4 days
Hanoi, Ha Long Bay
Make four days in northern Vietnam count: a water puppet performance, a cyclo ride through Hanoi’s Old Quarter, the courtyards of the Temple of Literature and a day cruising Ha Long Bay. This 4 day Hanoi and Ha Long Bay tour pairs the capital’s stories and flavours with the bay’s dramatic scenery, while keeping your hotel base in Hanoi.
Enjoy a welcome dinner, explore with a local guide and watch limestone islands glide past as lunch is served on the boat. Kayaking, a local boat excursion or a cave visit brings you closer to the landscape on your selected cruise. Vietpower Travel tailors this sample itinerary to your flights, interests and preferred hotel comfort.
Send Vietpower Travel your arrival and departure times and the number of people travelling. We will fit the welcome evening, city tour and bay excursion around your short stay. After a long flight, take time to settle in; the water puppet performance can move to your second evening so you can enjoy it properly.
Send your flights and dates to Vietpower Travel or email our travel team.
Your guide connects Hanoi’s landmarks with the life around them. Discover the Ho Chi Minh Complex, the Temple of Literature and the streets around Hoan Kiem Lake. A cyclo ride gives you a different view of the Old Quarter, with narrow shopfronts, street sounds and a glimpse of the city’s everyday rhythm.
Choose a stronger museum focus with the Museum of Ethnology, or leave more time for the lake, local food and a coffee stop. The city day follows your interests. In the evening, Vietnamese water puppetry brings rural stories to life with music, movement and a stage made of water.
Leave Hanoi in the morning and board your selected day boat at the confirmed harbour. Enjoy lunch while the limestone islands rise around you, then explore the bay through the sightseeing stops and activities in that boat’s programme.
Ask for a cave visit and kayaking or a local bamboo boat excursion when choosing your cruise. Swimming is available on suitable itineraries and conditions. Back in Hanoi that evening, enjoy a final night at your hotel before tomorrow’s departure. If you want sunset and sunrise on the water, we can redesign the trip with an overnight cruise.
Since 2009, Vietpower Travel has helped thousands of travellers from around the world explore Vietnam and Indochina. We understand that planning a holiday far from home means placing your trust in the people arranging it.
Vietpower Travel holds International Tour Operator Licence 01-711/2015/TCDL-GPLHQT under Vietnam’s Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, giving you the reassurance of an established, licensed local travel company.
We take the time to understand your interests, travel style and budget, drawing on our local knowledge to recommend suitable hotels, restaurants, cruises and experiences. Our long-standing relationships with local partners help us arrange dependable services at fair prices.
Staying in close contact with these partners keeps our recommendations current as services change and new experiences become available. Throughout your holiday, our team coordinates your itinerary and provides support when you need it.
Before you book, your quotation clearly explains what is included, any shared arrangements and items priced separately, so you know what to expect.
Read our travellers’ reviews on Tripadvisor, then tell us what matters most to you. Let us help you plan a holiday that feels right for you, with the reassurance of an experienced local team.
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Your Hanoi hotel and room occupancy, airport pickup and drop off, private road services, city guiding, water puppet tickets, cyclo ride, chosen day boat and its exact bay activities, meals, entrance fees and any supplement. City visits follow opening arrangements; the Museum of Ethnology normally closes on Mondays and during Lunar New Year. Cruise activities follow the boat’s route, weather and port permissions. An overnight cruise, extra hotel night or onward flight is added only when included in your personalised quotation. Airfares, insurance and government visa fees are separate. The website starting price helps you budget; your written quote is the price for your trip.
The sample programme uses private airport, city and bay road transfers for your party. The bay excursion usually uses a shared day boat unless you request a private charter. We confirm road transport, guide and boat arrangements separately in your quote.
Yes. The sample city day includes the Ho Chi Minh Complex, Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem Lake and an Old Quarter cyclo ride. Choose the Museum of Ethnology as an alternative focus, or share your food, culture and photography interests. We plan permitted access and opening arrangements for your dates.
Yes. Add an overnight cruise, Ninh Binh or another region. We connect the new route with your onward flight or train and choose sensible transfer times. Additional services and any change of nights are set out in your personalised quote.
Explore Hanoi tours and city experiences for more ideas in the capital. Prefer a cabin and more time on the water? Compare Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay cruises. For an extended journey, browse Vietnam tour itineraries and let us join the regions around your interests.
Tell us your dates, group size, flight times and hotel preference. Use the enquiry form on this page or request your personalised Hanoi and Ha Long Bay quote. You can also email sales@vietpowertravel.com.
Highlights
| By Day | Transfer | Destinations | Activities | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Hanoi | Arrive in Hanoi; welcome dinner and water puppets according to flight timing | D | |
| Day 2 | Hanoi | Ho Chi Minh Complex, Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem and Old Quarter cyclo; museum option | B, L | |
| Day 3 | Hanoi – Ha Long Bay – Hanoi | Ha Long Bay day cruise, lunch, selected cave and water activities; return to Hanoi | B, L | |
| Day 4 | Hanoi | Free time according to your departure, then airport transfer | B |
Meet your guide and driver at the confirmed Noi Bai Airport meeting point and transfer to your Hanoi hotel. Settle in and freshen up after the flight.
Enjoy a traditional water puppet performance and a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. If you arrive late or want a quieter first evening, we schedule the performance on Day 2 instead. Overnight in Hanoi.
After breakfast, explore Hanoi with your local guide. Visit the Ho Chi Minh Complex and the Temple of Literature, with the exact order and accessible areas chosen around the day’s opening arrangements.
Enjoy lunch at a local restaurant, then discover Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter. A cyclo ride gives you time to take in the shopfronts and street life. The city route prioritises these connected central experiences rather than filling every hour with separate stops.
If you prefer a museum focused day, ask to include the Museum of Ethnology as an alternative to part of the central walking programme. It normally closes on Mondays and during Lunar New Year. A special coffee or photography stop can be arranged where visitor access is permitted. The water puppet show takes place this evening if moved from your arrival day. Overnight in Hanoi.
After breakfast, travel from Hanoi to your confirmed Ha Long Bay harbour. The expressway journey typically takes about 2.5–3 hours before stops and boarding; your pickup follows the selected boat’s check in time.
Board the day boat and enjoy lunch as it sails among limestone islands. Follow the confirmed programme for a cave visit, kayaking or a local bamboo boat excursion. Swimming and any cooking activity are included only when offered by that boat and allowed by the conditions.
Return to the harbour and travel back to your Hanoi hotel in the evening. This is a day cruise, with no overnight cabin in the sample programme. Overnight in Hanoi.
Enjoy breakfast and free time according to your flight schedule. Choose a last walk, a cafe or souvenir shopping before your confirmed airport pickup.
Your driver transfers you to Noi Bai Airport with the buffer agreed for your flight, road conditions and check in requirements. Any late checkout or extra hotel time is confirmed separately. Depart Hanoi or continue with the next part of your personalised holiday.
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After a long flight, leave time to check in, shower and settle into Hanoi. The welcome dinner and water puppet performance are part of the sample holiday, with the performance moved to Day 2 when that better fits your arrival. Share your flight details before we confirm the daily order.
Bring comfortable shoes, a hat, sun protection and a light rain layer. Dress respectfully for historical and religious sites. The Ho Chi Minh Complex and museums follow their own opening arrangements, so the guide plans the day accordingly. For the cruise, take a small day bag and protect valuables from splashes. Wear the life jacket provided and follow the crew’s instructions during boat activities.
The standard day cruise returns to Hanoi on Day 3, with your hotel available for the final night. If you would rather connect directly from the bay with an onward flight or continue to Ninh Binh, tell us before booking. We check the selected boat’s return time and allow a suitable road and airport buffer. For a longer northern route, we link destinations directly where practical instead of repeatedly returning to Hanoi.
Private tours give you more flexibility in your movements
Convenience and saving time are huge reasons people choose private tours
Add more exciting or reduce the less attractive destinations.
Please kindly send us your ideas about the tours: destinations, attractions, your group, hotel class... we will get back to you with details & best offers quickly. Surely, you will feel satisfactory!
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