5 Day Hanoi Tour - Asian Markets (Option 1)
Highlights
Tour features
- Private - customized - flexible
- Specially made for: Indian, Malay, Indonesian and Filipino travelers
- Tour cost doesn’t include lunch and dinner
- Tour cost only includes: private transportation, guide, entrance fees, water, hotels with daily buffet breakfast (Vietnamese food and continental)
- Any request of included lunch/dinner costs 15usd/person/meal (Vietnamese, Halal, Indian foods)
- The tour focuses on the cities’ culture, light history, famous spots, local lifestyle and photo-shooting spots.
- Customers can choose your own daily starting time but the ending time is always latest at 10.00 PM
- We don’t include transportation for dinner because some restaurants are very close to hotels but we include our tour guide to escort you for dinner so you have the best and safest foods.
- In case there’s a need to use transport for dinner, please just pay your own taxi fare with our guide’s honest support.
- Some days of the trip can be customized to group tours on request with lower cost.
Itinerary
Day 1 : Hanoi arrival
Inclusions: Private transport, guide, hotel
- Assuming that you arrive after 12.00 PM
- Upon arrival at Hanoi airport, our guide will hold a welcome board with your name on it to pick you up and transfer you to your hotel for check in.
- Dinner and evening time are on your own.
- Depending on your arrival time, we will customize the day with additional cost if any
Day 2 - Hanoi city tour (B)
Inclusions: Private car, guide, entrance fees, water, hotel
9:30 AM – Our guide and car will pick you up at your hotel, then start to explore Hanoi city culture, daily life and history.
10:00 AM: Visit Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum Complex - Start your day at Ba Dinh Square, where Vietnam’s modern history was shaped.
Highlights: Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum (viewing inside if open) , Presidential Palace (outside view), One Pillar Pagoda – small, symbolic, serene (Ho Chi Minh rest in peace place can be closed without notice)
11:30 AM – Visit Tran Quoc Pagoda (West Lake) which is Hanoi’s oldest pagoda, floating in stillness. Just 10 minutes from the Mausoleum, Tran Quoc Pagoda offers a spiritual contrast:
- Ancient brick stupa glowing by the lake
- Soft breeze, temple bells, gentle prayers
- Beautiful reflection on West Lake waters
12:30 PM – Visit the Temple of Literature, where Vietnam’s scholars once dreamed - A short drive south brings you to Vietnam’s first national university (1070). Explore: Five peaceful courtyards, Stone steles honoring royal scholars, Traditional architecture and lotus ponds
1:30 PM – Enjoy lunch
3:00 PM – Visit Train Street - Where daily life meets raw adrenaline. It’s a narrow residential street. Cafés inches from the tracks.
When the train comes, locals calmly move tables aside, cameras pause, hearts race, steel roars through the neighborhood . Sit at a café, sip Vietnamese coffee, and feel the vibration under your feet.
4:00 PM – Wander the Old Quarter - 36 streets (the streets are named by what is sold on the pavement). This is Hanoi at its most alive. Get lost on purpose: Hang Bac – silver & jewelry , Hang Gai – silk & handicrafts, Hang Ma – festive decorations, Hidden courtyards, crumbling facades, family altars
Then you can get back to the hotel for resting
7.30 PM - 9.30 PM: Enjoy dinner then get back to your hotel from our guide’s support
Lunch and dinner are on your own account.
Day 3- Hanoi - Ha Long bay (B,L,D)
Inclusions: sharing bus, 5 star cruise cabin, buffet lunch and dinner, sightseeing fees) but included in the tour cost.
No Indian food on cruise.
Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay are 2 different areas. While Halong Bay is a UNESCO natural heritage and always crowded (but it has more things to do), Lan Ha Bay is quieter, further away and has quite similar landscapes but The Halong Bay route is more interesting with more caves and beaches.
The following itinerary is based on AMANDA CRUISE which uses the HALONG Bay route.
7h30-8h00AM : Get all rooms checked out and wait at the hotel lobby with all luggage, then our sharing bus will pick you up for the drive towards Ha Long city with a coffee stop.
11h30: Upon arrival at Tuan Chau International Cruise Port, you will enjoy a warm welcome by our cruise staff in the waiting lounge and complete check-in procedure.
12h00 Upon boarding Amanda Cruise, our crew welcomes you with a refreshing drink and cold towel before checking into your cabin. The vessel leaves Tuan Chau Marina, taking you on an exciting journey to discover the beauty of Ha Long Bay. Along the way, you can enjoy the view of some of the most beautiful spots in Ha Long and admire the grandeur of the Bay with thousands of limestone islands while the vessel heads to Luon Cave & Titop Island.
Enjoy your lunch at our luxurious restaurant on board while the vessel cruises toward Luon Cave.
14h00: You return to your cabin for a short rest and prepare for kayaking activities in Luon Cave.
Arriving at the Luon Cave area, you will participate in kayaking or rafting here around the thousand-year-old rock formations.
16h00: You will be transferred to Titop Island by tender.
Visit Titop Island and hike to the top for stunning views of Ha Long Bay, or have a fun swim in the clear blue water.
18h00 Back on board, you will participate in the Sunset party & cooking class while the vessel cruises toward the shore. You can enjoy relaxing moments while sipping a cup of traditional Vietnamese tea or coffee on the sundeck amid wonderful scenery and beautiful sunset. Ha Long Bay is calm during the day, but when the sun goes down, the Bay becomes even more tranquil and peaceful.
You will be instructed to make delicious Fresh Spring rolls by our chef and then enjoy the rolls made on your own.
17h30 - 18h30: Happy hour – BUY 2 DRINK GET 1 FOR FREE
19h30 Gala Dinner. Enjoy your dinner on the Sundeck (if the weather is favorable)
20h30 After dinner, you will enjoy a peaceful view of the Bay at night on the deck. You can also participate in evening activities such as herbal foot bath in your room (free of charge), Bamboo dancing, fashion show traditional costumes “Footsteps of Heritage” and some drinks at Sky Bar and massage (subject to additional charge), while admiring breathtaking view of the Bay at night and squid fishing.
The cruise ship anchors for your peaceful night stay in quiet area
Day 4 |halong Bay - Hanoi (B,l)
Inclusions: buffet breakfast and lunch, sightseeing fees, shared bus, hotel
6h15 AM: Start your day with Tai Chi class on the sundeck.
06h30-07h00 AM: Enjoy a light breakfast with coffee, tea, cake and fruit.
07h30 AM: Exploring Sung Sot cave. This is one of the largest and most beautiful caves in Ha Long Bay. The cave has some unique rock formations which couldn’t be found anywhere else. The path to the mouth of Sung Sot Cave is under a canopy of leaves. Walking through steep stone steps, tourists may have the feeling of climbing on mountains and experience the excitement as if they are stepping to the sky.
08h30-09h30 AM: Back on board, you can rest in your room, enjoy the herbal foot bath prepared by our crew, sunbathe on the sundeck, take pictures of HaLong Bay or shop for souvenirs on the boat.
09h30 AM: Check-out time.Please put your luggage outside your cabin and leave the room key at the reception desk. Our staff will transfer your luggage to the waiting area. While waiting, you can shop for some products of Amanda cruise.
10h00 AM : Enjoy an early lunch buffet at the restaurant on the 2nd floor and settle the bills if any.
11h00 AM: Arrival at Tuan Chau Marina. Our shared bus will pick you up and transfer back to Hanoi
15h00 : Arrive at Hanoi, check in your hotel and rest on your own.
Dinner and evening are on your own.
Day 5 -- Hanoi departure
Inclusions: private transfer.
Enjoy breakfast at your hotel
Then our private car will pick you up and transfer you to Hanoi airport for your flight home.
NOTE: If your flight is late in the evening, we can arrange another city tour with more relaxing activities with an additional charge (will be discussed during booking confirmation)
END OF SERVICES
What's included & good to know
Tourist Seasons in Vietnam
- LOW SEASON: May 1st - September 30th
- HIGH SEASON: October 1st - April 30th
- The cost is not applied on special holidays in Vietnam - please contact us if the overnight stay falls on the following dates: (hotel cost increases 50-100%) - Please contact us directly for cost customization
- Christmas Day: Dec 24th - 25th (2 nights)
- Western New Year: Dec 30th -31st and Jan 1st (3 nights)
- Vietnamese Lunar New Year (it varies from year to year, usually falls on mid Feb of Western calendar and lasts for a week)
- Feb 3rd to Feb 10th 2027
- Jan 23rd to Jan 30th 2028
- Vietnam Liberation Day: April 28th - 30th (3 nights)
- Vietnam Independence Day: Aug 30-31 and Sep 1-2 ( 4 nights)
Tour Notes for All Tours for
Indians / Malays/ Indonesians/ Filippinos
Agreements and Commitments
- Tour cost Include Government Tax following Vietnamese national tax laws.
- There are No Indian/Halal foods for some places and this will be clearly stated in the itinerary.
- None of the hotels/cruises above have Indian/Halal food for breakfast..
- The daily timing is just our suggestion, you can start any time but the finish time is still 10:00 PM . Any additional hour using guide and car after 10:00 PM will be charged 20 USD
- For group tours, the timing and inclusions are fixed, guests are strictly required to follow. We’re not responsible for any late show-up and guests might be required to arrange their own transportation to the meeting point. No refund will be made in case of no show or last minute cancellation.
- Business hours of Vietnam are from 7,30 - 8,00 AM to 5,00 PM
- Opening and closing times for most tourist attractions are 7,00 -7,30 AM and 5,00 PM
- Tipping is customary in Vietnam and it’s suggested 20 USD for guide per day and 10 USD for driver per day (for the whole private group less than 10 pax) and this can be done directly from guests to guides and drivers.
- Tipping for big groups (more than 10 pax) will be quoted 3USD/pax/day for both guides and drivers. This will be included in the tour cost (only with groups from 10 persons)
Trip Inclusions Clarification
- Trip inclusions will surely be done as exactly as in each day’s INCLUSIONS LINE
- This tour quoted cost includes hotel rooms (and cruise cabins) of minimum 2 persons per room - a third person will have an extra bed.
- Hotel rooms are with windows and random views of internal view /city /garden /sea/ pool view) This will be stated clearly in the confirmed itinerary.
- Hotel check in/out time is 2.00 PM - 12.00 PM. Any early check in or late check out request will be subjective to availability and is charged by hotel regulations.
- Halong bay cruise: check in at 12.00 PM and check out at 9.30 AM (guests still stay on cruise till disembarkation) No early check in or late checkout is allowed.
- Entrance fees to all sites mentioned above
- 2 bottles of water per guest per day (for daily tours).
- Travel insurance valued at 2.000 USD (only for accidents and food poison caused by the food/drinks offered by our included meals)
- Private English speaking tour guide for daily tours – not for airport pickup/dropoff/transfer. The tour guide for group tours is for the whole group.
Trip Exclusions
- International air tickets
- Visa to Vietnam
- Domestic air tickets
- Tips for guides and drivers
- Ordering drinks during included meals
- We don’t include any lunch and dinner but our guide will support you to enjoy your best meals if needed
NOTE ON HOTELS AND HALONG BAY CRUISES: very important.
- The quoted cost is based on the the suggested hotel list above
- We reserve the right to choose any hotel among them
- In case the quoted hotel/cruise is sold out at the moment of tour confirmation, we have the right to replace it with a similar quality one.
- None of the above hotels/cruises have Indian/Halal foods and this cannot be requested due to the accommodation regulations (staying guests are not allowed to bring their own foods on cruise)
- In case guests require a hotel/cruise they like, the tour cost will be revised based on their preferred hotels/cruises
- We can only accommodate Indian/Halal food for Halong bay cruise if it’s chartered and with an additional cost (limited cruises accept this)
Transportation Standards
- 2 - 4pax: 7 seater car
- 5-13pax: 16 seater minivan
- 14-19 pax: 29 seater bus
- 20-40 pax: 45 seater bus
- We don’t include transport for taking you to dinner but we include our guide to support you for dinner, as some restaurants are very close to the hotel or sometimes you might want to enjoy dinner at the hotel.
- In case there’s a need for transport to dinner, please just pay the taxi fare with our guide’s support.
Payment & cancellation
Payment and Deposit Policy
- Airfare MUST be fully paid at the time of booking confirmation.
- 50% of the tour cost must be paid at the time of booking confirmation
- 30% of the tour cost must be paid 3 days before the tour starts
- The other 20% can be paid by cash on arrival or by our online link.
Accepted Payment Methods
- Bank transfer to our company’s USD account is without transaction fee, clients just pay their side’s fee
- Bank transfer to our company’s VND account is without a transaction fee.
- Credit card (Visa/master/apple pay) by online payment link is with a 3,0 % transaction fee.
CANCELLATION POLICY- Cancellations must be sent in writing (email accepted). The following refund amount will apply:
(There’re some exceptions on public holidays and this policy will be discussed case by case)
Time before service date
Refund amount - based on deposit amount
From and more than 30 days Full refund minus bank fees
16- 29 days 50% of deposit amount
8-15 days 25% of deposit amount
Less than 8 days 0% of deposit amount
Children Policies and Costs
Age classification( not applicable for airfare)
- Age is based on year of birth, not date of birth.
- Infants (0–6 years): Free of charge - sharing the same food portion and same bed with parents
- Children (7-10): Charged at 50% of adult cost sharing the same food portion and same bed with parents
- Children (7-10): Charged at 75% of adult cost separate food portion and same bed with parents
- Children (7-10): Charged at charged as adult cost if requiring separate food portion and separate bed
- From 11 years: Charged as adults
Entrance fees based on height (just for references)
This is just to provide clients of how the total cost is quoted and this entrance fee is not quoted separately.
- Below 1.0 meter: Free entrance
- From 1.0 meter to 1.39 meter: 75% of adult fee
- From 1.4 meter: Charged as an adult
- Some exceptions will be stated clearly during tour consultation
- For the FREE OF CHARGE CHILDREN ABOVE, if the actual height is more than 1.0 meter, clients are required to pay the entrance fees as above rules compared to the public entrance fees at the visiting places.