North Vietnam Itinerary 7 Days from Hanoi

You are wondering on how to make your 7 days or 1 week trip to North Vietnam? It is understandable that there are too many wonderful places to discover and loads of interesting traditional customs and authentic cuisines to experience. it make your choices even harder. Please follow our suggested itineraries for 7 days or 1 week in North Vietnam. These are the itineraries that have been done with full satisfaction from our clients. You can base on there suggestions to make your own itinerary or you can customize your own itinerary suitable with your travel interest and schedule. We are more than happy to help plan you a perfect north Vietnam itinerary 7 days.

Option 1: North Vietnam itinerary 7 days to Hanoi – Bai Tu Long Bay – Sapa

Recommended best things to do and see in 7 day itinerary North Vietnam

Day 1: Arrival in Hanoi

Upon arrival at Noi Bai Intl airport, pick up and transfer to hotel in city centre for refreshment. You may also do some orientation tour around Hanoi old quarter if time allows. If the tour date falls in the weekend then you probably have many fun things to do in this vibrant city…..lots of cultural activities around Hoan Kiem Lake and old quarter to join in.

Check out more Hanoi: Best things to do in Hanoi

Day 2: Hanoi City Tour

Hanoi itinerary North Vietnam Itinerary 7 Days from Hanoi — Hoan kiem lake

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Take your day for a sightseeing tour with a local guide to the main tourist attractions including Ho Chi Minh mausoleum and his residence complex, one pillar pagoda, presidential palace, temple of literature, Tran Quoc Pagoda, Ngoc Son Temple and museum of Ethnology.

Take a rickshaw ride along the narrow lanes of Hanoi old quarter. At the end of the day, sit back and entertain the most traditional art performance called water puppet show in Hanoi.

You should take this chance to try some typical Hanoi cuisines such as Pho or noodle soup, Bun Cha, Spring rolls to name a few.

Recommended Hanoi food Tour: Street food tour by local guide Hanoi

Day 3: Hanoi – Drive Sapa

Start at 8 AM from your hotel in Hanoi, we will drive to Sapa – infamous hill-station built during French time back to early 20th century. Sapa ranks among the top destinations in Vietnam. It is well-known for its mild climate, traditional hill tribes and stunning rice terraces. It takes us 5 hours roughly to travel from Hanoi to Sapa. Thanks to the scenic landscape in addition with some rest-stop along the way, you will not feel tired of travelling such a long distance.

Hanoi sapa itinerary 1024x682 North Vietnam Itinerary 7 Days from Hanoi

Read more: Things to see & do in Sapa

Upon arrival in Sapa town, do some walking to Cat Cat Village, visit Black Hmong families and take your pictures with Cat Cat waterfall and rice paddies in this village. After the visit, check in your hotel , stay tonight in Sapa.

Recommended road trip Hanoi to Sapa: Sapa tour from Hanoi private car

Day 4: Sapa – Trekking to minority ethnic Villages

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Today we do trekking along Muong Hoa valley – the most beautiful valley in Sapa – to Lao Chai & Ta Van villages.

Trek along amazing rice terraces, river…visit local families and meet lots of hill tribal people.

Great photography opportunities and experience authentic rural lives of the minority people.

Day 5: Sapa – Drive market day trip – Hanoi

One of the attractions of this region is the market day. There are several markets on different day. The most typical one is Bac Ha Sunday market. This is very colourful market to discover.

Market in north vietnam North Vietnam Itinerary 7 Days from Hanoi

Read more: Bac Ha market

There are other market tour options as following: Saturday: Can Cau market; Tuesday: Coc Ly market; Wednesday: Lung Khau Nhim and Thursday: Cao Son market.

Market is the best chance to see all kinds of hill tribes in their traditional dresses. It is paradise for photographers

After visiting market, we drive back to Hanoi!

Recommended Tour Sapa – Bac Ha market – Hoang su Phi

Day 6: Hanoi – Bai Tu Long Bay

Bai Tu Long and Halong Bay is the most popular place in the Northern Vietnam. This UNESCO heritage site attracts millions of tourists every year. Take a 2 day 1 night trip to discover the majestic islands of dragons is a must when you are in Hanoi. there are loads of interesting activities while you stay onboard and you have chance to enjoy fresh seafood meals, learn local culture and discover the tales of legendary dragons.

Hanoi bai tu long bay itinerary North Vietnam Itinerary 7 Days from Hanoi — Bai Tu Long Bay, Halong

Read more: What to see and do in Halong Bay

Day 7: Halong Bay – Hanoi departure

You will wake up early to join in a healthy Tai Chi class and hunt for your favourite photos of sunrise over the magical bay.

Your cruise boat will take you further to some nice islands before check-out and re-join your drive back to Hanoi.

See more Hanoi itinerary 7 Days: Hanoi – Sapa – Halong Bay – Ninh Binh Tour

Option 2: North Vietnam itinerary in 7 days to Hanoi- Halong Bay – Mai Chau – Ninh Binh

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Day 1: Hanoi arrival – drive Halong Bay – Stay at Hotel in Halong City

This option is more suitable for early arrivals or not too late in the afternoon to make sure you have enough time to travel to Halong City and have some time for a night out in Halong City.

Upon arrival at airport, pick up and transfer to Halong city. Enjoy a 4 hour scenic drive with some short-break en route. Arrival in Halong city late afternoon check in hotel and rest of the day free at leisure around the waterpark for entertainment or swimming at Halong beach.

Read more: where to stay in Halong Bay

Day 2: Halong Bay cruise – Hanoi

On the second day, take a leisure cruise of 4 hours amidst the majestic islands of legendary dragons. Cruising through the main area of UNESCO heritage site and do some activities as you want like climb to see Paradise cave and Dau Go cave….see floating villages….with some longer itinerary you can go to beach for swimming as well. While your boat cruises, a fresh seafood lunch will be served onboard. You will see the most interesting rock formation in halong bay such as stone guarding dog, incense stick holders, kissing rocks……..

Day 3: Hanoi – Mai Chau

Mai Chau north vietnam itinerary 7 days North Vietnam Itinerary 7 Days from Hanoi

Mai Chau is a beautiful valley located 160km away from northwest of Hanoi. Mai Chau is home to white Thai ethnic group. It has significant mountain sceneries, rice paddies in the valley and diverse tribal cultures.

Take 3 hour drive up northwest of Hanoi, experience local living styles and traditions, local food as well.

You will arrive at Thai village and have lunch with local family. After lunch, take a ride through some tiny villages and rice paddies, visit some families and learn the way they make their traditional clothes.

Stay with a Thai family tonight and enjoy their food and traditional music performance.

Recommended Mai Cha u – Pu Luong – Ninh Binh Loop Tour

Day 4: Mai Chau – Ninh Binh

Hanoi ninh binh itinerary 1024x683 North Vietnam Itinerary 7 Days from Hanoi — boat trip in Ninh Binh

Have breakfast and farewell to our host family before we drive to Ninh Binh to visit ancient capital of Hoa Lu. Learn the history of the Dinh and the Le dynasties. After lunch at a local restaurant, you will do a sampan boat ride in Tam Coc river. Tonight you stay at hotel in a rural village.

Day 5 Ninh Binh – Hanoi

Sightseeing in morning and drive back to Hanoi

See more: Best things to do and see in Ninh Binh

Day 6 Hanoi City Tour

Spend full-day today to explore the capital city of Hanoi.

Main tourist attractions

Art performance

Culture, history and food discovery

Day 7 Hanoi Departure

Free at leisure until transfer to airport to catch your flight home.

Check out Hanoi Itinerary 7 Days: Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Halong Bay – Sapa Tour

Option 3: Northern Vietnam 7 day itinerary to Hanoi – Sapa – Bac Ha market – Halong Bay

Highlighted North Vietnam itinerary recommended for 7 day itinerary Hanoi

Day 1: Hanoi arrival

The first day arrival and free time to discover Hanoi on your own

Hanoi tran quoc pagoda 1024x628 North Vietnam Itinerary 7 Days from Hanoi — Tran Quoc Pagoda Hanoi

Day 2: Hanoi city tour – night train to Sa Pa

Take full-day sightseeing tour until late afternoon and take night train to Lao Cai.

Read more: Best way from Hanoi to Sapa

Day 3: Sapa – villages

Arrival in Lao Cai city early this morning, pick up and transfer to Sapa for breakfast

Do trekking tour along Muong Hoa valley to Lao Chai, Ta Van villages;

Visit the most stunning rice terraces and meeting most of the hill tribes of Sapa

Sapa tour from hanoi North Vietnam Itinerary 7 Days from Hanoi — Sapa rice terraces

Day 4: Sapa – Market – night train to Hanoi

Take a market day tour to Bac Ha on Sunday or Can Cau on Saturday or Coc Ly on Tuesday.

After market tour, take night train back to Hanoi.

Day 5: Hanoi – Halong Bay

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Arrival in Hanoi early this morning, pick up and transfer to Halong Bay and take an overnight cruise tour

Day 6: Halong – Hanoi

Finish your halong bay tour, drive back to Hanoi

Day 7: Hanoi Departure

Transfer to airport to fly out.

Recommended Hanoi travel itinerary 7 Day Package: Hanoi – Halong Bay – Sapa – Ninh Binh Tour

Option 4: Northern Vietnam 7 day itinerary to Hanoi – Mu Cang Chai – Sapa – Halong Bay

Suggested activities & things to see

Day 1: Hanoi arrival

Arrival and pick up at airport. The rest of the day relax after your long flight. You can also discover the city of Hanoi as well or take a stroll around the old quarter.

Read more: Best way from Hanoi airport to city

Day 2: Hanoi – Drive Mu Cang Chai

Hanoi mu cang chai itinerary 1024x682 North Vietnam Itinerary 7 Days from Hanoi — Hanoi mu cang chai

Vietnam 16 day family road trip car transfer

Have breakfast and check out hotel; our driver and tour guide will pick up and take you to Mu Cang Chai – the most majestic place to see rice terraces.

Enjoy a scenic drive from Hanoi to the North West through a terrific landscape of countryside of Northern Vietnam. Along the way, you will see lots of wonderful rice paddies, mountains, villages and hill tribal people.

Arrival in Mu Cang Chai, check in Hotel and relax.

Read more: what to see in Mu Cang Chai

Day 3: Mu Cang Chai – Sapa

This morning, you will see more rice terraces along the way to Sapa. The road from Mu cang Chai to Sapa is very impressive with rice paddies, river, tea plantation, villages all along the road. You will reach Sapa late afternoon, check in hotel and relax.