15 days
Hanoi → Ninh Binh → two-night bay cruise → Hanoi → Hue → Hoi An
Slow down among Ninh Binh’s limestone valleys, spend two nights waking up on the bay, then follow the story of Vietnam’s imperial capital before settling into Hoi An. This 15-day northern and central Vietnam tour gives the scenery, food and everyday encounters room to become part of your holiday.
With three nights in Ninh Binh and four in Hoi An, you can unpack, find a favourite café and enjoy an easy morning between excursions. Hanoi and Hue bring heritage and local stories; the cruise adds sunsets, your own cabin and another day among the islands. The route finishes at Da Nang Airport after your Hoi An stay.
This is a sample journey designed around your own group. Vietpower Travel can adjust hotel comfort, walking distances, private and shared services, and the time you want by the water. Start with the experiences you love, and we will connect them into a holiday that feels natural to travel.
Already booked your flights? Send us your arrival and departure. We will shape the hotel nights, Hanoi–Hue flight and airport transfers around your tickets.
Chat with Vietpower Travel on WhatsApp — tell us your dates, group and hotel preferences.
Hanoi: history with room for local life. Explore the Temple of Literature and the Ho Chi Minh complex, then walk the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake with your guide. Pause for a local lunch, watch the neighbourhoods change and find a café you want to return to.
Ninh Binh: three nights among the limestone hills. A rowing boat glides through Trang An’s waterways before you explore Hoa Lu’s ancient-capital temples. Another day brings countryside lanes and Bich Dong Pagoda; the following morning can be as quiet as you wish. You continue directly to the bay harbour, without another Hanoi hotel change in between.
The bay: stay for the second sunset. A two-night cruise turns a famous view into a place to live for a little while. Enjoy meals on board, an island programme and downtime in your cabin or on deck. Explore our Halong Bay and Lan Ha Bay cruises to choose the boat style and cabin comfort you prefer.
Hue: the stories behind the imperial city. Walk the Citadel, visit a royal tomb and pause at Thien Mu Pagoda with a local guide. There is time for a Hue lunch and an easy evening near the river before continuing south.
Hoi An: four nights and more than a quick photo stop. Follow the lanes of the old trading port, then return independently when the lanterns brighten the riverside. Ba Na Hills and the Golden Bridge add a day of mountain views; your final free day can be a beach morning, your hotel pool or another wander through town.
The base plan uses private airport and road transfers and local English-speaking guides on sightseeing days. Cruise activities and local boats are shared. Choose selected small-group excursions or a comfortable shared transfer if you prefer another balance of comfort and cost.
Between Hue and Hoi An, the road is only one choice. Ask about the daytime heritage train from Hue to Da Nang, with station transfers and a car onward to Hoi An. It adds a coastal rail experience without pretending the train runs straight into Hoi An. A suitable shared limousine transfer is another option.
Choose three-, four- or five-star hotel comfort, family rooms or a special stay in the countryside. Walking and cycling can be shortened or replaced; free days stay free unless you choose an extra experience. Families, couples and friends can enjoy the same route in different ways.
Vietpower Travel has operated since 2009 under international tour operator licence 01-711/2015/TCDL-GPLHQT. We have served thousands of international travellers from many countries, including families and private groups, and understand how cultural preferences, food choices and holiday rhythms differ.
Our offices in Vietnam’s major cities and 24/7 travel assistance while you are on tour give you a team to contact throughout the journey. Local relationships with guides, drivers, hotels and cruise teams help us match the experience and comfort to your budget, from the airport welcome to the final transfer.
Read traveller reviews of Vietpower Travel on Tripadvisor, then speak directly with the people planning your holiday. Before payment, you receive a written itinerary and quotation showing the services selected for your group.
It stays within northern and central Vietnam: Hanoi, three nights in Ninh Binh, two nights on a bay cruise, two nights in Hue and four nights in Hoi An. You have 14 nights in total, including 12 hotel nights and two cruise nights. Rest days and longer stays give you time to enjoy each place.
This is a sample holiday for your own travelling party. The base plan uses private airport and land transfers, with local guides on the listed sightseeing days. The bay cruise and scheduled boats are shared. We can quote selected small-group sightseeing or comfortable shared transfers as alternatives; the final programme identifies each arrangement.
A three-day, two-night cruise leaves another day for the vessel’s island programme between boarding and departure. Depending on the boat, it may use a day boat for activities and return you to your cabin later. We help choose the cruise, cabin and route that fit the experiences you want.
No. You stay in Ninh Binh on Day 5 and transfer straight to the confirmed cruise harbour early on Day 6. You return to Hanoi after the cruise on Day 8, with one hotel night before flying to Hue. This keeps the route coherent and gives the flight connection a comfortable buffer.
Yes, as a Day 11 alternative to the private road transfer. The daytime heritage train runs between Hue and Da Nang; Hoi An has no station on this route. We arrange the station transfers and onward car to Hoi An, and confirm seats and the schedule for your date. A suitable shared limousine transfer is another option.
The sample arrives in Hanoi, flies Hanoi–Hue on Day 9 and departs from Da Nang after the Hoi An stay on Day 15. International and domestic flights are excluded from the indicative land price. Send your existing tickets and we will coordinate baggage, transfers and the domestic connection.
Yes. We can shorten the countryside walks, replace cycling, choose suitable rooms and keep more time free. Hang Mua is an optional climb, and Ba Na Hills can be replaced with a different day if your family prefers it. Tell us ages, walking limits and the hotel comfort you like so we can design the right version.
March–April is a useful starting window for this north-to-central route. Northern winter can be cool, summer is warmer and wetter, and Hue/Hoi An need particular rain and storm planning in autumn. Bay sailing and island trips also depend on operating conditions. We advise around your dates rather than promise one season across the country.
Designed for travellers from every country. Couples, families and friends can tailor this north-to-central Vietnam holiday to their own pace, hotel comfort and travel dates. If mountain villages and southern river life are also on your wish list, compare our 16-day Vietnam tour with Sa Pa. Tell Vietpower Travel how you like to travel, and we will guide you through the choices.
Send your dates, arrival and departure details, who is travelling and the hotel comfort you prefer. Tell us whether your ideal day is on the water, among heritage streets or simply enjoying time together; we will turn those choices into a clear personal programme.
Chat with Vietpower Travel on WhatsApp or email sales@vietpowertravel.com.
Highlights
Explore the day-by-day route on Google Maps
The plane marks the Hanoi–Hue connection. Optional rail stations are labelled separately; your final cruise harbour, hotel and flight schedule are confirmed with your personal programme.
| By Day | Transfer | Destinations | Activities | Meals |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Day 1 | Hanoi | Arrival and a gentle first evening | None | |
| Day 2 | Hanoi | Hanoi’s heritage and everyday life | Breakfast, lunch | |
| Day 3 | Hanoi – Ninh Binh | Trang An waterways and Hoa Lu’s history | Breakfast, lunch | |
| Day 4 | Ninh Binh | Countryside lanes and Bich Dong Pagoda | Breakfast, lunch | |
| Day 5 | Ninh Binh | A countryside day at your own pace | Breakfast | |
| Day 6 | Ninh Binh – bay cruise | Board your cruise and settle into island life | Breakfast, lunch, dinner | |
| Day 7 | Bay cruise | Another day among the limestone islands | Breakfast, lunch, dinner | |
| Day 8 | Bay cruise – Hanoi | A final bay morning and a comfortable Hanoi night | Breakfast, brunch | |
| Day 9 | Hanoi – Hue | Fly to the imperial city | Breakfast | |
| Day 10 | Hue | Imperial heritage and a taste of Hue | Breakfast, lunch | |
| Day 11 | Hue – Hoi An | Continue south with a coastal travel choice | Breakfast | |
| Day 12 | Hoi An | Merchant streets and lantern-lit evenings | Breakfast | |
| Day 13 | Hoi An – Ba Na Hills – Hoi An | The Golden Bridge and Ba Na mountain views | Breakfast, lunch | |
| Day 14 | Hoi An | A final day to enjoy your own rhythm | Breakfast | |
| Day 15 | Hoi An – Da Nang Airport | A relaxed farewell and airport transfer | Breakfast |
Your driver welcomes you at Noi Bai Airport and takes you to your Hanoi hotel. Settle in after the flight, then enjoy a gentle walk or café near your hotel if you feel ready. The first day leaves room to rest and begin the holiday refreshed.
Travel: Private airport transfer
Meals: None
Overnight: Hanoi
Explore the Temple of Literature and the Ho Chi Minh complex with your guide, then walk the Old Quarter and Hoan Kiem Lake. Enjoy a local lunch and time to notice the city’s everyday scenes. Train Street can be an optional café stop when permitted access allows; otherwise choose another atmospheric Hanoi café.
Travel: Private guided sightseeing; shared excursion option
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Overnight: Hanoi
Travel to Ninh Binh and take a local rowing boat through Trang An’s limestone scenery. Explore Hoa Lu’s ancient-capital temples with your guide, enjoy lunch and choose a gentle countryside walk or cycle. Hang Mua can replace the afternoon activity for those who want a viewpoint climb. Check in for three nights in the countryside.
Travel: Private road transfer and guided visits; shared local rowing boat
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Overnight: Ninh Binh
Spend a gentle day among the limestone hills. Walk past village fields and gardens, pausing to learn about local farming, then enjoy lunch. Visit Bich Dong Pagoda or keep more time at your accommodation, with a short cycle ride available if it suits your group and the weather.
Travel: Private guide and local road transfers
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Overnight: Ninh Binh
Enjoy a slow breakfast and keep the day free in Ninh Binh. Relax at your accommodation, walk nearby or explore independently. Vietpower Travel can arrange an extra guided outing if you wish, quoted separately. Stay in the same hotel tonight, ready to continue straight to the bay tomorrow.
Travel: Independent free day
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Ninh Binh
Leave early for the confirmed cruise harbour. Board your chosen vessel, settle into your cabin and enjoy lunch as the limestone islands pass. Join the afternoon programme, such as a scenic visit or kayaking, then enjoy sunset and dinner on board. The vessel determines whether you sail Halong Bay or Lan Ha Bay.
Travel: Private transfer directly to the harbour; shared overnight cruise. Early pickup and a road/check-in buffer follow the selected boat.
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight: Bay cruise
Wake up on the bay and enjoy another day of the selected cruise programme. The boat’s route may bring a village visit, paddling or swimming, with time to rest between activities. Some vessels use a day boat for this part of the three-day journey and return you to your cabin later. Enjoy meals on board and a second night among the islands.
Travel: Shared cruise and scheduled activity boats
Meals: Breakfast, lunch, dinner
Overnight: Bay cruise
Join the final morning activity if you wish, enjoy the vessel’s breakfast/brunch service and disembark. Your driver takes you to Hanoi for a restful evening. This hotel night gives the following flight to Hue a comfortable buffer; an evening flight directly after the cruise is an alternative only when the confirmed timing works well.
Travel: Private harbour–Hanoi transfer after the shared cruise
Meals: Breakfast, brunch
Overnight: Hanoi
After breakfast, transfer to the airport for your Hanoi–Hue flight. Allow time for airport formalities and the hotel transfer on arrival. Check in and keep the remainder of the day relaxed, with an easy riverside stroll or café if you feel like it. Flight times and baggage are coordinated with your actual dates.
Travel: Private airport transfers; Hanoi–Hue flight quoted separately
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Hue
Discover the Imperial Citadel, Thien Mu Pagoda and one selected royal tomb with a local guide. Minh Mang is one option for the tomb visit, chosen with your confirmed programme. Hear the stories of the Nguyen dynasty, enjoy a Hue lunch and finish at a comfortable pace with time around the river before returning to your hotel.
Travel: Private guide and local road transfers
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Overnight: Hue
Travel from Hue to Hoi An, with comfort stops and time to enjoy the changing scenery. The base programme uses a private road transfer. For a different experience, choose the daytime heritage train from Hue to Da Nang, followed by a car to Hoi An, or a suitable shared limousine service. Settle into your hotel for four nights.
Travel: Private road transfer, roughly 2.5–3.5 driving hours plus stops. Optional heritage train to Da Nang with station transfers and onward road travel.
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Hoi An
Walk Hoi An’s old town with your guide, visiting an old house and assembly hall included in the sightseeing ticket. Learn the stories of the trading port, then take a relaxed afternoon. Return independently to the riverside as lanterns brighten the streets. A lantern-making workshop can be added if it is part of your chosen programme.
Travel: Private guided old-town walking; shared excursion option
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Hoi An
Ride the cable car into Ba Na Hills and explore the Golden Bridge and suitable areas of the complex. Take time for lunch and breaks, then return to your Hoi An hotel. The day is arranged around your group’s pace; families who prefer a different experience can replace it when designing the itinerary.
Travel: Private guided road excursion and standard Ba Na cable-car admission
Meals: Breakfast, lunch
Overnight: Hoi An
Keep your last full day free. Enjoy the hotel pool, head to the beach independently or revisit a favourite café in the old town. Vietpower Travel can suggest a restaurant or book an extra experience if you would like one. Cham Islands is an optional excursion whose operation follows season and sea conditions; extra services are quoted separately.
Travel: Independent free day
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: Hoi An
Enjoy breakfast and the time available before your private transfer to Da Nang Airport. Pickup follows your actual departure flight, with time for check-in. For a late flight, leave luggage at the hotel or ask about a separately arranged late checkout. Leave with countryside mornings, bay sunsets and lantern evenings to remember.
Travel: Private Hoi An–Da Nang Airport transfer
Meals: Breakfast
Overnight: No overnight stay
12 hotel nights
2 cruise nights
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Customize Your Trip
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Arrive at Noi Bai Airport in Hanoi and leave from Da Nang Airport after four nights in Hoi An. Share your flight details early so we can fit the domestic flight and hotel nights to your trip.
Choose a quieter hotel, a lighter countryside walk, a memorable cabin or the coastal train. We will keep the route connected and give you a comfortable amount of time at each stop.
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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