Luxury small ship river cruises in Asia

Our guide will pick you up at the airport and bring you to the hotel. Enjoy this bustling Asian metropolis at your own leisure. Overnight at the Pan Pacific Hotel Hanoi.

Please note: Guides and drivers are not allowed inside the terminal building. We will be waiting for you outside with a Pandaw sign. Hanoi Airport has two exits; if you don’t see us, please try the other exit on the same level (30 meters).

Check out hotel and you begin to explore Hanoi with a Street food tour and then visit an art gallery and meet an artist for discussion of the development of fine arts in Vietnam. After your excursion, we transfer you to the train station to depart the overnight express to Sapa. With its elegant carriages, the Victoria Express Train recalls a more romantic era. Passing through the exotic landscapes of North Vietnam, it offers every visitor a wonderful travelling experience. Street food for lunch and overnight train to Sapa.

Note: Victoria trains don’t run daily. Please see below under “NOTE” if your date is affected, an alternate night train with ORIENT TRAINS will be arranged for you.

Arrival at 6:15 am and transfer to Sapa to start your guided day. Discover the landscapes of terraced rice paddies and the minorities’ villages at Victoria Sapa Resort & Spa. Sapa is located in Lao Cai Province, 380 km Northwest of Hanoi, in close proximity to the Chinese border. Famous for its terraced rice paddies & highlands, Sapa is home to more than 30 colorful hill tribes and close to Vietnam's highest peak, Mount Fansipan. From Sapa, heading northwards on national road 4C to O Quy Ho with several stops for magnificent landscapes of Fansipan, Sin Chai valley and especially amazing flower and vegetable farms. Then turn right to Ban Khoang, a village of the Red Zao ethnic peoples who live their unique way of life and well maintain their traditional values. The village looks prosperous thanks to the combination of wet rice cultivation on the terraced fields with cardamom farming under the shade of trees in thick forest. Take a walk to explore this remote village for a brief understanding of local life. Then leaving Ban Khoang for Ta Giang Phing valley inhabited by the Black Hmong who live in some small villages scattering along a peaceful stream, explore the local life and then back to hotel in Sapa. Overnight at Victoria Sapa Resort & Spa with breakfast and dinner, lunch at local restaurant.

Locating just at the south eastern side of HAM RONG MOUNTAIN and just close to Sapa town but this valley seems to be unknown by most of the tour operators as well as visitors. Inhabited by the Hmong peoples this narrow valley is quiet and non touristic which is quite different from TA PHIN or MUONG HOA VALLEYS where the local peoples ha ve changed much because of the strong influence of tourism. Trip begins from Sapa at 08.30 in the morning firstly by road transfer for 12km southwards and uphill the DEN THANG MOUNTAIN. Enjoy several stops for marvelous landscapes of Hoang Lien mountain range and Muong Hoa valley before arriving to a small hamlet of village which sits at 1,572m high and overlooking down the Muong Hoa valley. Leaving the vehicle for an easy walk to explore this charming hamlet of the Black Hmong with lots traces of the past sifting lifestyle of the Hmong. Then follow the large village path gradually downhill along the stunning valley of Sa Seng, passing several hamlets of the SA SENG and SAU CHUA VILLAGES along the way which are organized in typical way of the Hmong dwelling, Wooden roofed houses surrounded by rock-all where pot-belly pigs, chickens, water buffaloes running here and there and children entertaining themselves with their own games and toys. There are chances to see Hmong women making fiber from hemp, spinning, weaving to make traditional costumes. Walk end after paying visiting to Sa Pa, another hamlet of the Hmong which located near the former place of Sapa traditional market. Transfer for about 15 minutes back to Sapa. Overnight at Victoria Sapa Resort & Spa. Lunch at local restaurant.

In the morning after breakfast transfer from Sapa on a stunning new highway with beautiful views of mountains, through tunnels and slight bends through valleys, finally arriving you will board the Angkor Pandaw.