From Northern Vietnam into Southern China
From Northern Vietnam into Southern China, this 11‐day journey blends bustling city life, tranquil countryside, and ancient cultural treasures. Travel from the centuries-old streets of Hanoi to Halong Bay’s emerald waters and towering limestone pillars, soak up local history, flavors, and traditions at every turn, then venture by night train into misty Sapa for H’Mông and Dzay village treks. Cross the border into China’s Yunnan Province to wander among Yuanyang’s breathtaking rice terraces and explore the dramatic karst formations at the Stone Forest. With comfortable accommodations, expert local guides, and all transfers plus many meals included, you’ll relax and immerse yourself fully in the sights, sounds, and tastes of this vibrant region and return home with lasting memories.
Tour Highlights
- Hanoi & Old Quarter: Stroll tree-lined streets, lakes, French colonial buildings, pagodas, and vibrant nightlife.
- Hạ Long Bay: Overnight cruise amid towering limestone karsts.
- Sapa: Trek hill-tribe villages and soak in cool mountain air.
- Yuanyang: Marvel at terraced rice fields and Hani-culture villages.
- Jianshui: Explore ancient townhouses and Hani customs.
- Kunming: “City of Eternal Spring” and former Silk Road gateway.
What’s included
• Customized itinerary based on your interests and schedule.
• 24/7 support from our local office.
• All accommodations, tours, and transfers included, unless stated otherwise.
• Private driver for tours and transfers (guides may also drive; your Destination Expert will inform you).
• Local guides or shared tours will highlight your itinerary; the final plan will specify tour types.
• Meet-and-greet at the airport or your accommodation from our representative.
• Daily breakfast at your hotel and any meals listed in the itinerary.
• One suitcase and one carry-on per person for transfers.
What’s not included
• International airfare
• Travel insurance (available for purchase after booking your tour).
• Visas (if needed).
• Gratuities for services and experiences.
• Lunches, dinners, and drinks (unless included in the itinerary).
• Personal expenses like laundry, phone calls, and room service.
• Early check-in or late check-out (unless noted).
• Passport fees, immunization costs, and local taxes (if applicable).
Itinerary ideas
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1
Airport Pickup & Transfer: Meet your driver at Nội Bài International Airport and ride into downtown Hanoi.
Hotel Check-In: Settle into your centrally located hotel.
Evening Stroll & Dinner: Explore the Old Quarter’s night market and pick up dinner from street-food vendors.
Overnight: Hotel in Hanoi.
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2
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Morning City Tour:
Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum
One Pillar Pagoda
Temple of Literature
Afternoon Visits:
Vietnam Museum of Ethnology
Tran Quoc Pagoda by West Lake
Late Afternoon Walking Tour: Old Quarter’s 36 Streets, Hoàn Kiếm Lake & Ngọc Sơn Temple
Evening Entertainment: Traditional water-puppet show
Overnight: Hotel in Hanoi.
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3
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Morning Departure: Private car (approx. 4 hrs) to Hạ Long.
Board Luxury Cruise: Check in by lunchtime; enjoy seafood lunch onboard.
Afternoon at Sea: Kayaking or swimming among limestone karsts.
Dinner & Overnight: Onboard cruise cabin.
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4
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Early Morning: Tai Chi on deck and sunrise photo ops.
Late Morning: Continue cruising; disembark after brunch.
Afternoon Return: Drive back to Hanoi (arrive ~4 PM).
Train to Sapa: Transfer to Hanoi Station for overnight soft-berth train to Lào Cai/Sapa.
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5
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Early Morning Arrival: Lào Cai train station pickup; drive to Sapa Town.
Trekking: Hike to Cat Cat Village—meet H’Mông artisans and see terraced rice fields.
Afternoon: Return to Sapa for a casual town walk (Sapa Market, Ham Rong Mountain).
Overnight: Hotel in Sapa.
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6
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Full-Day Trek:
Black H’Mông village in Lao Chải
Zay village in Tả Van
Cultural Lunch: Family-style meal with a local household.
Late Afternoon: Return to Sapa; free time.
Overnight: Hotel in Sapa.
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7
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner
Morning Border Crossing: Drive Lào Cai → Hekou; complete Chinese entry formalities.
Afternoon Drive: Scenic route to Yuanyang; stop en route for dinner.
Overnight: Hotel in Yuanyang.
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8
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
All-Day Excursion:
Duoyishu (Big)—“Duoyishu” viewpoint
Laohuzui (Tiger Mouth) terraces
Bada terraces
Village visits: Shengcun & Qingkou
Photo Ops: Capture dawn-lit terraces and local Hani culture.
Overnight: Hotel in Yuanyang.
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9
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Morning Visit: Qingkou Hani minority village and surrounding terraces.
Afternoon Transfer: Drive to Jianshui; check in.
Overnight: Hotel in Jianshui.
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10
Meals: Breakfast, Lunch
Morning Tour: Yunnan Stone Forest geological park.
Afternoon Transfer: Continue to Kunming city.
Overnight: Hotel in Kunming.
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11
Morning: Leisure time for last-minute shopping or café stop.
Airport Transfer: Private car to Kunming Changshui International Airport for your flight home.
Accommodation options
What our clients say about us

Peter
20 March 2025 ★★★★★We had a wonderful 12-day trip across Thailand, beautifully arranged by Mr. Stephen from Absolute Asia. Every detail was taken care of, from comfortable stays to fully organized vegetarian meals throughout the journey. Our itinerary covered Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, then we spent five blissful days in Koh Samui. There, we relaxed on palm-fringed beaches, explored Ang Thong Marine Park by boat, and savored fresh tropical fruits at sunset. A big shoutout to our lovely guide, Mr Krit who made the experience even more special with him warmth and knowledge. We’re heading home with unforgettable memories of Thailand’s hospitality and charm. Thank you, Absolute Asia Tours.

Gari
22 May 2024 ★★★★★Our recent trip to China and Mongolia was a great success. Overall we found Absolute Asia Tours services to be excellent throughout the two weeks we were in Asia. For us, Mongolia was definitely the highlight. We thoroughly enjoyed or local guides and drives and they were unfailingly knowledgeable, helpful and amusing. Their languages skills were excellent and we felt that we recieved real insight into this fascinating country. We were intinially drawn to the idea of this trip by the reports of the world class fihing and we were absolutely not disappointed. The fishing guide was first rate and we caught more fish than we could have hoped for - more than 25 each day - with the added bonus of being the only other people in sight for miles arround. AAT created a private ger camp for us on the Onon River and we enjoyed delicious food prepared by our chef in a beautiful unspoled atmosphere. They alo arranged for us to visit a nomadic family and spend time with them at home and organized a dinner with an anthropologist with expert knowledge of the region. AAT fullfilled their promise to tkae us to us to one of the world's best fishing destinations in comfort and style. We would be happy to travel with AAT again and will definitely recommend them to our friends.

Cherry
16 May 2024 ★★★★★We've had two "A+" experience with Absolute Asia Tours. It is a pleasure to work with an organization where I feel confident that what you say will happen, happens. This was true with our complicated China itinerary six years ago, and was true with our recent itinerary in Vietnam. your on the ground guides and logistics were top - notch, and I would recommend you to anyone to visit Asia.

James
17 January 2024 ★★★★★Absolute Asia tours gave us a wonderful tour of Southeast Asia (working with sister-agency My Way Travel based in Vietnam). For our Siem Reap/Angkor Wat journey, our party of two had a private driver and guide named Jak, who was a cheerful and knowledgeable companion, explaining the history, culture, architecture and religious significance of the sites while keeping it always fun. We moved efficiently from site to site, and finished with a boat tour of the fishing village on stilts at Kampong Pluk on the Tonle Sap Lake. During most of our trip we stayed at top-notch locally-owned hotels, but in Siem Reap we were at the excellent local Hyatt hotel. Absolute Asia and My Way Travel our outstanding local providers, less expensive than name-brand group tours, and customized to our interests and schedule.

Hope
2 January 2024 ★★★★★We had an awesome time on cycling tour with AAT! It was incredible, filled with good vibes, laughs & a fantastic way to explore Vietnam & Cambodia. Tony our guide made it special by introducing us to locals and showing us the real charm of these countries. The whole tour was well-organized & the way they took care of us awesome. It's an unforgettable trip and I'll definitely recommend it to anyone who wants to experience the beauty of Southeast Asia.

Nas
1 January 2024 ★★★★★My group of six completed a 30 day cycling tour in Asia with AAT. We traveled form Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Phuket & Saigon to Siem Reap. Every day we pedaled through stunning countryside views, passing villages, fields & limestone karsts. Our guide Tony was fantastic-interesting, friendly & personable. This experience stood out as the highlight of our Asia trip.