Transfer to Hoa Binh, embark your ship at around 15.00pm and set sail downstream for sunset and a night on the Da River.

Hoa Binh was the site of a major battle in 1951 & 1952 with the French and is home to the Muong ethnic group. We will visit a museum and a local village where villagers still wear traditional dresses. Then take a local boat ride on the reservoir of Hoa Binh power station. Tonight you will enjoy the traditional performance of local hill tribe people.

We enjoy a day sailing downstream admiring the unspoilt beauty of the Da River. We pass the Ba Vi National Park with its rich and diverse tropical and sub-tropical flora and fauna before arriving at Trung Ha. On board your guides and chefs will entertain you with cooking demonstrations and a talk on Northern Vietnam.

After breakfast we will travel by coach through beautiful scenic countryside to the UNESCO praised village of Duong Lam. Then we continue cruising downstream to Viet Tri. Take in the sights and sounds of the bustling river with all kinds of craft and activity.

In the morning we cruise to Tien Du ferry station where we visit the village of Gia Thanh famous for the making of conical hats. This is travel off the beaten track, as no tourists visit this area. Travel to Hung Lo Temple for 'Hat Xoan' and enjoy a performance of local dance from the villagers. Afternoon visit to a carpenter village. Return to the ship and continue cruising the scenic Lo River.

Going ashore we visit a timeless Arcadian Vietnam with emerald green rice paddies punctuated by lime stone rock formations. Of particular interest is the Thay and Tay Phuong Pagodas, hardly known, yet with exquisite temples dating from the 8th and 11th century and home to some fine Buddhist statuary carved from jackfruit trees. In the afternoon, we visit Bat Trang ceramic village. After the excursion you will enjoy a traditional unicorn and lion dance at the jetty. We then sail on the Lower Red River to Hanoi arriving in the evening.

Dropped anchor in the bustling city of Hanoi, passengers will visit some highlights of this Asian metropolis, must see’s like the notorious Vietnam war prison known as the Hanoi Hilton, temple of literature where Confucius did his thinking and the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum. Afternoon walking tour of Hanoi including a visit to a coffee shop where we learn about Vietnam’s famous coffee making industry.

Observe the lively and interesting life on the river before we reach our next destination in the afternoon. Excursion to Thanh Ha Commune with village walk and a private water puppet show set under shade by a beautiful pond of lotus and lilies. We drop anchor near Hai Phong Port, the gateway to Halong Bay.

Cast off early morning along the river before entering Halong Bay’s amazing island scenery with its 2,000 dramatic limestone islands and extraordinary rock formations dating back 20 million years. Exploring Halong Bay, we stop at the so called “Dark and Bright Cave”. Take a kayak or a local basket boat rowed by fishermen and enter this remarkable cave into an enclosed area similar to a crater. Bats can be heard in the cave and massive stalagmites hang from the ceiling. We continue our cruise around Halong Bay until we drop anchor in Rang Dua.

We make a stop at Viet Hai Village and continue our journey by mountain bike or electric buggy to visit the village’s vegetable farm and typical village houses. It is a breathtaking trip along a small road winding its way through the limestone rocks. In the afternoon we will continue cruising towards Lan Ha Bay for a visit to a floating fishing house. Weather dependent, we will end the day with cocktails at a beautiful beach in Halong Bay.

Morning sail to Tuan Chau Jetty. Disembark at 11.00am for transfer to Hanoi Airport or Pan Pacific Hotel Hanoi with stop for lunch at a local restaurant.