Hanoi: Your Own Way

Easy Going  When you first arrive in Vietnam, you might be feeling a little bedraggled. Tired and jet-lagged, it will take a while for you to recover from the journey. This is the time to make things as easy for yourself as possible, avoiding all unnecessary hassle. Even the most seasoned travellers would prefer to organise airport pick-ups and hotels in advance, simply to save both time and energy. Each Hanoi trip that we offer is designed to remove any stress from the arrival process, getting your Vietnam trip off to a smooth start. You'll be collected from the airport and taken by taxi to your hotel in Hanoi. You'll spend two nights in your comfortable hotel while you relax, catch up on sleep and explore Hanoi. If you're seeking to kick-start your Vietnam tour with a hint of luxury, we also offer slightly upgraded hotels in Hanoi.

Day 1: Arrival in Hanoi This popular Starter Pack includes an airport pick-up on arrival in Vietnam and two nights in either an authentic family-run hotel or a boutique hotel. Our Authentic option is situated on one of the liveliest streets in the Old Quarter, crammed with tempting food stalls and small restaurants - a great place to begin your Hanoi trip. This hotel in Hanoi is a great example of classic Vietnamese architecture: tall, narrow and packed with local character. The wooden furniture gives the rooms a colonial feel. All rooms have en-suite bathrooms with warm water, air-conditioning, TV and mini-bar.           Day 2: Hanoi - Free Time There's nothing on the agenda on the second day of your Hanoi trip, so you can spend the day as you wish. Amble through the narrow lanes of the Old Quarter, stopping for coffee and cake and watching the world go by. If you're in the mood for a strange experience, you can drop in on the preserved body of former President Ho Chi Minh. A mausoleum was built for Ho Chi Minh, or Uncle Ho, after his death. You can see his body entombed in a glass sarcophagus - a huge building fronted by a grand square. Surrounded by guards, you can file in, one by one, to take a look at ‘Uncle Ho’. Every once in a while, his body is flown to Russia for a touch up, to keep him looking good for his guests. Vietnamese people consider it a great honour to visit his embalmed body. You can finish off your day in Hanoi with a visit to the Municipal Water Puppet Theatre. This stands on the banks of Hoan Kiem Lake and performances take place every evening. Puppetry is a national tradition in Vietnam, and the people are very proud of the art form. Day 3: Departure from Hanoi It's the last day of your Hanoi trip and after breakfast it's time to head on to the next destination on your Vietnam trip itinerary. You could sail among the karst peaks aboard a chinese junk during our Anchors Away in Ha Long Bay  trip, or take an overnight train to the Hilltribes of Sapa . If you'd like to try something a little bit different during your Vietnam tour, you could travel to Ninh Binh and go Paddling through Rice Paddies  on a small boat and by bicycle. Ninh Binh is a world of steep rocky mountains and emerald green rice terraces and this is a great opportunity to see how the majority of Vietnamese people live.