4 days
Hanoi, Ninh Binh, Ha Long Bay
From the sound of water puppet music in Hanoi to the quiet glide of a sampan in Tam Coc, this North Vietnam tour in 4 days brings three very different landscapes into one short holiday. Discover Hoa Lu’s ancient temples, cycle towards Bich Dong Pagoda and cruise between Ha Long Bay’s limestone islands, with lunch served on board.
The sample package keeps your hotel base in Hanoi for three nights and combines shared sightseeing transfers with private airport pickup and drop off. Vietpower Travel can also design a private circuit with a night in Ninh Binh and a direct transfer to the bay, giving you more time in the countryside and less time retracing the road.
Send Vietpower Travel your arrival and departure times. We will shape your first afternoon around them, with time to settle in before the lake, cyclo ride, water puppets and welcome dinner. After a long flight, take the first evening gently; we can move the puppet performance to another evening in Hanoi.
Send your flights and group details to Vietpower Travel
Step into Hoa Lu’s ancient capital and visit temples dedicated to the Dinh and Le kings. After lunch, settle into a sampan for Tam Coc’s waterways: limestone cliffs frame the river, village life unfolds along its banks and the landscape changes with the season.
Continue towards Bich Dong Pagoda by bicycle for another view of the countryside. Choose the walking and cycling pace that suits your party; the pagoda’s higher levels involve steps. For guests who prefer to take it gently, we can arrange a simpler visit or a vehicle alternative.
Hanoi hotel base: unpack once and join the Ninh Binh and Ha Long day excursions from Hanoi. This is the sample shared sightseeing arrangement behind the current starting price, with both excursions returning to your hotel.
Private circuit: Hanoi → Ninh Binh overnight → Ha Long Bay day cruise → Hanoi. Travel directly from Ninh Binh to the confirmed cruise harbour instead of returning to Hanoi between the two landscapes. We choose a realistic departure around boat check in and quote the Ninh Binh hotel, private vehicle and changed services together. Add another night or an overnight cruise if you want a more relaxed pace.
Begin beside Hoan Kiem Lake with Ngoc Son Temple and a cyclo ride through the Old Quarter. Traditional water puppetry and a welcome dinner introduce the city’s stories, sounds and flavours without turning your arrival into a race between landmarks.
On your bay day, sail between limestone islands as lunch is served, then enjoy the cave and water activities in your selected boat’s programme. Ask for kayaking or a local bamboo boat excursion when choosing the cruise. Return to Hanoi in the evening for your final hotel night, ready for tomorrow’s departure.
Vietpower Travel has served thousands of international travellers since 2009, including families and groups from many countries. We understand different holiday rhythms, food preferences and expectations of comfort, and use that experience to plan the right combination of hotels, guides and journeys for you.
Our offices in major Vietnamese cities and 24/7 support for guests travelling with us give you a local team throughout your holiday. Vietpower Travel holds international tour operator licence 01-711/2015/TCDL-GPLHQT. Your itinerary and quotation are confirmed in writing before payment.
Long standing relationships with Hanoi hotels, local guides, drivers and bay cruise operators help Vietpower Travel bring the right people and services together for your holiday. We know the practical differences between rooms, excursions and transfer options, and choose the combination that fits your budget, interests and comfort. Our service partners provide attentive, priority support while our team keeps your city, countryside and bay experiences connected.
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Your chosen route variant, hotel nights and room category, private airport transfers, shared or private sightseeing transport, guide arrangements, Hanoi activities, Tam Coc boat ride, Bich Dong visit, day cruise and its exact activities, meals, entrance fees and any supplement. The sample price is for planning; a private circuit, Ninh Binh overnight or cruise cabin is quoted separately. Visits follow opening arrangements, and water activities follow the boat programme, weather and port permissions. Flights, insurance, government visa fees and any unlisted service are separate. We confirm the practical order around your flights and the boat’s check in before you book.
Yes. This route uses Day 2 for Hoa Lu, Tam Coc and Bich Dong in Ninh Binh. Our other four day Hanoi and Ha Long tour uses that day for more Hanoi city sightseeing. Choose the countryside route here, or the city focused alternative linked below.
No. Day 3 is a Ha Long Bay day cruise with lunch, followed by a return to Hanoi. The sample includes three hotel nights in Hanoi. We can redesign the holiday with a cruise cabin and adjusted hotel nights if you prefer.
Yes, as a personalised private circuit. Stay in Ninh Binh after the countryside visit, then travel directly to the selected harbour the next morning. We plan the transfer around boat check in and quote the changed hotel, vehicle and cruise arrangements together. This is different from the sample shared day trips from Hanoi.
Airport pickup and drop off are private in the sample package. The Ninh Binh and Ha Long sightseeing days use shared tour transport and a shared bay day boat. Choose private sightseeing vehicles or a private boat charter when requesting your personalised quotation.
No. Cycling and the pagoda steps can be adjusted to your comfort. Tell us about children, mobility needs or anyone who prefers a quieter pace. We can plan a simpler visit and quote a vehicle alternative where required.
Yes. Send your flight times and group details. We adjust arrival sightseeing and the puppet show around your Hanoi hotel nights, and agree airport pickup for departure. If you want to fly onwards after the bay excursion, we first check the boat return time and road and airport buffers before confirming it.
Explore Ninh Binh tours for more countryside ideas. Prefer a full Hanoi city day instead of Ninh Binh? Choose our four day Hanoi and Ha Long Bay short break. For sunset, sunrise and a cabin on the water, compare Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay cruises.
Tell us your dates, flight times, group size and hotel preference. Use the enquiry form on this page or ask Vietpower Travel to plan your northern short break. Email sales@vietpowertravel.com if you prefer to send your plans in writing.
Highlights
| By Day | Transfer | Destinations | Activities | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Hanoi | Hanoi arrival, Ngoc Son Temple, Old Quarter cyclo, water puppets and welcome dinner around your flights | D | |
| Day 2 | Hanoi – Ninh Binh – Hanoi | Hoa Lu temples, Tam Coc sampan and Bich Dong cycling; sample shared day trip returns to Hanoi | B, L | |
| Day 3 | Hanoi – Ha Long Bay – Hanoi | Ha Long Bay day cruise with lunch and selected cave or water activities; return to Hanoi | B, L | |
| Day 4 | Hanoi | Breakfast and free time around your departure, then private airport transfer | B |
Meet your guide and driver at the confirmed Noi Bai Airport meeting point and transfer to your Hanoi hotel. Settle in before exploring the city.
Visit Ngoc Son Temple by Hoan Kiem Lake and experience the Old Quarter on a cyclo ride. Enjoy a traditional water puppet performance and a welcome dinner at a local restaurant. The order follows your arrival time; the show can move to another evening in Hanoi for a more relaxed arrival. Overnight in Hanoi.
After breakfast, join the confirmed sightseeing transfer from Hanoi to Ninh Binh. Visit Hoa Lu’s temples dedicated to the Dinh and Le kings, then enjoy lunch in the Tam Coc area.
Take a sampan ride through Tam Coc’s limestone scenery and continue towards Bich Dong Pagoda by bicycle. Choose a comfortable pace; the upper pagoda levels have steps, and we can plan a simpler visit or a vehicle alternative when requested.
The sample shared excursion returns to Hanoi in the late afternoon or evening. Overnight in Hanoi. If you choose the separately quoted private circuit, stay in Ninh Binh instead and travel directly to the cruise harbour on Day 3. Enjoy the puppet show this evening if moved from Day 1 in the Hanoi hotel base option.
After breakfast, travel from Hanoi to the confirmed Ha Long Bay harbour with the shared sightseeing transfer. The expressway journey typically takes about 2.5–3 hours before stops and boarding. Pickup is set around your selected boat’s check in. For the private circuit, transfer directly from your Ninh Binh hotel with its own confirmed departure time.
Board your day boat and enjoy lunch while cruising between limestone islands. Follow the selected boat’s programme for a cave visit, kayaking or a local bamboo boat excursion. Swimming is available only when included by that boat and allowed by the conditions.
Return to the harbour and travel to your Hanoi hotel in the evening. This sample programme is a day cruise, with no overnight cabin. Overnight in Hanoi.
Enjoy breakfast and free time according to your departure schedule. Take a last walk, enjoy a coffee or shop for souvenirs before your pickup.
Your driver transfers you to Noi Bai Airport with the buffer agreed for your flight and check in requirements. Late checkout, an extra hotel stay or onward travel is arranged separately when needed.
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Customize Your Trip
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Allow time to freshen up after your flight before heading into Hanoi. Ngoc Son Temple, the cyclo ride and the water puppet performance are planned around your arrival; the performance can move to another evening in Hanoi. Dress respectfully at temples and bring comfortable walking shoes.
Bring sun protection, a hat and a light rain layer for Tam Coc and the countryside. Follow your boat operator’s instructions and wear the life jacket provided. Cycling is relaxed sightseeing rather than a race; tell us if you prefer a vehicle alternative. Bich Dong’s upper levels involve steps, and a simpler visit is available.
Take a small day bag, protect valuables from splashes and bring suitable clothing for the water activities on your selected boat. Cave visits and boarding can involve steps. Kayaking, a local boat excursion and swimming follow the confirmed cruise programme and conditions.
The sample shared excursions return to your Hanoi hotel each day. For a private journey, we recommend discussing a Ninh Binh overnight and direct transfer to Ha Long Bay, avoiding an unnecessary return to Hanoi between the two. We arrange the changed hotel night and transport in your quote. Any onward flight after the cruise must fit the confirmed harbour return, road journey and airport check in buffer.
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.
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