about the country.
Posted on Tripadvisor
Nazar N
October 22, 2026
Verified
A Wonderful and Memorable Vietnam Trip! 🇻🇳 Thanks to Nina
We had a wonderful time exploring Vietnam, and the entire trip was smooth and well organised. Staying in Hanoi’s Old Quarter was a great experience, and we really enjoyed exploring the beautiful landscapes of Ninh Binh and taking the boat ride through Trang An. The highlight of our trip was the overnight cruise in Ha Long Bay. The stunning scenery, peaceful overnight stay, and morning kayaking made it a truly memorable experience. The limousine transfers were also comfortable and hassle-free throughout the trip. A special thanks to Nina for helping customise our itinerary and patiently answering all my questions from day one. Her support and guidance made the planning process much easier and gave us confidence before the trip. Overall, everything went smoothly, and we returned home with lots of beautiful memories. Thanks to Nina and the entire team for making our Vietnam trip such a wonderful experience. Highly recommended. 😊❤️
Posted on Tripadvisor
Krishna Sowjany... G
October 22, 2026
Verified
An Excellent Guide – Thank You, Hai Nguyen!
An Excellent Guide – Thank You, Hai Nguyen! Hai Nguyen made our Vietnam trip truly memorable! He was punctual, friendly, patient, and incredibly helpful throughout our time with him. He explained everything so well that we could appreciate not just the places we visited, but also the culture and stories behind them. What touched me most was his willingness to go the extra mile. At Mua Cave, he patiently helped me climb the steps and encouraged me along the way. He also helped us take lovely photographs, assisted us with shopping, and took us to a place selling beautiful bamboo products. His suggestions to visit the night market and take an evening walk around the lake added some wonderful experiences to our trip that we might otherwise have missed. Hai was always considerate, and attentive to our needs. His warmth and genuine helpfulness made us feel comfortable and well looked after. It is these little gestures and personal touches that make a trip memorable, and Hai certainly made a difference to ours. Thank you, Hai, for your kindness, patience, and for helping us create such lovely memories in Vietnam. We are so glad we had you as our guide and would wholeheartedly recommend you to anyone visiting Vietnam. You made our trip extra special!
Posted on Tripadvisor
nishant v
October 21, 2026
Verified
Title: A lovely Vietnam trip with great support from Nina and Ivy
We had a wonderful time in Vietnam and came home with so many lovely memories. A big thank you to Nina for arranging our trip and to Ivy for helping us throughout the tour. Having the hotels and transfers organised made travelling between destinations much easier. When our flight timing changed, we appreciated having someone to contact and help us work through the arrangements. We really enjoyed exploring Vietnam together, and we’re grateful to everyone who helped make the trip a success. Thank you, Nina and Ivy, for looking after us. We would happily recommend your team to friends and family planning a visit to Vietnam!
Upon the arrival, you are met at the Noi Bai airport and transferred to the hotel by our driver and then transfer you back to hotel. Relaxing at hotel!
12h45: Our Tour guide and our bus pick up at your hotel and go to the restaurant. Have lunch at local restaurant.
14h00 – 14h15: Visit Temple of Literature – the first university of Vietnam. The Temple of Literature (Van Mieu Quoc Tu Giam) is one of the most attractive tourist spots in Northern Vietnam. The Temple of Literature was founded in 1070.
15h15: Keep going to visit Hoa Lo Prison. The prison was built by the French, from 1886 to 1901. When Vietnam was still a part of French Indochina. The French called the prison Maison Centrale. The prison was called “A Hell on Earth” and now the prison is like a war museum for those who want to understand more about the war against France of Vietnamese people.
16h30: Our bus take you back to the Hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.
07h30 – 07h45: Our tour guide will pick you up from your hotel. We take you to Ninh Binh province which is far from Hanoi city about 120km.
09h30 : Have a short break for 20 minutes to relax.
10h30: The first destination in this trip is visit Hoa Lu ancient capital. This is the first capital of Vietnam. Coming to visit Hoa Lu, you will learn about why the capital was moved to Hanoi nowadays. You are impressed on an outstanding architecture when entering temples of King Dinh and King Le, the first and second emperors of ancient Vietnam, built in the 17 century. Try to feel ancient atmospheres in Hoa Lu ancient capital.
11h45: Have buffet lunch in the restaurant with a lot of local foods goat meat, fried rice… Vegetarian food is always available in the buffet lunch.
13h00: Visit Trang An which was recognized by UNESCO as The world Heritage Site in 2014. Trang An has the wonderful tunnel cave system so that Kong’s Movie Group chose this place for New Version of Kong in 2016 – “ Skull Island “. Boat trip to visit Trang An to see the amazing beauty of this landscape with many caves such as: Sang Cave (Light Cave), Toi Cave (Dark Cave), Nau Ruou Cave (Cooking Wine Cave), green river and natural view.
15h30: Get on the bus to go to Mua Cave (Dancing Cave). Walk up almost 500 steps, you can reach to the top of Lying Dragon Mountain, have an amazing panoramic view of Tam Coc from here.
16h30 – 17h00: Get on the Bus to return to Hanoi.
19h30: Arrive to Hanoi and get drop off at the Hotel. Overnight in Hanoi.
08:15 – 08:45: Hotel or private address pick up with our shuttle bus. Short break half way.
11:45 – 12:00: Arriving Tuan Chau marina, transferred by tender of La Pandora cruises.
12:45 – 13:00: Welcome aboard the cruise. Refresh with our welcome drink. Meet the captain, crew in the cruise briefing, safety instruction.
13:00 – 13:15: A special lunch in Vietnamese cuisine of fresh seafood and an assortment of appetizing favorites are served while sailing through Islets of Con Vit.
16:00: The Cruise sails through Lan Ha Bay. The area is surrounding of extraordinary limestone karsts landscapes. We progress to Ong Cam Area of Lan Ha Bay- a separate part of Ha Long Bay. This is a quiet tourist paradise in Vietnam, enjoy kayaking and/or enjoy swimming in the crystal-clear waters of the Bay.
17:30: Back to La Pandora Cruise, drop anchor for staying overnight. Enjoy cooking demonstration (teaching you how to make our specialty, Spring rolls) and the complimentary Sunset Party on the sundeck with local wine and fresh fruit
19:00: Dinner is served in the restaurant. Enjoy delicious local food prepared and served for you by our wonderful onboard catering staff. After dinner, retiring to your cabin or join the fishing excursion, watch a movie, have a drink at the bar, wifi access or play exciting games. Overnight on board.
06:00: Enjoy sunrise and admire the never-ending miraculous scenery of the Bay.
06:30: Light breakfast, coffee and tea served.
07:15: Visit Dark & Bright Cave and islets by local rowing boats which is a wild and mysterious beauty in the middle of the World Heritage.
09:15: Back to our La Pandora Cruise, relax before checking out.
10:00: Lunch is served on board.
11h35: We return to the quayside in the south of the bay, where our visitors disembark in Tuan Chau Marina. And leave for Ha Noi on our shuttle. Transfer to the airport to take flight back home. Trip ends.
Inclusion:
Accommodation: No
Meals: Breakfast, brunch
Guide: English speaking guide on boat
Transfer: Limousine shuttle bus/ Private airport transfer
Accommodations: in double/twin share with daily breakfast (in Hanoi 2 nights, Halong Bay 1 night).
Transport: Airport private transfers, Shuttle Bus
Joint in tour: as program
Local English speaking guides for joint in tour
2D1N on Halong Bay Cruise (Shuttle bus Hanoi – Halong – Hanoi)
Entrance fees
Government taxes and service charges
E-Visa.
Travel Insurance.
International flight ticket.
Personal expenses (laundry, telephone, drinks, tip…).
Single Supplement.
Holiday surcharges: Travelling over Tet, a Vietnam public holiday, Christmas Eve, New Year’s Eve or a major festival period can change hotel, cruise or transport rates. We’ll check your exact dates and confirm any supplier surcharge in the written quotation before you book.
We have a minimum age requirement of 18 years old to join the tour. Group members aged 16-17 years old are welcome to join the tour but only with a family member that will act as their guardian whilst on tour. Aside from that, no age requirements at all!
Our tour run everyday, but our main focus are private tours for small group like couple or family. To request a customized tour, please note it down in your special request, send us your detail requirement and we will work closely with you to tailor your unforgettable trips.
Incase you cannot find your tour guide/airport representative, please stay calm, stay where you are and contact the tour guide that we provided or contact us to tell your address, we will contact our tour guide/ representative to looking for you as soon as possible.
Pease note that most of Halong bay trips are group tours, that means you will share the limousine transport with other guests to save your money but still feel comfortable. If you would like to get the private transfer, please contact us at anytime to get the deal.
