Northern Vietnam Discovery School Trip – 8 Days

General Northern Vietnam School Trip Information

Tour Code:
Duration: 8 Days/ 7 Nights
Start/End: Hanoi/ Hanoi
Tour Route: Hanoi Arrival – Moon Garden Homestay – Sapa – Halong Bay
Tour Customizable: Absolutely! (Tell us your specific requirements in the inquiry form)

Brief Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi arrival (D)
Day 2: Hanoi – Moon Garden Homestay (B, L, D)
Day 3: Ky Son – Hanoi – Sapa (B, L, D)
Day 4: Sapa (B, L, D)
Day 5: Sapa – Lao Cai – Hanoi (B, L, D)
Day 6: Hanoi – Halong (B, L, D)
Day 7: Halong – Hanoi (B, L, D)
Day 8: Hanoi departure (B)

Full Vietnam School Tour Itinerary

Day 1: Hanoi Arrival (D)

Upon arrival in Hanoi, teachers and students will be greeted then transferred to the hotel. After a short rest, we enjoy a 1-hour cyclo tour of the French-inspired “Old Quarter” passing through boutique stores and amazing contemporary art galleries. In the evening, we will have welcome dinner at a fine local restaurant in town. We spend the night in Hanoi.

Day 2: Hanoi – Moon Garden Homestay (B, L, D)

Today we set off to enjoy a majestic homestay at Moon Garden which is located at Ky Son Village. Arriving mid-morning we will be welcomed with some locally grown freshly prepared green tea. After our relaxing welcome, we have some free time to explore Moon Garden and Ky Son Village. Following this, we enjoy a cooking class, followed by lunch.

After lunch experience, a traditional hand spa; having our hands dipped in a fragrant bowl of lime and traditional herbs and then massaged. We will then take our bicycle to discover the Ky Son, Tam Son, Van Minh, and Cham farming communities, stopping along the way to converse with local families about their daily lives. There will also be opportunities to help with plowing or making rice beds, transplanting seedlings and harvesting rice, cassava, corn or sweet potatoes (depending on the harvest season). We will also collect tea and some medicinal herbs which are needed for your steam bath later in the afternoon and your foot “spa” in the late evening.
Early evening we return to Moon Garden for some refreshing afternoon drinks while waiting for our steam baths to be prepared. After our steam bath observes the local Buddha worship, followed by dinner. After dinner, we will enjoy a foot bath in warm water with ginger, salt, and mugwort medicinal herbs before retiring for the evening.

Day 3: Ky Son – Hanoi – Sapa (B, L, D)

This morning we join in with some traditional exercises to work up an appetite before breakfast. We then hop back on our bikes to visit other local villages before returning to Ky Son village for lunch. This afternoon spend some time relaxing in the village before departing for Hanoi. Returning to Hanoi we enjoy an early dinner before catching our overnight train to Lao Cai, Sapa.

Day 4: Sapa (B, L, D)

Arrival in Lao Cai Station in the early morning, we will transfer to Sapa for our trek, where we will enjoy spectacular scenery as we head to the Y Linh Ho village of the Hmong people. After lunch, we head to the Muong Hoa Valley, on the way passing through the villages of Lao Chai and Ta Van where we will have a chance to meet some of the locals.

Next, we visit Lao Chai Primary School and have some activities with the pupils there.
Tonight we enjoy a homestay at one of the hill tribe villages. Homestays are a great way to get a feel for the culture and really understand more about the daily lives of the local people. A common saying is: “you will arrive as a guest but leave as a friend”.

Day 5: Sapa – Lao Cai – Hanoi (B, L, D)

We will enjoy breakfast with our hosts before bidding them goodbye. Today will include a visit to the Giang Ta Chai village of the Red Dao minority people, we will also trek through a bamboo forest and pass by a majestic waterfall; taking time to rest and enjoy the surroundings. After lunch, we will continue toward Su Pan Village where we will start our journey back to Sapa by car. Spend the remainder of the afternoon at leisure in Sapa before returning to Lao Cai to board the overnight train back to Hanoi. It is an amazing experience for students in an educational school trip.

Day 6: Hanoi – Halong (B, L, D)

Experience Halong Bay, on a V’Spirit Classic Cruise, one of the best Mid-range cruises available. You will not only see many fantastically shaped islands, beautiful beaches, and great natural caves, but you will also learn more about Halong Bay’s history and local people.
Today we set off to the ‘Jewel in the Crown of Vietnam’; Halong Bay. Arriving before lunch we will board our boat and then set sail, cruising amongst thousands of extraordinary limestone karst formations. Halong Bay was voted one of ‘The New 7 Wonders of Nature’ in 2011, and once there you will know why it was included in this group.
On arrival in Halong, we will embark on V’Spirit Classic Cruise followed by a short cruise briefing. We will then savor a delectable lunch while V’Spirit Classic cruises among the limestone islands. In the mid-afternoon, we will kayak among the hidden areas of the bay, around the Bo Nau Cave area before going back to the V’Spirit Classic and continue cruising to Soi Sim Island. Go swimming and relaxing at the beach of Soi Sim or climb up to the top of the island for a panorama view of Halong Bay.

In the evening, we will cruise back to the main boat for a shower before having dinner and spend the night on board.

Day 7: Halong – Hanoi (B, L, D)

Wake up early in the morning and start your day with Tai Chi exercises or a photo hunt before having breakfast.

After that, we will explore the amazing Sung Sot Cave – the nicest cave in Halong Bay. After that, we will return to the boat, freshen up and check out of your cabin. Continue your cruise exploring the Bay, passing Ba Hang fishing village, Dog Islet, and more. While heading back to the harbor, watch the cooking demonstration before enjoying a traditional Vietnamese lunch. We will disembark at around noon and find your car, which is waiting and take you back to Hanoi.

Day 8: Hanoi departure (B)

Time will be free until the car and guides arrive to take students and teachers to the airport for departure flight. The educational tour ends.