Land-only DMC · Vietnam · Cambodia · Laos
Land programme · FIT or small group
Northern Vietnam and Luang Prabang, 10 days
Hanoi, a night among the rice fields and karst of Ninh Binh, a night on Ha Long Bay, then a short flight to Luang Prabang for four nights. Written for clients who have seen the classic north–south route, or who want two countries without three internal flights.
At a glance
- Duration
- 10 days, 9 nights
- Party
- 1 to 16 travellers
- Starts
- Hanoi (HAN)
- Ends
- Luang Prabang (LPQ)
- Pace
- Easy to moderate
- Rates
- Net, on request
Who this programme is written for
Agents usually reach for this programme in one of two situations. The first is a repeat client who has done Hanoi to Saigon and wants the north properly, plus one place that feels nothing like Vietnam. The second is a client with ten days who wants two countries but will not spend much of the holiday in airports. This route has one regional flight and no domestic ones.
Luang Prabang gets four nights because the town works at walking pace and most of what clients remember happens early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Two nights there is a transit stop. The old town is a World Heritage property inscribed in 1995 for the way traditional Lao architecture sits with buildings from the colonial period.
Day by day
Day 1
Arrive Hanoi
Meet at Noi Bai after customs and transfer to the hotel. No programme on arrival day.
Day 2
Hanoi
Guided day: the Temple of Literature, the mausoleum area, lunch, then the Old Quarter. For clients on a second visit we swap the standard sights for the Vietnam Museum of Ethnology and a street-food walk in the evening.
Day 3
Hanoi to Ninh Binh
A morning on the road south to Ninh Binh. Rowing boats through the caves of Trang An or Tam Coc in the afternoon, after most day-trip coaches have turned back to Hanoi. The boats are rowed by local boat crews; each boat takes a small number of passengers, so groups are split.
Day 4
Ninh Binh to Ha Long Bay
An early cycle or walk through the rice fields, then the road east to the pier and an overnight boat. We usually quote Lan Ha Bay from this direction because the drive is shorter and the bay is quieter.
Day 5
Ha Long Bay to Hanoi
Kayaking or a cave before brunch, disembark, road back to Hanoi. Evening free.
If the authorities close the bay to overnight boats because of weather, this night becomes a second Ninh Binh night or a Hanoi night, and we tell you the alternative the day before.
Day 6
Fly Hanoi to Luang Prabang
A short regional flight. Luang Prabang airport is about 4 km from the centre, so the transfer into town is short. Afternoon on foot in the old town and up Mount Phousi for the late light.
The Lao e-visa is accepted at Luang Prabang International Airport. Clients can also use a visa on arrival; we tell you which applies to each nationality in the final documents.
Day 7
Luang Prabang
Before dawn, the morning alms round, observed from the side of the street and following the etiquette the guide explains the evening before. After breakfast, the royal palace museum and Wat Xieng Thong. Afternoon free.
Day 8
Pak Ou caves by river
A slow boat up the Mekong to the Pak Ou caves, filled with Buddha images left by pilgrims, with a stop at a riverside village. Back in town by mid-afternoon.
Day 9
Kuang Si and the countryside
The waterfall and pools at Kuang Si in the morning, before the crowds. Lunch on the way back; the afternoon free for the night market or a massage.
Day 10
Depart Luang Prabang
Transfer to the airport for the onward flight: back to Hanoi, to Siem Reap, or to a hub for the long-haul flight home.
Rates and what the land price covers
| Party | Standard | Superior | Deluxe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private, 2 travellers | On request | On request | On request |
| Private, 3 to 6 travellers | On request | On request | On request |
| Small group, 7 to 16 | On request | On request | On request |
| Single traveller or single room | On request | On request | On request |
What the price includes
- Eight hotel or lodge nights and one boat night, room category as quoted
- Private vehicle and driver for every transfer and touring day in Vietnam and Laos
- English-speaking local guide in Hanoi, Ninh Binh, on the boat, and in Luang Prabang
- Meals as listed in the itinerary
- Rowing boat in Ninh Binh, the overnight cruise, the Mekong boat to Pak Ou
- Entrance tickets for the visits named
What it does not include
- International flights
- The Hanoi–Luang Prabang flight and the onward flight from Luang Prabang: quoted as a separate block
- Visas for Vietnam and Laos
- Travel insurance
- Drinks, meals not listed, personal expenses
- Tips for guides, drivers, boat crews
Flights, visas and the Laos side
There are direct flights between Hanoi and Luang Prabang, and from Luang Prabang to Siem Reap, but schedules vary by day of the week and by season. We fix the programme dates around the flight days, not the other way round, and re-check the schedule when the rooming list arrives.
The Lao e-visa is accepted at a short list of entry points: the international airports at Vientiane, Luang Prabang and Pakse, three Friendship Bridges on the Thai border, and the Boten checkpoint and railway stations on the China line. It is not accepted at any land crossing from Vietnam or Cambodia. For this programme that does not matter, because the clients fly in. It matters as soon as an agent asks to replace the flight with a road crossing — read border crossings for groups before quoting that.
For clients who want Vientiane as well, the railway between Vientiane and Luang Prabang takes about two hours, and makes a three-night Laos extension possible without a second flight.
Sources: Lao eVisa — Information; Wikipedia — Luang Prabang International Airport; Wikipedia — Boten–Vientiane railway; UNESCO — Town of Luang Prabang · checked .
Photographs from the route
Who this programme is not for
- Clients who want Cambodia or southern Vietnam on the same trip: add them as separate blocks or start from another sample.
- Travellers who expect resort facilities in Luang Prabang; the old town is mostly guesthouses and small hotels.
- Anyone who cannot manage steps: Mount Phousi, the Pak Ou caves and Kuang Si all involve stairs or uneven paths.
- Clients set on travelling overland from Vietnam into Laos: that is a different, much longer programme with a different visa route.
- Groups over 16, which need coach planning that the Ninh Binh lanes and Luang Prabang old town do not suit.
Plan your trip
Quote this programme
Send dates, number of travellers, hotel level and nationality. The reply is an itemised land quote by email.
Common questions
Questions agents ask
Can Sa Pa or Ha Giang be added?
Yes, as a two- or three-night block before Ha Long Bay. It adds long road days or an overnight train, so we quote it as a separate option rather than squeezing it in.
Is four nights in Luang Prabang too many?
For most clients it is the right number. If the client is restless, one night can become a Vientiane night by train, but we do not recommend fewer than three nights in Luang Prabang.
Can the clients fly out of Luang Prabang to their home country?
Usually via a regional hub, such as Hanoi or Bangkok. We quote the regional flight; the long-haul ticket stays with you.
Which visa do the clients need for Laos?
Arriving by air at Luang Prabang, either the Lao e-visa or a visa on arrival works. The rules differ by nationality, so we confirm it for each booking.
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Start planning
Send a land quote request
Request type, group size and travel month are enough to start. Add your agency name so we can match the request to your contract. We reply by email with an itemised land quote or the questions needed to write one.