Vietnam is a country that has a lot to offer to travelers who are looking for a diverse and exciting experience. From its rich culture and history, to its stunning natural beauty and delicious cuisine, Vietnam will surprise and delight you with its charm and hospitality. In this post, I will share with you our family adventure in Vietnam, where we spent 5 days exploring some of the most amazing places in the country: Hanoi, Halong Bay, and Sapa. We had a wonderful time and made some unforgettable memories along the way.

Day 1: Hanoi to Halong Bay

We arrived in Hanoi airport after a short flight (3 hours) from Seoul. We booked a little hotel close to the airport as we know that we are arriving late, and it was good as we also waited a long time in the immigration. Tired but excited to start our Vietnam adventure the next day.

We woke up early to take a taxi, booked by our hotel, to go to the Old Quarter from the airport where we need to take a bus that took us to Halong Bay, one of the most famous and beautiful attractions in Vietnam. Before boarding the bus, we had a little breakfast with a Banh Mi and also some little time to enjoy the Hoan Kiem Lake.

We took the bus and took some rest while enjoying the Vietnam rice field view between Hanoi and Halong Bay. After around 4 hours, we stopped at a tourist market where we bought some snacks and souvenirs. Then we arrived at the pier where we boarded on a boat that took us to our cruise. The cruise members were very kind and welcomed us warmly. We checked in our cabins and then enjoyed our first delicious Vietnamese traditional meal for lunch. The food was fresh and flavorful, and we loved the variety of dishes.

After that, we started our first activity by going to do kayaking in the bay. It was a fun and relaxing activity, and we got to see the amazing limestone formations and caves up close. We paddled for more than an hour and then returned to the boat. We decided to take some rest in the swimming pool at the cruise desk, it was a wonderful day.

At the end of the afternoon, we attended a cooking class where we learned how to make rice rolls, a popular Vietnamese snack. It was quite easy and fun, and we got to eat our creations afterwards. We also learned some interesting facts about Vietnamese culture and cuisine from the chef itself.

The dinner started after that. We had another feast of Vietnamese dishes, such as spring rolls, noodles, fish, and chicken. We also had some delicious fruits and desserts. The dinner was very delicious and we were very full and satisfied.

We had some relax time after dinner or we can sang some karaoke songs, played some games, or even tried some fishing. We also enjoyed the sunset and the stars on the deck. It was a beautiful and peaceful night.

Then the New Year party started. It was the Lunar New Year, or Tet, which is the most important festival in Vietnam. The cruise staff prepared some decorations, music, and drinks for us. We joined the celebration and had a great time. We were lucky to been able to watched some fireworks from our boat and even from the others. It was a spectacular and memorable way to welcome the new year.

Our first day in Vietnam was so exciting and fun. We went to bed feeling happy and grateful.

Day 2: Halong Bay to Hanoi

We woke up early (not too early as we couldn’t attend the Tai Chi course) to get a breakfast. The breakfast was buffet style and had a lot of options, such as bread, eggs, pancakes, fruits, and coffee. We ate well and then got ready for our next activity.

We went to some caves and a lake with a boat. The cave was called Bat Cave, and it was indeed surprising. It was huge and had many stalactites and stalagmites of different shapes and colors. It was like a natural museum of art. The lake was surrounded by mountains and had three small tunnels that we could enter with our boat. It was very serene and scenic.

We came back to the cruise boat and took a little brunch before heading back to Hanoi by bus. We said goodbye to the cruise staff and thanked them for their service. A little boat wait us to bring back us to the bus to go to Hanoi.

We arrived in Hanoi around 4 pm. It was full of people partying for New Year. We have few hours to explore the city, so we choose to visit the near by place, the French Quarter, where we saw some colonial buildings and monuments, such as the Opera House, the Post Office, and the St. Joseph Cathedral. We also walked around the Hoan Kiem Lake, where we saw the Turtle Tower and the Ngoc Son Temple. The atmosphere was great with all these Vietnam people partying, taking picture, having fun for New Year.

We ate some banh mi, a Vietnamese sandwich with bread, meat, vegetables, and sauce, before going to the train station to Sapa. It was a delicious and cheap snack that we enjoyed a lot.

It was not easy to find someone who could help us at the train station (not many people because of Lunar New Year and also they don’t speaking English), but we already had booked tickets so we finally got inside our night train. The train was comfortable and had four beds in each cabin. We shared our cabin with another person who was also going to Sapa.

The train started and we saw the famous Hanoi Train Street from the inside. It was a narrow street where the train passed very close to the houses and shops. It was a unique and interesting sight.

Sleeping time for all (or trying to sleep 🙂 ), direction Sapa.

Day 3: Sapa

We woke up in Lao Cai, the terminus of the train, and took a bus to Sapa. It was a very weird bus where we had some kind of bed instead of seats. It was a bit cramped but cozy. We had a one hour trip to arrive to Sapa, where we put our big backpacks in the hotel and changed to go trekking.

We went to the front of the famous Sapa church to meet our guide, a young woman from the Hmong ethnic minority. She introduced herself as Mai and told us that she would take us to see some of the villages and rice terraces in the area. She was very friendly and spoke good English.

The trekking was very beautiful and enjoyable. We walked on the rice fields and saw the amazing views of the mountains and valleys. Mai explained everything about her culture and lifestyle, such as the clothes, the food, the traditions, and the challenges.

After a few hours of walking, we ate in a little restaurant with very typical food, such as rice, vegetables, and chicken. It was simple but tasty and filling. We also had some coffee and water to refresh ourselves.

We continued trekking and discovered more villages, where we saw some children, animals, and handicrafts. We also met some other local people who greeted us warmly and invited us to see their houses. It was a very nice and authentic experience.

We went back to Sapa in the afternoon, as it was not too late, we decided to go to the Fansipan mountain, the highest peak in Vietnam, using the cable car. It was a 20-minute ride that offered us some breathtaking views of the landscape. Unfortunately, the weather at the top was very cloudy and foggy, so we couldn’t see much. And it was quite expensive, about 30 dollars per person.

We came back to our hotel to take some rest before going to dinner. We chose a typical restaurant with some chicken and noddles among the animated street. We also takes some time to buy some souvenirs of Sapa, even if we already get many from the Hmong grandma.

Then the two parents had a spa time, while the boy stayed in the hotel. The spa was very good and nice to relax after the trekking day. We had a very good massage. It was a perfect way to end the day.

Day 4: Sapa to Hanoi

We woke up quite early, we had a good breakfast, as our bus limousine going to Hanoi had already arrived. It was a luxury bus that had reclining seats, wifi, and air conditioning. It was much more comfortable than the previous bus. We left Sapa around 8 am and arrived in Hanoi around 12 pm, ready for the last visit of Hanoi.

Then, we went to the Ho Chi Minh mausoleum, where we can see the embalmed body of the former leader of Vietnam. It was a solemn and respectful place, where we had to follow some rules, such as dressing modestly, being silent, …

We went to the West Lake, the largest lake in Hanoi, where we saw the Tran Quoc Pagoda, the oldest Buddhist temple in the city. It was a beautiful and peaceful place, where we saw some monks and worshippers.

After a coffee close to the lake, we went the Daumn Market to buy some souvenirs but it was closed ( Lunar New Year probably ), we buy some souvenirs in the nearby shop, then we go to eat in a local restaurant in the Old Quarter, closed to the bear street. It was funny experience as it was in the middle of the street.

We come back to the hotel, where madam went to massage, while the boys stay in the hotel preparing for going back to South Korea.

Day 5: Coming back to Seoul

We wake up with a very good breakfast, but it is already our last day in Vietnam. We prepare our bag pack before taxing a taxi to the go to the airport. Our mind full of souvenirs too.

Vietnam was a perfect choice for our family adventure. We enjoyed every moment of our 5-days trip, and we wish we could have stayed longer. We saw some of the most beautiful places in the world, such as Halong Bay and Sapa, and we also explored the vibrant and historic city of Hanoi. We tasted some of the most delicious food in the world, and we also learned how to make some of it ourselves. We celebrated the Lunar New Year with the locals, and we also learned about their traditions and customs. Vietnam is a country that will surprise and delight you with its diversity and hospitality.